大使: 科斯坚科•尤里     
全名:乌克兰
人口: 4510万(UN, 2011)
首都: 基辅
国土面积: 603700平方公里(233090平方英里)
主要语言: 乌克兰语(官方),俄罗斯语
主要宗教: 基督教
平均寿命: 64岁(男), 75 岁 (女) (UN)
货币单位: 夫纳
主要出口货物: 军事设备、金属、管道、机械、石油产品、纺织品、农业产品
人均国民收入: US $3,000 (World Bank, 2010)
互连网域名: .ua
国际电话区号: +380

Ukraine: Economy

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Ukraine Economy Profile 2012

January 4, 2012

With rich farmlands, a well-developed industrial base, highly trained labor force of 20 million, and good education system, Ukraine has the potential to become a major European economy. After a robust 8-year expansion beginning in 2000 that saw real GDP expand 75%, Ukraine’s economy experienced a sharp slowdown in late 2008, which continued through 2009. After contracting 15.1% in 2009, GDP bounced back only 4.3% in 2010 and was estimate to grow between 4.5% and 4.7% in 2011.

Ukraine’s economy remains burdened by excessive government regulation, corruption, and lack of law enforcement, and while the government has taken steps against corruption and small and medium enterprises have been largely privatized, much remains to be done to restructure and privatize key sectors such as energy and to create a market system for agricultural land. President Yanukovych chairs a Committee on Economic Reform, and in 2010 Ukraine developed an economic reform plan for 2010-2014. In December 2010 a comprehensive new tax code was passed by parliament and signed into law, provoking major street protests in Kyiv. The protests forced the government to remove elements that would have expanded the authority of the national tax service, but small businesses continue to statement that the new code is additional burdensome than the previous system.

Ukraine ostensibly encourages foreign trade and investment. Foreigners have the right to purchase businesses and property, to repatriate revenue and profits, and to receive compensation in the event property were to be nationalized by a next government. However, the country's complex laws and regulations, poor corporate governance, weak enforcement of contract law by courts, and particularly corruption have discouraged broad foreign direct investment in Ukraine. While there is a functioning stock market, the lack of protection for minority shareholder rights severely restricts portfolio investment from abroad.

Ukraine abounds in natural resources and industrial production capacity. Although proven onshore and offshore oil and natural gas reserves are limited, there is now interest in oil exploration in the Ukrainian portion of the Black Sea inclunding prospecting for shale gas. The country has other significant energy sources, such as coal, and large mineral deposits, and is of the world's leading energy transit nations, providing transportation of Russian gas across its territory. Ukraine imports almost 80% of its oil and 77% of its natural gas. Russia ranks as Ukraine's principal supplier of oil, and Russian firms now own and/or operate the majority of Ukraine's refining capacity. Natural gas imports currently come from Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, which deliver the gas to Ukraine's border through a pipeline system owned and controlled by Gazprom, Russia's national-owned gas monopoly. Ukraine owns and operates the gas pipelines on its territory, which are as well used to transit Russian gas to Western Europe. Ukraine's laws forbid the sale of the gas pipeline network. Strained relations between the nations over fair pricing for gas caused severe gas supply disruptions for downstream consumers in 2006 and 2009. In April 2010, the Rada ratified the Kharkiv gas-for-basing agreement in which Ukraine agreed to extend the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s basing rights in Sevastopol for an additional 25 years (until 2042) in exchange for a $100 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) discount of Ukraine’s imports of Russian gas. With the price of gas expected to rise above $456 per tcm by January 2012, Russia and Ukraine were renegotiating the gas contract for a lower price as of late 2011. Both sides had openly pledged to avoid any disruptions of gas supply during the coming winter.

Ukraine’s economy is heavily dependent on its exports, which make up about 40% of its gross domestic product. While nations of the former Soviet Union remain significant trading partners, especially Russia for energy imports, Ukraine's trade is becoming additional diversified. The European Union (EU) accounts for about 30% of Ukraine's trade, while CIS nations account for about 40%. Ukraine has a broad industrial base, including much of the former U.S.S.R.'s space and rocket industry. The country has a major ferrous metal industry, producing cast iron, steel, and steel pipe, and its chemical industry produces coke, mineral fertilizers, and sulfuric acid. Manufactured goods include airplanes, turbines, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, and tractors. World request for steel and chemicals began to recover in 2009 after dropping sharply in the second half of 2008, and Ukraine's suppliers experienced nearly 50% year-on-year export increase at the start of 2011. Steel constitutes nearly 40% of exports. Ukraine is as well a major producer of grain, sunflower seeds, and beet sugar. Ukraine introduced grain export quotas in 2010. The distribution of these quotas was highly non-transparent and discriminatory to foreign grain trading companies, which did not receive allocations. Export quotas were restored by export duties in July 2011. While duties on barley remain, Ukraine eliminated export duties on corn and wheat in October 2011.

In July 2010, following extended negotiations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a second loan package to Ukraine, after an before package negotiated in 2008 went off-track. The 29-month $15.2 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) was primarily conditioned on adjustments in fiscal and monetary policy, consumer gas price increases, and pension reform. Disbursement of SBA funds has not taken place since November 2010, due to the Ukrainian Government's delay in enacting pension reforms and its reluctance to move forward on the politically unpopular issue of gas pricing reform. The World Bank has committed additional than $7 billion to Ukraine in 38 projects since the country joined the Bank in 1992.

Ukraine is a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Improvment(EBRD) and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in May 2008. In 2008 Ukraine and the European Union launched negotiations on a free trade agreement. As an interim step to an EU Association Agreement, Ukraine hopes to conclude with the EU a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) inclunding an agreement on visa liberalization. Some chapters remain under negotiation.

Ukraine's trade deficit rises 65% in first 10 months

Ukraine's trade deficit rose by 65 % to 11.3 billion U.S. dollars in the first 10 months compared with the same period last year, according to figures released by the National Statistical Service Monday.

During this period, total foreign trade topped 122.64 billion dollars with exports up nearly 36 % to 55.6 billion dollars, while imports rising 40.1 % to 67.04 billion dollars.

The major amounts of exports were shipped to Russia, Turkey and Italy, while the major batches of imported goods came from Russia, Germany and China.

The October decline in exports reflected a drop of exports of machine building. The monthly increase of imports was triggered by a rise of mineral fuels and oils. In 2010, Ukraine recorded a trade deficit of 9.3 billion dollars. Analysts expect Ukraine's trade deficit will rise to nearly 13 billion dollars this year.

 

After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the majority significant economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated additional than-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR.

Shortly after independence in August 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukraine depends on imports to meet about three-fourths of its annual oil and natural gas requirements and 100% of its nuclear fuel needs. After a-week dispute that saw gas supplies cutoff to Europe, Ukraine agreed to ten-year gas supply and transit contracts with Russia in January 2009 that brought gas prices to "world" levels. The strict terms of the contracts have further hobbled Ukraine's cash-strapped national gas company, Naftohaz.

Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing additional economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but additional improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, and improving the legislative framework. Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president until mid-2008. Real GDP increase exceeded 7% in 2006-07, fueled by high world prices for steel - Ukraine's top export - and by strong domestic consumption, spurred by rising pensions and wages.

The drop in steel prices and Ukraine's exposure to the world financial crisis due to aggressive foreign borrowing lowered increase in 2008 and the economy contracted additional than 14% in 2009, part the worst economic performances in the world. Ukraine reached an agreement with the IMF for a $16.4 billion Stand-By Arrangement in November 2008 to transaction with the economic crisis, but the Ukrainian Government's lack of evolution in implementing reforms has twice delayed the release of IMF assistance funds. Political turmoil in Ukraine inclunding deteriorating external conditions are likely to hamper efforts for economic recovery.