Kyiv, city, north central Ukraine, capital of Ukraine, and of Kyiv Oblast, on the Dnieper River. The largest city of Ukraine, it is a major industrial, transportation, and cultural center. Among its leading manufactures are machinery, machine tools, chemicals, motor vehicles, processed food, textiles, clothing, forest products, and printed materials. The city also serves as the market for an agricultural region producing grain, fruit, sugar beets, and other commodities.
A beautiful city with many parks and historical structures, Kyiv is built mostly on hills overlooking the Dnieper. The old section of the city, on the right bank of the river, includes hills surmounted by churches and the ruins of ancient castles and fortifications. The newer quarters, on the left bank, were mostly built after World War II ended in 1945. The city is served by a subway system.
