Kyiv
As of 2019, the total population of Ukraine is 42,101,650 people, representing 0.55% of the global population and making Ukraine #33 overall for largest population. Kyiv (also spelled Kiev), Ukraine’s capital, is unsurprisingly the nation’s most populous municipality with approximately 2,797,553 people. It is a critical hub for industrial, scientific, educational, and cultural developments within Eastern Europe, and touts a host of historical landmarks and robust infrastructure system. It is the 7th most populous city in all of Europe.
Kharkiv
Rolling in at second place for most populous city is Kharkiv, located in the northeast sector of Ukraine. Kharkiv is home to roughly 1,430,885 people, and where Kyiv appeals to innovations in tech, Kharkiv answers with history and the arts. The city is teeming with museums, murals, theatres, and libraries, and is the perfect place to catch an opera or ballet performance if you happen to be visiting.
Dnipro
Coming in third, right on the heels of Kharkiv with an estimated population of 1,032,822, is Dnipro. Located along the formidable Dnieper River in the central part of Ukraine, Dnipro gives home to a variety of business and political endeavors, as well as a horde of history museums. Its status as a steadily burgeoning economic hub likely means the area won’t see a decline in population anytime soon.
Donetsk
How about a quick name game? Formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Hughesovka, Yuzovka and Stalino, what is now the industrial metropolis of Donetsk is known simply as home by more than 1,024,700 individuals. This Eastern Ukraine town is the capital city of the unrecognized Donetsk People’s Republic, and is located along the Kalmius River.
Odessa
Odessa, a port city you’ll find along the coast of the Black Sea in southern Ukraine, is just as popular with the locals as it is with the tourists. A 2017 census lists Odessa with a population of roughly 1,001,558, but thousands upon thousands more past through its seaside corridor yearly. In addition to the city’s attraction to tourists, Odessa’s geographical location makes it a prime spot for transport and imports/exports. Aracadia, one of the city’s most popular and ever-expanding neighborhoods with shopping, clubs, and apartments, seems to signal that further population growth is imminent.