In terms of surface area, Ukraine is Europe‘s largest country. It must also be the most diverse. Long nicknamed the granary of Europe, it was still producing 46 % of the Soviet Unions‘s corn consumption in 1989. However, the squandering of its natural resources have brought Ukraine to the brink of ecological catastrophe. The soil is saturated with artificial fertiliser, the rivers are polluted, and both the people and nature are exposed to high levels of environmental contamination. As a consequence of its enduring energy shortage, the country continues to be dependent on its nuclear power stations despite the Chernobyl disaster.