REPORT ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF
UNITED NATIONS ROMANIZATION SYSTEMS FOR GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
Compiled by the UNGEGN Working Group on Romanization Systems
Version 2.2, January 2003

Ukrainian

At sessions of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names there have been presented several documents on the romanization of Ukrainian geographical names. The first scheme for romanizing Ukrainian names was adopted in Ukraine in 1993 (Provisional Rules of Reproducing Letters of the Ukrainian Alphabet with Latin (English) Characters. UNGEGN, 17th Session. New York, 13-24 June 1995. WP No. 73).

The current national system of romanization was approved by the Minister of Justice (also Chairman of the Committee on Law Terminology) in 1996 (Romanization of Ukrainian Geographical Names. UNGEGN, 18th Session. Geneva, 12-23 August 1996. WP No. 78.). However, for final adoption it is envisaged to approve it as a national standard. The system which is based on the English orthography, is for the most part reversible, although certain character combinations may cause ambiguity and some characters (ї) are not differentiated in romanization. Also, for practical use further simplifications are allowed which would make the romanization imprecise.

Systems of romanization

The national system of romanization (1996) is as follows.

1 А а a

2 Б б b

3 В в v

4 Г г h, gh^A

5 Ґ ґ g

6 Д д d

7 Е е e

8 Є є ie, ye^B

9 Ж ж zh

10 З з z

11 И и y

12 І і i

13 Ї ї i, yi^B

14 Й й i, y^B

15 К к k

16 Л л l

17 М м m

18 Н н n

19 О о o

20 П п p

21 Р р r

22 С с s

23 Т т t

24 У у u

25 Ф ф f

26 Х х kh

27 Ц ц ts

28 Ч ч ch

29 Ш ш sh

30 Щ щ sch

31 Ю ю iu, yu^B

32 Я я ia, ya^B

33 Ь ь ’

34 ’ "

^A gh is used in the romanization of зг (zgh).
^B The second variant is used at the beginning of a word.

Note. Cursive forms of some characters might be formed differently: Аа Бб Вв Гг Ґґ Дд Ее Єє Жж Зз Ии Іі Її Йй Кк Лл Мм Нн Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Уу Фф Хх Цц Чч Шш Щщ Юю Яя Ьь ’.

The BGN/PCGN 1965 System gives, as a single block, different Roman equivalents to the following Ukrainian characters (the national equivalents are in parentheses):

г (h/gh) h

є (ie/ye) ye

ї (i/yi) yi

й (i/y) y

щ (sch) shch

ю (iu/yu) yu

я (ia/ya) ya

1	А а	a
2	Б б	b
3	В в	v
4	Г г	h, gh^A
5	Ґ ґ	g
6	Д д	d
7	Е е	e
8	Є є	ie, ye^B
9	Ж ж	zh
10	З з	z
11	И и	y
12	І і	i
13	Ї ї	i, yi^B
14	Й й	i, y^B
15	К к	k
16	Л л	l
17	М м	m
18	Н н	n
19	О о	o
20	П п	p
21	Р р	r
22	С с	s
23	Т т	t
24	У у	u
25	Ф ф	f
26	Х х	kh
27	Ц ц	ts
28	Ч ч	ch
29	Ш ш	sh
30	Щ щ	sch
31	Ю ю	iu, yu^B
32	Я я	ia, ya^B
33	Ь ь	’
34	’	"

г (h/gh)	h
є (ie/ye)	ye
ї (i/yi)	yi
й (i/y)	y
щ (sch)	shch
ю (iu/yu)	yu
я (ia/ya)	ya