For long, Ukraine has been the meeting-place for the East and the West. Various peoples came and stayed here creating singular and original culture. Unique monuments of his­tory, architecture and archeology, ethnographic peculiarities of the area, curative climate, along with diversity of sanative factors, attract millions of tourists. Ukraine is visited by tourists from numerous countries overseas. However, the largest flows come from Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other CIS countries. Thus, these countries provide 78% of tourists. Foreign countries are represented by Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Czech Republic and the USA.

Unique natural, recreational, historical and cultural resources of the country, along with strong procurement, contribute to successful development of Ukrainian tourism. By its available natural recreation resources (climatic, biological, landscape, spas, curative mud etc.), Ukraine is the leading one among the CIS countries. The total area of land suitable for recreation accounts for 9.4 min. ha or 15.4% of Ukraine's territory. 48,690 objects are the architectural-historical monuments protected by the State and the Church. Tourist and sanatorium-resort complex of Ukraine numbers over 4.5 ths. establishments, with the capacity to accommodate 600 ths. tourists and vacationers simultaneously.

Different balnearies function in practically all the Ukrainian regions. Most of them are located in Zakarpatje region. Besides, their large number is in Lugansk, Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, and Rivne regions. As well, some balnearies are. in Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnitsa, Khmelnitsk, Kyiv, Kirovograd, Cherkassy, Donetsk and Zaporozhje regions. By their healing qualities, balnearies are:

• mineral waters not infused with specific components and properties (Mirgorod, Kuyalnik, Odesa, Yevpatoriya, Saki, Feodosia, and Morshin);
• waters infused with carbon dioxode (Zakarpatje resorts);
• sulphide-impregnated waters (resorts of Prikarpatje, Sinyak, and Nemirov);
• waters impregnated with iron, arsenic and poly-metals (Slayjanogorsk resort and "Shayan" sanatorium);
• bromine-impregnated waters (Berdjansk, Satanov);
• radioactive waters (Khmelnik);
• thermal waters (Saki, Yevpatoriya).

Mud resorts of Berdyansk, Kuyalnik, Saki and other functions on the basis of curative mud basins. In the Noth-Western regions, there are basins of turf mud utilized in the resorts of Mirgorod, Morshin, Nemyrov, Cherche and others.

Today, the most rational and efficient type of recreation is leisure of parents with their children. The best establishments for family leisure featuring broad experience in recreational facilities and medicinal services are recreational centers of children's resorts of Priazoyje (Berdyansk, Mariupol, Kirilovka), Nothern Prichemomorje (Skadovsk, Ochakov, Koblevo, Lazurnoye, Zatoka) and Yevpatoria. Shallow sea, sandy beaches, influence of steppe winds, along with utilized curative mud and mineral waters, create perfect conditions to treat respiratory organs, cardio­vascular and nervous systems, orthopedic diseases and other diseases of children and adults.

The Autonomous Republic of Crimea is one of the most developed resort and tourist regions. Crimea has been the favorite place of leisure for artists, poets and tourists for a long time.

Resorts and tourism were determined as priority directions in the development of the region's economy. Tourist-resource potential of the Crimean Peninsula includes 3,150 objects of natural and anthropogenic type. At the present, 15 basins of curative mud and 13 large basins of mineral waters are within the category of curative. Over 600 sanatorium-resort and tourist establishments function on the territory of the Peninsula.

Resorts of the Crimean South seacoast, Alupka, Miskhor, Livadiya, Yalta, Massandra, Gurzuf, and Alushta provide extremely favorable conditions for climatic treatment. Recreational centers of these resorts provide treatment for patients with lasting illness of nervous system, respiratory organs, circulation and orthopedic diseases all year round. Many of these after staying in Yevpatoriya or Saki are grateful to brine and mud of the Moynak Lake. Bathing in this reservoir is similar to that in the Dead Sea, gives stimulus to muscles, bones, knuckles, nervous system, accelerates metabolism. Flat coast of Yevpatoria, sandy bottom of beaches allow bathing and thalassotherapeutic cure both to children and elderly people. One of the most popular children's resorts is situated here.

The Carpathians are deservedly regarded among the best resort regions of Ukraine. Diverse unique mineral springs, curative mud, ozocerite, favorable climate create all the conditions to successfully treat different diseases of the digestive tract, nervous and cardiovascular systems, orthopedic diseases, diseases of respiratory organs etc. Recreational centers nestle in picturesque places — on the banks of the rivers, in the valleys, high in the mountains and in the forests. The resorts of Truskavets, Morshyn, Yaremcha, Polyana and others, specializing in the cure of diseases of digestive system, kidneys, cholecyst and pancreas, won the hot popularity. Due to curative properties of unique mineral water "Naftusya", the resort-polis Truskavets is unrivalled among the CIS resorts. This water has cholagogue, resolvent, anaesthetic effect, activates endocrine functions, ex­trudes radionuclides, pro­vides scouring and strength­ens immunity. Scientifically developed treatment methods, reach natural factors and comfort of the resort won Truskavets a strong popularity. The most well-known recreational centers of Truskavets are "Perlyna Prikarpattya", "Karpaty", "Prikarpatje", and "Kristall" providing 1-2 bedded rooms with a TV set, refrigerator, telephone and bathroom. Children's sanatorium "Dzherelo" accomodates 5-14 aged children, "Yantar" sanatorium renders services to mothers and children. Famous gastroenterologic resort Morshin is situated 82 km far from Lvov, in forest range of Prikarpatje low­land, 340 meters above the sea level. Sanatoria of this re­sort, "Dnestr", "Rassvet", "Mramornyi Palaz", "Perlyna Prikarpattja" and others provide facilities to recuperate, recreate and rest all year round.

The climate of Zakarpatje is mild and warm, adverse weather conditions last no longer than one week. The sun shines about 2,000 hours like in the resortcity of Sochi. By their physical and chemical properties, mineral waters of Zakarpatje infused with carbon dioxide or hydrocarbonate, chloride, and sodium are similar to "Borzhomi" and "Yessentuki", except for some addi­tional curative properties. "Polyana Kvasova", mineral water of Svalyavskiy resort district can be related to spas similar to "Borzhomi". However, it comprises twice the amount of sodium hydrocarbonate and one and a half amount of carbonic acid. By this indicator, "Polyana Kvasova" is similar to famous "Narzan". Its value is even higher due to fluorine and boron impregnated. "Polyana Kupel" and "Luzhanskaya" mineral waters are also similar to the mentioned waters by their composition. Some unique spas bring original characteris­tics to many recreational establishments. Mineral water of Kvasy resort can be found only in Germany and Sakhalin. High in the mountains, around the Sinevir Lake, the water spa "Soimy" has been discovered. This basin does not have any analogues in Ukraine. Its water is infused with large amount of mineral compounds and microelements widely used for therapeutic treatment. The only specialized department to treat patients with blood illnesses functions in "Ukraina" sanatorium.

Poltava region is one of the most ecologically healthy in Ukraine. Both air and underground spas are curative here, which is helpful to treat practically all the diseases of the diges­tive tract. 43 recreational establishments were created on the basis of these spas located around the entire region. Over 50 ths. people annually recuperate in the city of Mirgorod only.