ETHNO-GEOGRAPHIC MACRO-REGIONATION OF UKRAINE AS THE INFORMATION BASIS FOR REGIONAL ETHNIC POLICY

A comprehensive analysis of macro-regional ethno-geographical differences in Ukraine was made, which are most evident in the different proportions of the number of ethnic Ukrainians and representatives of ethno-national minorities in the regions of the country, as well as in the peculiarities of the population structure by native language. The main factors in the formation of ethnogeographic regions are historical and geographical prerequisites, subjective aspects of the formation of the state territory of Ukraine, population migration, and the peculiarities of state policy in Soviet times. Determination of common and distinctive features of the ethno-national and ethno-linguistic structure of the population between the regions of Ukraine using a number of indicators (the value of the quantitative superiority of Ukrainians over the largest ethnic minority by region; the ratio of the share of Ukrainians and the population with a native Ukrainian language; the ratio of the share of Ukrainians with a native Russian language and the share of Russians with in the native Ukrainian language) made it possible to distinguish 12 ethnogeographic regions: 1) Transcarpathian; 2) Halych; 3) Volyn; 4) Chernivtsi; 5) Podillya-Polyssya; 6) Central-Right Bank; 7) Central-Left Bank; 8) Dnipro-Kharkiv; 9) Donetsk; 10) Odessa; 11) Central-Black Sea; 12) Crimean. Since the proposed scheme of ethnogeographic zoning reflects not only the most significant regional differences in the ethno-national composition of the population and its linguistic structure, but also reveals of the political development and socio-economic development of the territory of Ukraine, significant differences in the levels of urbanization and the demographic situation of the regions, it can to be the basis of integral socio-geographical macro-regionalization of Ukraine and an important reference point in the implementation of regional ethnopolitics aimed at balancing the interests of the state, ethno-national communities and groups. The strategic task of regional ethnopolitics is the resolution of ethnopolitical contradictions and the prevention of ethnopolitical conflicts in ethnogeographical macro-regions. The solution of ethnopolitical problems related to the use of the state and the languages of ethno-national minorities in various spheres of society's life is of leading importance in the implementation of state ethnopolitics. These problems are the most urgent for Transcarpathian, Chernivtsi and Odesa ethnographic regions. The relatively high degree of russification of ethnic Ukrainians in the regional centers of the Central-Left Bank, Dnipro-Kharkiv, Central-Black Sea and Odesa ethnogeographic regions deepens contrasts in the linguistic structure of the population of rural areas and large cities, which creates functional barriers in their relations and does not contribute to linguistic cultural consolidation of Ukrainian society. Key words: ethnogeographic zoning, ethnic composition of the population, structure of the population by native language, regional ethnopolitics, assimilation.