Tours by locals in Kiev

Kyiv or Kiev (Ukrainian: Київ) is the capital and largest city of Ukraine with - officially - approximately 3 million inhabitants (unofficially up to 4 million inhabitants). The city was founded on the banks of Dnipro River. The transliteration of the city's name from Ukrainian is "Kyiv", and this variation is now promoted in English language materials in Ukraine, international organizations and suggested for use in major English-speaking countries. The spelling of the city's name is a linguistic controversy, as it is argued by some that the long-established "Kiev" spelling is based on the Russian transliteration that was prevalent during the Soviet occupation and therefore is a reminder of Russian influence over Ukraine (although the city itself and the name predate the existence of Russia). Others argue that the spelling 'Kiev' is simply the established English-language name and is still used by publications such as the Financial Times and The Economist, and that its use does not imply Russian imperialist connotations.