1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
remain a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu
In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period.

Uganda
The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda
grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different
political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the
establishment of a working political community after independence
was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79)
was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla
war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at
least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986
has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During
the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and
legislative elections.

Ukraine
Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state,
Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest
and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels
and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand
Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid
the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent
centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was
established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against
the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate
managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the
latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic
territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse
of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine