A small, picturesque country - SLOVAKIA - is situated in Central Europe. It has common frontiers with Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary. The landscape bears all the characteristic traits of the temperate zone with a transitional oceanic-continental climate. It belongs to the brown-soil region with deciduous forests. Slovakia is predominantly a hilly country. The lowlands in the south and east of Slovakia form only 29% of its territory, the remaining 71% to the north is taken up by the mountainous landscape of the temperate zone, forming the Carpathian mountains.
The CARPATHIAN ARCH is running along the Danube River. The mountain range is divided into three parts by the rivers Váh and Hron. Plentiful fauna and flora of Slovakia comprise many rare species.
Slovakia lies in the temperate zone with regularly alternating seasons. The average temperature is 3,7°C - 10°C. The coldest month is January with night temperatures of -10°C to -15°C, the warmest is July with maximum day temperatures of around 32°C. In mountain regions there is a covering of snow for 130 days in the year. The warmest regions are the South Slovakian and East Slovakian lowlands.
About 5.5 million of inhabitants live on the area of 49,000 sq.km. The Slovak (87,7%) population is including Hungarian (10,6%), Czech (1%), German, Ukrainian-Ruthenian, Polish and Romany minorities.
After 75- year existence of the Czechoslovak Republic Slovakia separated and has since January 1, 1993 existed as an independent state. Now it is a young country with a rapid progress in its market economy.
BRATISLAVA is the Capital of Slovakia. The Slovak Republic is divided into eight counties with HQ cities BRATISLAVA, TRNAVA, TRENÈÍN, NITRA, BANSKÁ BYSTRICA, ?ILINA, PRE?OV, KO?ICE.
The official language is SLOVAK. Among religions the ROMAN-CATHOLIC is dominant (60%) over Lutheran - Augsburg denomination, Orthodox, Jewish a.o.
Tradition and national customs of Slovakia are as variegated as its nature and people. For a bit more romantic the tourists may stay in camps and caravanning facilities, youth hostels and hotels of all categories.
Gastronomy shows the influence of a narrow contact with the neighboring countries. European meals, home specialties and foreign meals are available. In Bratislava they offer unlimited choice, including kosher food, French meals, as well as the "smorgasbord". Motorests and original "tchardas" present all kinds of regional specialties - from Slovak cooking in the north of the country to Hungarian and fish meals in the Danubian region in the southern part of the country.
Slovakia is ready to welcome tourists and enable the money exchange in any place and in any time by means of changemats and in all larger hotels and tourist centers.
Home and foreign calls are enabled by public telephones working on coins or cards. Telephone calls on significant numbers (see lower) are free of charge. Emergency centers offer permanent service including aid on car accidents and repair on practically all types of vehicles. |
