Basic informations about Slovakia
Slovakia – the official name of which is the Slovak Republic – is 49,035 km2 of area for never-ending lots of experience. Slovakia has a population of 5,379,445 inhabitants (as at 1st January 2004) of various nationalities. The most of inhabitants is of Slovak nationality, to which is registered 85.8 % of inhabitants. A residue is formed by the ethnic minorities, from which the most numerous is the Hungarian nationality – 9.7 %, living mostly in the southern districts of Slovakia. Hungarian-Slovak composition of the towns and villages’ inhabitants begins already near behind Bratislava and goes practically through the whole southern area of Slovakia up to the eastern part of Slovakia to the Trebišov town. The roots of which go back as far as historical territorial position of the present Slovakia forming a part of former Austria-Hungary in the past. As well the Ruthenian, Ukrainian, German and Polish nationalities have its representation in Slovakia, and 1.7 % of inhabitants are reported to the Romany nationality. An official language is the Slovak language, but also languages of minorities: Hungarian, Polish, Ruthenian languages, and for a part of German nationality also German language, have got an important place here. Slovakia is situated, so to speak, in the centre of Europe and borders on five neighbouring countries. Slovakia borders on Austria and the Czech Republic in the West, and it borders on Hungary in the South having the longest border with it, and it borders on Ukraine in the East having the shortest border with it, and it borders on Poland in the North. Since the 1st May 2004 the Slovak Republic is a member of the European Union, and since the 21st December 2007 is a member of Schengen area, and since the 1st January 2009 is a part of the European Monetary Union and its currency is euro (€). Equally, Slovakia is a member of the following organizations, as follows: NATO, OSN, UNESCO, OECD, OBSE, CERN, WHO and INTERPOL. Slovakia is a country with predominantly the Roman Catholic religion, up to 69 % of population is reported to it. The Lutheran Church of augsburg denomination has its representation in 7 % of believers and it is the second most numerous church here. A portion of inhabitants is reported to the Orthodox Church (5 %) and nondenominational are 13 % of people. Slovakia by its system of government is the parliamentary democratic republic. At the head of state is the president of Slovakia elected directly by people for the five-year term of office. During his government, the president of Slovakia shares its power with the Slovak National Council – parliament, which is a law-making body. The members of which are 150 Members of Parliament, equally as the president, elected directly by people for the four-year term of office. Execution of state power lies with the government having a Prime Minister at its head. Thanks to its position located in the temperate zone, the four seasons are followed here. However, the climatic conditions vary according to the height above sea level. Summers in the lowlands are dry and hot, however, if you decide to visit it during the summer period.
Historical cities
A history remained a great cultural heritage on the territory of Slovakia. From 138 Slovak towns even 18 towns of those are the urban conservation areas. And it is Bratislava, Banská Štiavnica, Banská Bystrica, Bardejov, Levoča, Komárno, Kremnica, Kežmarok, Košice, Nitra, Prešov, Spišská Kapitula, Poprad – Spišská Sobota, Podolínec, Trenčín, Svätý Jur, Trnava, Štiavnické Bane and Žilina. Each of those is the unique object of its kind and unrivalled by something. There can be more than 12,000 cultural monuments found here. There can be also 88 monument zones found in Slovakia, including Bojnice, Komárno and Liptovský Ján.
Capital city - Bratislava
The biggest city and at the same time a capital of Slovakia is Bratislava having approximately 450,000 inhabitants. It is situated in the south-west part of Slovakia, near the Austria and Hungary borders, and it spreads on both sides of the biggest European river the Danube. This river connects Bratislava with the capitals of surrounding countries – Vienna and Budapest.
Slovakia is situated in the central Europe, and despite its rather small area, it concentrates a massive scale of natural beauties on its area. The southern fertile and drier lowlands encircled with hills turns gradually into the mountain ranges in the North, in which the valleys with residues of snow can be found here also during hot summer. Most of lowlands are used for the agricultural purposes, and they are formed by the non-forested areas. These ones turn gradually into the hills starting in the Carpathian Mountains. The height of which rises gradually and in the central part, represented by the Tatras, the highest peak – Gerlachovský štít – reaches the height of 2,655 m. It is the highest peak not only in Slovakia, but also in the whole Carpathian arched Mountains. However, it is enough to go a couple of ten kilometres and you can find yourself at its lowest point. It is the southern Hungarian border at the river Bodrog having only 95 m height above sea level. On the relatively small territory of Slovakia, more than 1,000 protected areas are situated here. You can find here 9 National Parks – the most known is the Tatras National Park and 16 protected landscape areas with lots of scarce plants and animals. It is on you to select the cardinal point you want to set off on a journey, and you can go through many unrepeatable experience and surprises in every part of Slovakia. And what is the advantage of it? It is actually only a short hop into every part of Slovakia.
The smallest alps of the world - High Tatras
The Tatras, you can experience here the snowing also in the middle of July, or August. However, you can experience the Tatras in every season. They offer the unique opportunities for hiking in the clear air in the beautiful mountain nature during the spring and autumn, and during the summer you can utilize your leisure at the water reservoirs with a wide offer of water sports. And if you are a devotee of winter sports, you cannot manage to envisage a better skiing than skiing in Slovakia. Magnificent views from the Tatras peaks, such as Lomnícky peak, Rysy, or Chopok, hide the crystal-clear mountain lakes and torrents. The biggest mountain lake called as Veľké Hyncovo pleso reaches the depth up to 53 m, the mountain lake called as Štrbské pleso is the world-known and other mountains lakes as well, and the small and big waterfalls are fascinating as well, from which the best known is the highest waterfall called as Kmeťov vodopád with the individual cascades and the height of about 80 m.
Caves
You can find a lot of caves in Slovakia forming the world region of cave importance. The underground caves system of the Slovenský and Aggeletský kras was listed into the List of World and Nature Heritage in the year 1995. There were four opened to public caves in Slovak Karst – Domica cave, Gombasecká cave, Silická cave and Jasov cave listed into the List of World Natural Heritage UNESCO in the year 1995 along with some caves of the Aggteleg National Park on the Hungarian side. In the year 2000 Dobšinská Ice Cave was added to the aforesaid, and this cave together with Demänovská Cave of Freedom and Demänovská Ice Cave are the most visited caves in Slovakia. The best-known caves of the Slovak caves are declared to be the National Monuments. Fourteen Slovak caves are opened to public. Most of them are karst, some are of ice and of exceptional value is the Ochtinská Aragonite Cave. This one is classified among three opened caves of such kind in the world and it is an unrivalled cave of such kind.
Spa & Aquaparks
Slovakia is famous for its spas not only in the neighbouring countries but also worldwide. People come here in order to use the power of mineral water to cure various kinds of diseases. But Slovakia also attracts tourists who wish to combine a curative stay with rest, relaxation and discovering of natural beauties or rich history of Slovakia. Tiny towns at the mountain foot, spa resorts with abundant cultural events, historical monuments, beautiful nature, hiking opportunities, and favourable climatic conditions and, of course, natural, hot or cold, healing springs – all this makes the Slovak spa & aquaparks so special. Health resorts with natural curative mineral springs in Kováčová, and world-known bath town Piešťany are sought after and visited here – and this all is only a fragment of those offered to you by the Slovak nature.
World Cultural Heritage UNESCO
However, Slovakia is not only the nature. You can discover here the well-preserved and renovated castles, mansion houses and chateaus, in which you will find yourself directly in the history of ancient years. Castle ruins reaching on the high detached masses, or hidden deeply in the mountains, will fill you with enthusiasm by the legends about its monarchs and serfs. In Slovakia you will discover the unrepeatable and world-known charm of the Slovak folklore and customs, and you will taste the traditional Slovak specialities, and you will meet the genial and hospitable persons, or you will plunge into the vortex of entertainment and night life of the modern cities.
Traffic information
This country is intertwined by the heavy road infrastructure and railway lines. If you decide to travel by air to Slovakia, a modern airport will welcome you in the capital city Bratislava, in the West of Slovakia, connecting it with the world. In the North of Slovakia in Poprad you can disembark directly at the bottom of the Tatras, and Košice, a modern metropolis and the second biggest city of Slovakia, it allows you, comfortably and directly from the runway, to set off on a journey for unique beauties of the Eastern part of Slovakia.
Best of Slovakia
In Slovakia you will find what you never can find anywhere else in the world. Slovak karst, it is the most spreading karst area in the central Europe, hiding up to 1,110 caves. Spiš Castle, it is the most extensive castle complex in the central Europe with area of up to 40,000 m2, forming a part of the World Cultural Heritage UNESCO. Červený kameň castle with castle cellars, with the most extensive underground spaces in the central Europe, and the highest wooden gothic altar in the world situated in Levoča. The public garden of Janko Kráľ in Bratislava, it is the oldest public park in the Europe. The Mining Academy in Banská Štiavnica, it is the oldest University of Technology in the world. And many others and fascinating the BEST, which are worth seeing at your own eyes and experience. Slovakia is the country breathing the history at its every step.
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