SLOVAKIA

SLOVAKIA ON THE MAP

BORDER COUNTRIES

Hungary (679 km), Poland (597.5 km), the Czech Republic (265 km), Austria (127,2 km), Ukraine (98 km)

Slovakia is a mountainous country. There are the High and Low Tatras, the Big and Small Fatra, the Slovak Ore Mountains, the Štiavnica Mountains, etc. These parts are perfect for hiking in summer and skiing in winter. There are plains in the south with agriculture and the river Danube, the biggest European river.

There are big cities with industry and small historical towns with nice scenery. There are a lot of spas, thermal parks, caves and mineral springs in Slovakia.

Slovaks are really proud of their highest mountains, the High Tatras. Beautiful

national peak Kriváň is one of the symbols of the country. It is on euro cent coins.

Gerlachovský Štít with 2 655 metres is the highest peak in Slovakia.

GENERAL INFORMATIONArea: 49 035 km²Population: 5 500 000 Location: Central Europe

Official name: The Slovak Republic (SR)State formation date: 1 January 1993 State system: republicPolitical system: parliamentary democracy Prezident: Ivan GašparovičEU member since 1 May 2004Currency : Euro

Ethnic groups : 85.8% Slovaks 9.7% Hungarians 1.7% Gypsies 2.8% other minority groups

5.5 million people live in the Slovak Republic

POPULATION

PRESIDENT

Ivan Gašparovič

Prime Minister

Iveta Radičová

BRATISLAVA the Capital of the Slovak Republic

Bratislava Castle

Slovak National Theatre

Grassalkovich Palace

St.Martin Cathedral

Danube

OTHER BIG CITIES

Cathedral of St. Elisabeth

State Theatre in Košice

KOŠICE

Martin - National Cemetery Banská Bystrica

ŽilinaNitra

SPAS AND MINERAL SPRINGS

Dudince

Piešťany

Turčianske Teplice

Bardejov Spa

CASTLES AND CHÂTEAUXBojnice Betliar

DevínZvolen

Orava Castle

Trencin Castle

Spis Castle

CAVES

Dobsinska ice cave

Demänovska cave

Domica

Ochtinska Aragonite Cave

PLANTS

PLESNIVEC ALPÍNSKY(LEONTOPODIUM ALPINUM)

HOREC JARNÝ(GENTIANA VERNA)

RUMENICA TURNIANSKA(ONOSMA TORNENSIS JAV.)

ANIMALSSVIŠŤ VRCHOVSKÝ(MARMOTA MARMOTA)

KAMZÍK VRCHOVSKÝ(RUPICAPRA RUPICAPRA)

KROJE TRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMES

WOODEN MONUMENTS

wooden bell tower

in Zemplín

the cottage in Čičmany

Miroľa- wooden temple

water mill in Jahodná

Every Slovak would tell you that our national dish is HALUŠKY, dumplings with Liptovian sheep cheese and

fried bacon,...

POPULAR DRINKS

Slovak beer, mineral water, BOROVIČKA (strong gin), SLIVOVICA (plum brandy) and wine from the Tokaj are particular specialities.

NATIONAL LEADERS OF SLOVAKS

Milan Rastislav Štefánik Slovak astronomer, politician French general in WW I member of exil Czechoslovak government died in an airplane crash in

1919

Ľudovít Štúr leader of national

movement in 1848 revolution ideological leader of

Slovaks in the struggle for national freedom

codified the official Slovak language

WritersPavol Országh Hviezdoslav„The greatest Slovak

poet.“Slovak writer, poet, dramatist, novelist, translator, lawyerBloody Sonnets

Janko Kráľ

Andrej Sládkovič

Ján Botto

Slovak poet, critic, publicist, translator

Slovak romantic poet

Slovak poet, national revivalist, revolutionist

Matej Bel Móric Beňovský

Klára Jarunková

Pavol Dobšinský author of books

for children and youthher works are translated into nearly 40 languagesDon´t Cry for Me

Slovak writer, Evangelical priest, folklorist, collektor of folk stories

Slovak adventurer, traveller, explorer, colonizer, writer, King of Madagaskar first man who visited four continents

Slovak polyhistorian,encyclopedist, philosopher, pedagogue one of the most important European scientists of the 18th century

INVENTORSŠtefan Banič Slovak inventor, constructed a prototype of a parachute in 1913 his patented parachute became standard equipment for the U.S. pilots during the World War I.

Maximilián Hell astronomer, physicist mathematician, crater Hell on the Moon is according to him

Jozef Murgaš pioneer in development of overland wireless telegraphy world leadership in the wireless transmission of speech

Ján Bahýľ aerospace engineer inventor of helicopter, the tank on steam power, air balloons combined with an air turbine, the first petrol engine car in Slovakia and a lift up to Bratislava castle

Jozef M. Petzval mathematician, physicist inventor of the photographic lens, the founder of modern optics and photography

Aurel Stodolaphysicist, engineer, constructor, inventorfounder of the theory of steam and gas turbines

Béla Gersterarchitect of the Corinthian Canalco-architect of the Panama Canal

Ján Andrej Segner physician, physicist, teacher and inventorhis invention led to construct of hydroelectric turbines, and later space rockets

IVAN BELLA

the first Slovak astronaut colonel of Slovak Army he flew to the Space Station MIR within the mission Sojuz TM – 29 20 February 1999

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