The offical name is the Slovak Republic. It is a beautiful country situated in the heart of Europe, surrounded by Poland, Czech Republic, Hugary, Austria and the Ukraine. SLovakia has population of about 5 million people and they are mostly Slovaks living together with other minorities. The capital city is Bratislava. The largest part of Slovakia is mountainous. The basic mountain chain is the Carpatians. The highest place in our country is the Gerlachovsky Stit in the High Tatras, lowest place is the level of the River Bodrog. The southern part of Slovakia is formed by extensive lowlands – Zahorska, Poddunajska and Vychoslovenska. It is an area between the Danube River and the Tatra mountains. Slovakia is rich in natural beauties. You can find here stately mountains with tarns, hills, marvelous valleys, karstic formations, cavec, mineral and thermal springs, deeps leafy and coniferous forests, ...
Slovakia has a continental climate with hot summer and cold winters. The most severe winter is in the High Tatras and the warmest place is around Sturovo. The High Tatras are the highest mountains and are visited by many Slovak and foreign tourists all the year round. The Lower Tatras, the Slovak Paradise are also beautiful and attractive. We have several important rivers but not very many lakes here. Slovakia is not very rich in natural resources and we have to import most of raw materials. The main industrial branches are iron and steel industry, production of man-made fibres, oil rafineries. Clothing and food industries are also very important. Southern and eastern lowlands are the main areas for agriculture. Although Slovakia is not very big country, it has a lot of natural beauties and monuments and sights which are being gradually discovered by foreigners. Our spas (PIestany, Trencianske Teplice) have had high reputation not only in our country. Tourists also like to see our mountains, caves, castles, fortresses (Devin, Krasna Horka, Trencin). The most popular sports in Slovakia are football and ice hockey and we have quite a number of good sportsmen for such a small country. Folk art has a long tradition in the Slovak Republic. There are so many kinds of regional national costumes that cannot be found anywhere else. Great number of folk dance groups has preserved beautiful Slovak folk songs and dances.