Slovak Republic - Geography
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million. It borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is the capital of Bratislava (428,672 inhabitants).
Slovakia is a country situated in the heart of Europe. The geographical centre of Europe is in fact the Church of St John in Kremnické Bane, a village in central Slovakia. Slovakia, with its total area of 49 thousand square kilometers and somewhat less than 5.5 million inhabitants, is not a large country. It is only a bit larger than Denmark, Switzerland or Holland. A flight over Slovakia takes only half an hour.
Slovakia fills the space between Poland in the north and Hungary in the south. Its western neighbours are the Czech Republic and Austria while Ukraine lies off its eastern border (its frontier is shortest, only 96 kilometres long). Slovakia has no access to the sea. The nearest sea is the Adriatic in the south (361 km away). Slovaks who want to bath in the Baltic Sea have to travel by air some 440 kilometers from the northern frontier.
In spite of being such a small country, Slovakia boasts many diverse natural assets. Tall mountain peaks alternate with deep valleys and gorges. Extensive forests, meadows and pastures form an eye-catching patchwork neighbouring with fertile lowlands; mountain torrents gradually change into calm rivers, all adorned by marvellously rich flora and fauna. There are also extinct volcanoes, canyons, caves and abysses, grand rivers and waterfalls, mineral springs, medicinal, poisonous plants and animals.
There are mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south. The surface of the country is varied and it is characterized by great differences in altitude. The lowest place is the Bodrog River (94 m above sea level) and the highest place is the top of Gerlachovský Peak (2.655m) in the High Tatras, the dominant feature in the surface of Slovakia. The Carpathian Arch falls into several more or less parallel mountain ranges such as Low Tatras, Small Fatra and Big Fatra mountain ranges forming belts of valleys.
The High Tatras are a realm of natural beauties with glacier valleys, cirques, lakes, waterfalls and peaks. The High Tatras - Vysoke Tatry is an area whose natural beauty makes it one of the most remarkable recreation areas not only in Slovakia but in all of Europe. Among other things, the High Tatras offer exceptionally clean air and a unique climate, leaving every visitor feeling better, especially those who take advantage of the many health spa treatments available. Hiking paths, ranging from gentle to highly demanding, wind among spectacular peaks and rock walls.
Slovak mountains offer the ideal places for winter sports (especially skiing) in winter and touristic opportunities in summer. There are five national parks in Slovakia: The National Park High Tatras, The National Park Low Tatras, The National Park Velka Fatra, The National Park Pieniny and The National Park Slovak Paradise. These are also touristically most attractive places in Slovakia. The first three of them are typical mountains. The National Park Slovak Paradise is a touristical pearl of Slovakia: it is known because of its canyons and ravines with fresh brooks and waterfalls.
In all these places one may find caves, too. The Slovakia's best are: Demanovska jaskyna in The Low Tatras (ice and karst cave), Dobsinska jaskyna in The Slovak Paradise (ice cave) and the unique Ochtinska aragonitova jaskyna (Ochtinska Aragonite Cave), since there are only three aragonite caves in the world. There are also many mineral and thermal springs in Slovakia.
Slovak national parks gained their status also because of their precious fauna and flora. But there are other places with precious fauna and flora as well. One of them is the State Natural Reservation Devinska Kobyla near Devin in Bratislava. It is an integrate fragment of an inland forest-steppe and several rare animal and plant species live only here. The castle hill bearing the ruins of the Devin Castle is also a part of this area.
The lowlands (nížina in Slovak language) in the southwest and the southeast of the country occupy 11 % of the territory of Slovakia (Záhorská nížina in the west, the biggest is Podunajská nížina in the south-west and the Východoslovenská nížina in the south-east of Slovakia). The lowlands are also the driest and warmest areas.
Rivers rise here and drain to neighbouring countries. The second biggest river in Europe (most significant Slovak river) – the Danube also flows across the country (from Germany to the Black Sea) and on creates the state boundary with Austria and Hungary. Other significant rivers in Slovakia are the longest Váh - 406 km, Hron and Ipel.
There are also quite a lot of natural lakes or artifical ponds to calm you down during summer as well as thermal swimming-pools in the south or glacier lakes - tarns in the north of Slovakia.
Slovakia is extremely rich in mineral water springs (1200) boosting modern and famous healing and recreational spas such as Pieštany spa - water reaches more than 60°C, Trencianske Teplice, Bojnice, Sliac and Bardejovské kupele spa.
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