Czech
AREA and LOCATION
Slovakia extends over an area of 49,035 square km and is located in Central Europe. Slovakia´s geography is disttinguished by large differences in elevation. Central and northern Slovakia (which occupies 30 per cent of the territory) is a mountainous region – the Carpathian Mountains extend across this area. The Danube river connects Bratislava with Vienna and these two capitals are two closest capitals in Europe.
BORDERING COUNTRIES
Hungary (697 km), Poland (597 km), Czech republic (265 km), Austria (127,2 km) and Ukraine (98 km).
CAPITAL CITY and OTHER LARGER CITIES
Bratislava is the capital city, with a population of 452,288 habitants. The other big cities are Košice (240,915), Prešov (92,687), Nitra (87,357), Žilina (86,685), Banská Bystrica (84,919).
CLIMATE
Slovakia has a mild climate and has four seasons. Climatic conditions vary in the mountains and lowlands. The warmest region is the Podunajská nížina (Podunajská Lowlands), the coldest is the Tatras. The warmest month of the year is July, while the coldest is January, the average temperature being +21 °C in the summer and – 2 °C in the winter. In some mountain areas, snow is present for up to 130 days a year.
AREA CODE
+421
CURRENCY
EURO from January 2009
DISTANCES
Bratislava is situated 50 km from Vienna, 321 km from Prague and 200 km from Budapest.
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Police 158, 112
Emergency lines 115, 112, 16 155
Fire Service 150, 112
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS
Bratislava Airport (BTS), Austria – Vienna International Airport (VIA) (50 km from Bratislava), Košice Airport (KSC), Tatry – Poprad Airport (TAT), Pišťany Airport (PZY), Sliač Airport (SLD), Žilina Airport (ILZ).
LANGUAGE
The official language is Slovak. People understand English and in southern Slovakia, Hungarian.
MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS
T-Mobile, Orange, Telefónica O2.
The connection is everywhere apart from in remote mountain areas.
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
1st January: Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic; 5th July: St. Cyril and Methodius Day; 29th August: Slovak National Uprising Anniversary; 17th November: Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day.
POLITICAL SYSTEM
Parliamentary democracy
POPULATION
5,395,000 habitants. Ethnic groups: Slovak 85,8%, Hungarian 9,7%, Romania 1,7%, Czech 0,8%, other 2% (mainly Moravian, Silesian, Ruthenian and Ukrainian, German, Polish, Croatian).
POWER NETWORK
230 V/50 Hz, two-pole socket with safety pin
PRESIDENT
Peter Pellegrini
RAIL TRANSPORT
The international and national rail network:
RIVER TRANSPORT
The Danube – international connections Vienna – Bratislava – Budapest
ROAD TRANSPORT
BUS: www.eurolines.sk
RENT A CAR: www.hertz.sk, www.avis.sk
SMOKING
In all public spaces, such as bus stops, sports areas, stadiums, trains, workplaces or schools, smoking is prohibited? In restaurants, smoking is allowed in designed areas.
TIME
Central European Time – CET (GMT + 1 hour), Summer Time is in effect from March to November: GMT + 2 hour
