The Slovak Republic is an independent state situated in the Central Europe. It is bordered in the north by Poland, in the northwest by the Czech Republic, in the west by Austria, in the south by Hungary and in the east by Ukraine. The borders are mostly natural, made by rivers and mountains. The most important rivers of Slovakia are the Danube, the Vah.

Slovakia is mountainous country. Only in the southern and south-eastern parts there are lowlands. There are several national parks and protected regions in Slovakia such as the High Tatras, the Low Tatras, the Little Fatra, the Giant Fatra, the Muran Plain, Poloniny, and the Slovak Paradise.

One of the best-known symbols of Slovak Republic is the High Tatras. Slovakia is also called the country under the Tatra Mountains. Are you thinking why the High Tatras is so special? The answer is simple: the Tatra Mountains are the smallest mountains that have alpine character in the world! The highest peak is the Gerlach Peak, which is 2655 m high. There are more than 90 mountain lakes. The largest and the deepest of the lakes is Hincovo pleso. The most frequently visited lake of the High Tatras is Strbske pleso.

Slovak Republic is rich raw materials including copper, lead, zinc, magnesite, mineral salt, earth gas. Industry is the most important part of Slovak economy. The chief industries are car manufacture, chemical industry.

Slovak Republic has more than 5 million inhabitants on 49 thousand square kilometers. It is the reason why Slovakia belongs to smaller country in Europe. People of different nations and cultural groups live there. The most numerous minorities are the Hungarians, the Romani people and the Ukrainers.

The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. The bigger towns in Slovakia include Kosice, Banska Bystrica, Presov, Nitra, Zilina, Trnava, and others. The smaller towns and villages are most frequently visited by tourists because of their rich cultural history including Banska Stiavnica, Vlkolinec, Kremnica, Kezmarok, Zdiar, Levoca …The Spis Castle, Vlkolinec and Banska Stiavnica have been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

The Slovak Republic is a parliamentary democracy with a one-house Parliament. The head of the state, the President, is elected by people. The Government is the supreme legislative body. The state symbols are the national emblem, the flag, the seal and anthem. The national emblem of the Slovak Republic has a red shield with a silver double cross mounted on the central peak of the three blue hills. The national flag is composed by three horizontal stripes – white, blue and red, with the national emblem placed in its front part.

The official language is Slovak language and the unit of currency is one euro. Slovakia is member of European Union.