2. Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
Flag Coat of arms
OOfficial name:fficial name: SSLOVAK REPUBLICLOVAK REPUBLIC
OOfficial language:fficial language: SSLOVAKLOVAK
PPolitical system:olitical system: PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACYPARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
CCapital city:apital city: BBRATISLAVARATISLAVA (population 428 672)(population 428 672)
AArea:rea: 49 035 km49 035 km22
PPopulation:opulation: 5 379 4555 379 455
EEthnicity of the population:thnicity of the population: Slovak (85.8%), HungarianSlovak (85.8%), Hungarian (9.7%),(9.7%),
Romany (1.7%),Romany (1.7%), CCzech (0.8%),zech (0.8%),
Rusyn,Rusyn, Ukrainian, Russian,Ukrainian, Russian,
German, Polish and othersGerman, Polish and others (2%)(2%)
3. Government Parliamentary republic:
President – Mr.Ivan Gašparovič
Prime Minister – Ms.Iveta Radičová
GDP (PPP) 2009 estimate - Total $115.098 billion
GDP (nominal) 2009 estimate - Total $88.208
billion
Currency: Euro (€)
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
4. Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIASlovakia is a landlocked country bordered by 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, Bratislava, and the second
largest is Košice.
Slovakia is a member state of the European Union, NATO,
United Nations, OECD and WTO among others. Slovakia is
a high-income advanced economy with one of the fastest
growth rates in the European Union and the OECD.
The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the
Eurozone on 1 January 2009.
5. Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
Industry
The main industry sectors are car manufacturing and
electrical engineering.
We have currently three automobile assembly plants:
Volkswagen's in Bratislava, PSA Peugeot Citroen's in
Trnava and Kia Motors' Žilina Plant.
From electrical engineering companies, Sony has a factory
at Nitra for LCD TV manufacturing, Samsung at Galanta for
computer monitors and television sets manufacturing.
Bratislava's geographical position in Central Europe has
long made Bratislava a crossroads for international trade
traffic.
6. TourismTourism
Slovakia features natural
landscapes, mountains, caves,
medieval castles and towns,
folk architecture, spas and ski
resorts.
The most attractive destinations
are the capital of Bratislava and
the High Tatras /on the
pictures/. Most visitors come
from the Czech Republic (about
26%), Poland (15%) and
Germany (11%).
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
7. WWe have 9 national parks withe have 9 national parks with
impressive rock formations,impressive rock formations,
deep gullies, countless lakes,deep gullies, countless lakes,
waterfalls, caves and gorges.waterfalls, caves and gorges.
8. WWe have 14 publicly accessiblee have 14 publicly accessible
caves of all kinds, most of whichcaves of all kinds, most of which
are drop-stone cavesare drop-stone caves,, but therebut there
are also several ice caves and theare also several ice caves and the
exceptionally rare aragonite caveexceptionally rare aragonite cave
ofof OchtinaOchtina, which is one of just, which is one of just
three accessible caves of its kindthree accessible caves of its kind
of the world.of the world.
9. WWe have more than 12e have more than 12
000 km of marked and000 km of marked and
maintained hikingmaintained hiking
paths in all kinds ofpaths in all kinds of
terrain.terrain.
10. WWe have 360 lakes ande have 360 lakes and
reservoirs with beaches, 58reservoirs with beaches, 58
rivers and brooks used forrivers and brooks used for
water sports.water sports.
WWe have 1472 thermal ande have 1472 thermal and
mineral water springs,mineral water springs,
many of which havemany of which have
curative effects.curative effects.
11. Typical souvenirs from Slovakia are dolls dressed in
folk costumes, ceramic objects, crystal glass, carved wooden
figures, črpáks (wooden pitchers), fujaras (a folk instrument on the
UNESCO list) and valaška (a decorated folk hatchet) and above all
products made from corn husks and wire, notably human figures.
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
FUJARAFUJARA
12. Slovak national dish
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
Halusky - potato dumplings with sheep
cheese (bryndza) and roasted bacon
Granadír - pasta with potato
Parene Buchty - steamed dumplings filled
with jam with sweet toping
Lokse – potato pancakes are eaten often with
either jam or a delicious poppyseed filling.
13. Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA Specialities
When visiting Slovakia, be on the look out for our unique
Slovakian dishes:
Bryndza - special type of traditional
Slovak cheese
Treska v majoneze is a salad
containing cod, mayonnaise and various
vegetables
Jaternica - blood sausage from
slaughtered pig and rice
Klobasa - sausages from pork with
salt, garlic and pepper
14. Slovakia Food -Soup
Kapustnica soup made of sour
cabbage and smoked pork sausage,
variations can be by adding
mushrooms or plums
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
Bean soup - beans and various root
vegetables such as carrots and parsley
Goulash soup - using beef,
paprika, marjoram and potatoes
15. Specific Slovak distillate
borovička (for instance Spišská borovička), the local
variety of gin, distilled of the fruit of Juniperus
comunis.
Popular distillate is the plum brandy
(above all Bošácka slivovica) and hriatô
(a mixture of fried bacon, spirit and honey).
The Demänovka liqueur, which contains an
extract of medicinal herbs,
is a good choice,
for instance.
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
16. CASTLES IN SLOVAKIA
Castle system in Slovakia has its beginnings in the 11th
and 12th century.
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
ORAVSKY PODZAMOK SPISSKY HRADSPISSKY HRAD
BOJNICKY ZAMOKBOJNICKY ZAMOK
BRATISLAVSKY HRADBRATISLAVSKY HRAD
18. Folklore music continues the tradition of folk
songs.
It is enlivened in annual folklore festivals, the most
important ones being the festivals in Detva and
Východná.
The artistic value of folk customs, habits and songs is
increased by professional ensembles /Lúčnica, SĽUK/
One of the most popular traditional and professional
singers of folk songs is Darina Laščiaková.
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA
19. Folk costumes
From among the phenomena of folk culture a special status
belongs to a traditional dress a folk costume which attracts the
attention with its variety of forms and gayness of colour and
decoration. It does attract lay admirers as well as artists and
ethografhers.
Antónia FicováAntónia Ficová
SLOVAKIASLOVAKIA