| Welcome to Tatraview |
 |
|
|
Geography of Slovakia LocationSlovakia is located in the centre of Europe between the Tatra Mountains and the River Danube. The total area is 49 035 km2 and this puts Slovakia in 25th place in Europe, in terms of size. The Slovak boundaries total 1,524 km, and its neighbours are Czech Republic (to the west); Austria (to the south-west);Hungary (to the south); Ukraine (to the east) and Poland (to the north). Regions There are eight main regions, further divided into 79 districts. The regions are:
See a map of regions in Slovakia. Each region has a parliament and a governor. These was created in January 2002 under the new amended constitution and formed part of Slovakia's efforts to gain membership of the EU. Tourism     Slovakia's outdoor tourist attractions include mountains (the most famous being the High and Low Tatras), forests, cave formations, and 1,200 mineral and hot springs. In addition, tourists can visit castles and chateaux, monuments, museums, open-air museums, town-historical areas, monasteries and churches, observatories, planetariums and zoos. But Slovakia itself is a major attraction. Most towns have quiet squares that are free from traffic. These are oases of calm, with the pastel-shaded houses and traditional architecture. On the road, the scenery is often stunning, with the Tatras in the background in the north, or the rolling fields surrounding a remote village in the south. The view across Liptovska Mara, towards the snow-capped Tatras, set against a deep blue spring sky takes the breath away and will stay with you forever. Then there is the beauty of Kosice, with the musical fountains and stylish shopping; Popradske Pleso, best visited on foot after a relatively short walk from Strbske Pleso; the town square at Banska Bystrica; and there are the less famous attractions like Sedlo Besnik, on the edge of the Low Tatras, Banska Stiavnica with its mining history, the crop fields at Vysny Klatov, the jewel of Spisska Sobota hidden in the outskirts of Poprad. For those looking for exercise there are over 12000 kilometres of well-kept hiking trails. Slovakia has very well marked trails that are colour coded for simplicity. Hikes are also timed and give you the option of a gentle stroll for a couple of hours or a full-blown hike lasting 9 hours. Red trails lead you on accessible mountain routes; green, blue and yellow trails mark paths across mountains or on scenic tourist routes. There are opportunities to take several day-long boating trips on many rivers throughout the country including Maly Dunaj, Dunajec, Hron, Orava, Rimava, Vah and the Danube river. You are also able to try riding, go to the races (Bratislava, Samorin, Novy Tekov, Topolcianky), try equestrian riding (Bratislava - Petrzalka, Samorin, Cierna Voda, Stropkov, Presov), or ride in carriages at Topolcianky, Cierna Voda, Toporec, Poprad, Mengusovce, Odorin, Stropkov). There are a number of town and historical sights in the country that have been put onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. These include: Banska Stavnica; the mountain village of Vlkolinec, Spis Castle from 12th century (the largest castle complex in Central Europe) and a collection of historical sights in Bardejov. Topography The topography of Slovakia features rugged mountains in the central and northern part of the country, and lowlands in the south. The official registry mentions 5582 mountains, 686 valleys and 62 saddles. The High Tatras (Tatry) mountains along the Polish border are the highest mountain range and are interspersed between many lakes and deep valleys. The highest peak Gerlachovsky Stit is 2655m. Bratislava is situated in Slovakia's only substantial region of plains, where the Danube River forms part of the border with Hungary. ClimateSlovakia's mild continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters, is influenced by the mountainous terrain. In July the mean temperature is 21°C (70°F). January's mean temperature is -1°C (30°F). The warmest place is the town Sturovo in the south of the country with an annual average temperature +10.4 C. The coldest place is peak of Lomnicky Stit (2632) with an annual average temperature -3.7 C. Rainfall averages roughly 49 cm (19.3 in) a year, and can exceed 200 cm (80 in) annually in the High Tatras. Flora and Fauna  
40.6% of the land covers forest and this makes Slovakia the fourth most forest-rich country in the world. Some original steppe grassland areas can be found in Slovakia today. Mammals found in the country include fox, rabbits, and wild pig, and if you are lucky you will see a bear. A wide variety of birds inhabit the valleys of Slovakia. Carp, pike, and trout are found in the country's rivers, lakes, and streams. National ParksSlovakia's national parks are well worth a visit:
TransportRailways: Roadways: Waterways: Airports:
|
|
