Slovakia

Slovak Republic Slovenská republika
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Nad Tatrou sa blýska "Lightning Over the Tatras"
Location of  Slovakia  (green) – on the European continent  (light green & grey) – in the European Union  (light green)  —  [Legend]
Capital (and largest city)		Bratislava 48°09′N 17°07′E / 48.15°N 17.117°E / 48.15; 17.117
Official languages		Slovak
Ethnic groups		85.8% Slovak, 9.5% Hungarian, 1.9% Roma, 2.8% other minority groups
Demonym		Slovak
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Ivan Gašparovič
-	Prime Minister	Robert Fico
-	President of National Council	Pavol Paška
Independence
-	from Austria–Hungary	October 28, 1918
-	from Czechoslovakia	January 1, 1993
EU accession		May 1, 2004[1]
Area
-	Total	49,035 km2 (123) 18,932 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2001 census	5,379,455 (109th)
-	Density	111/km2 (88th) 287/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$119.464 billion[2] (58th)
-	Per capita	$22,096[2] (40th)
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$95.404 billion[2] (57th)
-	Per capita	$17,646[2] (40th)
Gini (2008)		19.5 (low) (1st)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.880 (high) (42nd)
Currency		Euro (€)2 (EUR2)
Time zone		CET (UTC+1)
-	Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.sk3
Calling code		+4214
1 Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia; see Velvet Divorce. 2 Before 2009: Slovak Koruna 3 Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states. 4 Shared code 42 with Czech Republic until 1997.

The Slovak Republic (short form: Slovakia /sloʊˈvɑːkiə/ (help·info); Slovak: Slovensko (help·info), long form Slovenská republika (help·info)) is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe^[3][4] with a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi). Slovakia 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 its capital, Bratislava. The second largest city is Košice. Slovakia is a member state of the European Union, NATO, UN, OECD, WTO, UNESCO and other international organizations.

The Slavs arrived in the territory of present day Slovakia in the fifth and sixth centuries AD during the Migration Period. In the course of history, various parts of today's Slovakia belonged to Samo's Empire (the first known political unit of Slavs), Great Moravia, Kingdom of Hungary,^[5] the Austro-Hungarian Empire or Habsburg Empire, and Czechoslovakia. An independent Slovak state briefly existed during World War II, during which Slovakia was a dependency of the Nazi Germany 1939–1944. From 1945 Slovakia once again became a part of Czechoslovakia. The present-day Slovakia became an independent state on January 1, 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of its federation with the Czech Republic.

Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy^[6][7] with one of the fastest growth rates in the EU and OECD^[8]. The country joined the European Union in 2004 and was the first Central European state to join the Eurozone on January 1, 2009.

History

Before the fifth century

A Roman inscription at the castle hill of Trenčín (178–179 AD).

Radiocarbon dating puts the oldest surviving archaeological artifacts from Slovakia – found near Nové Mesto nad Váhom – at 270,000 BC, in the Early Paleolithic era. These ancient tools, made by the Clactonian technique, bear witness to the ancient habitation of Slovakia.

Other stone tools from the Middle Paleolithic era (200,000 – 80,000 BC) come from the Prévôt cave near Bojnice and from other nearby sites. The most important discovery from that era is a Neanderthal cranium (c. 200,000 BC), discovered near Gánovce, a village in northern Slovakia.

Archaeologists have found prehistoric Homo sapiens skeletons in the region, as well as numerous objects and vestiges of the Gravettian culture, principally in the river valleys of Nitra, Hron, Ipeľ, Váh and as far as the city of Žilina, and near the foot of the Vihorlat, Inovec, and Tribeč mountains, as well as in the Myjava Mountains. The most well-known finds include the oldest female statue made of mammoth-bone (22 800 BC), the famous Venus of Moravany. The statue was found in the 1940s in Moravany nad Váhom near Piešťany. Numerous necklaces made of shells from Cypraca thermophile gastropods of the Tertiary period have come from the sites of Zákovská, Podkovice, Hubina, and Radošinare. These findings provide the most ancient evidence of commercial exchanges carried out between the Mediterranean and Central Europe.

From around 500 BC, the territory of modern-day Slovakia was settled by Celts, who built powerful oppida on the sites of modern-day Bratislava and Havránok. Biatecs, silver coins with the names of Celtic Kings, represent the first known use of writing in Slovakia. From 2 AD, the expanding Roman Empire established and maintained a series of outposts around and just north of the Danube, the largest of which were known as Carnuntum (whose remains are on the main road halfway between Vienna and Bratislava) and Brigetio (present-day Szöny at the Slovak-Hungarian border). Near the northernmost line of the Roman hinterlands, the Limes Romanus, there existed the winter camp of Laugaricio (modern-day Trenčín) where the Auxiliary of Legion II fought and prevailed in a decisive battle over the Germanic Quadi tribe in 179 AD during the Marcomannic Wars. The Kingdom of Vannius, a barbarian kingdom founded by the Germanic Suebian tribes of Quadi and Marcomanni, as well as several small Germanic and Celtic tribes, including the Osi and Cotini, existed in Western and Central Slovakia from 8–6 BC to 179 AD.

Left: celt coin Biatec
Right: 5 slovak crowns with Biatec in front

The Bronze Age in Slovakia went through three stages of development, stretching from 2000 to 800 BC. Major cultural, economic, and political development can be attributed to the significant growth in production of copper, especially in central Slovakia (for example in Špania Dolina) and north-west Slovakia. Copper became a stable source of prosperity for the local population. After the disappearance of the Čakany and Velatice cultures, the Lusatian people expanded building of strong and complex fortifications, with the large permanent buildings and administrative centers. Excavations of Lusatian hill-forts document the substantial development of trade and agriculture at that period. The richness and the diversity of tombs increased considerably. The inhabitants of the area manufactured arms, shields, jewelry, dishes, and statues. The arrival of tribes from Thrace disrupted the people of the Calenderberg culture, who lived in the hamlets located on the plain (Sereď), and also in the hill forts located on the summits (Smolenice, Molpí). The local power of the "Princes" of the Hallstatt culture disappeared in Slovakia during the last period of the Iron Age after strife between the Scytho-Thracian people and the Celtic tribes, who advanced from the south towards the north, following the Slovak rivers.

The great invasions of the 4–7th centuries

In the second and third centuries AD the Huns began to leave the Central Asian steppes. They crossed the Danube in 377 AD and occupied Pannonia, which they used for 75 years as their base for launching looting-raids into Western Europe. However, Attila's death in 453 brought about the disappearance of the Hun tribe. In 568 a proto-Mongol tribe, the Avars, conducted their own invasion into the Middle Danube region. The Avars occupied the lowlands of the Pannonian Plain, established an empire dominating the Carpathian Basin. In 623, the Slavic population living in the western parts of Pannonia seceded from their empire after a revolution led by Samo, a Frankish merchant.^[9] After 626 the Avar power started to gradually decline.^[10]

Slavic states

The Slavic tribes settled in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th century. Nowadays western Slovakia was the centre of Samo's empire in the 7th century. A Slavic state known as the Principality of Nitra arose in the 8th century and its ruler Pribina had the first known Christian church of Slovakia consecrated by 828. Together with neighboring Moravia, the principality formed the core of the Great Moravian Empire from 833. The high point of this Slavonic empire came with the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius in 863, during the reign of Prince Rastislav, and the territorial expansion under King Svätopluk I.

The era of Great Moravia (830–896)

Central Europe in the 9th century. Eastern Francia in blue, Bulgaria in orange, Great Moravia under Rastislav (870) in green. The green line marks the borders of Great Moravia under Svatopluk I (894). Please note that some of the borders of Great Moravia are under debate

Great Moravia arose around 830 when Moimír I unified the Slavic tribes settled north of the Danube and extended the Moravian supremacy over them.^[11] When Mojmír I endeavoured to secede from the supremacy of the king of East Francia in 846, King Louis the German deposed him and assisted Moimír's nephew, Rastislav (846–870) in acquiring the throne.^[12] The new monarch pursued an independent policy: after stopping a Frankish attack in 855, he also sought to weaken influence of Frankish priests preaching in his realm. Rastislav asked the Byzantine Emperor Michael III to send teachers who would interpret Christianity in the Slavic vernacular. Upon Rastislav's request, two brothers, Byzantine officials and missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius came in 863. Cyril developed the first Slavic alphabet and translated the Gospel into the Old Church Slavonic language. Rastislav was also preoccupied with the security and administration of his state. Numerous fortified castles built throughout the country are dated to his reign and some of them (e.g., Dowina, sometimes identified with Devín Castle)^[13][14] are also mentioned in connection with Rastislav by Frankish chronicles.^[15][16]

During Rastislav's reign, the Principality of Nitra was given to his nephew Svatopluk as an appanage.^[14] The rebellious prince allied himself with the Franks and overthrew his uncle in 870. Similarly to his predecessor, Svatopluk I (871–894) assumed the title of the king (rex). During his reign, the Great Moravian Empire reached its greatest territorial extent, when not only present-day Moravia and Slovakia but also present-day northern and central Hungary, Lower Austria, Bohemia, Silesia, Lusatia, southern Poland and northern Serbia belonged to the empire, but the exact borders of his domains are still disputed by modern authors.^{[11] [17]} Svatopluk also withstood attacks of the nomadic Magyar tribes and the Bulgarian Empire, although sometimes it was he who hired the Magyars when waging war against East Francia.^[18]

In 880, Pope John VIII set up an independent ecclesiastical province in Great Moravia with Archbishop Methodius as its head. He also named the German cleric Wiching the Bishop of Nitra.

After the death of King Svatopluk in 894, his sons Mojmír II (894–906?) and Svatopluk II succeeded him as the King of Great Moravia and the Prince of Nitra respectively.^[14] However, they started to quarrel for domination of the whole empire. Weakened by an internal conflict as well as by constant warfare with Eastern Francia, Great Moravia lost most of its peripheral territories.

In the meantime, the Magyar tribes, possibly having suffered defeat from the similarly nomadic Pechenegs, left their territories east of the Carpathian Mountains, invaded the Carpathian Basin and started to occupy the territory gradually around 896.^[19] Their armies' advance may have been promoted by continuous wars among the countries of the region whose rulers still hired them occasionally to intervene in their struggles.^[20]

Both Mojmír II and Svatopluk II probably died in battles with the Magyars between 904 and 907 because their names are not mentioned in written sources after 906. In three battles (July 4–5 and August 9, 907) near Bratislava, the Magyars routed Bavarian armies. Historians traditionally put this year as the date of the breakup of the Great Moravian Empire.

Great Moravia left behind a lasting legacy in Central and Eastern Europe. The Glagolitic script and its successor Cyrillic were disseminated to other Slavic countries, charting a new path in their cultural development. The administrative system of Great Moravia may have influenced the development of the administration of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1919)

Ľudovít Štúr

Following the disintegration of the Great Moravian Empire in the early 10th century, the Hungarians gradually annexed the territory comprising modern Slovakia. In the late 10th century, south-western areas of the present-day Slovakia became part of the rising Hungarian principality, which became the Kingdom of Hungary after 1000. Thereafter the region became an integral part of the Hungarian state until the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. The ethnic composition became more diverse with the arrival of the Carpathian Germans in the 13th century, and in the 14th century the Jews.

A significant decline in the population resulted from the invasion of the Mongols in 1241 and the subsequent famine. However, in medieval times the area of the present-day Slovakia was characterized rather by burgeoning towns, construction of numerous stone castles, and the cultivation of the arts.^[21] In 1465, King Matthias Corvinus founded the Hungarian Kingdom's third university, in Pozsony (Bratislava), but it was closed in 1490 after his death.^[22]

After the Ottoman Empire's expansion into Hungary and the occupation of Buda in the early 16th century, the centre of the Kingdom of Hungary (under the name of Royal Hungary) shifted to Pozsony ( in Slovak: Prespork at that time, currently Bratislava) which became the capital city of Royal Hungary in 1536. But the Ottoman wars and frequent insurrections against the Habsburg Monarchy also inflicted a great deal of destruction, especially in rural areas. As the Turks withdrew from Hungary in the late 17th century, the importance of the territory comprising modern Slovakia decreased, although Bratislava retained its status as the capital of Hungary until 1848, when it was transferred to Buda.^{[citation needed]}

During the revolution of 1848–49 the Slovaks supported the Austrian Emperor, hoping for independence from the Hungarian part of the Dual Monarchy, but they failed to achieve their aim.^{[citation needed]} Thereafter relations between the nationalities deteriorated (see Magyarization), culminating in the secession of Slovakia from Hungary after World War I.^[23]

Interwar Czechoslovakia

Milan Rastislav Štefánik

In 1918, Slovakia and the regions of Bohemia and Moravia formed a common state, Czechoslovakia, with the borders confirmed by the Treaty of Saint Germain and Treaty of Trianon. In 1919, during the chaos following the breakup of Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia was formed with numerous Germans and Hungarians within the newly set borders. A Slovak patriot Milan Rastislav Štefánik (1880–1919), who helped organize Czechoslovak regiments against Austria-Hungary during the First World War, died in a plane crash during this fighting. In the peace following the World War, Czechoslovakia emerged as a sovereign European nation.^{[citation needed]}

During the Interwar period, democratic Czechoslovakia was allied with France, and also with Romania and Yugoslavia (Little Entente); however, the Locarno Treaties of 1925 left East European security open. Both Czechs and Slovaks enjoyed a period of relative prosperity. Not only was there progress in the development of the country's economy, but in culture and in educational opportunities as well. The minority Germans came to accept their role in the new country and relations with Austria were good. Yet the Great Depression caused a sharp economic downturn, followed by political disruption and insecurity in Europe.^[24]

Thereafter Czechoslovakia came under continuous pressure from the revisionist governments of Germany and Hungary. Eventually this led to the Munich Agreement of September 1938, which allowed Nazi Germany to partially dismember the country by occupying what was called the Sudetenland, a region with a German-speaking majority and bordering Germany and Austria. The remainder of "rump" Czechoslovakia was renamed Czecho-Slovakia and included a greater degree of Slovak political autonomy. Southern and eastern Slovakia, however, was claimed back by Hungary at the First Vienna Award of November 1938.^{[citation needed]}

World War II

After the Munich Agreement and its Vienna Award, Nazi Germany threatened to annex part of Slovakia and to allow the remaining regions to be partitioned by Hungary or Poland unless independence is declared. Thus, Slovakia seceded from Czecho-Slovakia in March 1939 and allying itself, as demanded by Germany, with Hitler's coalition.^[25] The government of the First Slovak Republic, led by Jozef Tiso and Vojtech Tuka, was strongly influenced by Germany and gradually became a puppet regime in many respects. Most Jews were deported from the country and taken to German labour camps. Thousands of Jews, however, remained to labor in Slovak work camps in Sered, Vyhne, and Nováky.^[26] Tiso, through the granting of presidential exceptions, has been credited with saving as many as 40,000 Jews during the war, although other estimates place the figure closer to 4,000 or even 1,000.^[27] Nevertheless, under Tiso's government 83% of Slovakia's Jewish population, a total of 75,000 individuals, were murdered.^[28] Tiso became the only European leader to actually pay Nazi authorities to deport his country's Jews.^[29][30] After it became clear that the Soviet Red Army was going to push the Nazis out of the eastern and central Europe, an anti-Nazi resistance movement launched a fierce armed insurrection, known as the Slovak National Uprising, in the end of summer 1944. A bloody German occupation and a guerilla war followed.

Rule of the Communist party

After World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and Jozef Tiso was hanged in 1947 for collaboration with the Nazis. More than 80,000 Hungarians^[31] and 32,000 Germans^[32] were forced to leave Slovakia, in a series of population transfers initiated by the Allies at the Potsdam Conference.^[33] This expulsion is still a source of tension between Slovakia and Hungary.^[34] Out of about 130,000 Carpathian Germans in Slovakia in 1938, by 1947 only some 20,000 remained.^[35]

Czechoslovakia came under the influence of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact after a coup in 1948. The country was occupied by the Warsaw Pact forces (with the exception of Romania) in 1968, ending a period of liberalization under the leadership of Alexander Dubček. In 1969, Czechoslovakia became a federation of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic.^{[citation needed]}

Establishment of the Slovak Republic

The end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989, during the peaceful Velvet Revolution, was followed once again by the country's dissolution, this time into two successor states. In July 1992 Slovakia, led by Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar, declared itself a sovereign state, meaning that its laws took precedence over those of the federal government. Throughout the Autumn of 1992, Mečiar and Czech Prime Minister Václav Klaus negotiated the details for disbanding the federation. In November the federal parliament voted to dissolve the country officially on December 31, 1992. The Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic went their separate ways after January 1, 1993, an event sometimes called the Velvet Divorce.^{[citation needed]} Slovakia has remained a close partner with the Czech Republic, both countries cooperate with Hungary and Poland in the Visegrád Group. Slovakia became a member of NATO on March 29, 2004 and of the European Union on May 1, 2004. On January 1, 2009, Slovakia adopted the Euro as its national currency.

Geography

A topographical map of Slovakia

Slovak Landscape, Greater Fatra

The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for its mountainous nature, with the Carpathian Mountains extending across most of the northern half of the country. Amongst these mountain ranges are the high peaks of the Tatra mountains.^[1] To the north, close to the Polish border, are the High Tatras which are a popular skiing destination and home to many scenic lakes and valleys as well as the highest point in Slovakia, the Gerlachovský štít at 2,655 metres (8,711 ft), and the country's highly symbolic mountain Kriváň.

Major Slovak rivers are the Danube, the Váh and the Hron. The Tisa marks the Slovak-Hungarian border for only 5 km.

The Slovak climate lies between the temperate and continental climate zones with relatively warm summers and cold, cloudy and humid winters. The area of Slovakia can be divided into three kinds of climatic zones and the first zone can be divided into two sub-zones.

Climate of lowlands

Gerlachovský štít (2655 m), highest peak in Slovakia

The average annual temperature is about 9–10 °C. The average temperature of the hottest month is about 20 °C and the average temperature of the coldest month is greater than −3 °C. This kind of climate occurs at Záhorská nížina and Podunajská nížina. It is the typical climate of the capital city Bratislava.^[36]

The average annual temperature is about 8–9 °C. The average temperature of the hottest month is about 19 °C and the average temperature of the coldest month is less than −3 °C. This kind of climate can be found at Košická kotlina and Východoslovenská nížina. It is the typical climate of the city of Košice.^[37]

Climate of basins

The average annual temperature is between 5 °C and 8.5 °C. The average temperature of the hottest month is between 15 °C and 18.5 °C and the average temperature of the coldest month is between −3 °C and −6 °C. This climate can be found in almost all basins in Slovakia. For example Podtatranská kotlina, Žilinská kotlina, Turčianska kotlina, Zvolenská kotlina. It is the typical climate for the towns of Poprad^[38] and Sliač.^[39]

Mountain climate

The average annual temperature is less than 5 °C. The average temperature of the hottest month is less than 15 °C and the average temperature of the coldest month is less than −5 °C. This kind of climate occurs in mountains and in some villages in the valleys of Orava and Spiš.

Demographics

Hlavná ulica (Main street) in Košice

The majority of the inhabitants of Slovakia are ethnically Slovak (85.8%). Hungarians are the largest ethnic minority (9.5%). Other ethnic groups, as of the 2001 census, include Roma with 1.7%,^[40] Ruthenians or Ukrainians with 1%, and other or unspecified, 1.8%.^[1] Unofficial estimates on the number of Roma population are much higher, around 9%.^[41]

The official language is Slovak, a member of the Slavic language family. Hungarian is widely spoken in the southern regions and Ruthenian is used in some parts of the Northeast. Minority languages hold co-official status in the municipalities in which the size of the minority population meets the legal threshold of 20%.^[42]

In 2007 Slovakia was estimated to have a total fertility rate of 1.33.^[1] (i.e., the average woman will have 1.33 children in her lifetime), which is significantly below the replacement level and is one of the lowest rates among EU countries.

In the 1990 U.S. Census Slovak Americans made up the second-largest portion of Slavic ethnic groups. According to the 1990 Census figures about 1.8 million Americans are of Slovak descent.^[43]

Religion

The Slovak constitution guarantees freedom of religion. 60.4% of Slovaks identify themselves as Roman Catholics, 9.6% as Nonreligious or Atheist, 6% as Protestant, 5% as Eastern Orthodox and 19% as Other.^[44] Generally only one third of church members regularly attend church services.^[45] The pre-World War II population of the country included an estimated 90,000 Jews (1.6% of the poopulation). After the genocidal policies of the Nazi era, only about 2,300 Jews remain today (.04% of the population).^[46]

Politics

Slovakia's Presidential Palace in Bratislava

Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The last parliamentary elections were held on June 17, 2006 and two rounds of presidential elections took place on April 3, 2004 and April 17, 2004.

The Slovak head of state is the president (Ivan Gašparovič, 2004–2009), elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term. Most executive power lies with the head of government, the prime minister (Robert Fico, 2006–2010), who is usually the leader of the winning party, but he/she needs to form a majority coalition in the parliament. The prime minister is appointed by the president. The remainder of the cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.

Slovakia's highest legislative body is the 150-seat unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic (Národná rada Slovenskej republiky). Delegates are elected for a four-year term on the basis of proportional representation. Slovakia's highest judicial body is the Constitutional Court of Slovakia (Ústavný súd), which rules on constitutional issues. The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a slate of candidates nominated by parliament.

Slovakia has been a member state of the European Union and NATO since 2004. As a member of the United Nations (since 1993), Slovakia was, on October 10, 2005, elected to a two-year term on the UN Security Council from 2006 to 2007. Slovakia is also a member of WTO, OECD, OSCE, and other international organizations.

Controversially, the Beneš Decrees, by which, after World War II, the German and Hungarian populations of Czechoslovakia were decreed collectively guilty of World War II, stripped of their citizenship, and many deported, have still not been repealed.

The Constitution of the Slovak Republic was ratified 1 September 1992, and became effective 1 January 1993). It was amended in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president and again in February 2001 due to EU admission requirements. The civil law system is based on Austro-Hungarian codes. The legal code was modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge the Marxist-Leninist legal theory. Slovakia accepts the compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction with reservations.

The president is the head of state and the formal head of the executive, though with very limited powers. The president is elected by direct, popular vote, under the two round system, for a five-year term.

Following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president. Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister has to receive the majority in the parliament. The government coalition as of July 2006 consists of Smer, SNS (known for its open racism and a strongly anti-minority stance)^[47] and HZDS.

Regions and districts

As for administrative division, Slovakia is subdivided into 8 krajov (singular – kraj, usually translated as "region", but actual meaning is "county"), each of which is named after its principal city. Regions have enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy since 2002. Their self-governing bodies are referred to as Self-governing (or autonomous) Regions (sg. samosprávny kraj, pl. samosprávne kraje) or Upper-Tier Territorial Units (sg. vyšší územný celok, pl. vyššie územné celky, abbr. VÚC).

Slovak regions

1. Bratislava Region (Bratislavský kraj) (capital Bratislava)
2. Trnava Region (Trnavský kraj) (capital Trnava)
3. Trenčín Region (Trenčiansky kraj) (capital Trenčín)
4. Nitra Region (Nitriansky kraj) (capital Nitra)
5. Žilina Region (Žilinský kraj) (capital Žilina)
6. Banská Bystrica Region (Banskobystrický kraj) (capital Banská Bystrica)
7. Prešov Region (Prešovský kraj) (capital Prešov)
8. Košice Region (Košický kraj) (capital Košice)

(the word kraj can be replaced by samosprávny kraj or by VÚC in each case)

The "kraje" are subdivided into many okresy (sg. okres, usually translated as districts). Slovakia currently has 79 districts.

In terms of economics and unemployment rate, the western regions are richer than eastern regions; however the relative difference is no bigger than in most EU countries having regional differences.

Economy

The National Bank of Slovakia headquarters in Bratislava

The financial district

Slovak 1 € coin

The Slovak economy is considered an advanced economy, with the country dubbed the "Tatra Tiger". Slovakia transformed from a centrally planned economy to a market-driven economy. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in private hands, and foreign investment has risen.

Slovakia has recently been characterized by sustained high economic growth. In 2006, Slovakia achieved the highest growth of GDP (8.9%) among the members of the OECD. The annual GDP growth in 2007 is estimated at 10.4% with a record level of 14.3% reached in the fourth quarter.^[48] According to Eurostat data, Slovak PPS GDP per capita stood at 72 percent of the EU average in 2008.^[49]

Unemployment, peaking at 19.2% at the end of 1999, decreased to 7.51% in October 2008 according to the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic.^[50] In addition to economic growth, migration of workers to other EU countries also contributed to this reduction. According to Eurostat, which uses a calculation method different from that of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, the unemployment rate is still the second highest after Spain in the EU-15 group, at 9.9%.^[51]

Inflation dropped from an average annual rate of 12.0% in 2000 to just 3.3% in 2002, the election year, but it rose again in 2003–2004 because of rising labor costs and excess taxes. It reached 3.7 % in 2005.

Slovakia adopted the euro currency on 1 January 2009 as the 16th member of the Eurozone. The euro in Slovakia was approved by the European commission on 7 May 2008. The Slovenská koruna was revalued on 28 May 2008 to 30.126 for 1 euro,^[52] which was also the exchange rate for the euro.^[53]

Slovakia is an attractive country for foreign investors mainly because of its low wages, low tax rates and well educated labour force. In recent years, Slovakia has been pursuing a policy of encouraging foreign investment. FDI inflow grew more than 600% from 2000 and cumulatively reached an all-time high of $17.3 billion USD in 2006, or around $22,000 per capita by the end of 2008.

Despite a sufficient number of researchers^{[citation needed]} and a decent secondary educational system^{[citation needed]}, Slovakia, along with other post-communist countries, still faces major challenges in the field of the knowledge economy. The business and public research and development expenditures are well below the EU average. The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks Slovak secondary education the 30th in the world (placing it just below the United States and just above Spain).^[54]

In March 2008, the Ministry of Finance announced that Slovakia's economy is developed enough to stop being an aid receiver from the World Bank. Slovakia became an aid provider at the end of 2008.^[55]

Industry

Kia cee'd, made in Žilina

Although Slovakia's GDP comes mainly from the tertiary (services) sector, the country's industry also plays an important role within its economy. The main industry sectors are car manufacturing and electrical engineering. Since 2007, Slovakia has been the world's largest producer of cars per capita,^[56] with a total of 571,071 cars manufactured in the country in 2007 alone.^[56] There are currently three car manufacturers: Volkswagen in Bratislava, PSA Peugeot Citroen in Trnava and Kia Motors in Žilina.

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.^[57][58] Various ancient trade routes, such as the Amber Road and the Danube waterway have crossed territory of today Bratislava. Today Bratislava is the road, railway, waterway and airway hub.^[59]

Infrastructure

Road

Highways on the New Bridge

The D1, leading to Ruzinov from Bratislava

Bratislava is a large international motorway junction: The D1 motorway connects Bratislava to Trnava, Nitra, Trenčín, Žilina and beyond, while the D2 motorway, going in the north-south direction, connects it to Prague, Brno and Budapest in the north-south direction. The D4 motorway (an outer bypass), which would ease the pressure on the city highway system, is mostly at the planning stage.

The A6 motorway to Vienna connects Slovakia directly to the Austrian motorway system and was opened on 19 November 2007.^[60]

Apollo bridge

Currently, five bridges stand over the Danube (ordered by the flow of the river): Lafranconi Bridge, Nový Most (The New Bridge), Starý most (The Old Bridge), Most Apollo and Prístavný most (The Harbor Bridge).

The city's inner network of roadways is made on the radial-circular shape. Nowadays, Bratislava experiences a sharp increase in the road traffic, increasing pressure on the road network. There are about 200,000 registered cars in Bratislava, (approximately 2 inhabitants per car).^[59]

Ružomberok railway station

Air

Bratislava International Airport

Bratislava's M. R. Štefánik Airport is the main international airport in Slovakia. It is located 9 kilometres (5.59 mi) north-east of the city centre. It serves civil and governmental, scheduled and unscheduled domestic and international flights. The current runways support the landing of all common types of aircraft currently used. The airport has enjoyed rapidly growing passenger traffic in recent years; it served 279,028 passengers in 2000, 1,937,642 in 2006 and 2,024,142 in 2007.^[61] Smaller airports served by passenger airlines include those in Košice and Poprad.

River

The Port of Bratislava is one of the two international river ports in Slovakia. The port connects Bratislava to international boat traffic, especially the interconnection from the North Sea to the Black Sea via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. Additionally, tourist lines operate from Bratislava's passenger port, including routes to Devín, Vienna and elsewhere.

Tourism

Cableway Tatranská Lomnica – Lomnický štít

Slovakia is a good European skiing destination

Slovakia features natural landscapes, mountains, caves, medieval castles and towns, folk architecture, spas and ski resorts. More than 1.6 million people visited Slovakia in 2006, and the most attractive destinations are the capital of Bratislava and the High Tatras.^[62] Most visitors come from the Czech Republic (about 26%), Poland (15%) and Germany (11%).^[63] Typical souvenirs from Slovakia are dolls dressed in folk costumes, ceramic objects, crystal glass, carved wooden figures, črpáks (wooden pitcher), fujaras (a folk instrument on the UNESCO list) and valaškas (a decorated folk hatchet) and above all products made from corn husks and wire, notably human figures. Souvenirs can be bought in the shops run by the state organization ÚĽUV (Ústredie ľudovej umeleckej výroby – Center of Folk Art Production). Dielo shop chain sells works of Slovak artists and craftsmen. These shops are mostly found in towns and cities. Prices of imported products are generally the same as in the neighboring countries, whereas prices of local products and services, especially food, are usually lower.

Science

Jozef Murgaš

Some Slovaks have made notable technical contributions. Jozef Murgaš contributed to development of wireless telegraphy^{[citation needed]}; Ján Bahýľ constructed one of the first motor-driven helicopters^{[citation needed]}; Štefan Banič constructed the first actively-used parachute;^[64] Aurel Stodola created a bionic arm in 1916 and pioneered steam and gas turbines.^[65] More recently, John Dopyera constructed a resonator guitar, an important contribution to the development of acoustic string instruments^{[citation needed]}.

American astronaut Eugene Cernan (Čerňan), the last man to visit the Moon, has Slovak heritage. Ivan Bella was the first Slovak citizen in space^{[citation needed]}, having participated in a 9-day joint Russian-French-Slovak mission on the space station Mir in 1999^{[citation needed]}.

Nobel prize winners Daniel Gajdusek and David Politzer have Slovak ancestors^{[citation needed]}.

Culture

See also List of Slovaks

The national theater

The art of Slovakia can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when some of the greatest masterpieces of the country's history were created. Significant figures from this period included the many Masters, among them the Master Paul of Levoča and Master MS. More contemporary art can be seen in the shadows of Koloman Sokol, Albín Brunovský, Martin Benka, Mikuláš Galanda, and Ľudovít Fulla. The most important Slovak composers have been Eugen Suchoň, Ján Cikker, and Alexander Moyzes, in the 21st century Vladimir Godar and Peter Machajdik.

Slovakia is also known for its polyhistors, of whom include Pavol Jozef Šafárik, Matej Bel, Ján Kollár, and its political revolutionaries and reformists, such Milan Rastislav Štefánik and Alexander Dubček.

Many famous Slovaks

There were two leading persons who codified the Slovak language. The first was Anton Bernolák whose concept was based on the western Slovak dialect in 1787. It was the codification of the first ever literary language of Slovaks. The second was Ľudovít Štúr, whose formation of the Slovak language took principles from the central Slovak dialect in 1843.

The best known Slovak hero is Juraj Jánošík (the Slovak equivalent of Robin Hood). Famous globetrotter and explorer, count Móric Benyovszky had Slovak ancestors.

In terms of sport, the Slovaks are probably best known (in North America) for their hockey stars, especially Stan Mikita, Peter Šťastný, Peter Bondra, Žigmund Pálffy and Marián Hossa. For a list see List of Slovaks.

Jozef Miloslav Hurban

For a list of notable Slovak writers and poets, see List of Slovak authors.

Literature

Christian topics include: poem Proglas as a foreword to the four Gospels, partial translations of the Bible into Old Church Slavonic, Zakon sudnyj ljudem, etc.

Medieval literature, in the period from the 11th to the 15th centuries, was written in Latin, Czech and Slovakized Czech. Lyric (prayers, songs and formulas) was still controlled by the Church, while epic was concentrated on legends. Authors from this period include Johannes de Thurocz, author of the Chronica Hungarorum and Maurus, both of them Hungarians.^[66] The worldly literature also emerged and chronicles were written in this period.

Cuisine

Bryndzové halušky, Slovak national dish

Pork, beef and poultry are the main meats consumed in Slovakia, with pork being substantially the most popular. Chicken is the most widely eaten poultry, followed by duck, goose, and turkey. A blood sausage called jaternice, made from any and all parts of a butchered pig, also has a following. Game, especially boar, rabbit, and venison, are generally available throughout the year. Lamb and goat is eaten, but is not widely popular.

Wine is enjoyed throughout Slovakia. Slovak wine comes predominantly from the southern areas along the Danube and its tributaries; the northern half of the country is too cold and mountainous to grow grapevines. Traditionally, white wine was more popular than red or rosé (except in some regions), and sweet wine more popular than dry, but in recent years tastes seem to be changing.^[67] Beer (mainly of the pilsener style, though dark lagers are also consumed) is also popular throughout the country.

Music

Ján Levoslav Bella

Popular music began to replace folk music beginning in the 1950s, when Slovakia was still part of Czechoslovakia; American jazz, R&B, and rock and roll were popular, alongside waltzes, polkas, and czardas, among other folk forms. By the end of the '50s, radios were common household items, though only state stations were legal. Slovak popular music began as a mix of bossa nova, cool jazz, and rock, with propagandistic lyrics. Dissenters listened to ORF (Austrian Radio), Radio Luxembourg, or Slobodna Europa (Radio Free Europe), which played more rock. Due to Czechoslovak isolation, the domestic market was active and many original bands evolved. Slovakia had a very strong pop culture during 70's and 80's. This movement brought many original bands with their own unique interpretations of modern music. The quality of socialist music was very high. Stars such as Karel Gott, Olympic, Pražský výběr (from Czechia) or Elán, Modus, Tublatanka, Team (from Slovakia) and many others were highly acclaimed and many recorded their LP's in foreign languages.

After the Velvet Revolution and the declaration of the Slovak state, domestic music dramatically diversified as free enterprise encouraged the formation of new bands and the development of new genres of music. Soon, however, major labels brought pop music to Slovakia and drove many of the small companies out of business. The 1990s, American grunge and alternative rock, and Britpop have a wide following, as well as a new found enthusiasm for musicals.

International rankings

• Human Development Index 2007: Rank 42nd out of 177 countries
• Index of Economic Freedom 2008: Rank 35th out of 157 countries
• Reporters Without Borders' Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2008: Rank 7th (along with 5 other countries) out of 173 countries
• Global Competitiveness Report 2008–2009: Rank 46th out of 157 countries
• Corruption Perceptions Index 2008: 52nd out of 180 countries
• Democracy Index 2008: Rank 44th out of 167 countries
• Environmental Performance Index 2008: Rank 17th out of 149 countries
• Global Peace Index 2008: Rank 20th out of 140 countries
• Programme for International Student Assessment 2006: Rank 27th out of 57 jurisdictions

See also

Culture Cinema of Slovakia Music of Slovakia Slovak literature Slovak language Slovak cuisine Slovak national axe Holidays National holidays in Slovakia Remembrance days in Slovakia

Slovakia portal Miscellaneous topics Communications in Slovakia Education in Slovakia Foreign relations of Slovakia History of ice hockey in Slovakia List of villages and municipalities in Slovakia List of rivers in Slovakia List of rulers of Slovakia List of Slovaks List of tourism regions of Slovakia List of towns in Slovakia List of traditional regions of Slovakia Military of Slovakia Protected areas of Slovakia Transportation in Slovakia

References

Further reading

• Anton Spiesz and Dusan Caplovic: Illustrated Slovak History: A Struggle for Sovereignty in Central Europe ISBN 0-86516-426-6
• Elena Mannová (ed.): A Concise History of Slovakia ISBN 80-88880-42-4
• Pavel Dvorak: The Early History of Slovakia in Images ISBN 80-85501-34-1
• Julius Bartl and Dusan Skvarna: Slovak History: Chronology & Lexicon ISBN 0-86516-444-4
• Olga Drobna, Eduard Drobny and Magdalena Gocnikova: Slovakia: The Heart of Europe ISBN 0-86516-319-7
• Karen Henderson: Slovakia: The Escape from Invisibility ISBN 0-415-27436-2
• Stanislav Kirschbaum: A History of Slovakia : The Struggle for Survival ISBN 0-312-16125-5
• Alfred Horn: Insight Guide: Czech & Slovak Republics ISBN 0-88729-655-6
• Rob Humphreys: The Rough Guide to the Czech and Slovak Republics ISBN 1-85828-904-1
• Michael Jacobs: Blue Guide: Czech and Slovak Republics ISBN 0-393-31932-6
• Neil Wilson, Richard Nebesky: Lonely Planet World Guide: Czech & Slovak Republics ISBN 1-86450-212-6
• Eugen Lazistan, Fedor Mikovič, Ivan Kučma and Anna Jurečková: Slovakia: A Photographic Odyssey ISBN 0-86516-517-3
• Lil Junas: My Slovakia: An American's View ISBN 80-7090-622-7
• Sharon Fisher: Political Change in Post-Communist Slovakia and Croatia: From Nationalist to Europeanist ISBN 1-4039-7286-9

External links

Find more about Slovakia on Wikipedia's sister projects:

Definitions from Wiktionary
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews
Learning resources from Wikiversity

Government

• The Slovak Republic Government Office
• Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic
• Chief of State and Cabinet Members

General information

• Slovakia entry at The World Factbook
• Slovakia from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Slovakia at the Open Directory Project
• Slovakia Cultural Profile
• Wikimedia Atlas of Slovakia
• Google satellite map of Slovakia
• Slovakia travel guide from Wikitravel

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Additional info - part 2

Bank

A bank is a financial institution licensed by a government. Its primary activities include providing financial services to customers while enriching its investors. Many financial activities were allowed over time. For example banks are important players in financial markets and offer financial services such as investment funds. In some countries such as Germany, banks have historically owned major stakes in industrial corporations while in other countries such as the United States banks are prohibited from owning non-financial companies. In Japan, banks are usually the nexus of a cross-share holding entity known as the zaibatsu. In France, bancassurance is prevalent, as most banks offer insurance services (and now real estate services) to their clients.

Banská Bystrica

Banská Bystrica (German: Neusohl, Hungarian: Besztercebánya) ( Slovak pronunciation (help·info)) is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia.^[1][2] It started as a permanent settlement in the 9th century and obtained the municipal privileges of a Hungarian royal town in 1255. The copper mining town acquired its present picturesque look in the Late Middle Ages when the prosperous burghers built its central churches, mansions, and fortifications. It is the capital of the kraj (Banská Bystrica Region) and the okres (Banská Bystrica District). It is also the home of Matej Bel University. As a historical city with an easy access to the surrounding mountains, Banská Bystrica is a popular winter and summer tourist destination.

Barbarian

Barbarian is a term for an uncivilized person, often used pejoratively, either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage. In idiomatic or figurative usage, a "barbarian" may also be an individual reference to a brutal, cruel, warlike, insensitive person.^[1]

Battle of Brezalauspurc

Battle of Pressburg^[1] or Battle of Bratislava refers to a battle fought east of Vienna^[2] on July 4, 907, during which a Bavarian army was defeated by the Hungarians^[1].

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern, pronounced [ˈfʁaɪ.ʃtaːt ˈbaɪ.ɐn]  ( listen)) is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of the country. With an area of 70,548 square kilometres (27,200 sq mi) and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, it is the largest German state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany. Its capital is Munich in Upper Bavaria.

Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle (cows). Beef is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of Australia, Europe and America, and is also important in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Beef is considered a taboo food in some cultures: especially in Hinduism although not strictly forbidden, as bovines are revered; it is also discouraged among some Buddhists.

Beer

Beer is the world's oldest^[1] and most widely consumed^[2] alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea.^[3] It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used. Most beer is flavoured with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavourings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included.

Belarus

Belarus /ˈbɛləruːs/ (help·info) (Belarusian: Беларусь or Biełaruś, Russian: Беларусь) is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe,^[3] bordered by Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno (Hrodna), Gomel (Homiel), Mahilyow (Mahiloŭ) and Vitebsk (Viciebsk). Forty percent of the country is forested,^[4] and its strongest economic sectors are agriculture and manufacturing.

Belgium

The Kingdom of Belgium /ˈbɛldʒəm/ (help·info) is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO.^[5] Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres (11,787 sq mi) and has a population of about 10.7 million.

Beneš decrees

The Beneš decrees is a term referring to a series of laws enacted by the Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile during World War II in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament (see details in German occupation of Czechoslovakia). Today, the term is most frequently used for the part of the decrees that dealt with the status of ethnic Germans and Hungarians in postwar Czechoslovakia, and laid the ground for the deportation of around 3 million Germans and Hungarians from the land that had been their home for centuries (see expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia and Hungarians in Slovakia). The Beneš decrees have become a symbol for historical debates over the expulsions and its ramifications in today's politics. Officially, the decrees are referred to as Decrees of the President of the Republic (in Czech, dekrety presidenta republiky).

Benin

Benin (pronounced [beh-NIN]), officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north; its short coastline to the south leads to the Bight of Benin.

Biatec

Biatec was the name of a person, presumably a king, who appeared on the Celtic coins minted by the Boii in Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia) in the 1st century BC. The word Biatec (or Biatex) is also used as the name of those coins. In the literature, they are also sometimes referred to as "hexadrachms of the Bratislava type".^[1] Biatecs, in fact hexadrachms and tetradrachms made of high quality silver and gold, bear inscriptions in capital Latin letters. Among 14 different inscriptions (for example NONNOS, DEVIL, BUSU, BUSSUMARUS, TITTO), BIATEC appears most frequently. The inscriptions represent the oldest known use of writing in Slovakia and the neighboring territories. The coins have a diameter of 25 millimeters and a weight of 16.5-17 grams. The obverse usually shows various depictions of a head or a pair of heads. The reverse usually shows a horseman, but various mythological and real animals also occur.

Bible

The Bible, sometimes called the Holy Bible, can refer to one of two closely related religious texts central to Judaism and Christianity—the Hebrew or Christian sacred Scriptures respectively.

Black Sea

The Black Sea is an inland sea bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects it to the Aegean Sea region of the Mediterranean. These waters separate eastern Europe and western Asia. The Black Sea also connects to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.

Black pudding

Black pudding or blood pudding is a type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. It is also called blood sausage (first attested in 1868, perhaps influenced by German Blutwurst). Although "blood sausage" is often labeled as a North American term, it is also found in British English (e.g., in the story "The Name-Day" by Saki). "Blood sausage" is also used as a term for similar blood-based solid foods around the world.

Bohemia

Bohemia (Czech: Čechy;^[1] German: Böhmen (help·info); Polish: Czechy; French: Bohême; Latin: Bohemia) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the Czech Republic and with its capital in Prague. In a broader meaning, it often refers to the entire Czech territory, including Moravia and Czech Silesia,^[2] especially in historical contexts, such as the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Bojnice

Bojnice (Hungarian: Bajmóc, German: Weinitz) is a small town in central Slovakia at the upper Nitra river, near the city of Prievidza. It has population of 4,983 (2005). Bojnice is best known for its tourist attractions: the oldest zoo in Slovakia, the most visited castle, and one of the oldest spa towns in Slovakia. The town is situated below the Bojnice Castle, which is built on travertine rock with a natural cave. The castle has appeared in many international films and a well-known international festival of spectres takes place there every year.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina (pronounced /ˈbɒzni.ə ænd hɜrtsɨˈɡoʊvɨnə/ ( listen)^[3] or /ˈbɑzni.ə ænd hɛrtsəgoʊˈvinə/^[4] (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in South-East Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for 26 kilometres of Adriatic Sea coastline, centered on the town of Neum.^[5][6] The interior of the country is mountainous in the center and south, hilly in the northwest, and flat in the northeast. Bosnia is the larger geographic region of the modern state with a moderate continental climate, marked by hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Smaller Herzegovina is at the southern tip of the country, with a Mediterranean climate and topography. Bosnia and Herzegovina's natural resources are highly abundant^{[citation needed]}.

Bossa nova

Bossa nova ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a style of Brazilian music popularized by Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes and João Gilberto. Bossa nova (which is Portuguese for "new trend") acquired a large following, initially by young musicians and college students.^[1] Although the bossa nova movement only lasted six years (1958–63), it contributed a number of songs to the standard jazz repertoire.

Bratislava

Bratislava (German: Pressburg, Hungarian: Pozsony) is the capital of the Slovak Republic and, with a population of about 429,000, also the country's largest city.^[1] Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries,^[2] and it and Vienna are the two European national capitals closest to one another, at less than 60 kilometres (37 mi) apart.

Bratislava Region

The Bratislava Region (Slovak: Bratislavský kraj) is one of the administrative regions of Slovakia. Its capital is Bratislava. It is the smallest of the eight regions of Slovakia.

British Armed Forces

The armed forces of the United Kingdom, known as His/Her Majesty's Armed Forces or sometimes the British Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown,^[1] encompasses a navy, an army, and an air force. The British Armed Forces are a purely professional and volunteer force with a reported personnel strength of 429,500 in 2009 (195,900 regular force, 193,300 regular reserve, and 42,300 volunteer reserve), HM Armed Forces constitutes one of the largest militaries in Europe, though only the 26th largest in the world by number of troops.^[2][3] The British Armed Forces however has the fourth highest declared expenditure of any military in the world, behind the United States, the People's Republic of China, and France.^[4]

Britpop

Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s. The movement developed as a reaction against various musical and cultural trends in the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly the grunge phenomenon from the United States. In the wake of the musical invasion into the United Kingdom of American grunge bands, new British groups such as Suede and Blur launched the movement by positioning themselves as opposing musical forces, referencing British guitar music of the past and writing about uniquely British topics and concerns. These bands were soon joined by others including Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass and Elastica.

Brno

Brno (Czech pronunciation: [ˈbr̩no]  ( listen)) is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, located in the southeast of the country. It was founded in 1243, although the area had been settled since the 5th century. As of December 2009 the population is 405,337. Brno is the capital of the South Moravian Region as well as the seat of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and the Ombudsman.

Bryndzové halušky

Bryndzové Halušky (in English: Potato dumplings with bryndza sheep cheese and bacon^[1]) is one of the national dishes in Slovakia.^[2][3] This hearty meal consists of Halušky^[1] (boiled lumps of potato dough similar in appearance to gnocchi^[1][2][3], or more precisely Spätzle^[4]) and bryndza^[1] (a soft sheep cheese^[5]), optionally sprinkled with cooked bits of smoked pork fat/bacon.^[1][2][3] Žinčica is traditionally drunk with this meal.^[2] There is an annual Bryndzové Halušky festival in Turecká that features an eating contest.^[6][7]

Buda

Buda (German: Ofen) is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.^[1][2][3] The Roman name for Buda was Aquincum ("aqua" means "water" in Latin.)

Budapest

Budapest (pronounced /ˈbuːdəpɛst/, also /ˈbʊdəpɛst/ or /ˈbjuːdəpɛst/; Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt]  ( listen); names in other languages) is the capital of Hungary.^[1] As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation center^[2] and is considered an important hub in Central Europe.^[3] In 2009, Budapest had 1,712,210 inhabitants,^[4] down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The Budapest Commuter Area (or Greater Budapest) is home to 3,271,110 people.^[5][6] The city covers an area of 525 square kilometres (202.7 sq mi)^[7] within the city limits. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with a unification on 17 November 1873 of right (west)-bank Buda and Óbuda with left (east)-bank Pest.^[7][8]

Bulgaria

Bulgaria (pronounced /bʌlˈɡɛəriə/ ( listen); Bulgarian: България, Bălgariya, pronounced [bəlˈɡarija]), officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Република България, Republika Bălgariya, [rɛˈpublika bəlˈɡarija]), is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly along the River Danube), Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the country to the east.

Bundeswehr

The Bundeswehr (German for "Federal Defence Force"; listen (help·info)) comprises the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities. The States of Germany are not allowed to maintain armed forces of their own, since the Basic Law of Germany states that matters of defense fall into the sole responsibility of the Federal government.^[3]

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso (pronounced /bərˌkiːnə ˈfɑːsoʊ/ burr-KEE-nə FAH-soh; French: [byʁkina faso]), also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the south west.

Burundi

Burundi (pronounced [buˈɾundi]), officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its size is just under 28,000 km² with an estimated population of almost 8,700,000. Its capital is Bujumbura. Although the country is landlocked, much of the southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika.

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, was the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, and ruled by Emperors. It was called the Roman Empire, and also as Romania (Greek: Ῥωμανία, Rhōmanía), by its inhabitants and its neighbours. As the distinction between "Roman Empire" and "Byzantine Empire" is purely a modern convention, it is not possible to assign a date of separation, but an important point is the Emperor Constantine I's transfer in 324 of the capital from Nicomedia (in Anatolia) to Byzantium on the Bosphorus, which became Constantinople (alternatively "New Rome").^{[n 1]}

Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire (English pronunciation: /ˌkoʊt diˈvwɑr/; French: [kot diˈvwaʀ]), (officially the Republic ofCôte d'Ivoire), is a country in West Africa. Although it is commonly known in English as the Ivory Coast, the Ivorian government officially discourages this usage, preferring the French name Côte d'Ivoire to be used in all languages. Côte d'Ivoire has an area of 322,462 km², and borders the countries of Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population, which was 15,366,672 in 1998,^[6] is estimated to be 18,373,060 in 2008.^[2]

Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia (pronounced /kæmˈboʊdiə/), formerly known as Kampuchea (/kæmpuːˈtʃiːə/, ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា Preăh Réachéa Nachâk Kâmpŭchea, derived from Sanskrit Kambujadesa), is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 14 million people.^[4] The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh. Cambodia is the successor state of the once powerful Hindu and Buddhist Khmer Empire, which ruled most of the Indochinese Peninsula between the 11th and 14th centuries.

Cameroon

The Republic of Cameroon (French: République du Cameroun) is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. The country is called "Africa in miniature" for its geological and cultural diversity. Natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. The highest point is Mount Cameroon in the southwest, and the largest cities are Douala, Yaoundé, and Garoua. Cameroon is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. The country is well known for its native styles of music, particularly makossa and bikutsi, and for its successful national football team. English and French are the official languages.

Canada

Canada (pronounced /ˈkænədə/) is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area^[7] and its common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the world's longest.

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces (CF) (French: Forces canadiennes; FC), officially the Canadian Armed Forces (French: Forces armées canadiennes),^[5] are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."^[5] This singular institution consists of three main branches: Maritime Command (MARCOM), Land Force Command (LFC), and Air Command (AIRCOM), which are together overseen by the Armed Forces Council, chaired by the Chief of the Defence Staff. At the pinnacle of the command structure is the Commander-in-Chief, who is the reigning Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II,^[6] represented by the Governor General.^[7]

Cape Verde

The Republic of Cape Verde (pronounced /ˌkeɪp ˈvɜ:rd/ ( listen); Portuguese: Cabo Verde, pronounced [ˈkabu ˈveɾdɨ]) is an island country, spanning an archipelago located in the Macaronesia ecoregion of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa, opposite Mauritania and Senegal.

Capital (political)

A capital is the area of a country, province, region, or state, regarded as enjoying primary status; although there are exceptions, a capital is almost always a city which physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of the seat of government and fixed by law. Alternate terms include capital city and political capital; the latter phrase has a second meaning based on an alternative sense of capital. Usually, a capital city is the largest city in that country but not always.

Carnuntum

Carnuntum (Καρνοιις in Ptolemy) was an important Roman army camp in what is now Austria. It belonged originally to Noricum province, but after the 1st century was part of Pannonia. Its remains are on the main road halfway between Vienna and Bratislava, on the "Archaeological Park Carnuntum" in Lower Austria, extending over the area of today's villages Petronell-Carnuntum and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg.

Carpathian Germans

Carpathian Germans (German: Karpatendeutsche, Hungarian: Felvidéki németek, Slovak: Karpatskí Nemci), sometimes simply called Slovak Germans (German: Slowakeideutsche), is the name for a group of German language speakers on the territory of present-day Slovakia. The term was coined by the historian Raimund Friedrich Kaindl, and is also sometimes used to refer to Germans in the Carpathian Ruthenia.

Carpathian Mountains

The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly 1,500 km (932 mi) long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the largest mountain range in Europe. They provide the habitat for the largest European populations of brown bears, wolves, chamois and lynxes, with the highest concentration in Romania,^[2] as well as over one third of all European plant species.^[3]

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church,^{[note 1]} is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians^{[note 2]} and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or (Latin Rite) Church, and 22 autonomous Eastern Catholic Churches (called particular churches), comprising a total of 2,795 dioceses in 2008. The Church's highest earthly authority in matters of faith, morality, and governance is the Pope,^[15] currently Pope Benedict XVI, who holds supreme authority in concert with the College of Bishops, of which he is the head.^[16][17][18] The Catholic community is made up of an ordained ministry and the laity; members of either group may belong to organized religious communities.^[19]

Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) (French: République centrafricaine, pronounced: [ʀepyblik sɑ̃trʀafrʀikɛn], or Centrafrique [saɑ̃tʀrafʀik]; Sango Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka), is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the east, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west.

Central Asia

Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east, and from southern Russia in the north to Afghanisthan in the south. It is also sometimes known as Middle Asia or Inner Asia, and is within the scope of the wider Eurasian continent.

Central Europe

Central Europe is the region lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. The term and widespread interest in the region itself came back into fashion^[1] after the end of the Cold War, which, along with the Iron Curtain, had divided Europe politically into East and West, splitting Central Europe in half.

Central European Summer Time

Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used as a summer daylight saving time in most European and some North African countries. During the winter, Central European Time (UTC+1) is used.

Central European Time

Central European Time (CET), used in most European and some North African countries, is one of the names of the time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), with a time offset of UTC+1 (in winter).

Chad

Chad (French: Tchad, Arabic: تشاد‎ Tshād), officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Due to its distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, the country is sometimes referred to as the "Dead Heart of Africa".

Chile

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile (Spanish: República de Chile Spanish pronunciation: [reˈpuβlika ðe ˈʧile]), is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. It is one of two countries in South America (with Ecuador) which do not border Brazil. The Pacific coastline of Chile is 6,435 kilometres.^[4] Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas and Easter Island. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.

Church (building)

A church building is a building or structure whose primary purpose is to facilitate the meeting of a church. Originally, Jewish Christians met in synagogues, such as the Cenacle, and in one another's homes. As Christianity grew and became more accepted by governments, rooms, and eventually entire buildings, were set aside for the explicit purpose of Christian worship.

Cinema of Slovakia

The Cinema of Slovakia encompasses a range of themes and styles typical of European cinema. Yet there are a certain number of recurring themes that are visible in the majority of the important works. These include rural settings,^[1] folk traditions, and carnival.^[2] Even in the field of experimental film-making, there is frequently a celebration of nature and tradition, as for example in Dušan Hanák's Pictures of the Old World (Obrazy starého sveta, 1972). The same applies to blockbusters like Juraj Jakubisko's A Thousand-Year Old Bee (Tisícročná včela, 1983).^[3] The percentage of comedies, adventures, musicals, sci-fi films and similar genres has been low by comparison to dramas and historical films that used to include a notable subset of social commentaries on events from the decade or two preceding the film. One of them, Ján Kadár's and Elmar Klos's The Shop on Main Street (Obchod na korze, 1965),^[4] gave Slovak (as well as Czech and generally Czechoslovak) filmmaking its first Oscar. Children's films were a perennial genre from the 1960s through the 1980s produced mainly as low-budget films by Slovak Television Bratislava. The themes of recent films have been mostly contemporary.

Civil law (legal system)

Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law, the primary feature of which is that laws are written into a collection, codified, and not determined, as in common law, by judges.^[1] Conceptually, it is the group of legal ideas and systems ultimately derived from the Code of Justinian, but heavily overlaid by Germanic, ecclesiastical, feudal, and local practices,^[2] as well as doctrinal strains such as natural law, codification, and legislative positivism. Materially, civil law proceeds from abstractions, formulates general principles, and distinguishes substantive rules from procedural rules.^[3] It holds legislation as the primary source of law, and the court system is usually inquisitorial, unbound by precedent, and composed of specially-trained judicial officers.

Coalition

A coalition is an alliance among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant. Possibly described as a joining of 'factions', usually those with overlapping interests rather than opposing.

Coat of arms of Slovakia

The coat of arms of Slovakia is composed of a silver (argent) double cross, elevated on the middle peak of a dark blue mountain consisting of three peaks. It is situated on a red (gules) early gothic shield. Extremities of the cross are amplificated, and its ends are concaved.

Code (law)

A Code is a type of legislation that purports to exhaustively cover a complete system of laws or a particular area of law as it existed at the time the code was enacted, by a process of codification. Though the process and motivations for codification are similar in common law and civil law systems, their usage is different. In a civil law country, a Code typically exhaustively covers the complete system of law. By contrast, in a common law country a Code is a less common form of legislation, which differs from usual legislation that, when enacted, modify the existing common law only to the extent of its express or implicit provision, but otherwise leaves the common law intact. By contrast, a code entirely replaces the common law in a particular area, leaving the common law inoperative unless and until the code is repealed.^{[dubious – discuss]}

Comoros

The Comoros (pronounced /ˈkɒməroʊz/ ( listen); Arabic: جزر القمر‎, Juzur al-Qumur), officially the Union of the Comoros (French: Union des Comores, Arabic: الاتّحاد القمريّ‎, al-Ittiḥād al-Qumuriyy) is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northern Madagascar and northeastern Mozambique. The nearest countries to the Comoros are Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, and the Seychelles.

Computer monitor

A monitor or display (sometimes called a visual display unit) is a piece of electrical equipment which displays images generated by devices such as computers, without producing a permanent record. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure. The display device in modern monitors is typically a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), while older monitors use a cathode ray tube (CRT).

Constitution

A constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that enumerates the powers and functions of a political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the structure, procedures, powers and duties, of a government. By limiting the government's own reach, most constitutions guarantee certain rights to the people. The term constitution can be applied to any overall law that defines the functioning of a government, including several historical constitutions that existed before the development of modern national constitutions.

Contemporary art

Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced since World War II.

Continental climate

Continental climate is a climate that is characterized by winter temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of snow cover each year, and relatively moderate precipitation occurring mostly in summer, although east coast areas (chiefly in North America) may show an even distribution of precipitation. Regions containing a continental climate exist in portions of the Northern Hemisphere continents (especially North America^[1] and Asia), and also at higher elevations in other parts of the world. Only a few areas in Iran, adjacent Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia show a winter maximum in precipitation, and this typically melts in early spring to give short-lived floods.

Cool jazz

Cool jazz is a style of jazz music that arose during the Second World War. During this time, there was an influx of Californian (predominantly white) jazz musicians to New York. Once there, these musicians mixed with the mostly black bebop musicians, and were also influenced by the "smooth" sound of black saxophonist Lester Young. The style that emerged became known as "cool jazz", which avoided the aggressive tempos of bebop. Cool jazz included intricate arrangements, innovative forms, and songs having a thoroughly composed sound. (Although they included improvised sections.) The term "cool" started being applied to this music about 1953 with the release of the album Classics in Jazz: Cool and Quiet by Capitol Records^[1].

Coordinated Universal Time

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)^[1] (French: Temps Universel Coordonné) is a time standard based on International Atomic Time (TAI) with leap seconds added at irregular intervals to compensate for the Earth's slowing rotation.^[2] Leap seconds are used to allow UTC to closely track UT1, which is mean solar time at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

Copper

Copper (pronounced /ˈkɒpər/, KOP-ər) is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color. It is used as a thermal conductor, an electrical conductor, a building material, and a constituent of various metal alloys.

Corruption Perceptions Index

Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)^[1] ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians".^[2] The organization defines corruption as "the abuse of entrusted power for private gain".^[3]

Cotini

Cotini was a Celtic tribe most probably living in today's Slovakia, and (according to occasional opinions) in Moravia and southern Poland. They were probably identical or constituted a significant part of the archaeological Púchov culture, with the center in Havránok.

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe (French: Conseil de l'Europe) is the oldest international organisation working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation. It has 47 member states with some 800 million citizens.

Croatia

Croatia ( /kroʊˈeɪʃə/ (help·info); Croatian: Hrvatska pronounced [xř̩ʋaːtskaː]), officially the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Republika Hrvatska listen (help·info)), is a country in central and southeastern Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital (and largest city) is Zagreb. Croatia borders Slovenia and Hungary to the north, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the southeast, and Serbia and Montenegro to the east.

Csárdás

Csárdás (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈtʃaːrdaːʃ]) is a traditional Hungarian folk dance, the name derived from csárda (old Hungarian term for tavern). It originated in Hungary and was popularized by Roma music (Cigány) bands in Hungary and neighboring lands of Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Burgenland, Croatia, Carpathian Ruthenia, Transylvania and Moravia, as well as among the Banat Bulgarians, including those in Bulgaria.^[1]

Cyprus

Cyprus (Greek: Κύπρος, transliterated: Kýpros, IPA: [ˈkʲipɾo̞s]; Turkish: Kıbrıs), officially the Republic of Cyprus (Greek: Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía, [kʲipɾiaˈkʲi ðimo̞kɾaˈtia]; Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti), is a Eurasian island country^[6][7] in the Eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of its most popular tourist destinations.^[8] A highly developed country,^[9][10] the Republic of Cyprus was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement^[11] but joined the European Union on May 1, 2004.^[12]

Cyril

Cyril (also Cyrillus or Cyryl) is a masculine given name. It is derived from the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos) meaning "Lordly, Masterful" which in turn derives from Greek κυριος (Kyrios) "Lord". There are various variant forms of the Cyril name such as Cyrill, Kirill, Kiryl, Kirillos, Kyryl, Kiril, and Kyrill. There are also different ways of spelling the name Cyril for example it is spelt Cyryl in Poland.

Cyrillic alphabet

The Cyrillic (pronounced /sɨˈrɪlɪk/) script writing system is an alphabet developed in the First Bulgarian Empire in 9th century^[1], and used in the Slavic national languages of Belarusian, Bulgarian, Russian, Rusyn, Serbian, Macedonian, and Ukrainian, and in the non-Slavic languages of Moldovan, Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Tuvan, and Mongolian. It also was used in (past) languages of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Siberia.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic /ˈtʃɛk rɨˈpʌblɪk/ (help·info)^[3] (Czech: Česká republika, pronounced [ˈtʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka]  ( listen), short form Česko [ˈtʃɛskɔ]) is a country in Central Europe^[4]. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague (Czech: Praha). The country is composed of the historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as parts of Silesia. The Czech Republic has been a member of NATO since 1999 and of the European Union since 2004. From 1 January 2009 to 1 July 2009, the Czech Republic held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Czech Socialist Republic

From 1969 to 1990, the Czech Socialist Republic (Česká socialistická republika in Czech; abbreviated ČSR) was the official name of that part of Czechoslovakia that is the Czech Republic today. The name was used from January 1, 1969 to March 1990.

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia (Československo; from 1990 Slovak: Česko-Slovensko) was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992. From 1939 to 1945 the state did not have de facto existence, due to its forced division and partial incorporation into Nazi Germany, but the Czechoslovak government-in-exile nevertheless continued to exist during this time period while Slovakia was independent from the Czech part. On 1 January 1993 Czechoslovakia peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Daniel Carleton Gajdusek

Daniel Carleton Gajdusek (September 9, 1923 – December 12, 2008) was an American physician and medical researcher who was the co-recipient (with Baruch S. Blumberg) of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1976 for work on kuru, the first human prion disease demonstrated to be infectious. His later life was marred by a criminal conviction for child sexual abuse.

Danubian Lowland

The Danubian Lowland or Danube Lowland (Slovak: Podunajská nížina) is the name of the part of Little Alföld (Slovak: Malá dunajská kotlina) situated in Slovakia, located between the Danube, the Little Carpathians and all other parts of the Western Carpathians.

Daylight saving time

Daylight saving time (DST; also summer time in British English—see Terminology) is the practice of advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn.^[1] Modern DST was first proposed in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist.^[2] Many countries have used it since then; details vary by location and change occasionally.

Democracy Index

The Democracy Index is an index compiled by The Economist examining the state of democracy in 167 countries, attempting to quantify this with an Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy which focused on five general categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation and political culture. According to Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index 2008 Sweden scored a total of 9.88 on a scale from zero to ten, which was the highest result, while North Korea scored the lowest with 0.86.^[1] The countries are categorized into "Full Democracies", "Flawed Democracies", "Hybrid Regimes" (all considered democracies), and "Authoritarian Regimes" (considered dictatorial).

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Coordinates: 2°52′48″S 23°39′22″E / 2.88°S 23.656°E / -2.88; 23.656 The Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: République démocratique du Congo), known until 1997 as Zaire, is a country located in Central Africa, with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest country (by area) in Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is, with a UN estimated population of 66,020,000, the nineteenth most populous nation in the world, and the fourth most populous nation in Africa, as well as the most populous country where French is an official language.