Slovakia – my homeland

Vypracovala: Miroslava Šimová

The Slovak Republic is situated in Central Europe and it is often called “country in the heart of Europe”. It is bordered by the Czech Republic (west), Poland (north), The Ukraine (east), Hungary and Austria (south). The borders are mostly natural made by rivers (the Moravia, the Danube) and mountains (the Carpathians, the High Tatras). Major Slovak rivers are the Danube, the Váh and the Hron. The Slovak climate is temperate with relatively warm summers and cold, cloudy and humid winters. Its area is 49 035 sq km and the number of population is over 5 million inhabitants. The majority of the inhabitants are Slovak. Hungarians are the largest ethnic minority. Other ethnic groups include Roma, Rusyns, Ukrainians and others. has much to offer to tourists who come here to see spectacular sceneries, old towns, fairytale castles, caves and spa resorts.

Our country is attractive for foreign visitors because of its history. They can learn the history of the Great Moravian Empire and Austrian – Hungarian Monarchy. Foreign visitors are also interestedin the events of the and of November 1989. Nowadays, Slovakia is an independent country that is a member of the European Union and its historical development, beautiful scenery and hospitable people make Slovakia an attractive destination for tourists.

There are many interesting places in Slovakia. There are national parks and protected natural resorts, such as the High Tatras, the Low Tatras, the Great Fatras and Slovak Paradise.

The High Tatras – the highest mountains of the country – is situated in the north of Slovakia and its highest peaks are Gerlachovský štít, Lomnický Štít and Kriváň. This area attracts many tourists throughout the year with its natural beauties.

Slovak Paradise that is located in the north – east is a romantic and picturesque region. There are beautiful caves, numerous rock windows, waterfalls but also vast plains with fascinating views of the area. One of the most attractive places is Dobšinská Ice Cave (the oldest ice cave in Europe) located in the western part of this valley.

The most visited towns are Bratislava - the capital (a political, cultural and industrial centre of the country), Banská Štiavnica (know for its mining history), Levoča (the largest wooden altar in the world). Other smaller towns, for example Bojnice, Zvolen and Trenčín are famous for their beautiful castles.

Slovak people are proud of their folklore traditions and there are many folklore groups in every region. Various Easter and Christmas traditions are still kept in the villages. There are many typical Slovak restaurants serving traditional Slovak for example bryndzové halušky (gnocchi with sheep cheese), which is the most typical Slovak and typical alcoholic drinks include borovička (juniper gin) and beer.

Slovakia became a member of the European Union in May 2004 and became one of the official languages of the EU. This membership has influenced the political and economical life of the country. Many Slovak institutions participate in various EU funded project and many Slovak students get involved in exchanged programmes and study abroad. The Slovak republic is a sovereign and democratic state. Its government is divided into three branches: the legislative - represented by the Parliament, the executive - represented by the Government and the President and judicial - represented by the courts.

The head of the state is president elected every five years by the citizens of the Slovak republic. The parliament is officially called the National Council of the Slovak Republic and consists of 150 members. The government is composed of the prime minister, the vice – prime ministers and the ministers.

Slovaks are said to be hospitable, hard – working and willing to help others. Foreigners appreciate the close relationships have within their families. On the other hand, some nations often say that Slovaks underestimate themselves.

Slovaks are also famous for being patriots, they have a positive attitude to their country. In spite of that there have been several waves of emigration in the history.

Použitá literatúra: Billíková, A., Preložníková, S. Angličtina – nová maturita – vyššia úroveň. Enigma, 2008. Billíková, A., Preložníková, S. Angličtina – nová maturita – základná úroveň. Enigma, 2009.