Slovakia - Slovak Republic Basic Informations

Regime: Republic
Area: 49.035 sq. km (18.933 sq. miles)
The capital: Bratislava (population: 452.288 )
Population: 5.395.000 (population census in 1999)
Population density: 109.9 inhabitants per sq. km
Official language: Slovak

Nationalities:
Slovak (86 %), Hungarian (10 %), Romany, Czech, Ruthann, German, Polish, Ukraine

Religion:
Roman Catholic (60 %), Greek Catholic, Protestant of Augsburg confession, Orthodox, Jewish

Electricity:
220 V/50 Hz, two-pole socket with safety pin

GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATIONS

Area: 49.035 sq. km (18.933 sq. miles)

Location:
The Slovak Republic lies in the Central Europe. The country geography is characteristic with major differences in the height above sea. The central and northern Slovakia is a mountainous region - the Carpathian mountains cross this area. The southern and eastern Slovakia is a lowland region, being an important agricultural area of the country. The Danube river connects Slovakia with Vienna, the Rhine-Main channel, and harbours at the Black sea.

Borders:
Hungary (679 km), Poland (597.5 km), Czech Republic (265 km), Austria (127.2 km), Ukraine (98 km)

Climate:
The Slovak Republic lies in the mild zone with continental climate, with
distinctive rotation of seasons. The average daily temperature is -2 °C in winter, 21 °C in summer. The coldest month is January, the warmest months are July and August. In average, the snow keeps up in the highest locations 130 days a year.

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS

Time Zone: 1 hr ahead of GMT, the summer time which lasts from March to October is 2 hrs ahead of GMT, as in all European countries.

Currency:
Slovak Crown (Sk) - Slovenská koruna = 100 halier.
Notes are in denominations of Sk 5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50 and 20.
Coins are in denominations of Sk 10, 5, 2, 1 and halier 50, 20 and 10 .
Exchange rate: National Bank of Slovakia
Foreign currency (including travellers cheques) can be exchanged at bureaux de change, main hotels all banks, road border crossings, as well as major travel agencies.

Telephone: Direct international telephone calls can be made to many countries in the world. IDD is available. Country code: 421. Outgoing international code: 00+the code of the appropriate state + area code + telephone/fax number

Home and foreign calls are enabled by public telephones working on coins or cards. Telephone calls on significant numbers (see lower) are free of charge. Emergency centres offer permanent service including aid on car accidents and repair on practical all types of vehicles.

• Slovak Airlines (9S)
  Tel.:+421-2-44454064, 44460407, 44450096, 44456001, Fax: +421-2-44450097
  E-mail:slovakairlines@sll.sk, http://www.slovakairlines.sk
  (scheduled flights - Moscow, charter flights - Greece, Spain, Turkey, Bulgaria, Tunis, Egypt, Montenegro, Cyprus)
• Air Slovakia (GM)
  Tel./fax:+421-2-43422742, 43422744
  E-mail:airslovakia@airslovakia.sk, E-mail:obchod@airslovakia.sk, http://www.airslovakia.sk
  (scheduled flights - Kosice, Israel, Cyprus, Kuwait, Tunis + charter flights).
• SkyEurope Airlines - tel.: +421-2-4850 1111, fax: +421-2-4850 1000
  E-mail:info@skyeurope.com, http://www.skyeurope.com
  (from Bratislava/Vienna to Split, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Milan, Zurich, Munich, Berlin, Prague, Kosice, Poprad and from Kosice to Stuttgart)
  

• Bratislava Airport (BTS), (M R Štefánik), is 9-12km (5-7 miles) from the city centre. Buses run to the city (travel time - 30 minutes). Taxis are also available (travel time - 15 minutes). Airport facilities include duty-free shops, bank, post office, restaurant, bar, snack bar, 24-hour flight information, 24-hour left luggage, 24-hour tourist information, 24-hour first aid, disabled facilities and car hire (Europcar, Hertz and AVIS). tel: +421-2-4857 5170, 4857 5171, fax: +421-2-4857 5175, http://www.letiskobratislava.sk
• Košice Airport (KSC) is 10km (6 miles) from the city. Taxis are available (travel time - 15 minutes). Buses are also available. Airport Barca, tel: +421-55-683 2231, 789 8183, fax: +421-55-789 8185
• Tatry-Poprad Airport (TAT) is 5km (2.5 miles) from the city.
• Vienna International Airport (VIE) (Schwechat) is 50km (31 miles) from Bratislava and can be used as a gateway for intercontinental travellers, http://www.viennaairport.com