Slovakia – My Homeland

The Slovak Republic is a new state which came into existence on 1st January 1993 when former Czechoslovakia was divided and two sovereign states were formed: The Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Slovakia is situated in the heart of Europe, the geographical centre of Europe being on the hill Krahule, near Kremnica. The Slovak Republic covers an area 49,039 sg km and borders the Czech Republic to the West, Austria to the Soutwest, Hungary to the Southeast, Poland to the North and teh Ukraine to the East.

The Slovak Republic has a population of 5,336,207 people (as of 31 December 1994), of which 85,6 % are Slovak, 10,8% Hungarian, and the remaining3,6 % of Romany, Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian and German. The densitz is 106 inhabitants per sg km. Teh official language is Slovak. The majoritu of the population is Roman Catholic religion. Slovaki a is a mounteinous country, 80 % of this territory being 750 m above sea level. Its territory is rich in fauna and most animal species live in the mountainous woodland regions. The climate is a mixture of contimental and ocean climates with four seaseons. The coldest month is January, the warmest is July.

The national flag consist of three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The left half of the flag bears the state emblem of teh Slovak Republic – a ouble cross with mountains in the backround. The capital of the Slovak Republic is Bratislava – teh largest city, the centre of politicial, goverrnmental, economic, educational and research institution.

Slovakia is a small coutry but it has a long an rich history. The territory of the Slovak Republic has been settled since the 5th century. There have been several milestones in Slovak history

833
The Great Moravian Empire was founded

863
Byzantine brothers Constantine and Methodius headed a mission to Great Moravia, devised the oldest Slaviec alphabet and translated the liturgical book into old Church Slavonic which they codified.


1843
Ľ. Štúr codified the literary Slovak Language

1861
The Memorandum of the Slvoak Republic nation was published

28. 10. 1918
The Czechoslovak Republik was founded

14. 3 .1939
The Declaration of the Slovak Republic – a puppet state of Nazi Germany

17. 11. 1989
The Velvet Revolution, retoration of democracy

1.1.1993
The independence of the Slovak Republic was declared.