Slovakia
By: Tori Ely
History and European Union
Slavics first settled in the area around 5th century CE. By 833 they formed the Great Moravian Empire which was conquered by Hungary in 907. Hungary held power of the area until 1526, when it became apart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918 the Czecho-Slovak Republic took power until 1939, when the country became Slovakia. Eventually, in 2004, Slovakia joined the European Union, where it has remained.
Flag
The current Slovakian flag was decided on September 1, 1991. It has three horizontal stripes, white, blue, and red, with the coat of arms on the left-hand side. The flag is similar to Russia's, which has led to attempts to change it.
Location and Geography
Slovakia is a land-locked state bordered by Czech republic, Poland, Austria, and Hungary. It is located in the "heart" of Central Europe and is roughly the size of West Virgina. It is part of the great Hungarian Plain and is very mountainous. Slovakia is very rich in timber, copper, zinc, mercury, limestone, and iron ore. Also, approximately half of the land is arable.
Tourism and Attractions
If you travel to Slovakia, you may want to visit the Kosice's beautiful churches or the gorgeous resort The Tatros and Liptov. Also, the Spis Castle is a must, as it is the largest and grandest palace in the area. Five major cities are Bratislava, the capital, Kosice, Presov, Nitra, and Zilina.
Government and Economy
Slovakia's government is a Parliamentary Democracy. Before joining the EU, they used the Slovak Crown as currency, but now they use the Euro.
"Interesting" Facts
To wish luck, Slovaks fold their thumb in and close fingers around it. Yawning in public is considered improper. Chewing gum is not acceptable during social interaction.
Citations
Staples, Darrell. Spis Castle, Slovakia. Digital image. Darrell Staples Photography: Easten Europe. Darrell Staples, 2006. Web. 5 Dec. 2
National Slovak Flag. Digital image. All Flags World. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
National Slovak Flag. Digital image. All Flags World. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
"Slovakia." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2015. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.
"___ Slovakia." Slovakia. One World-Nations Online, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
"The Largest Cities in Slovakia." - Slovensko.com. Slovensko.com, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
"TOP 10 in Slovakia - Slovakia.travel." TOP 10 in Slovakia - Slovakia.travel. European Union, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.