Official name: Slovak Republic
Official language: Slovak
Capital: Bratislava (population of 428 672)
Neighbours: Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria
Area: 49 035 km2
Population: 5 389 180 (on 31 December 2005)
Member of international organisations: EU, NATO, UN, UNESCO, OECD, OSCE, CERN, WHO, INTERPOL etc.

The Slovak Republic was formed on 1 January 1993 as a sovereign democratic state with parliamentary form of government. The head of state is the president elected for a five-year term by direct popular vote. The legislative power lies with the National Council of the Slovak Republic composed of 150 members elected for a 4-year term. The supreme body of executive power is the government headed by the Primer Minister.

Central European Time – 1 hour ahead of the Greenwich Time; Central European Summer Time in the summer

The Slovak territory is located in the temperate climatic zone characterised by the changing of four seasons. The lowest average annual temperature is reached at the highest altitudes (Lomnický štít peak -3.7 °C). The warmest area in Slovakia is the Podunajská basin (10.3 °C).

EURO (€) 1 € = 100 cents, banknotes denominated in € 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500; Coints cents: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50; Euro coints: 1, 2.

The maximum permitted speed is 90 km/hour on roads, 130 km/hour on highways, 60 km/hour in enclosed municipalities and settlements. Children under 12 are not allowed to sit at the front seat. Safety belts are compulsory both at front and rear seats even when driving in the city. Mandatory vehicle equipment - first aid kit, towing rope, warning triangle and a spare tyre. Road labelling corresponds to European standards.

Most shops are open from Monday to Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, big department stores and shopping centres are open until 7:00 PM or 9:00 PM on Thursdays and Fridays . On Saturdays, shops are usually open from 9.00 AM to 1.00 PM. TESCO, Carrefour, BILLA and other stores are open on Saturday and Sunday, too. TESCO hypermarkets (Banská Bystrica, Bratislava, Košice, Martin, Michalovce, Nitra, Poprad, Prešov, Prievidza, Trenčín, Trnava, Žilina) are open around the clock. Recently , a network of smaller shops, usually called Večierka, expanded in cities. These shops are open seven days a week, but focus only on general groceries.

European continental cuisine is a matter of course, as well as local and foreign specialties. In Bratislava, the choice is indeed unlimited, including French cuisine, world-class buffet catering in luxury hotels, pizzerias, Chinese, Indian, Jewish or Arabic cuisine. Rest houses and restaurants by the road serve local specialties - starting from Slovak dishes in the north up to Hungarian cuisine and specialties of Danube fishermen in the south of Slovakia.

• Bratislava - Vienna 60 km
• Bratislava - Prague 350 km
• Bratislava - Žilina 210 km
• Bratislava - Banská Bystrica 213 km
• Banská Bystrica - Košice 237 km
• Banská Bystrica - Poprad 140 km
• Žilina - Košice 265 km

• SOS, emergency calls - 112
• Police - 112
• Fire and rescue service - 112
• Rescue service - 112, 16155
• Road service (ASA Slovakia) - 18 124