Geography |
The Slovak Republic, located in Central Europe, is bounded on the north-west by the Czech Republic, on the north by Poland, on the east by Ukraine, on the south by Hungary and on the south-west by Austria. The total area is 49 035 km2.
Much of Slovakia is covered by a series of mountain ranges, part of the western branch of the Carpathian Mountains. The High Tatras extend along the northern border, while the Little Carpathians and the White Carpathians dominate much of the west and north-west. Gerlachovsky Stit, Slovakia's highest peak, rises 2 655 meters in the High Tatras. Other important mountains include the Low Tatry, in central Slovakia, and the Lesser and Greater Fatra ranges, in central and western Slovakia. At lower elevations, the land is hilly, interspersed with river valleys.
Lowlands extend along the Danube River in the south-west, bordering Hungary.
Major rivers including the Danube, the Hornad, the Hron, and the Vah.
Slovakia has a continental climate, with four distinct seasons. Winters are typically cold and dry, while summers tend to be hot and humid. The average daily temperature range in Bratislava is -3° to 2° C in January and 16° to 26° C in July. Temperatures are cooler in the mountains. Bratislava receives an average of about 650 mm of precipitation annually, while the mountains may receive up to 1 000 mm.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.