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Slovakia in Brief

Slovakia in Brief
    • Official name: the Slovak Republic
    • Capital: Bratislava (approximately 480,000 inhabitants)
    • Population: 5.5 million (out of them 51.2 % women)
    • Currency: euro (since 1 January 2009)
    • Date of establishment: 1 January 1993 (after the separation of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic)
    • Political system: parliamentary democracy
    • Administrative organisation: 8 higher territorial units, 8 regions, 79 districts, 2,927 municipalities out of which are 140 cities and towns. Regional capitals: Bratislava, Trnava, Nitra, Trenčín, Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Prešov, Košice
    • Official language: Slovak
    • Neighbouring countries: Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine
    • Area: 49,035 km2
    • Density of population: 111.08/km2

     

     

    See more information at the Slovakia Travel portal and at the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic

  • Recognised Slovak Scientists

    Alexander, Vojtech – radiologist (1857 – 1916)

    One of the world's greatest radiologists and the founder of radiology in the Hungarian Kingdom. He described the development of tuberculosis and owned the first X‑ray apparatus in Slovakia.

    Bahýľ, Ján – engineer (1865 – 1916)

    Inventor of the motor‑powered helicopter (four years before Bréguet and Cornu). Ján Bahýľ was granted 7 patents for the invention of the tank pump, air balloons combined with an air turbine, the first car to run on petrol in Slovakia and a lift to Bratislava Castle.

    Banič, Štefan – inventor (1870 – 1941)

    Lived in the USA from 1907 to 1921. He constructed a prototype parachute in 1913 which was registered at the United States Patent Office. He was also involved in improving mining productivity and bridge construction. The parachute has, of course, become a vital part of modern aviation.

    Bel, Matej – polyhistor (1684 – 1749)

    Polymath, educationist, scientist and evangelical priest. He was one of the greatest scientific figures of the 18th century, referred to as the Magnum decus Hungariae – the Great Ornament of Hungary. He made an important contribution to pietism, was a pioneer in the field of collective research into the Hungarian nation, and carried out comprehensive scientific, historical and geographical research. He was the co‑author of a unique account of agriculture in the Hungarian Empire – the works Hungaria antiquae et novae prodromus (1723), Aparatus ad historiam Hungariae (1735 – 1736) and Notitia Hungariae novae historico‑geographica. The University of Banská Bystrica bears his name.

    Blaškovič, Dionýz – virologist (1913 – 1998)

    Received international recognition for his research into pathogenesis, the properties of biological and biochemical bacteria, laboratory virus mutation, and the ecology of the influenza virus and limpet encephalitis.

    Gerster, Béla – engineer (1850 – 1923)

    Widely respected expert on water constructions, designing the Panama and Corinth canal projects. He participated in the 1876 international expedition to identify the most suitable route for an inter‑oceanic canal, and proposed the area between Panama and Colon. In 1881, he was asked to project the Corinth canal, the construction of which started a year later and ended in 1893. He also marked out a railway from Athens to Larissa.

    Hell, Jozef Karol – mining engineer (1713 – 1789)

    Inventor of the water‑pillar pump machine, which pumps water from a depth of 212 meters and is still used for oil extraction.

    Hell, Maximilián – astronomer (1720 – 1792)

    One of the greatest astronomers of the 18th century and a director of the Imperial Observatory in Vienna, Austria. He correctly measured the distance between the Earth and the Sun in 1769 and calculated the Sun's parallax.

    lkovič, Dionýz – chemist and physicist (1907 – 1980)

    A founder of Slovak physics. He played a distinguished part in elaborating the theory of polarography for which his teacher and collaborator Jaroslav Heyrovský was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1959.

    Jedlík, Štefan Anián – physicist (1800 – 1895)

    Constructed the electromagnetic rotor, a predecessor of the modern electromotor, three years before Farraday, and the unipolar dynamo six years before W. Siemens.

    Jesenský Jessenius, Ján – physician (1566 – 1621)

    Famous physician, anatomist and Rector of the Charles University in Prague. He carried out the first public dissection in Prague in 1600. He was also a Protestant activist and was executed after the Battle of Bíla Hora at the beginning of the Thirty Years War.

    Kempelen, Ján Wolfgan – polytechnician and inventor (1734 – 1804)

    Invented first fountain and pressure water piping, and designed a chess machine, a talking machine and a typewriter for use by blind people.

    Lenard, Filip Anton Eduard – physicist (1862 – 1947)

    Born in Bratislava but later moved to Germany. Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1905 for his work on cathode rays.

    Mikovíny, Samuel – geodesist and cartographer (1700 – 1750)

    Invented an original cartographic method while working in Bratislava, where he surveyed and marked out the basic triangulation polygon from Bratislava Castle Tower via Zobor to Sitno and Banská Bystrica. The Emperor Charles VI commissioned him to produce a collection of maps of Hungary. He also designed fortified buildings and artificial water reservoirs near the mines in the region of Banská Štiavnica. He also surveyed caves. In 1735, he became head of the first mining high school in the Hungarian Kingdom.

    Murgaš, Jozef – electrical engineer (1864 – 1929)

    Lived in the USA, where he worked as a priest. He was also involved in electrical engineering and registered 12 patents in the field of wireless telegraphy. He established different frequencies for the dots and dashes in the Morse code, thus accelerating the transmission of messages. His other patents include the spinning reel (for fishing), the wave meter, the electric transformer, the magnetic detector and an engine producing electromagnetic waves. He is often referred to as the "Slovak Edison".

    Pajdušáková, Ľudmila – astronomer (1916 – 1979)

    The first Slovak woman astronomer, a specialist in solar astronomy. She made her name as the discoverer of 5 comets with her Starlit Sky Atlases and Discoveries of the Comets. Other examples of her scientific research included the systematic observation of meteors (among them the Umid meteor shower in 1945) and observations of the Sun. Her facsimile collection published in 1946, which included more than 11,000 meteorites on 10,000 facsimiles, was at that time the second largest after the Harvard collection. A small planet (3636) Pajdušáková = 1982 UJ2, discovered in 1982, was named in memory of Ľudmila Pajdušáková by the International Astronomic Union.

    Petzval, Jozef Maximilián – mathematician, optician, inventor (1807 – 1891)

    One of the foremost European researchers in the 19th century. He is best remembered for his work on optical lenses and lens aberration in early 840's (the Petzval curvature is named after him) which made possible the construction of modern cameras. Petzval produced an achromatic portrait lens that was vastly superior to the simple meniscus lens used in that time. Petzval won many distinctions for his work. A crater on the far side of the Moon bears his name. (J. M. Petzval Museum, Petzvalova ul. 3, Spišská Belá)

    Segner, Ján Andrej – physicist and mathematician (1704 – 1777)

    Designed a reactive water engine known as the Segner wheel, and invented the water turbine principle which formed the basis for the functioning of modern space rockets.

    Selye, Ján – physician (1907 – 1982)

    Discovered the stress reaction and the adaptation syndrome; did research into the killer illness of the 20th century, coronary thrombosis. Moved to Canada where he established the "Institut de Medicine et de Chirurgie Experimentale".

    Stodola, Aurel – engineer, professor and inventor (1859 – 1942)

    Graduated in mechanical engineering and worked as a professor at the Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, Switzerland. He achieved his greatest successes in the area of steam and gas turbines, his calculations and constructions forming the basis of this particular field of mechanical engineering. He constructed a movable artificial arm, known as Stodola's arm, in 1915. He was granted the most prestigious engineering awards – the Grashof Medal and the James Watt Gold Medal (1940). He was also a corresponding member of the French Academy of Sciences.

    Štefánik, Milan Rastislav – politician, soldier and astronomer (1880 – 1919)

    The most important Slovak politician participating in the negotiations leading to the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. Originally a scientist, he studied astronomy in Prague and Paris. Štefánik specialised in astrophysics and especially in solar physics.

    Štúr, Dionýz – geologist and botanist (1827 – 1893)

    Very active in the field of geology and the founder of outstanding collections. A director of the Imperial Geological Institute.

    Štúr, Ľudovít – politician, national activist and linguist (1815 – 1856)

    The leading figure in the Slovak revelation period in the 19th century. Together with Jozef Miloslav Hurban and Michal Hodža, he codified modern Slovak in 1844. Ľudovít Štúr's "Standard Slovak" was published in 1846 in his "Náuka reči slovenskej" or "Theory of the Slovak language".

    Thurzo, Viliam – physician (1912 – 1984)

    Founder of oncological research and oncology in Slovakia. He discovered the tumorous virus B77, which is still used as a model for research into the genesis of tumours.