BRATISLAVSKY KRAJ - Geography and history
Bratislavsky kraj lies in southwestern margin of Slovakia and has a special location relative to the other regions. Its long western border is at the same time the state border with Austria. The short, about 8 km long southern borderline of the region is also the state border with Hungary. To the north and east it borders on Zapadne Slovensko.
As regards administrative division, region is made up of the capital of the Slovak republic, Bratislava, the first sub-region consisting of 5 districts and in neighbourhood of the capital the territory consists of three districts, namely Malacky, Pezinok and Senec. On the whole, the region has 73 municipalities, of which 6 towns apart from capital Bratislava (Stupava, Malacky, Svätý Jur, Pezinok, Modra, Senec).
The region is the smallest in Slovakia. With the area of 2 053 km2 it accounts for 4.2% share in the total area of the Slovak Republic. Bratislava covers an area of 368 km2, while the districts Malacky, Pezinok and Senec cover the remaining 1 685 km2. In terms of population, the region is also the smallest one of the country.
This area is a significant junction of East-West and North-South links. The Danube waterway has been established by creating the Rhine - Main - Danube Canal, which gained European significance for the Bratislava region. It is accepted by the European Union also as an important point of the European settlement-creating axis. The territory of the region is also one of the quintessential regions of Slovakia and an economic node of supra-regional significance.
Geographical landscape
Bratislava region stretches in the southwest part of the Slovak republic, across the Danube lowland in the eastern and southeastern part and Záhorská lowland in the northern and northwestern part of the region. The lowlands are separated by Small Carpathians and the highest point in the region is Vysoká at 754 meters. On the south-facing slopes of Small Carpathians a vine is raised and a wine of high quality is produced. The region lies in moderately warm region. The average annual air temperature reached 10,6 degrees in 2002. Northwest winds blow there.
The water system of the region belongs to the Danube basin, the second largest European river running across the region with length 37 km, which creates a part of natural border with Austria and Hungary. Morava is the second most important river in the region and is also a part of natural border with Austria. The water work on the Danube, Gabcíkovo, also reaches the area of the region.
Bratislavsky region is very popular cultural and tourist area. Tourism is connected mainly with near Small Carpathians, but there are also very good conditions for development of summer sports at water areas after gravel mining (Zlate piesky, Senecke jazera). Well-known thermal centre is situated in Králová pri Senci.
Mineral resources
The resources of oil and natural gas are of interregional importance, the minerals for building, sands and gravel, glass and foundry sands, deposits of limestone are important in the region. In Small Carpathians are deposits of gold, silver and antimony minerals. The region is rich in resources of peat.
High development potential
Very fortunate location of the Bratislavsky region within the Central Europe is strongly influenced the whole historical development of the territory. Bratislavsky region has a number of primacies compared to other regions of Slovakia, which directly or indirectly affect its economic profile. These include, in particular, the share in generating profit, attracting foreign investment, in sales of industry, building construction, services, in the growth of gross domestic product. High concentration of employer organisations, research and education institutions, central bodies of state administration and the status of the republic's capital itself creates room for the development of territorial and professional mobility.
The city of Bratislava with 427 049 inhabitants acts as a centre of highest significance in the settlement system of the Slovak Republic. The reason lies in its function of the capital, as well as the historical development. In the past Bratislava was the centre of secular and religious power. The earliest recorded mention of the capital dates from 907 and the royal prerogatives were given in 1291. In the territory of the capital city major education, research, health, financial, cultural and other institutions of national significance are concentrated. From future perspective the region ranks among the regions with high development opportunities. A number of studies also place the triangle of the regions "Vienna - Bratislava- Gyor" among territories of Europe having highest economic development potential.
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