Orava (region)

Orava

*Orava*, *Orawa*
Orava Orava, Orawa
Historical region
	From top, left to right: Orava Castle; Dolný Kubín; Mała Babia Góra; Orava Logging Railway;
	UTC+2 (CEST)

Orava is the traditional name of a region situated in northern

comitatus (county) of Árva

. The northern part of is one of the regions that are part of the Goral Lands.

Etymology

The name arises from the Orava river (a major river flowing through the region).

History

The county arose before the 15th century. The county's territory was situated along the

Orava Castle

.

Geography

Orava is now recognized as one of Slovakia's 25 tourist regions, but it is not an administrative region, unlike its predecessor. In Slovakia, Orava is divided between Dolný Kubín, Tvrdošín, and Námestovo districts in the Žilina Region. It has an area of 1,661 km² (641 sq mi),^[1] with the population on the Slovak side around 126,000.^[2] The village of Oravská Polhora is the northernmost settlement of Slovakia. The most important town on the Slovak side (and also the seat of the former county) is Dolný Kubín. The Polish part of Orava belongs to the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, to the Nowy Targ County, with the main village of the Polish side being Jabłonka.