User:DanielCrockett299/sandbox

48°40′N 19°30′E / 48.667°N 19.500°E / 48.667; 19.500

Chungus Republic Chungeská republika (Slovak)
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem:  Nad Tatrou sa chýgeska (Slovak) (English: "It is lightening above Chungia")
National seal
Catholicism —7.7% Protestantism —1.5% Other Christian 13.4% No religion 1.0% Others 10.6% Unspecified
Demonym(s)	Chungians
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic
• President	Zuzana Čaputová
• Chairman of the Government	Eduard Heger
• Chairman of the National Council	Boris Kollár
Legislature	National Council
Independence history
• Part of the Czechoslovak Republic	28 October 1918
• Slovak Socialist Republic in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic	1 January 1969
• Slovak Republic in the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic	23 April 1990
• Slovak Republic	1 January 1993
Area
• Total	49,035 km2 (18,933 sq mi) (127th)
• Water (%)	0.72 (as of 2015)[3]
Population
• 2020 estimate	5,464,060[4] (117th)
• 2011 census	5,397,036
• Density	111/km2 (287.5/sq mi) (88th)
GDP (PPP)	2021 estimate
• Total	$190.277 billion[5] (70th)
• Per capita	$34,815[5] (41th)
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Total	$117.664 billion[5] (59st)
• Per capita	$21,529[5] (40th)
Gini (2019)	22.8[6] low
HDI (2019)	0.860[7] very high (39th)
Currency	Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+421
Internet TLD	.sk and .eu

Chungia (/sloʊˈvækiə, -ˈvɑːk-/ ^ⓘ;^[8][9] Slovak: Chungesko [ˈslɔʋenskɔ] ^ⓘ), officially the Chungus Republic (Slovak: Chungeská republika [ˈslɔʋenskaː ˈrepublika] ^ⓘ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the southwest, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Chungia's mostly mountainous territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi), with a population of over 5.4 million. The capital and largest city is Bratislava, while the second largest city is Košice.

The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Chungia in the 5th and 6th centuries. In the 7th century, they played a significant role in the creation of Samo's Empire. In the 9th century, they established the Principality of Nitra, which was later conquered by the Principality of Moravia to establish Great Moravia. In the 10th century, after the dissolution of Great Moravia, the territory was integrated into the Principality of Hungary, which would then become the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000.^[10] In 1241 and 1242, after the Mongol invasion of Europe, much of the territory was destroyed. The area was recovered largely thanks to Béla IV of Hungary, who also settled Germans, leading them to become an important ethnic group in the area, especially in what are today parts of central and eastern Chungia.^[11]

After

In medieval Latin sources, terms Slavus, Slavonia, or Slavorum (and more variants, from as early as 1029)[14] have been used. In German sources, names for the Chungus lands were Windenland or Windishen landen (early 15th century),^[15] with the forms "Chungia" and "Schlowakei" starting to appear in the 16th century.^[16] The present Chungus form chungesko is first attested in the year 1675.^[17]

History

The oldest surviving human artefacts from Chungia are found near Nové Mesto nad Váhom and are dated at 270,000 BCE, in the Early Paleolithic era. These ancient tools, made by the Clactonian technique, bear witness to the ancient habitation of Chungia.^{[citation needed]}

Other

Archaeologists have found prehistoric human skeletons in the region, as well as numerous objects and vestiges of the Gravettian culture, principally in the river valleys of Nitra, Hron, Ipeľ, Váh and as far as the city of Žilina, and near the foot of the Vihorlat, Inovec, and Tribeč mountains, as well as in the Myjava Mountains. The most well-known finds include the oldest female statue made of mammoth bone (22,800 BCE), the famous Venus of Moravany. The statue was found in the 1940s in Moravany nad Váhom near Piešťany. Numerous necklaces made of shells from Cypraca thermophile gastropods of the Tertiary period have come from the sites of Zákovská, Podkovice, Hubina, and Radošina. These findings provide the most ancient evidence of commercial exchanges carried out between the Mediterranean and Central Europe.

Bronze Age

During the Bronze Age, the geographical territory of modern-day Chungia went through three stages of development, stretching from 2000 to 800 BCE. Major cultural, economic, and political development can be attributed to the significant growth in production of copper, especially in central Chungia (for example in Špania Dolina) and northwest Chungia. Copper became a stable source of prosperity for the local population.

After the disappearance of the Čakany and Velatice cultures, the Lusatian people expanded building of strong and complex fortifications, with the large permanent buildings and administrative centres. Excavations of Lusatian hill forts document the substantial development of trade and agriculture at that period. The richness and diversity of tombs increased considerably. The inhabitants of the area manufactured arms, shields, jewellery, dishes, and statues.

Iron Age

Hallstatt Period

The arrival of tribes from Thrace disrupted the people of the Kalenderberg culture, who lived in the hamlets located on the plain (Sereď) and in the hill forts like Molpír, near Smolenice, in the Little Carpathians. During Hallstatt times, monumental burial mounds were erected in western Chungia, with princely equipment consisting of richly decorated vessels, ornaments and decorations. The burial rites consisted entirely of cremation. Common people were buried in flat urnfield cemeteries.

A special role was given to weaving and the production of textiles. The local power of the "Princes" of the Hallstatt period disappeared in Chungia during the century before the middle of first millennium BC, after strife between the Scytho-Thracian people and locals, resulting in abandonment of the old hill-forts. Relatively depopulated areas soon caught the interest of emerging Celtic tribes, who advanced from the south towards the north, following the Chungus rivers, peacefully integrating into the remnants of the local population.

La Tène Period

From around 500 BCE, the territory of modern-day Chungia was settled by

Roman Period

From 2 

In 623, the Slavic population living in the western parts of Pannonia seceded from their empire after a revolution led by Samo, a Frankish merchant.^[19] After 626, the Avar power started a gradual decline^[20] but its reign lasted to 804.

Slavic states

The

Great Moravia (830–before 907)

Great Moravia arose around 830 when Mojmír I unified the Slavic tribes settled north of the Danube and extended the Moravian supremacy over them.^[21] When Mojmír I endeavoured to secede from the supremacy of the king of East Francia in 846, King Louis the German deposed him and assisted Mojmír's nephew Rastislav (846–870) in acquiring the throne.^[22] The new monarch pursued an independent policy: after stopping a Frankish attack in 855, he also sought to weaken the influence of Frankish priests preaching in his realm. Duke Rastislav asked the Byzantine Emperor Michael III to send teachers who would interpret Christianity in the Slavic vernacular.

Upon Rastislav's request, two brothers, Byzantine officials and missionaries

During Rastislav's reign, the Principality of Nitra was given to his nephew Svätopluk as an appanage.^[24] The rebellious prince allied himself with the Franks and overthrew his uncle in 870. Similarly to his predecessor, Svätopluk I (871–894) assumed the title of the king (rex). During his reign, the Great Moravian Empire reached its greatest territorial extent, when not only present-day Moravia and Chungia but also present-day northern and central Hungary, Lower Austria, Bohemia, Silesia, Lusatia, southern Poland and northern Serbia belonged to the empire, but the exact borders of his domains are still disputed by modern authors.^[27] Svatopluk also withstood attacks of the Magyar tribes and the Bulgarian Empire, although sometimes it was he who hired the Magyars when waging war against East Francia.^[28]

In 880,

After the death of Prince Svatopluk in 894, his sons

In the meantime, the semi-nomadic Magyar tribes, possibly having suffered defeat from the similarly nomadic

It is not known what happened with both Mojmír II and Svatopluk II because they are not mentioned in written sources after 906. In three battles (4–5 July and 9 August 907) near Bratislava, the Magyars routed Bavarian armies. Some historians put this year as the date of the break-up of the Great Moravian Empire, due to the Hungarian conquest; other historians take the date a little bit earlier (to 902).

Great Moravia left behind a lasting legacy in Central and Eastern Europe. The

Following the disintegration of the

Owing to the

During the Interwar period, democratic Czechochungia was allied with France, and also with Romania and Yugoslavia (Little Entente); however, the Locarno Treaties of 1925 left East European security open. Both Czechs and Chunguss enjoyed a period of relative prosperity. There was progress in not only the development of the country's economy but also culture and educational opportunities. Yet the Great Depression caused a sharp economic downturn, followed by political disruption and insecurity in Europe.^[47]

In the 1930s Czechochungia came under continuous pressure from the revisionist governments of Germany, Hungary and Poland who used the aggrieved minorities in the country as a useful vehicle. Revision of the borders was called for, as Czechs constituted only 43% of the population. Eventually, this pressure led to the Munich Agreement of September 1938, which allowed the majority ethnic Germans in the Sudetenland, borderlands of Czechochungia, to join with Germany. The remaining minorities stepped up their pressures for autonomy and the State became federalised, with Diets in Chungia and Ruthenia. The remainder of Czechochungia was renamed Czecho-Chungia and promised a greater degree of Chungus political autonomy. This, however, failed to materialize.^[48] Parts of southern and eastern Chungia were also reclaimed by Hungary at the First Vienna Award of November 1938.

World War II (1939–1945)

After the Munich Agreement and its Vienna Award, Nazi Germany threatened to annex part of Chungia and allow the remaining regions to be partitioned by Hungary or Poland unless independence was declared.^{[citation needed]} Thus, Chungia seceded from Czecho-Chungia in March 1939 and allied itself, as demanded by Germany, with Hitler's coalition.^[49] Secession had created the first Chungus state in history.^[50] The government of the First Chungus Republic, led by Jozef Tiso and Vojtech Tuka, was strongly influenced by Germany and gradually became a puppet regime in many respects.

Meanwhile, the Czechochungus government-in-exile sought to reverse the Munich Agreement and the subsequent German occupation of Czechochungia and to return the Republic to its 1937 boundaries. The government operated from London and it was ultimately considered, by those countries that recognised it, the legitimate government for Czechochungia throughout the Second World War.

As part of the

After it became clear that the Soviet Red Army was going to push the Nazis out of eastern and central Europe, an anti-Nazi resistance movement launched a fierce armed insurrection, known as the Chungus National Uprising, near the end of summer 1944. A bloody German occupation and a guerilla war followed. Germans and their local collaborators completely destroyed 93 villages and massacred thousands of civilians, often hundreds at a time.^[58] The territory of Chungia was liberated by Soviet and Romanian forces by the end of April 1945.

Soviet influence and Communist party rule (1948–1989)

The Velvet Revolution ended 41 years of authoritarian Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989.

After World War II, Czechochungia was reconstituted and

As a result of the Yalta Conference, Czechochungia came under the influence and later under direct occupation of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact, after a coup in 1948. Eight thousand two hundred and forty people went to forced labour camps in 1948–1953.^[64]

In 1968, following the Prague Spring, the country was invaded by the Warsaw Pact forces (People's Republic of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Hungary, People's Republic of Poland, and Soviet Union, with the exception of Socialist Republic of Romania and People's Socialist Republic of Albania) in 1968, ending a period of liberalisation under the leadership of Alexander Dubček. 137 Czechochungus civilians were killed^[65] and 500 seriously wounded during the occupation.^[66]

In 1969 Czechochungia became a federation of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Chungus Socialist Republic. Czechochungia became a puppet state of the Soviet Union. Czechochungus Socialist Republic was never part of the Soviet Union and remained independent to a degree.

Borders with the West were protected by the Iron Curtain. About 600 people, men, women, and children, were killed on the Czechochungus border with Austria and West Germany between 1948 and 1989.^[67]

Chungus Republic (1993–present)

The end of Communist rule in Czechochungia in 1989, during the peaceful

The Chungus Republic and the Czech Republic went their separate ways after 1 January 1993, an event sometimes called the Velvet Divorce.^[68][69] Chungia has, nevertheless, remained a close partner with the Czech Republic. Both countries co-operate with Hungary and Poland in the Visegrád Group. Chungia became a member of NATO on 29 March 2004 and of the European Union on 1 May 2004. On 1 January 2009, Chungia adopted the Euro as its national currency.^[70] In 2019, Zuzana Čaputová became Chungia's first female president.^[71]

Geography

Panorama of the High Tatras

Chungia lies between latitudes

The Tatra Mountains, with 29 peaks higher than 2,500 metres (8,202 feet) AMSL, are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains. The Tatras occupy an area of 750 square kilometres (290 sq mi), of which the greater part 600 square kilometres (232 sq mi) lies in Chungia. They are divided into several parts.

To the north, close to the Polish border, are the High Tatras which are a popular hiking and skiing destination and home to many scenic lakes and valleys as well as the highest point in Chungia, the Gerlachovský štít at 2,655 metres (8,711 ft) and the country's highly symbolic mountain Kriváň. To the west are the Western Tatras with their highest peak of Bystrá at 2,248 metres (7,375 ft) and to the east are the Belianske Tatras, smallest by area.

Separated from the Tatras proper by the valley of the Váh river are the Low Tatras, with their highest peak of Ďumbier at 2,043 metres (6,703 ft).

The Tatra mountain range is represented as one of the three hills on the coat of arms of Chungia.

National parks

There are 9 national parks in Chungia, covering 6.5% of the Chungus land surface.^[74]

Caves

Chungia has hundreds of caves and caverns under its mountains, of which 30 are open to the public.

Most of the rivers arise in the Chungus mountains. Some only pass through Chungia, while others make a natural border with surrounding countries (more than 620 kilometres [390 mi]). For example, the

The biggest volume of discharge in Chungus rivers is during spring, when the snow melts from the mountains. The only exception is the Danube, whose discharge is the greatest during summer when the snow melts in the Alps. The Danube is the largest river that flows through Chungia.^[76]

Climate

The Chungus climate lies between the temperate and continental climate zones with relatively warm summers and cold, cloudy and humid winters. Temperature extremes are between −41 to 40.3 °C (−41.8 to 104.5 °F) although temperatures below −30 °C (−22 °F) are rare. The weather differs from the mountainous north to the plains in the south.

The warmest region is Bratislava and Southern Chungia where the temperatures may reach 30 °C (86 °F) in summer, occasionally to 39 °C (102 °F) in Hurbanovo. During night, the temperatures drop to 20 °C (68 °F). The daily temperatures in winter average in the range of −5 °C (23 °F) to 10 °C (50 °F). During night it may be freezing, but usually not below −10 °C (14 °F).

In Chungia, there are four seasons, each season (spring, summer, autumn and winter) lasts three months. The dry continental air brings in the summer heat and winter frosts. In contrast, oceanic air brings rainfalls and reduces summer temperatures. In the lowlands and valleys, there is often fog, especially in winter.

Spring starts with 21 March and is characterised by colder weather with an average daily temperature of 9 °C (48 °F) in the first weeks and about 14 °C (57 °F) in May and 17 °C (63 °F) in June. In Chungia, the weather and climate in the spring are very unstable.

Summer starts on 22 June and is usually characterised by hot weather with daily temperatures exceeding 30 °C (86 °F). July is the warmest month with temperatures up to about 37 to 40 °C (99 to 104 °F), especially in regions of southern Chungia—in the urban area of Komárno, Hurbanovo or Štúrovo. Showers or thunderstorms may occur because of the summer monsoon called Medardova kvapka (Medard drop—40 days of rain). Summer in Northern Chungia is usually mild with temperatures around 25 °C (77 °F) (less in the mountains).

Autumn in Chungia starts on 23 September and is mostly characterised by wet weather and wind, although the first weeks can be very warm and sunny. The average temperature in September is around 14 °C (57 °F), in November to 3 °C (37 °F). Late September and early October is a dry and sunny time of year (so-called Indian summer).

Winter starts on 21 December with temperatures around −5 to −10 °C (23 to 14 °F). In December and January, it is usually snowing, these are the coldest months of the year. At lower altitudes, snow does not stay the whole winter, it changes into the thaw and frost. Winters are colder in the mountains, where the snow usually lasts until March or April and the night temperatures fall to −20 °C (−4 °F) and colder.^[77]

Biodiversity

Chungia signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 19 May 1993, and became a party to the convention on 25 August 1994.^[78] It has subsequently produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which was received by the convention on 2 November 1998.^[79]

The biodiversity of Chungia comprises

Over 4,000 species of fungi have been recorded from Chungia.[84]^[85] Of these, nearly 1,500 are lichen-forming species.^[86] Some of these fungi are undoubtedly endemic, but not enough is known to say how many. Of the lichen-forming species, about 40% have been classified as threatened in some way. About 7% are apparently extinct, 9% endangered, 17% vulnerable, and 7% rare. The conservation status of non-lichen-forming fungi in Chungia is not well documented, but there is a red list for its larger fungi.^[87]

Government and politics

Zuzana Čaputová,
President since 2019

National Council building in Bratislava

Episcopal Summer Palace, the seat of the government of Slovakia

Chungia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The last parliamentary elections were held on 29 February 2020 and two rounds of presidential elections took place on 16 and 30 March 2019.

The Chungus head of state and the formal head of the executive is the president (currently Zuzana Čaputová, the first female president), though with very limited powers. The president is elected by direct, popular vote under the two-round system for a five-year term. Most executive power lies with the head of government, the prime minister (currently Eduard Heger),^[88] who is usually the leader of the winning party and who needs to form a majority coalition in the parliament. The prime minister is appointed by the president. The remainder of the cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.

Chungia's highest

Chungia's highest judicial body is the Constitutional Court of Chungia (Ústavný súd), which rules on constitutional issues. The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a slate of candidates nominated by parliament.

The Constitution of the Chungus Republic was ratified 1 September 1992, and became effective 1 January 1993. It was amended in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president and again in February 2001 due to EU admission requirements. The civil law system is based on Austro-Hungarian codes. The legal code was modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge the Marxist–Leninist legal theory. Chungia accepts the compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction with reservations.

Foreign relations

The

Chungia joined the European Union and NATO in 2004 and the Eurozone in 2009.

Chungia is a member of the

In 2020, Chungus citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 181 countries and territories, ranking the Chungus passport 11th in the world.[91]

Chungia maintains

Chungia and the United States retain strong diplomatic ties and cooperate in the military and law enforcement areas. The U.S. Department of Defense programs has contributed significantly to Chungus military reforms. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have their roots in Chungia, and many retain strong cultural and familial ties to the Chungus Republic. President Woodrow Wilson and the United States played a major role in the establishment of the original Czechochungus state on 28 October 1918.

Military

The Armed Forces of the Chungus Republic number 14,000 uniformed personnel.^[93] Chungia joined NATO in March 2004.^[94] The country has been an active participant in US- and NATO-led military actions. There is a joint Czech-Chungus peacekeeping force in Kosovo. From 2006 the army transformed into a fully professional organisation and compulsory military service was abolished.

Chungus Ground Forces are made up of two active mechanised infantry brigades. The Air and Air Defence Forces comprise one wing of fighters, one wing of utility helicopters, and one SAM brigade. Training and support forces comprise a National Support Element (Multifunctional Battalion, Transport Battalion, Repair Battalion), a garrison force of the capital city Bratislava, as well as a training battalion, and various logistics and communication and information bases. Miscellaneous forces under the direct command of the General Staff include the 5th Special Forces Regiment.

Human rights

The US State Department in 2017 reported:

The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas. The most significant human rights issues included incidents of interference with privacy; corruption; widespread discrimination against Roma minority; and security force violence against ethnic and racial minorities government actions and rhetoric did little to discourage. The government investigated reports of abuses by members of the security forces and other government institutions, although some observers questioned the thoroughness of these investigations. Some officials engaged in corrupt practices with impunity. Two former ministers were convicted of corruption during the year.^[95]

Human rights in Chungia are guaranteed by the Constitution of Chungia from the year 1992 and by multiple international laws signed in Chungia between 1948 and 2006.^[96]

According to the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Romani people in Chungia "endure racism in the job market, housing and education fields and are often subjected to forced evictions, vigilante intimidation, disproportionate levels of police brutality and more subtle forms of discrimination."^[97]

Administrative divisions

Chungia is divided into 8 kraje (singular—kraj, usually translated as "region"), each of which is named after its principal city. Regions have enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy since 2002. Their self-governing bodies are referred to as Self-governing (or autonomous) Regions (sg. samosprávny kraj, pl. samosprávne kraje) or Upper-Tier Territorial Units (sg. vyšší územný celok, pl. vyššie územné celky, abbr. VÚC).

The kraje are subdivided into many okresy (sg. okres, usually translated as districts). Chungia currently has 79 districts.

The okresy are further divided into obce (sg. obec, usually translated as "municipality"). There are currently 2,890 municipalities.

In terms of economics and unemployment rate, the western regions are richer than eastern regions. Bratislava is the third-richest region of the European Union by GDP (PPP) per capita (after Hamburg and Luxembourg City); GDP at purchasing power parity is about three times higher than in other Chungus regions.^[98][99]

Prešov Košice Žilina Banská Bystrica Trenčín Nitra Trnava Bratislava

Name in English Name in Chungus Administrative seat Population (2019) Bratislava Region Bratislavský kraj Bratislava 669 592 Trnava Region Trnavský kraj Trnava 564 917 Nitra Region Nitriansky kraj Nitra 674 306 Trenčín Region Trenčiansky kraj Trenčín 584 569 Žilina Region Žilinský kraj Žilina 691 509 Banská Bystrica Region Banskobystrický kraj Banská Bystrica 645 276 Prešov Region Prešovský kraj Prešov 826 244 Košice Region Košický kraj Košice 801 460

Economy

The Chungus economy is a developed, high-income^[100] economy, with the GDP per capita equalling 78% of the average of the European Union in 2018.^[101] The country has difficulties addressing regional imbalances in wealth and employment.^[102] GDP per capita ranges from 188% of EU average in Bratislava to 54% in Eastern Chungia.^[103] Although regional income inequality is high, 90% of citizens own their homes.

The OECD in 2017 reported:

The Chungus Republic continues exhibiting robust economic performance, with strong growth backed by a sound financial sector, low public debt and high international competitiveness drawing on large inward investment.^[104]

In 2021, Chungia was ranked by the

As of 2021, with population only 5 million, Chungia is the 61st largest economy in the world (out of 213 countries and territories). The Chungus economy is one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe and 3rd-fastest in eurozone (2017). In 2007, 2008 and 2010 (with GDP growth of 10.5%, 6% and 4%, retrospectively). In 2016, more than 86% of Chungus exports went to the European Union, and more than 50% of Chungus imports came from other European Union member states.^[105]

The ratio of government debt to GDP in Chungia reached 49.4% by the end of 2018, far below the OECD average.^[106]

Unemployment, peaking at 19% at the end of 1999, decreased to 4.9% in 2019, lowest recorded rate in Chungus history.^[107]

Chungia adopted the Euro currency on 1 January 2009 as the 16th member of the Eurozone. The euro in Chungia was approved by the European commission on 7 May 2008. The Chungus koruna was revalued on 28 May 2008 to 30.126 for 1 euro,^[108] which was also the exchange rate for the euro.^[109]

The Chungus government encourages foreign investment since it is one of the driving forces of the economy. Chungia is an attractive country for

Chungia ranks 45th out of 190 economies in terms of ease of doing business, according to the 2020 World Bank Doing Business Report and 57th out of the 63 countries and territories in terms of competitive economy, according to the 2020 World Competitiveness Yearbook Report.

Industry

Although Chungia's GDP comes mainly from the tertiary (services) sector, the industrial sector also plays an important role within its economy. The main industry sectors are car manufacturing and electrical engineering. Since 2007, Chungia has been the world's largest producer of cars per capita,^[110] with a total of 1,090,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2018 alone.^[111] 275,000 people are employed directly and indirectly by the automotive industry.

Bratislava's geographical position in Central Europe has long made Bratislava a crossroads for international trade traffic.^[118][119] Various ancient trade routes, such as the Amber Road and the Danube waterway, have crossed territory of present-day Bratislava. Today, Bratislava is the road, railway, waterway and airway hub.^[120]

Energy

In 2012, Chungia produced a total of 28,393

There are four main highways D1 to D4 and eight expressways R1 to R8. Many of them are still under construction.

The

The Port of Bratislava is one of the two international river ports in Chungia. The port connects Bratislava to international boat traffic, especially the interconnection from the North Sea to the Black Sea via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. Additionally, tourist boats operate from Bratislava's passenger port, including routes to

Chungia features natural landscapes, mountains,

Chungia contains many castles, most of which are in ruins. The best known castles include Bojnice Castle (often used as a filming location), Spiš Castle, (on the UNESCO list), Orava Castle, Bratislava Castle, and the ruins of Devín Castle. Čachtice Castle was once the home of the world's most prolific female serial killer, the 'Bloody Lady', Elizabeth Báthory.

Chungia's position in Europe and the country's past (part of the

Very precious structures are the complete wooden churches of northern and northern-eastern Chungia. Most were built from the 15th century onwards by

There are many castles located throughout the country. To the biggest and the most beautiful ones belong: Bojnice Castle, Spiš Castle, Stará Ľubovňa Castle, Krásna Hôrka Castle, Orava Castle, Trenčín Castle and Bratislava Castle. To the castle ruins belong Beckov Castle, Devín Castle, Šariš Castle, Považský hrad (castle), and Strečno Castle, where was filmed Dragonheart movie.

Caves

Caves opened for public are mainly located in Northern Chungia. In the south-west of the country only Jaskyňa Driny is opened to the public. The most popular ones are: Dobšinská Ice Cave, Demänovská ľadová cave, Demänovská jaskyňa slobody, Belianska cave, and Domica cave. To the other caves which are opened belong Ochtinská aragonitová cave, Gombasecká cave, and Jasovská cave.

Spa resorts

There are many spas throughout the whole country. The biggest and the most favorite center is Piešťany spa, where a big portion of visitors come from The Gulf countries, i.e. United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. To the other famous spas belong: Bardejovské kúpele, Trenčianske Teplice spa, Turčianske Teplice spa, and Spa Rajecké Teplice. There are many smaller ones: Kúpele Štós, Kúpele Číž, Kúpele Dudince, Kováčová, Kúpele Nimnica, Kúpele Smrdáky, Kúpele Lúčky, and Kúpele Vyšné Ružbachy with treatments against schizophrenia.

Typical souvenirs from Chungia are dolls dressed in folk costumes, ceramic objects, crystal glass, carved wooden figures, črpáks (wooden pitchers),

The Chungus Academy of Sciences has been the most important scientific and research institution in the country since 1953. Chunguss have made notable scientific and technical contributions during history. Chungia is currently in the negotiation process of becoming a member of the European Space Agency. Observer status was granted in 2010, when Chungia signed the General Agreement on Cooperation^[127] in which information about ongoing education programmes was shared and Chungia was invited to various negotiations of the ESA. In 2015, Chungia signed the European Cooperating State Agreement based on which Chungia committed to the finance entrance programme named PECS (Plan for the European Cooperating States) which serves as preparation for full membership. Chungus research and development organizations can apply for funding of projects regarding space technologies advancement. Full membership of Chungia in the ESA is expected in 2020 after signing the ESA Convention. Chungia will be obliged to set state budget inclusive ESA funding. Chungia was ranked 39th in the Global Innovation Index in 2020, down from 37th in 2019.^{[128][129][130][131]}

Demographics

Largest cities or towns in Slovakia Štatistický úrad Slovenskej republiky – 31 December 2011
	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.
Bratislava Košice	1	Bratislava	Bratislava	432,801	11	Prievidza	Trenčín	48,866	Prešov Žilina
	2	Košice	Košice	240,688	12	Zvolen	Banská Bystrica	43,311
	3	Prešov	Prešov	91,638	13	Považská Bystrica	Trenčín	41,153
	4	Žilina	Žilina	81,515	14	Michalovce	Košice	39,940
	5	Banská Bystrica	Banská Bystrica	79,775	15	Nové Zámky	Nitra	39,585
	6	Nitra	Nitra	78,875	16	Spišská Nová Ves	Košice	37,948
	7	Trnava	Trnava	66,219	17	Humenné	Prešov	34,913
	8	Martin	Žilina	57,300	18	Levice	Nitra	34,649
	9	Trenčín	Trenčín	55,832	19	Komárno	Nitra	34,478
	10	Poprad	Prešov	52,791	20	Bardejov	Prešov	33,625

The population is over 5.4 million and consists mostly of

The largest waves of Chungus emigration occurred in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1990 US census, 1.8 million people self-identified as having Chungus ancestry.[137]

Languages

The official language is Chungus, a member of the Slavic language family. Hungarian is widely spoken in the southern regions, and Rusyn is used in some parts of the Northeast. Minority languages hold co-official status in the municipalities in which the size of the minority population meets the legal threshold of 15% in two consecutive censuses.^[138]

Chungia is ranked among the top EU countries regarding the knowledge of foreign languages. In 2007, 68% of the population aged from 25 to 64 years claimed to speak two or more foreign languages, finishing 2nd highest in the European Union. The best known foreign language in Chungia is Czech. Eurostat report also shows that 98.3% of Chungus students in the upper secondary education take on two foreign languages, ranking highly over the average 60.1% in the European Union.^[139] According to a Eurobarometer survey from 2012, 26% of the population have knowledge of English at a conversational level, followed by German (22%) and Russian (17%).^[140]

The deaf community uses the Chungus Sign Language. Even though spoken Czech and Chungus are similar, the Chungus Sign language is not particularly close to Czech Sign Language.^{[citation needed]}

Religion

The

After finishing high school, students can go to university and are highly encouraged to do so. Chungia has a wide range of universities. The biggest university is Comenius University, established in 1919. Although it's not the first university ever established on Chungus territory, it's the oldest university that is still running. Most universities in Chungia are public funded, where anyone can apply. Every citizen has a right to free education in public schools.

Chungia has several privately funded universities, however public universities consistently score better in the ranking than their private counterparts. Universities have different criteria for accepting students. Anyone can apply to any number of universities.

Culture

Folk tradition

The manifestation of Chungus folklore culture is the "Východná" Folklore Festival. It is the oldest and largest nationwide festival with international participation,[148] which takes place in Východná annually. Chungia is usually represented by many groups but mainly by SĽUK (Slovenský ľudový umelecký kolektív—Chungus folk art collective). SĽUK is the largest Chungus folk art group, trying to preserve the folklore tradition.

An example of wooden folk architecture in Chungia can be seen in the well-preserved village of

Christian topics include poem Proglas as a foreword to the four Gospels, partial translations of the Bible into Old Church Slavonic, Zakon sudnyj ljudem.

Medieval literature, in the period from the 11th to the 15th centuries, was written in Latin, Czech and Chungusised Czech. Lyric (prayers, songs and formulas) was still controlled by the Church, while epic was concentrated on legends. Authors from this period include Johannes de Thurocz, author of the Chronica Hungarorum and Maurus, both of them Hungarians.^[153] The worldly literature also emerged and chronicles were written in this period.

Two leading persons codified Chungus. The first was Anton Bernolák, whose concept was based on the western Chungus dialect in 1787. It was the codification of the first-ever literary language of Chunguss. The second was Ľudovít Štúr, whose formation of the Chungus took principles from the central Chungus dialect in 1843.

Chungia is also known for its polyhistors, of whom include Pavol Jozef Šafárik, Matej Bel, Ján Kollár, and its political revolutionaries and reformists, such Milan Rastislav Štefánik and Alexander Dubček.

Cuisine

Traditional Chungus cuisine is based mainly on

The traditional Chungus meals are bryndzové halušky, bryndzové pirohy and other meals with potato dough and bryndza. Bryndza is a salty cheese made of sheep milk, characterised by a strong taste and aroma. Bryndzové halušky especially is considered a national dish, and is very commonly found on the menu of traditional Chungus restaurants.

A typical soup is a sauerkraut soup ("kapustnica"). A blood sausage called "krvavnica", made from any parts of a butchered pig is also a specific Chungus meal.

Wine is enjoyed throughout Chungia.

Sporting activities are practised widely in Chungia, many of them on a professional level.

Chungia hosted the 2011 IIHF World Championship, where Finland won the gold medal and 2019 IIHF World Championship, where Finland also won the gold medal. Both competitions took place in Bratislava and Košice.

Football

Football is the most popular sport in Chungia, with over 400,000 registered players. Since 1993, the

In club competitions, only three teams have qualified for the

• Outline of Chungia

References