Záhorie

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Coordinates: 48°33′N 17°05′E / 48.55°N 17.083°E / 48.55; 17.083

Záhorie is a region in western Slovakia bordered by the Little Carpathians in the east and the Morava River in the west. Although not an administrative region in its own right, it is one of the 21 official tourism regions in Slovakia. Záhorie lies in the area of three administrative regions: Bratislava Region (Malacky District plus Záhorská Bystrica in Bratislava), Trnava Region (Senica and Skalica districts) and Trenčín Region (southern part of Myjava District). The region also creates the borders between Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria.

A military district of the same name is located around Malacky.

[edit] Name

The word "Záhorie" means "(The land) behind the mountains", referring to the Little Carpathians mountains that separate Záhorie from the rest of Slovakia.

[edit] Population

The population in the area is around 170,000. Towns in the region are Brezová pod Bradlom, Gbely, Holíč, Malacky, Senica, Skalica, Stupava and Šaštín-Stráže.

The inhabitants speak a distinct dialect of Slovak language similar to the Moravian one and they are referred to as "Záhoráci". They are the target of frequent region-specific jokes from the rest of Slovaks, in a similar way that e.g. the Irish are mocked by the British, and the people from Appenzell, Switzerland are being laughed at by the rest of the Swiss.

[edit] Environment and ecology

Some parts of Záhorie are protected by Záhorie Protected Landscape Area, the first lowland protected landscape area in Slovakia. The Landscape Area takes 275.22 km² (106.3 mi²) and is divided into two separate parts – north-eastern and western. The Little Carpathians Protected Landscape Area and Biele Karpaty Protected Landscape Area are partly situated in Záhorie.

Largest part of Záhorie takes Záhorie Lowland, which is divided into Bor Lowland and Chvojnica Hills. Bor Lowland (slov. [Borská nížina]) is named after big artificial forest called Bor (eng. Pinewood (?)). The forest was planted with Scots Pine in 18th century on the largest blown sands of Slovakia.