Slovakia is a landlocked republic in central Europe, bordered by Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic, with a population of about 5.4 million across 49,034 square kilometres. The state is divided into eight regions: Bratislava, Trnava, Nitra, Trenčín, Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Košice and Prešov, each functioning as an administrative and self-governing unit, and the largest concentrations of activity on this site follow that same structure, led by Bratislavský kraj and Košický kraj.
The Danube forms part of the southern border and passes through the country's south-west, while the Morava marks the western boundary with Austria and the Czech Republic and the Ipoly runs along part of the Hungarian border. The north is mountainous, rising to Gerlachovský štít, the highest point in the country. Housing options differ sharply between the regions, so the practical picture is best read at regional or city level rather than nationally.
