Central Slovakia
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Central Slovakia
| native_name = Stredné Slovensko
| settlement_type = Region
| image_map = NUTS2 Stredné Slovensko.svg
| map_caption =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Slovakia
| area_total_km2 = 16263
| population_as_of = 2024
| population_total = 1301530
| population_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00096/default/table?lang=en|title=Population on 1 January by NUTS 2 region|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| blank_name_sec1 = NUTS code
| blank_info_sec1 = SK03
| blank_name_sec2 = HDI (2022)
| blank_info_sec2 = 0.836{{cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|work=Global datalab|access-date=1 June 2018}}
{{color|green|very high}} • 3rd
| demographics_type2 = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tgs00003/default/table?lang=en|title=EU regions by GDP, Eurostat|access-date=18 September 2023|work=Eurostat}}
|demographics2_title1 = Total
|demographics2_info1 = €24.452 billion (2023)
}}
Central Slovakia ({{langx|sk|Stredné Slovensko}}) is a subdivision of Slovakia as defined by the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). It is one of the four classified NUTS-2 statistical regions of Slovakia. The region incorporates the central parts of the country, and encompasses an area of {{cvt|16263|km2}}. It incorporates two kraje–Žilina, and Banská Bystrica. The region is home to more than 1.3 million inhabitants. Despite being the largest region of Slovakia by area, it is the second least populated after the Bratislava region.
Classification
The country of Slovakia is organized into 12 regions (kraje) for administrative purposes.{{cite web|title=Regions of Slovakia|url=http://www.slovakia.com/regions/|access-date=23 November 2016|work=Slovakia.com}} The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) organizes the country into four broader level sub-divisions.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/nuts|title=NUTS classification|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-RA-07-020/EN/KS-RA-07-020-EN.PDF |title=Regions in the European Union: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics |work=European Commission |access-date=25 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221195504/http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-RA-07-020/EN/KS-RA-07-020-EN.PDF |archive-date=21 February 2011 |url-status=dead}} These are classified as a NUTS-2 statistical regions of Slovakia, and incorporate one or more regions within it.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/629341/NUTS2021-NUTS2024.xlsx/2b35915f-9c14-6841-8197-353408c4522d?t=1717505289640|title=NUTS regions|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016R2066|title=Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/2066 of 21 November 2016 amending the annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)|work=EUR-Lex|access-date=3 February 2019}} The regions form the NUTS-3 territorial units under them.
Geography
Central Slovakia incorporates the central parts of the country excluding, encompassing an area of {{cvt|16263|km2}}. The region is located in Central Europe, and is completely land locked as Slovakia does not have access to sea.{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/slovakia/|title=Slovakia|work=CIA World factbook|access-date=1 June 2024}} It shares land borders with Czechia and Poland in the north, and Hungary in the south. It is bordered by Western Slovakia on the west, and Eastern Slovakia on the east.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/20613253/slovakia-nuts-2024-level-2.png/341d1456-5483-a9dc-1a78-ee40a21d961b?t=1734449243369|title=NUTS Maps: Slovakia|work=Eurostat|access-date=1 June 2024}} Most of the Central Slovakia is dominated by the Western Carpathians mountains.{{cite web|url=https://www.earth-site.co.uk/Education/terrain-and-topography-of-slovakia-mountains-valleys-and-plains/|title=Terrain and topography of Slovakia|work=Earth site|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite journal|url=https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-showing-the-location-and-divisions-of-the-Carpathians-and-their-subunits_fig1_298351259|title=Taxa of vascular plants endemic to the Carpathian Mountains: Location and divisions of the Carpathians|date=March 2016|journal=Preslia|volume=88|issue=1|pages=19-76|author1=Jan Kliment|author2=Peter Turis|author3=Monika Janišová|access-date=1 June 2024}}
{{Heraldic map of Slovakia}}
= Sub-regions =
Central Slovenia incorporates incorporates three kraje–kraje–Žilina, and Banská Bystrica.
{{Table alignment}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" style="font-size: 85%"
|+Sub-divisions ! Name ! NUTS code |
| align="center"
| align="left"|Žilina | align="left"|Žilinsky kraj | SK031 | {{cvt|6801|km2}} | {{nts|691613}} |
| align="center"
| align="left"|Banská Bystrica | align="left"|Banskobystricky kraj | SK032 | {{cvt|9454|km2}} | {{nts|625601}} |
| Central Slovakia
!Stredné Slovensko !SK03 !{{cvt|16263|km}} !1,312,714 |
|---|
Demographics
{{historical population|1970|1169321|1980|1266119|1991|1328112|2001|1354453|2011|1349414|2021|1312714|align=right|cols=2|collapsed=yes|source=Census of Slovakia{{cite web|title=Statistical lexikon of municipalities 1970-2011|url=https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/wcm/connect/cd33d897-7314-41d0-a12b-a95e537d7a39/Statisticky_lexikon_obci_Slovenskej_republiky_2011.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy&CVID=kRHTpsy|language=sk|work=Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic|date=1 January 2021}}}}
Central Slovakia had a population of over 1.3 million in 2024. Despite being the largest region of Slovakia by area, it is the second least populated after the Bratislava region. While the region has a high Human Development Index, and is the second least developed region after Eastern Slovenia. The population of the region has been shrinking since the late 2000s, similar to the other two large regions of Slovenia (Eastern and Western Slovenia). The average of the resident population has been increasing, with increased life expectancy, decreased rate of birth, and exodus of young people to the capital region and abroad.{{cite journal|title=Human Resources Development in the Solution of Regional Disparities in Slovakia|author1=Vojtech Kollár|author2=Silvia Matúšová|journal=8th International Scientific Conference|date=July 2022|doi=10.31410/ERAZ.2022.211|pages=211-225|doi-access=free}}
References
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