Slovakia

Country Information:

The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. There are approximately 5.5 million people living here, and the majority of Slovaks practice Roman Catholicism. The official language of Slovakia is Slovak, with Hungarian and Roma as minority languages. 

Since 2007, Slovakia has been the world’s largest producer of cars per capita, producing over a million cars per year. With production of more than million cars in 2016, Slovakia was 20th largest producer of cars in the world, and 7th largest in the E.U.

Jim’s Perspectives:

In 2009, while studying in Poland with my MBA classmates from the University of Tennessee, my friend Mike Zelinsky set up a meeting for a few colleagues and me to visit a Dover Company car part factory outside of Kosice, Slovakia.

 After returning back to Poland, a few days later we again drove through Slovakia while touring the region.

Visitors to the country will enjoy the natural beauty of Slovakia. With nine national parks, travelers should be sure to visit High Tatras. High Tatras is the biggest national park in Slovenia and is a hub of hiking and winter sports. Also of interest are the Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance architecture located in Bratislava. History buffs would enjoy historic sites such as Devin Castle, Michael’s Gate, and the Slavin monument.

Burundi

Jim with Juliet, a Nile Croc in Burundi ... loves her tail rubbed! Country Information:  The capital of Burundi is Bujumbura. There are approximately 12 million living here. The official languages of Burundi are Kirundi and French. The majority of Burundians practice...

Sweden

Beautiful Tivoli Gardens in Sweden, 1992 Country Information: The capital city of Sweden is Stockholm. Approximately 10 million Swedes live here, and the official language is Swedish, but Saami and Finnish are also spoken. The majority of the population practices...