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Orava (county)
Encyclopedia
Árva is the Hungarian name of a historic administrative county (comitatus
) of the Kingdom of Hungary
. Its territory is presently in northern Slovakia
and southern Poland
. Today, the Slovak name is only used as an informal designation of the corresponding territory (see Orava (region)
).
n land Galicia and the Hungarian counties Trencsén (Trenčín), Turóc (Turiec) and Liptó (Liptov). The county's territory was situated along the Orava River
between Zázrivá
and the Tatra mountains
. Its area was 2,019 km² around 1910. Now its territory is divided by the Polish-Slovakian border. The main Polish town of Orava is Jabłonka.
, then Veličná
and since the late 17th century Dolný Kubín
.
arose before the 15th century. In the aftermath of World War I, the area became part of newly formed Czechoslovakia, as recognized by the concerned states in the 1920 Treaty of Trianon
. After a border dispute (treated in detail under Polish–Czechoslovak border conflicts) several villages in the north-east of the now defunct Árva county's territory were exchanged between Poland and Czechoslovakia
.
During World War II, when Czechoslovakia was split temporarily, Orava was part of independent Slovakia. After World War II Orava county was in Czechoslovakia again. In 1993, Czechoslovakia
was split and Orava became part of Slovakia.
Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary)
A county is the name of a type of administrative units in the Kingdom of Hungary and in Hungary from the 10th century until the present day....
) of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. Its territory is presently in northern Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and southern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. Today, the Slovak name is only used as an informal designation of the corresponding territory (see Orava (region)
Orava (region)
Orava is the traditional name of a region situated in northern Slovakia and partially also in southern Poland . It encompasses the territory of the former Árva county.-History:...
).
Geography
In the past Árva county shared borders with the AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n land Galicia and the Hungarian counties Trencsén (Trenčín), Turóc (Turiec) and Liptó (Liptov). The county's territory was situated along the Orava River
Orava River
The Orava is a 60.9 km long river in north-western Slovakia passing through a picturesque country, in the Orava county. Its source is nowadays the Orava water reservoir whose waters flooded the confluence of Biela Orava and Čierna Orava in 1953. It flows into the river Váh near the village...
between Zázrivá
Zázrivá
Zázrivá is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia. It is located in the Orava region, around 35 km from Žilina and 20 km from Dolný KubínIt was first mentioned in 1555....
and the Tatra mountains
Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra , are a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland, and are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains...
. Its area was 2,019 km² around 1910. Now its territory is divided by the Polish-Slovakian border. The main Polish town of Orava is Jabłonka.
Capitals
The capital of the county was the Orava CastleOrava (castle)
Orava Castle is situated on a high rock above Orava river. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful castles in Slovakia. The castle was built in the thirteenth century...
, then Veličná
Velicná
Veličná is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Zilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 462 metres and covers an area of 29.302km². It has a population of about 870 people....
and since the late 17th century Dolný Kubín
Dolný Kubín
Dolný Kubín is a town in northern Slovakia in the Žilina Region. It is the historical capital of the Orava region.-Geography:Dolný Kubín lies at an altitude of above sea level and covers an area of ....
.
History
Árva county as a Hungarian comitatusComitatus (Kingdom of Hungary)
A county is the name of a type of administrative units in the Kingdom of Hungary and in Hungary from the 10th century until the present day....
arose before the 15th century. In the aftermath of World War I, the area became part of newly formed Czechoslovakia, as recognized by the concerned states in the 1920 Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
. After a border dispute (treated in detail under Polish–Czechoslovak border conflicts) several villages in the north-east of the now defunct Árva county's territory were exchanged between Poland and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
During World War II, when Czechoslovakia was split temporarily, Orava was part of independent Slovakia. After World War II Orava county was in Czechoslovakia again. In 1993, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
was split and Orava became part of Slovakia.
Demographics
Population by language (1910 census):- Slovak = 59,096
- Polish = 16,131
- Hungarian = 2,000
- German = 1,518
Districts
In the early 20th century, the districts and their capitals were:| Districts (járás) | |
|---|---|
| District | Capital |
| Alsókubin | Alsókubin, SK Slovak language Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people... Dolný Kubín Dolný Kubín Dolný Kubín is a town in northern Slovakia in the Žilina Region. It is the historical capital of the Orava region.-Geography:Dolný Kubín lies at an altitude of above sea level and covers an area of .... |
| Námesztó | Námesztó, SK Námestovo Námestovo Námestovo is a town in northern Slovakia. It is the capital and largest town of Námestovo District in the Žilina Region. its population was 8,094.-Geography:... |
| Trsztena | Trsztena, SK Trstená Trstená Trstená is a city in Tvrdošín District, Žilina Region, central Slovakia.... |
| Vár | Turdossin, SK Tvrdošín Tvrdošín Tvrdošín ; ; ) is a town in central Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located at the confluence of the Orava and Oravica rivers, from the Polish borders and cca. from Dolný Kubín. It consists of the boroughs of Krásna Hôrka, Medvedzie, and Tvrdošín.... |
External links
http://www.orava.sk http://skansen.nowotarski.pl Orawa Ethnographic Park- http://www.oravafoto.com http://www.namestovo-orava.webnode.sk