How This Guy Built a Roller Coaster In His Backyard | WIRED
Some people have backyard swimming pools. Some have basketball courts out back. Will Pemble built a roller coaster just steps from his back door.
Will's YouTube channel:
Still haven’t subscribed to WIRED on YouTube? ►►
Also, check out the free WIRED channel on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV. Here you can find your favorite WIRED shows and new episodes of our latest hit series Masterminds.
ABOUT WIRED
WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Through thought-provoking stories and videos, WIRED explores the future of business, innovation, and culture.
How This Guy Built a Roller Coaster In His Backyard | WIRED
yoUDay 2017 Teaser - We hope to see you on September 27.
Tickets for yoUDay, the monumental stadium-show of the University of Debrecen can be purchased on the webpage youday.hu. Last year’s semester-opening event attracted as many as twenty thousand spectators, and it seems almost certain that the venue of Nagyerdei Stadion will be chock full of them again this coming September, too.
POLAND - WikiVidi Documentary
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a sovereign country in Central Europe. It is a unitary state divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, covering an area of 312679 km2 with a mostly temperate climate. With a population of over 38.5 million people, Poland is the sixth most populous member state of the European Union. Poland's capital and largest city is Warsaw. Other cities include Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk and Szczecin. The establishment of a Polish state can be traced back to 966, when Mieszko I, ruler of a territory roughly coextensive with that of present-day Poland, converted to Christianity. The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest and most populous countries of 16th and 17th century Europe with a uniquely liberal political system which declared Europe's fir...
____________________________________
Shortcuts to chapters:
00:03:54: Etymology
00:04:29: Prehistory and protohistory
00:06:03: Piast dynasty
00:10:19: Jagiellon dynasty
00:13:41: Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
00:18:20: Partitions
00:21:28: Era of insurrections
00:26:58: Reconstruction
00:30:40: World War II
00:38:45: Post-war communism
00:41:58: Present-day
00:45:42: Geography
00:47:24: Geology
00:50:40: Waters
00:55:58: Land use
00:57:39: Biodiversity
00:59:21: Climate
01:01:04: Politics
01:03:31: Law
01:07:31: Foreign relations
01:10:20: Administrative divisions
01:11:15: Military
01:15:26: Law enforcement and emergency services
01:16:56: Economy
01:21:14: Corporations
01:22:48: Tourism
01:24:55: Energy
01:26:43: Transport
01:30:42: Science and technology
01:32:44: Communications
01:34:24: Demographics
01:38:07: Languages
01:39:57: Religion
01:44:47: Health
01:46:45: Education
01:49:26: Culture
01:50:25: Famous people
01:51:39: Society
01:54:06: Music
01:58:10: Art
02:00:44: Architecture
02:04:53: Literature
02:09:46: Media
02:12:18: Cuisine
02:14:37: Sports
____________________________________
Copyright WikiVidi.
Licensed under Creative Commons.
Wikipedia link:
Snowboard in Hungary
A project napra készített videónk:D
We made this video for the project day.
Philip Short - As Others See Us: America in the Age of Trump
As Others See Us: America in the Age of Trump
Given by Philip Short, Author, BBC Correspondent, Magro Family Distinguished Fellow in International Affairs, Dartmouth
Is Donald Trump an aberration? Or a symbol of changes which the United States and the rest of the world will be living with for decades to come? America’s strengths stem in part from the way its allies and its adversaries perceive its role. Four decades after Ronald Reagan proclaimed America to be ‘a shining city on the hill,' American exceptionalism is being questioned as never before. Philip Short, a long-time BBC foreign correspondent, now Magro Family Distinguished Fellow in International Affairs at the Dickey Center, offers a European perspective on the wrenching transformations America is undergoing today.
Mr. Short worked for the BBC for 30 years as a foreign correspondent, initially in central Africa and then in Moscow, Beijing, Paris, Tokyo and Washington. In 1997, he spent a year teaching comparative politics at the University of Iowa. He now lives with his wife and daughter in southern France. His first book, A life of the Malawi leader, Hastings Banda, was published in 1974. The Dragon and the Bear, a comparison between China after Mao and the Soviet Union after Stalin followed in 1982. His biography of Mao Zedong was published in the United States in 2000 and has been widely regarded as the definitive account of the life of the Chinese leader. A revised edition incorporating new archival material, Mao: The Man Who Made China, was published in London in 2017. He has also published a biography of the Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, and a life of the French President, François Mitterrand.
Sponsored by The John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth
Recorded January 28, 2019
Our ride along the Danube: Deggendorf to Nueberg an der Donau (15 to 17 Sept 2014) #4
This portion of our trip is Bavaria, Germany from Deggendorf to Nueberg an der Donau. On our way we went to The Walhalla—a hall of fame that honours laudable and distinguished people in German history (politicians, sovereigns, scientists and artists). The temple was opened in 1842.
On 16 September 2014 we stayed the night in Regensburg in a catholic education centre/convent. Regensburg is one of Germany’s oldest towns and the old city with its many medieval structures is in good condition. As we rode into Regensburg we went across the 12th century stoned bridge that was used by Crusaders en route to the Holy Land. Unfortunately it was being repaired and had scaffolding covering most of it. Just out luck as we couldn't properly see it.
Of course, one constant throughout our travels is the constant reference to the map in an attempt to get our bearing and confirm our current location. Bavaria proved to be no different. We still managed to get misplaced.
~~~~
In September 2014, eight friends packed their bikes and flew from Western Australia to Europe to ride along the Danube to its source in Donaueschingen, Germany. The route we followed was along the Euro Velo Route 6 (EV6).
Being from down under we did things a little different as we rode towards the origin of the river rather than the recommended way which is downstream. We also did the track on road bikes which didn't seem to be the norm.
On 9 September 2014 we left Budapest, Hungary; and this set of videos may give you a small insight into our incredible trip to the Black Forest, Germany - arriving on 22 September 2014.
Hopefully you will gain a small glimpse of the beauty and diversity that we observed along this magnificent river. The videos show a small snapshot of the daily routine commencing with continental breakfast, preparing bikes for the day’s journey, determining the ever changing and at times elusive route. Along the way we cycled on gravel, cobbles, asphalt, dirt roads and tracks through forests, villages, major cities, in sunshine, fog and rain. The pictures and videos also show some the morning teas, lunch and the enchanting local Gasthoffs where the group met for evening meals after hurried showers and washing duties. They also show the laughter, the comradery and our determination to complete the ride in a limited time-frame.
We would like to thank the locals we met along the way as they made our trip memorable — we loved each country we visited and its different culinary preferences, language’s, road rules, currencies and customs.
Hungary | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Hungary
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written
language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through
audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio
while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using
a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
In case you don't find one that you were looking for, put a comment.
This video uses Google TTS en-US-Standard-D voice.
SUMMARY
=======
Hungary (Hungarian: Magyarország [ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ] ( listen)) is a country in Central Europe. Spanning 93,030 square kilometres (35,920 sq mi) in the Carpathian Basin, it borders Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Austria to the northwest, Romania to the east, Serbia to the south, Croatia to the southwest, and Slovenia to the west. With about 10 million inhabitants, Hungary is a medium-sized member state of the European Union. The official language is Hungarian, which is the most widely spoken Uralic language in the world. Hungary's capital and its largest city and metropolis is Budapest. Other major urban areas include Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs and Győr.
The territory of modern Hungary was for centuries inhabited by a succession of peoples, including Celts, Romans, Germanic tribes, Huns, West Slavs and the Avars. The foundations of the Hungarian state was established in the late ninth century AD by the Hungarian grand prince Árpád following the conquest of the Carpathian Basin. His great-grandson Stephen I ascended the throne in 1000, converting his realm to a Christian kingdom. By the 12th century, Hungary became a regional power, reaching its cultural and political height in the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, Hungary was partially occupied by the Ottoman Empire (1541–1699). It came under Habsburg rule at the turn of the 18th century, and later joined Austria to form the Austro–Hungarian Empire, a major European power.The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed after World War I, and the subsequent Treaty of Trianon established Hungary's current borders, resulting in the loss of 71% of its territory, 58% of its population, and 32% of ethnic Hungarians. Following the tumultuous interwar period, Hungary joined the Axis Powers in World War II, suffering significant damage and casualties. Hungary became a satellite state of the Soviet Union, which contributed to the establishment of a socialist republic spanning four decades (1949–1989). The country gained widespread international attention as a result of its 1956 revolution and the seminal opening of its previously-restricted border with Austria in 1989, which accelerated the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. On 23 October 1989, Hungary became a democratic parliamentary republic.In the 21st century, Hungary is a middle power and has the world's 57th largest economy by nominal GDP, as well as the 58th largest by PPP, out of 191 countries measured by IMF. As a substantial actor in several industrial and technological sectors, it is the world's 35th largest exporter and 34th largest importer of goods. Hungary is an OECD high-income economy with a very high standard of living. It keeps up a social security and universal health care system, and a tuition-free university education. Hungary performs well in international rankings: it is 20th in quality of life, 24th in the Good Country Index, 28th in inequality-adjusted human development, 32nd in the Social Progress Index, 33rd in the Global Innovation Index and ranks as the 15th safest country in the world.
Hungary joined the European Union in 2004 and has been part of the Schengen Area since 2007. Hungary is a member of the United Nations, NATO, WTO, World Bank, the AIIB, the Council of Europe, the Visegrád Group and more. Well known for its rich cultural history, Hungary has contributed significantly to arts, music, literature, sports and science and technology. Hungary is the 11th most popular country as a tourist destination in Europe, attracting 14.3 million international tourists in 2015. It is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world, the largest lake in Central Europe and the largest natural grasslands in Europe.
Panel V: Cooperation vs confrontation: majorities and ethnic minorities in the EU
Panel V: Cooperation vs confrontation: majorities and ethnic minorities in the EU, organised by Kós Károly Academy, Romania.
Moderator: Loránt VINCZE, Vice President of the Federal Union of European Nationalities, international secretary of the RMDSZ and KKA
Kick-off speaker: Doris PACK, former MEP, President of EPP Women, former rapporteur on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkan
Panel speakers:
Attila KORODI, Member of the Romanian Parliament and member of the Romanian delegation to the CoE PA on behalf of the RMDSZ, former minister of the Environment and Forestry
Liesa SCHOLZEN, Member of the German speaking community in Belgium Parliament.
Geography Now! Czech Republic (Czechia)
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRR!!!! ......and mushrooms
SUBSCRIBE:
BTS info and tidbits? Check out the Facebook fan page:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Become a patron! Donate anything and Get exclusive behind the scenes footage! All profits go towards helping my dad and his medical costs/ parent's living expenses since they are no longer working and need support.
WATCH MORE:
Countries A to Z:
Europe:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to Geography Now! This is the first and only Youtube Channel that actively attempts to cover profiles on every single country of the world. We are going to do them alphabetically so be patient if you are waiting for one that's down the road.
CONTACT US if you are from a country that is coming up! Teach us! Also we do fan appreciation videos after every group of 4 country videos. If you'd like to take part send us your picture/ art/ video submissions to GeographyLater@gmail.com (Remember, for videos, you have to State your name, location and sing the intro song!)
Stay cool Stay tuned and remember, this is Earth, your home. Learn about it.
Hungary | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Hungary
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Hungary (Hungarian: Magyarország [ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ] (listen)) is a country in Central Europe. Spanning 93,030 square kilometres (35,920 sq mi) in the Carpathian Basin, it borders Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Austria to the northwest, Romania to the east, Serbia to the south, Croatia to the southwest, and Slovenia to the west. With about 10 million inhabitants, Hungary is a medium-sized member state of the European Union. The official language is Hungarian, which is the most widely spoken Uralic language in the world. Hungary's capital and its largest city and metropolis is Budapest. Other major urban areas include Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs and Győr.
The territory of modern Hungary was for centuries inhabited by a succession of peoples, including Celts, Romans, Germanic tribes, Huns, West Slavs and the Avars. The foundations of the Hungarian state was established in the late ninth century AD by the Hungarian grand prince Árpád following the conquest of the Carpathian Basin. His great-grandson Stephen I ascended the throne in 1000, converting his realm to a Christian kingdom. By the 12th century, Hungary became a regional power, reaching its cultural and political height in the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, Hungary was partially occupied by the Ottoman Empire (1541–1699). It came under Habsburg rule at the turn of the 18th century, and later joined Austria to form the Austro–Hungarian Empire, a major European power.The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed after World War I, and the subsequent Treaty of Trianon established Hungary's current borders, resulting in the loss of 71% of its territory, 58% of its population, and 32% of ethnic Hungarians. Following the tumultuous interwar period, Hungary joined the Axis Powers in World War II, suffering significant damage and casualties. Hungary became a satellite state of the Soviet Union, which contributed to the establishment of a socialist republic spanning four decades (1949–1989). The country gained widespread international attention as a result of its 1956 revolution and the seminal opening of its previously-restricted border with Austria in 1989, which accelerated the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. On 23 October 1989, Hungary became a democratic parliamentary republic.In the 21st century, Hungary is a middle power and has the world's 57th largest economy by nominal GDP, as well as the 58th largest by PPP, out of 191 countries measured by IMF. As a substantial actor in several industrial and technological sectors, it is the world's 35th largest exporter and 34th largest importer of goods. Hungary is an OECD high-income economy with a very high standard of living. It keeps up a social security and universal health care system, and a tuition-free university education. Hungary performs well in international rankings: it is 20th in quality of life, 24th in the Good Country Index, 28th in inequality-adjusted human development, 32nd in the Social Progress Index, 33rd in the Global Innovation Index and ranks as the 15th safest country in the world.
Hungary joined the European Union in 2004 and has been part of the Schengen Area since 2007. Hungary is a member of the United Nations, NATO, WTO, World Bank, the AIIB, the Council of Europe, the Visegrád Group and more. Well known for its rich cultural history, Hungary has contributed significantly to arts, music, literature, sports and science and technology. Hungary is the 11th most popular country as a tourist destination in Europe, attracting 14.3 million international tourists in 2015. It is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world, the largest lake in Central Europe and the largest natural grasslands in Europe.
Hungary | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Hungary
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written
language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through
audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio
while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using
a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
In case you don't find one that you were looking for, put a comment.
This video uses Google TTS en-US-Standard-D voice.
SUMMARY
=======
Hungary (Hungarian: Magyarország [ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ] ( listen)) is a country in Central Europe. Spanning 93,030 square kilometres (35,920 sq mi) in the Carpathian Basin, it borders Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Austria to the northwest, Romania to the east, Serbia to the south, Croatia to the southwest, and Slovenia to the west. With about 10 million inhabitants, Hungary is a medium-sized member state of the European Union. The official language is Hungarian, which is the most widely spoken Uralic language in the world. Hungary's capital and its largest city and metropolis is Budapest. Other major urban areas include Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs and Győr.
The territory of modern Hungary was for centuries inhabited by a succession of peoples, including Celts, Romans, Germanic tribes, Huns, West Slavs and the Avars. The foundations of the Hungarian state was established in the late ninth century AD by the Hungarian grand prince Árpád following the conquest of the Carpathian Basin. His great-grandson Stephen I ascended the throne in 1000, converting his realm to a Christian kingdom. By the 12th century, Hungary became a regional power, reaching its cultural and political height in the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, Hungary was partially occupied by the Ottoman Empire (1541–1699). It came under Habsburg rule at the turn of the 18th century, and later joined Austria to form the Austro–Hungarian Empire, a major European power.The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed after World War I, and the subsequent Treaty of Trianon established Hungary's current borders, resulting in the loss of 71% of its territory, 58% of its population, and 32% of ethnic Hungarians. Following the tumultuous interwar period, Hungary joined the Axis Powers in World War II, suffering significant damage and casualties. Hungary became a satellite state of the Soviet Union, which contributed to the establishment of a socialist republic spanning four decades (1949–1989). The country gained widespread international attention as a result of its 1956 revolution and the seminal opening of its previously-restricted border with Austria in 1989, which accelerated the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. On 23 October 1989, Hungary became a democratic parliamentary republic.In the 21st century, Hungary is a middle power and has the world's 57th largest economy by nominal GDP, as well as the 58th largest by PPP, out of 191 countries measured by IMF. As a substantial actor in several industrial and technological sectors, it is the world's 35th largest exporter and 34th largest importer of goods. Hungary is an OECD high-income economy with a very high standard of living. It keeps up a social security and universal health care system, and a tuition-free university education. Hungary performs well in international rankings: it is 20th in quality of life, 24th in the Good Country Index, 28th in inequality-adjusted human development, 32nd in the Social Progress Index, 33rd in the Global Innovation Index and ranks as the 15th safest country in the world.
Hungary joined the European Union in 2004 and has been part of the Schengen Area since 2007. Hungary is a member of the United Nations, NATO, WTO, World Bank, the AIIB, the Council of Europe, the Visegrád Group and more. Well known for its rich cultural history, Hungary has contributed significantly to arts, music, literature, sports and science and technology. Hungary is the 11th most popular country as a tourist destination in Europe, attracting 14.3 million international tourists in 2015. It is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world, the largest lake in Central Europe and the largest natural grasslands in Europe.
List of war crimes | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:00:55 1 1899–1902 Second Boer War
00:01:40 2 1899–1902 Philippine–American War
00:03:01 3 1914–1918: World War I
00:03:54 4 1923–1932: Pacification of Libya
00:04:55 5 1935–1941: Second Italo-Abyssinian War
00:06:19 6 1936–1939: Spanish Civil War
00:07:49 7 1939–1945: World War II
00:08:02 7.1 Axis powers
00:09:03 7.1.1 Crimes perpetrated by Germany
00:22:55 7.1.2 Crimes perpetrated by Hungary
00:23:04 7.1.3 Crimes perpetrated by Italy
00:24:36 7.1.4 Crimes perpetrated by the (first) Slovak Republic (1939–1945)
00:25:19 7.1.5 Crimes perpetrated by Japan
00:25:54 7.1.6 Crimes perpetrated by Romania
00:26:03 7.1.7 Crimes perpetrated by the Chetniks
00:32:22 7.1.8 Crimes perpetrated by the Ustashas
00:37:19 7.1.9 Crimes perpetrated by the Ukrainians
00:39:37 7.2 Allied powers
00:39:46 7.2.1 Crimes perpetrated by the Soviet Union
00:39:56 7.2.2 Crimes perpetrated by the United Kingdom
00:40:07 7.2.3 Crimes perpetrated by the United States
00:40:17 7.2.4 Crimes perpetrated by Canada
00:40:26 7.2.5 Crimes perpetrated by the Yugoslav Partisans
00:40:37 8 1946–1954: Indochina War
00:41:24 9 1947–1948: Malagasy Uprising
00:41:51 10 1948 Arab–Israeli War
00:42:18 11 1945–1949: Indonesian War of Independence
00:43:18 12 1948–1960: Malayan Emergency
00:44:59 13 1950–1953: Korean War
00:45:12 13.1 United States perpetrated crimes
00:45:22 13.2 North Korean perpetrated crimes
00:46:32 13.3 South Korean perpetrated crimes
00:46:43 14 1952–1960: Mau Mau uprising
00:51:35 15 1954–1962: Algerian War
00:53:01 16 1955–1975: Vietnam War
00:53:14 16.1 United States perpetrated crimes
00:54:29 16.2 South Korean perpetrated crimes
00:54:39 16.3 North Vietnamese and Vietcong perpetrated crimes
00:55:55 17 Late 1960s–1998: The Troubles
00:58:29 18 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
00:58:41 18.1 Bihari and pro Pakistanis massacre in Bangladesh
00:59:03 19 1970–1975: Cambodian civil war
00:59:50 20 Indonesian Invasion of East Timor
01:00:11 21 1975–1990: Lebanese Civil War
01:00:25 22 1978–present: Civil war in Afghanistan
01:00:58 23 1980–1988: Iran–Iraq War
01:01:21 24 1985–present: Uganda
01:02:47 25 1991–1999: Yugoslav wars
01:02:59 25.1 1991–1995: Croatian War of Independence
01:03:22 25.2 1992–1995: Bosnian War
01:03:34 25.3 1998–1999: Kosovo War
01:03:46 26 1990–2000: Liberia / Sierra Leone
01:05:46 27 1990: Invasion of Kuwait
01:05:57 28 1991–2000/2002: Algerian Civil War
01:06:57 29 1994–1996/1999–2009: Russia-Chechnya Wars
01:07:36 30 1998–2006: Second Congo War
01:09:35 31 2001-present: US Invasion of Afghanistan
01:09:48 32 2003–2011: Iraq War
01:12:12 33 2006 Lebanon War
01:13:31 34 2003–2009/2010: Darfur conflict; 2005–2010: Civil war in Chad
01:14:58 35 2008–2009 Gaza War
01:16:17 36 2009 Sri Lankan Civil War
01:18:26 37 2011–present: Syrian civil war
01:19:17 38 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
Other Wikipedia audio articles at:
Upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
Speaking Rate: 0.9020483064698935
Voice name: en-AU-Wavenet-A
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
This article lists and summarises the war crimes committed since the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 and the crimes against humanity and crimes against peace that have been committed since these crimes were first defined in the Rome Statute.Since many war crimes are not ultimately prosecuted (due to lack of political will, lack of effective procedures, or other practical and political reasons), historians and lawyers will often make a serious case that war crimes occurred, even if there was no formal investigations or prosecution of the alleged crimes or an investigation cleared the alleged perpetrators.
War crimes under international law were firmly established by international trials such as the Nuremberg Trials and the Tokyo Trials, in which Austrian, German and Japanese leaders were prosecuted for war crimes committed during World ...
Danube Ipoly National Park Location details
Danube Ipoly National Park Location details
Valleys, hills, islands and rivers, the untouched areas of the Ipoly Valley and the Börzsöny hills with their breathtaking views have it all. Szentendre Island is enclosed by the River Danube and the picturesque surroundings of the Danube Bend, panoramas it is impossible to grew weary of. Take an adventurous picnic, ride a riverboat in the sun, relax on the shores of a creek in the woods or admire a romantic sundown, all just a short drive from Budapest. The entrance to the caves is surrounded by families on weekend picnics, friends sitting around a bonfire in the evenings, and old and young people queuing up to take a soothing tour of the caves from morning to early afternoon. The caves were formed by thermal waters and contain a wide variety of stalactites and stalagmites, globe-like shapes dissolved by hot water and the ancient fossils of shells. These caves offer a glimpse of nature in Budapest’s concrete jungle. Visitors come here to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the immaculately clear air containing no dust at all. The thick layer of cave pearls covering the walls like so many cauliflowers or bunches of grapes were formed by hundreds of years of thermal waters. The protected landscape near Ócsa owes its unique botanic and zoological diversity to the failure of attempts to drain the area in the 19th century. The old village of Ócsa, which has preserved its original street layout and thatched cottages, is also part of the protected area. The local county house contains a museum of ethnography and local furniture, clothing and everyday objects – a reminder of way of life of previous generations. The Centre is situated in a meadow known as Királyrét (King’s Field) and regarded locally as the gateway to the hills. You can book accommodation or participate in a variety of activities, including a forest school, instruction and guided tours, outdoor activities, presentations, quizzes and crafts workshops.
Create Your Free Website - on
Post Free Ads:
International Classifieds
Danube | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
00:01:28 1 Names and etymology
00:04:50 2 Geography
00:06:06 2.1 Drainage basin
00:06:30 2.2 Tributaries
00:06:57 2.3 Cities and towns
00:11:23 2.4 Islands
00:12:24 2.5 Sectioning
00:13:22 3 Modern navigation
00:15:54 4 Piracy
00:16:44 5 Danube Delta
00:18:36 6 International cooperation
00:18:47 6.1 Ecology and environment
00:19:46 6.2 Navigation
00:20:44 7 Geology
00:23:15 8 History
00:25:12 8.1 Ancient cultural perspectives of the lower Danube
00:26:23 8.2 Ottoman–Hungarian and Ottoman–Habsburg rivalry along the Danube
00:27:42 9 Economics
00:27:51 9.1 Drinking water
00:28:47 9.2 Navigation and transport
00:31:07 9.3 Fishing
00:32:06 9.4 Tourism
00:33:39 9.4.1 Danube Bike Trail
00:34:30 9.4.2 Sultans Trail
00:35:03 9.4.3 Donausteig
00:35:36 9.4.4 The Route of Emperors and Kings
00:38:08 10 Important national parks
00:39:42 11 Cultural significance
00:43:51 12 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
Listen on Google Assistant through Extra Audio:
Other Wikipedia audio articles at:
Upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
Speaking Rate: 0.9556824345457406
Voice name: en-US-Wavenet-F
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Danube ( DAN-yoob), known by various names in other languages (in German: Donau), is Europe's second longest river, after the Volga. It is located in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Danube was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire, and today flows through 10 countries, more than any other river in the world. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for 2,850 km (1,770 mi), passing through or bordering Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine before draining into the Black Sea. Its drainage basin extends into nine more countries.
The Danube river basin is home to fish species such as pike, zander, huchen, Wels catfish, burbot and tench. It is also home to a large diversity of carp and sturgeon, as well as salmon and trout. A few species of euryhaline fish, such as European seabass, mullet, and eel, inhabit the Danube Delta and the lower portion of the river.
Since ancient times, the Danube has become a traditional trade route in Europe, nowadays 2,415 km (1,501 mi) of its total length being navigable. The river is also an important source of energy and drinking water.
History of Slovakia | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
History of Slovakia
00:00:06 1 Prehistory
00:01:08 2 Antiquity
00:04:34 3 Medieval history
00:04:44 3.1 New migrations
00:06:02 3.2 Arrival of the Slavs
00:09:12 3.3 Avar Khaganate
00:15:07 3.4 Principality of Nitra
00:17:52 3.5 Great Moravia
00:21:53 3.6 High Middle Ages
00:22:02 3.6.1 Settlement of Hungarians in the 10th century
00:25:42 3.6.2 iTercia pars regni/i or Principality of Nitra (11th century)
00:29:50 3.6.3 Mongol invasion (1241-1242)
00:31:21 3.6.4 Development of counties and towns
00:37:04 3.6.5 Period of the oligarchs (1290–1321)
00:39:31 3.7 Late Middle Ages (14–15th centuries)
00:42:49 4 Modern Era
00:42:58 4.1 Early Modern Period
00:43:07 4.1.1 Habsburg and Ottoman administration
00:46:00 4.2 Late Modern Period
00:46:09 4.2.1 Slovak National Movement
00:47:49 4.2.2 Hungarian Revolution of 1848
00:49:39 4.2.3 Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867
00:55:00 4.2.4 Czechoslovakia
00:55:09 4.2.4.1 Formation of Czechoslovakia
00:57:01 4.2.4.2 First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)
01:02:03 4.2.4.3 Towards autonomy of Slovakia (1938–1939)
01:03:40 4.2.5 World War II
01:06:34 4.2.6 Czechoslovakia after World War II
01:09:12 4.2.7 Velvet Revolution (1989)
01:11:04 5 Contemporary Period
01:11:14 5.1 Independent Slovakia
01:16:48 6 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
This article discusses the history of the territory of Slovakia.
Slovakia | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Slovakia
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written
language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through
audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio
while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using
a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
In case you don't find one that you were looking for, put a comment.
This video uses Google TTS en-US-Standard-D voice.
SUMMARY
=======
Slovakia ( ( listen); Slovak: Slovensko [ˈslɔʋɛnskɔ] ( listen)), officially the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Slovenská republika, listen ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi) and is mostly mountainous. The population is over 5.4 million and consists mostly of Slovaks. The capital and largest city is Bratislava, second largest city is Košice. The official language is Slovak.
The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries. In the 7th century, they played a significant role in the creation of Samo's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra, which was later conquered by the Principality of Moravia to establish Great Moravia. In the 10th century, after the dissolution of Great Moravia, the territory was integrated into the Principality of Hungary, which would become the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000.. In 1241 and 1242, much of the territory was destroyed by the Mongols during their invasion of Central and Eastern Europe. The area was recovered largely thanks to Béla IV of Hungary who also settled Germans which became an important ethnic group in the area, especially in what are today parts of central and eastern Slovakia. After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Czechoslovak National Council established Czechoslovakia (1918–1939). A separate (First) Slovak Republic (1939–1945) existed during World War II as a totalitarian, clero-fascist one-party client state of Nazi Germany. At the end of World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established as an independent country. A coup in 1948 ushered in a totalitarian one-party state under the Communist regime during whose rule the country existed as a satellite of the Soviet Union. Attempts for liberalization of communism in Czechoslovakia culminated in the Prague Spring, which was crushed by the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. In 1989, the Velvet Revolution ended the Communist rule in Czechoslovakia peacefully. Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, sometimes known as the Velvet Divorce.
Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index, a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties, press freedom, internet freedom, democratic governance and peacefulness. The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system. Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care, free education and one of the longest paid parental leave in the OECD. The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009. Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area, NATO, the United Nations, the OECD, the WTO, CERN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group. Although regional income inequality is high, 90% of citizens own their homes. In 2018, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 179 countries and territories, ranking the Slovak passport 10th in the world. Slovakia is the world's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union. The car industry represents 43% of Slovakia's industrial output, and a quarter of its exports.
Czech Republic | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Czech Republic
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written
language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through
audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio
while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using
a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
In case you don't find one that you were looking for, put a comment.
This video uses Google TTS en-US-Standard-D voice.
SUMMARY
=======
The Czech Republic ( ( listen); Czech: Česká republika [ˈtʃɛskaː ˈrɛpublɪka] ( listen)), also known by its short-form name, Czechia ( ( listen); Czech: Česko [ˈtʃɛsko] ( listen)), is a landlocked country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east and Poland to the northeast. The Czech Republic covers an area of 78,866 square kilometres (30,450 sq mi) with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate. It is a unitary parliamentary republic, with 10.6 million inhabitants; its capital and largest city is Prague, with 1.3 million residents. Other major cities are Brno, Ostrava and Pilsen. The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union (EU), NATO, the OECD, the United Nations, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe.
It is a developed country with an advanced, high income export-oriented social market economy based in services, manufacturing and innovation. The UNDP ranks the country 14th in inequality-adjusted human development. The Czech Republic is a welfare state with a continental European social model, a universal health care system, tuition-free university education an is ranked 14th in the Human Capital Index. It ranks as the 6th safest or most peaceful country and is one of the most non-religious countries in the world, while achieving strong performance in democratic governance.
The Czech Republic includes the historical territories of Bohemia, Moravia, and Czech Silesia. The Czech state was formed in the late 9th century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire. After the fall of the Empire in 907, the centre of power transferred from Moravia to Bohemia under the Přemyslid dynasty. In 1002, the duchy was formally recognized as part of the Holy Roman Empire, becoming the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198 and reaching its greatest territorial extent in the 14th century. Besides Bohemia itself, the king of Bohemia ruled the lands of the Bohemian Crown, he had a vote in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor, and Prague was the imperial seat in periods between the 14th and 17th century. In the Hussite Wars of the 15th century driven by the Protestant Bohemian Reformation, the kingdom faced economic embargoes and defeated five consecutive crusades proclaimed by the leaders of the Catholic Church.
Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, the whole Crown of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy alongside the Archduchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary. The Protestant Bohemian Revolt (1618–20) against the Catholic Habsburgs led to the Thirty Years' War. After the Battle of the White Mountain, the Habsburgs consolidated their rule, eradicated Protestantism and reimposed Catholicism, and also adopted a policy of gradual Germanization. This contributed to the anti-Habsburg sentiment. A long history of resentment of the Catholic Church followed and still continues. With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Bohemian Kingdom became part of the Austrian Empire and the Czech language experienced a revival as a consequence of widespread romantic nationalism. In the 19th century, the Czech lands became the industrial powerhouse of the monarchy and were subsequently the core of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, which was formed in 1918 following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I.
Czechoslovakia remained the only democracy in this part of Europe in the interwar period. However, the Czech part of Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany in World War II, while the Slovak region became the Slovak Republic; Czechoslovakia was liberated in 1945 by the armies of the Soviet Union and the United States. The Czech country lost the majority of its German-speaking inhabitants after they were expelled following the war. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia won the 1946 elections and after the 1948 coup d'état, Czechoslovakia became a one-party communist state under Soviet influence. In 19 ...
Slovakia | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Slovakia
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written
language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through
audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio
while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using
a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
In case you don't find one that you were looking for, put a comment.
This video uses Google TTS en-US-Standard-D voice.
SUMMARY
=======
Slovakia ( ( listen); Slovak: Slovensko [ˈslɔʋɛnskɔ] ( listen)), officially the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Slovenská republika, listen ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi) and is mostly mountainous. The population is over 5.4 million and consists mostly of Slovaks. The capital and largest city is Bratislava, second largest city is Košice. The official language is Slovak.
The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries. In the 7th century, they played a significant role in the creation of Samo's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra, which was later conquered by the Principality of Moravia to establish Great Moravia. In the 10th century, after the dissolution of Great Moravia, the territory was integrated into the Principality of Hungary, which would become the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000.. In 1241 and 1242, much of the territory was destroyed by the Mongols during their invasion of Central and Eastern Europe. The area was recovered largely thanks to Béla IV of Hungary who also settled Germans which became an important ethnic group in the area, especially in what are today parts of central and eastern Slovakia. After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Czechoslovak National Council established Czechoslovakia (1918–1939). A separate (First) Slovak Republic (1939–1945) existed during World War II as a totalitarian, clero-fascist one-party client state of Nazi Germany. At the end of World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established as an independent country. A coup in 1948 ushered in a totalitarian one-party state under the Communist regime during whose rule the country existed as a satellite of the Soviet Union. Attempts for liberalization of communism in Czechoslovakia culminated in the Prague Spring, which was crushed by the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. In 1989, the Velvet Revolution ended the Communist rule in Czechoslovakia peacefully. Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, sometimes known as the Velvet Divorce.
Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index, a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties, press freedom, internet freedom, democratic governance and peacefulness. The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system. Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care, free education and one of the longest paid parental leave in the OECD. The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009. Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area, NATO, the United Nations, the OECD, the WTO, CERN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group. Although regional income inequality is high, 90% of citizens own their homes. In 2018, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 179 countries and territories, ranking the Slovak passport 10th in the world. Slovakia is the world's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union. The car industry represents 43% of Slovakia's industrial output, and a quarter of its exports.
Poland | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Poland
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Poland (Polish: Polska [ˈpɔlska] (listen)), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska [ʐɛt͡ʂpɔˈspɔlita ˈpɔlska] (listen)), is a country located in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres (120,733 sq mi), and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With a population of approximately 38.5 million people, Poland is the sixth most populous member state of the European Union. Poland's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw. Other major cities include Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk and Szczecin.
The establishment of the Polish state can be traced back to A.D. 966, when Mieszko I, ruler of the realm coextensive with the territory of present-day Poland, converted to Christianity. The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented its longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest (about 1 million km2) and most populous countries of 16th- and 17th-century Europe, with a uniquely liberal political system which adopted Europe's first written national constitution, the Constitution of 3 May 1791.
More than a century after the Partitions of Poland at the end of the 18th century, Poland regained its independence in 1918 with the Treaty of Versailles. In September 1939, World War II started with the invasion of Poland by Germany, followed by the Soviet Union invading Poland in accordance with the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. More than six million Polish citizens perished in the war. In 1947, the Polish People's Republic was established as a satellite state under Soviet influence. In the aftermath of the Revolutions of 1989, most notably through the emergence of the Solidarity movement, the sovereign state of Poland reestablished itself as a presidential democratic republic.
Poland is a developed market and regional power. It has the eighth largest and one of the most dynamic economies in the European Union, simultaneously achieving a very high rank on the Human Development Index. Additionally, the Polish Stock Exchange in Warsaw is the largest and most important in Central Europe. Poland is a developed country, which maintains a high-income economy along with very high standards of living, life quality, safety, education and economic freedom. Poland has a developed school educational system. The country provides free university education, state-funded social security and a universal health care system for all citizens. Poland has 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 14 of which are cultural. Poland is a member state of the European Union, the Schengen Area, the United Nations, NATO, the OECD, the Three Seas Initiative, and the Visegrád Group.
Slovakia | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Slovakia
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Slovakia ( (listen); Slovak: Slovensko [ˈslɔʋɛnskɔ] (listen)), officially the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Slovenská republika, listen ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's territory spans about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi) and is mostly mountainous. The population is over 5.4 million and consists mostly of Slovaks. The capital and largest city is Bratislava, second largest city is Košice. The official language is Slovak.
The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries. In the 7th century, they played a significant role in the creation of Samo's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra, which was later conquered by the Principality of Moravia to establish Great Moravia. In the 10th century, after the dissolution of Great Moravia, the territory was integrated into the Principality of Hungary, which would become the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000.. In 1241 and 1242, much of the territory was destroyed by the Mongols during their invasion of Central and Eastern Europe. The area was recovered largely thanks to Béla IV of Hungary who also settled Germans which became an important ethnic group in the area, especially in what are today parts of central and eastern Slovakia. After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Czechoslovak National Council established Czechoslovakia (1918–1939). A separate (First) Slovak Republic (1939–1945) existed during World War II as a totalitarian, clero-fascist one-party client state of Nazi Germany. At the end of World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established as an independent country. A coup in 1948 ushered in a totalitarian one-party state under the Communist regime during whose rule the country existed as a satellite of the Soviet Union. Attempts for liberalization of communism in Czechoslovakia culminated in the Prague Spring, which was crushed by the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. In 1989, the Velvet Revolution ended the Communist rule in Czechoslovakia peacefully. Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, sometimes known as the Velvet Divorce.
Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index, a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties, press freedom, internet freedom, democratic governance and peacefulness. The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system. Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care, free education and one of the longest paid parental leave in the OECD. The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009. Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area, NATO, the United Nations, the OECD, the WTO, CERN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group. Although regional income inequality is high, 90% of citizens own their homes. In 2018, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 179 countries and territories, ranking the Slovak passport 10th in the world. Slovakia is the world's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union. The car industry represents 43% of Slovakia's industrial output, and a quarter of its exports.