Region of Nitra with area of 6 344 km2 occupies 12.9 % of total extent of the Slovak republic. It lies in the south – western part of SR. It borders with Hungarian republic in the south, with Banskobystrický region in the east, with Trenčín region in the north and with Trnavský region in the west. The southernmost point of SR is situated in the village Patince of Komárno district.

According to regional planning structure region is divided into 7 districts: Komárno, Levice, Nitra, Nové Zámky, Šaľa, Topoľčany and Zlaté Moravce. The smallest district in expanse is Šaľa with area of 356 km2 and the biggest is Levice district with area of 1 551 km2 and it is the biggest district of SR at the same time.

Relief of region is largely flat and plain, but it is partly discrete by uplands. Almost whole region is situated in the Podunajská upland and Podunajská plain, which are units of the Podunajská lowland. Tríbeč Mts. stretch in the north of region, the north – east is flanged by ledges of Štiavnické mountains and partly by Pohronský Inovec Mts. Substantial part of the southern and the south – eastern region is occupied by qualitative agricultural land. Region belongs to the warmest areas and to the most productive agricultural centers of SR. The average annual temperature (data acquired by measurements in meteorological office in Hurbanovo in the 2007) is 11,9 °C. Region, particularly its southern parts are rich in occurrences of aqueous and thermal springs. There are several rivers crossing and flowing through region – the longest river of SR is Váh and then Dunaj, Nitra, Hron, Ipeľ and Žitava, while rivers Danube and Ipeľ form natural common border with Hungarian republic.

There are 14 national natural reservations, 47 natural reservations, 24 natural landmarks a 62 protected areas in territory of region. Protected regional are of Štiavnické mountains (district Levice), protected regional area of Ponitrie (district Nitra, Topoľčany, Zlaté Moravce) reach partly region of Nitra . In the territory of district Nové Zámky there are Paris swamps. In Levice district occurs relics reservation of rustic architecture – rock dwelling in village Brhlovce.

There are stockpiles of mineral resources like sand and gravel, building stone units and brick raw material.

Regional gross domestic product (in current prices) reached 6 187,8 mil. EUR with proportion 11,2 % of SR in 2006 in Nitra region. Regional gross added value in current prices reached 5 583,5 mil. EUR with proportion of 11,2 % of total SR in 2006.

Composition of industrial branches is various, dominant place has regional town Nitra, where significant company SE Bordnetze - Slovakia, s.r.o. takes place. Among important branches of region belong: food industry, electrotechnical, engineering, stationery and leather industry. In district of Šaľa, there is situated significant chemical factory Duslo, a.s., in which natural gas is elaborated and nitrogen fertilizers and rubber chemicals are made. Region maintenances the largest acreage of agricultural land of all regions of SR. It belongs to the most significant producers of agricultural crops like wheat, barley, corn for seed, peas, technical sweet beet, tobacco, colza, sunflower for seed and it is the biggest producer of grape in SR. Animal farming is oriented on rearing beef, pork and poultry.

Region of Nitra is well connected with network of roads between districts and also with international highway communication. Through area runs the international magistral track of railway freight. In Komárno, significant port occurs on river Danube, which is connected to european fluvial magistral Rýn – Mohan - Danube.

Travelling activity is joined with localities of thermal springs, where holiday and touristic centers has grown (Komárno, Patince, Štúrovo). Mineral water is filled into bottles near by Levice, e.g. Santovka and Slatina.

There is relatively well built dense network of school facilities within whole area of region. In almost every major village is a primary school, providing compulsory schooling. In Nitra there are 2 universities – The Slovak agricultural university and the University of Constantine Philosopher. In Komarno is University of Selye.

In field of culture, Nitra has long – standing tradition like one of the most important centers of slavonian education, culture and christian life. There are 3 theatres, 12 galleries including branches and 368 public libraries including branches situated in the area of region. Attention deserves the Theatre of Andrej Bagar in Nitra, Ponitrianské museum and Nitrianska gallery. The most significant cultural presentations are usually organized in Nitra, those are e.g.: Pribinové jubilee, Days of Nitra, Divadelná Nitra – international theatre festival. Recently apart from traditional agricultural exhibition AGROKOMPLEX there are organized fairs and exhibitions like Car - fair, Furniture and living, International fair of engineering, Lingumexpo a.o. in Nitra.

Health care in region is provided by hospital in Nitra, other hospitals with health centre, individual health centres and specialistic medical institutes.

Strong points

• Existence of strong potention of industrial and agricultural capital goods,
• Sufficiencyy of capacities and qualified work force,
• University and research center in Nitra,
• Sufficient space potention for development,
• Good geographical position in Europe and in Slovakia on important transport hauls,
• Developed and relatively well-preserved rural settlement,
• Potention of utilization of water-courses,
• Dominant status of region in the terms of energy supply in SR,
• Possibilities of crossborder tourism development in region,
• International importance of fair and congress tourism in the town Nitra,
• Existence of available sources of geothermal springs.

• Low export ability of industrial companies,
• High level of insolvency and high prices of inputs,
• Deficient using of own finances,
• Low rate of manufacturing production of agricultural raw,
• High rate of post productive population,
• High level of unemployment,
• Low mobility of a part of work force,
• Absence of north-southern road haul and west-eastern haul (Dunajská Streda-Nové Zámky),
• Deficient railroad connection Nitra-Bratislava,
• Deficient utilization of alternative energy sources,
• Deficient utilization of agro tourism potention,
• Small % of villages with public plumbing and sewage tank,
• Big sources of area pollution (especially agriculture which pollutes surface and underground waters).

• Possibilities of crossborder cooperation,
• Space and infrastructure possibilities for building and development of industrial parks and incubators,
• Join international cooperation and partnership nets,
• Growing importance of the region in international transport,
• Connection of Nitra agglomeration and Bratislava-Trnava agglomeration into one unit,
• Neighbourhood of agglomeration of European importance - Viena - Budapest,
• Possibility to create crossborder agglomerations ( Komárno -Komárom, Štúrovo-Ostrihom),
• Improvement of transport accessibility of region by building of the corridor North-South and West-East,
• Improvement of energetic balance of region using nuclear-energetic complex Mochovce, hydro energetic potention, geothermal springs, biomass and biogas,
• Consistent utilization of geothermal energy by building thermal baths with relax-rehabilitation services.

• Contrary demographic progress - trend of ageing,
• Deepening trend of low development of main industrial companies,
• Stagnation in introduction of modern technologies,
• Lag of construction and modernization of main road and railroad nets,
• High finance charge of small and middle businesses,
• Deepening lag of research and development after international standards,
• High level of agricultural land preservation,
• Deficient construction of interregional infrastructure,
• Stagnation and growing unemployment,
• Possibility to lose connection to international corridor in consequence of undone highways,
• Absence of finances for realization of infrastructural projects,
• Growing negative influence of transport on environment.

General features
Area (in km2)	Population (in 2008).	Density of population (/km2)	Level of urbanization
6 344	706 758	111,4	47,02

Unemployment 08´
Numer of unemployed (thous.)	Rate in SR (%)	Index (08/07)
31,7	12,3	84,8

Level of unemployment %: 8,8

Average monthly wage 08´
Total (in EUR)	Index (SR=100)	Index (08/07)
606,39	83,9	110,0

Earnings for sale: 08´
Sector	Total (in mil. EUR)	Rate in SR (v %)	Index (08/07)
Agriculture	464,85	32,0	96,2
Industry	6 577,18	9,0	137,4
Constructions	562,64	9,0	112,7
Sale and services of vehicles	402,61	5,3	110,5
Wholesale	3 156,41	10,2	149,9
Retail	1 789,19	10,7	142,3

Foreign capital costs
FCC on 31.12.2007 (in mil. EUR	716,5

Name	Town	Country	Sector
Alcan	Levice	Holland	Metallurgic
DSS Plastics	Nitra­	Great Britain	Chemical
Heineken	Hurbanovo	Holland	Food
LEOVINCI	Zlaté Moravce	Spain	Metallurgic
Monarflex	Štúrovo	Denmark	Chemical
Peikko Finland Oy	Králová nad Váhom	Finland	Engineering
SeongJi Slovakia	Galanta	South Korea	Electrotechnical
SONY	Nitra	Japan	Electrotechnical
Tondach Gleinstätten AG	Nitrianske Pravno	Austria	Constructing
Yssel	Palárikovo	Holland	Constructing
ZANINI HOLDING	Topoľčany	Italy	Chemical
ZF Fridrichshafen	Levice	Germany	Engineering