Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the capital Bratislava. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of around 85,000, an important industrial centre, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a kraj (Žilina Region) and of an okres (Žilina District).
Žilina lies at an altitude of 342 metres (1,122 ft) above sea level and covers an area of 80.03 square kilometres (30.9 sq mi). It is located in the Upper Váh region (Slovak: Horné Považie) at the confluence of three rivers: Váh, flowing from east into south-west, Kysuca, flowing from north and Rajčanka rivers from south, in the Žilina Basin. The city is surrounded by these mountain ranges: Malá Fatra, Súľovské vrchy, Javorníky and Kysucká vrchovina. Protected areas nearby include: Strážov Mountains Protected Landscape Area, Kysuce Protected Landscape Area and Malá Fatra National Park. There are two hydroelectric dams on the Váh river around Žilina: the Žilina dam in the East and the Hričov dam in the West.
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