Gbely

Gbely is a town in the Skalica District, Trnava Region in western Slovakia, close to the Czech border.HistoryThe first written record about Gbely was in 1392. It gained town rights in the 16th–17th centuries. Petroleum was discovered in 1912 and extraction started in 1914.GeographyGbely lies at an altitude of 190m above sea level and covers an area of 59.945km2. It is located in the Záhorie region, in the Chvojnická pahorkatina hills, around 20km from the district seat Skalica and 75km the Slovak capital Bratislava.DemographicsAccording to the 2001 census, the town had 5,223 inhabitants. 96.09% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 1.26% Czechs 0.96% Roma,and 1% Amit. The religious make-up was 83.40% Roman Catholics, 14.57% people with no religious affiliation and 0.69% Lutherans.Notable ResidentMatej Kocak (1882–1918) Slovak-American World War I Medal of Honor winner was born here.