Scientific activity of the Institute involves basic research of spatial structure of the natural and socio-economic systems and their interaction with special emphasis on the territory of Slovakia. Three key developmental trends of scientific investigations have been formed in the framwork of this orientation:
1. Landscape as an environmental system. This trend includes research of structure, dynamics and anthropogenic transformation of landscape system stressing the study of landscape potential, rational land use, environmental quality, hazards and risks. Autonomous part of this trend is basic research of the relief of the Western Carpathians and its functions in landscape system.
2. Spatial (territorial) organisation of society. The second key trend is oriented to analysis of spatial distrubution of population, settlements and economic activities. Special attention is paid to the changes of regional structure of Slovakia in new socio-economic conditions. This trend also includes basic research in the field of demography, which lacks separate institutional representation within the structure of the S.A.S.
3. Geoinformatics as a tool of integrated landscape research. The third trend involves development of the methods of cartographic interpretation of geographic phenomena and processes, use of remote sensing in the study of structure and dynamics of landscape systems, and finally creation of partial databases for geographic information systems at the national, regional, and local levels.
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