Slovakia
Slovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently, the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. After the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, backlash to language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) encouraged the strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. The new state was envisioned as a nation with Czech and Slovak branches. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939 Slovakia became an independent state created by and allied with Nazi Germany. Following World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of Czechoslovakia's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro zone on 1 January 2009.

geography

location

48.40° N, 19. 30° E
Central Europe, south of Poland

area

49,035 sq km
land
48,105 sq km
water
930 sq km

land boundaries

1,611 km

coastline

0 km

climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

terrain

rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south

elevation

458 m
lowest point
Bodrok River
94 m
highest point
Gerlachovsky Stit
2,655 m

natural resources

  • lignite
  • iron ore
  • copper
  • manganese ore
  • salt
  • arable land

land use

arable land
28.9 %
permanent crops
0.4 %
permanent pasture
10.8 %
forest
40.2 %
other
19.7 %

population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border

people

population

  • 5,440,602
  • 120
    global rank

nationality

  • Slovak(s)
    noun
  • Slovak
    adjective

ethnic groups

Slovak
80.7 %
Hungarian
8.5 %
Romani
2 %
other
1.8 %
unspecified
7 %

languages

  • Slovak
    official
  • Hungarian
  • Roma
  • Ruthenian
  • other or unspecified

religions

Roman Catholic
62 %
Protestant
8.2 %
Greek Catholic
3.8 %
other or unspecified
12.5 %
none
13.4 %

birth rate

  • 9.3
    per 1,000 population
  • 203
    global rank

death rate

  • 10.1
    per 1,000 population
  • 37
    global rank

urban population

53.8 %

major urban areas

  • Bratislava
    pop. 435,000

life expectancy

  • 77.8
    total population
  • 75
    global rank
74.3
male
81.6
female

adult obesity rate

  • 20.5%
    percent of adults
  • 98
    global rank

government

country name

    conventional

  • Slovak Republic
    long form
  • Slovakia
    short form

    local

  • Slovenska republika
    long form
  • Slovensko
    short form

government type

parliamentary republic

capital

Bratislava
48.9 N, 17.7 E

independence

national holidays

  • Constitution Day
    1 September

legal system

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe

age of suffrage

18

flag description

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side

national colors

  • white
  • blue
  • red

national anthem

"Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras)

economy

overview

Slovakia’s economy suffered from a slow start in the first years after its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, due to the country’s authoritarian leadership and high levels of corruption, but economic reforms implemented after 1998 have placed Slovakia on a path of strong growth. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy driven mainly by automobile and electronics exports, which account for more than 80% of GDP. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country’s banking sector is sound and predominantly foreign owned. Slovakia has been a regional FDI champion for several years, attractive due to a relatively low-cost yet skilled labor force, and a favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Exports and investment have been key drivers of Slovakia’s robust growth in recent years. The unemployment rate fell to historical lows in 2017, and rising wages fueled increased consumption, which played a more prominent role in 2017 GDP growth. A favorable outlook for the Eurozone suggests continued strong growth prospects for Slovakia during the next few years, although inflation is also expected to pick up. Among the most pressing domestic issues potentially threatening the attractiveness of the Slovak market are shortages in the qualified labor force, persistent corruption issues, and an inadequate judiciary, as well as a slow transition to an innovation-based economy. The energy sector in particular is characterized by unpredictable regulatory oversight and high costs, in part driven by government interference in regulated tariffs. Moreover, the government’s attempts to maintain low household energy prices could harm the profitability of domestic energy firms while undercutting energy efficiency initiatives.

GDP

179,700,000,000 USD
2017

agriculture products

  • grains
  • potatoes
  • sugar beets
  • hops
  • fruit
  • pigs
  • cattle
  • poultry
  • forest products

poverty level

12.3%
2015

budget

  • 37,790,000,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 38,790,000,000
    expenditures (USD)

communications

telephones

    fixed lines

  • 722,704
    total subscriptions
  • 86
    global rank

    mobile cellular

  • 7,241,702
    total subscriptions
  • 103
    global rank

broadcast media

state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), operates 2 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 50 privately owned TV stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 40% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 32 privately owned radio stations

internet

.sk
country code

    users

  • 4,391,969
    total
  • 80.66
    % of population
  • 89
    global rank

energy

electricity access

100%
2016

transportation

air transport

    national system

  • 4
    registered air carriers
  • 11,100
    annual passenger traffic

    airports

  • 35
    total
  • 19
    paved

railways

3,580 km
total length

roadways

56,926 km
total length

waterways

172 km
total length

military

expenditures

expenditures here

service age

18