Map of Slovakia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Slovakia's roots can be traced to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom where they remained for the next 1000 years. Following the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867 language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) resulted in a strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs who were under Austrian rule. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar period Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia and in 1939 Slovakia became an independent state 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 the country'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 the country 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.


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Location: Central Europe south of Poland

Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N 19 30 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 131
Land: 48,105 km²
Water: 930 km²
Comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries
Border countries: (5) Austria 91 km; Czech Republic 197 km; Hungary 676 km; Poland 420 km; Ukraine 90 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold cloudy humid winters

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

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.41%
Other: 71.22% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1720 km² (2007)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 50.1 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys


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Population: 5,488,339 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 114
Growth rate: 0.09% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 185
Below poverty line: 21% (2002)

Nationality
Adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.8% Hungarian 9.7% Roma 1.7% Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1% other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Languages: Slovak (official) 83.9% Hungarian 10.7% Roma 1.8% Ukrainian 1% other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 68.9% Protestant 10.8% Greek Catholic 4.1% other or unspecified 3.2% none 13% (2001 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 12.6% (male 354,390/female 338,536)
25-54 years: 45.1% (male 1,246,625/female 1,229,929)
55-64 years: 13.3% (male 344,605/female 384,967)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 278,659/female 458,770) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 20.9 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 18 %
Potential support ratio: 5.6 (2013)

Median age
Male: 36.9 years
Female: 39.9 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.09% (2013 est.)
Rank: 185

Birth rate: 10.27 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 189

Death rate: 9.69 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 56

Net migration rate: 0.29 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 72

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.06% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: BRATISLAVA (capital) 428,000 (2009)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 27.3 (2010 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 167
Male: 7.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.24 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 80
Male: 72.36 years
Female: 80.31 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 207

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 79.8%

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 3 physicians/1000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density: 6.4 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 130
People living with hivaids: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 154
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 142

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 25.4% (2008)
Rank: 54

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 109

Literacy
Total population: 99.6%
Male: 99.7%
Female: 99.6% (2004)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2011)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Slovakia
Local long form: Slovenska republika
Local short form: Slovensko

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 48 09 N 17 07 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje singular - kraj); Banskobystricky Bratislavsky Kosicky Nitriansky Presovsky Trenciansky Trnavsky Zilinsky

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday: Constitution Day 1 September (1992)

Constitution: several previous (preindependence); latest passed by legislature 1 September 1992 signed 3 September 1992 effective 1 October 1992; amended several times last in 2011 (2011)

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 and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal system

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 April 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Robert KALINAK Peter KAZIMIR Miroslav LAJCAK (since 4 April 2012) Lubomir VAZNY (since 26 November 2012)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 March and 4 April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following National Council elections the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president
Election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5% Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 10 March 2012 (next to be held in 2016)
Election results: percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 44.4% KDH 8.8% OLaNO 8.6% Most-Hid 6.9% SDKU-DS 6.1% SaS 5.9% other 19.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 83 KDH 16 OLaNO 16 Most-Hid 13 SDKU-DS 11 SaS 11

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates proposed by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic a 17-member independent body to include the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential and governmental appointees; judges appointed by the president for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges appointed for 12-year terms
Subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Australia Group BIS BSEC (observer) CBSS (observer) CD CE CEI CERN EAPC EBRD ECB EIB EMU EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IEA IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA Schengen Convention SELEC (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNFICYP UNIDO UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 3,523 International Court NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 237-6,438
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York
From the us embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4 81,102 Bratislava
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 309 814 99 Bratislava
From the us telephone: [421] (2) 5,443-3,338
From the us FAX: [421] (2) 5,441-8,861

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 symbols: double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Janko MATUSKA/traditional

National heritage


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Economy overview: Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. Reforms to the taxation healthcare pension and social welfare systems helped Slovakia consolidate its budget and get on track to join the EU in 2004 after a period of relative stagnation in the early and mid 1990s and to adopt the euro in January 2009. Major privatizations are nearly complete the banking sector is almost entirely in foreign hands and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business friendly policies. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-08 despite a general European slowdown. Foreign direct investment (FDI) especially in the automotive and electronic sectors fueled much of the growth until 2008. Cheap and skilled labor low taxes no dividend taxes a relatively liberal labor code and a favorable geographical location are Slovakia's main advantages for foreign investors. The economy contracted 5% in 2009 primarily as a result of smaller inflows of FDI and reduced demand for Slovakia''s exports before rebounding in 2010-11 but growth slowed in 2012 due to weakening external demand. The government of Prime Minister Robert FICO in 2012 implemented tax increases on higher-earning individuals and corporations effectively scrapping Slovakia''s flat tax to help meet budget deficit targets of 4.9% of GDP in 2012 and 3% of GDP in 2013.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 65

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 136

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 63

Gross national saving:
Rank: 59

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 17.6%
Investment in fixed capital: 21.5%
Investment in inventories: -0.8%
Exports of goods and services: 95.6%
Imports of goods and services: -90.6%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 37%
Services: 59.2% (2012 est.)

Agriculture products: grains potatoes sugar beets hops fruit; pigs cattle poultry; forest products

Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity gas coke oil nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate: 10.6% (2012 est.)
Rank: 14

Labor force: 2.724 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 109
By occupation industry: 27%
By occupation services: 69.4% (December 2009)

Unemployment rate: 13.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 136

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 21% (2002)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 22.4% (2009 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 26.3 (1996)
Rank: 129

Budget
Expenditures: $34.4 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 152

Taxes and other revenues: 33.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 75

Public debt: 43.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 61

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 110

Central bank discount rate: 1.75% (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 129

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 3.91% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 171

Stock of narrow money: $34.64 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 56

Stock of broad money: $52.99 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 67

Stock of domestic credit: $68.04 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 61

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 87

Current account balance: $52.86 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 39

Exports: $78.5 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 46
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 35.9% vehicles 21% base metals 11.3% chemicals and minerals 8.1% plastics 4.9% (2009 est.)
Partners: Germany 22.3% Czech Republic 14.9% Poland 8.8% Hungary 7.8% Austria 7% France 5.6% Italy 4.9% UK 4.1% (2012)

Imports: $75.1 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 39
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 31% mineral products 13% vehicles 12% base metals 9% chemicals 8% plastics 6% (2009 est.)
Partners: Germany 18.6% Czech Republic 18% Russia 9.9% Austria 8% Hungary 6.8% Poland 6% South Korea 4.1% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.462 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 115

Debt external: $68.61 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 55

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $58.69 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 50

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $11.61 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 52

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 24.39 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 69
Consumption: 26.27 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 64
Exports: 13.08 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 15
Imports: 13.88 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 12
Installed generating capacity: 7.855 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 66
Generation sources fossil fuels: 42.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 166
Generation sources nuclear: 23.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 5
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 20.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 90
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 62

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 9,277 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 93
Crude oil exports: 262.5 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 73
Crude oil imports: 108,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 48
Crude oil proven reserves: 9 million bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 92

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 129,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 69
Products consumption: 83,910 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 83
Products exports: 70,520 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 55
Products imports: 28,380 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 94

Natural gas
Production: 105 million m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 82
Consumption: 6.468 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 55
Exports: 45.43 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 10
Imports: 50.18 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 6
Proven reserves: 14.16 billion m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 80

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 34.88 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 74

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 975,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 77
Mobile cellular: 6.095 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 101

Telephone system
Domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services
International: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services (2011)

Broadcast media: state-owned public broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) operates 3 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 35 privately owned TV stations operating nationally regionally and locally; about 40% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; more than 20 privately owned radio stations (2008)

Internet
Country code: .sk
Hosts: 1.384 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 41
Users: 4.063 million (2009)
Users rank: 58

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.08% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 123

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 35 (2013)
Rank: 111
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 11 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways: 5 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 6,774 km; oil 419 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 49
Broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge
Standard gauge: 3,473 km 1.435-m gauge (1615 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 50 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 83
Paved: 38,238 km (includes 417 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 5,678 km (2010)

Waterways: 172 km (on Danube River) (2012)
Rank: 100

Merchant marine
Rank: 109
By type: cargo 9 refrigerated cargo 2
Foreign owned: 11 (Germany 3 Ireland 1 Italy 2 Montenegro 1 Slovenia 1 Turkey 1 Ukraine 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Bratislava Komarno


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Disputes international: bilateral government legal technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for r