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.

Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N 19 30 E

Area
Rank: 131
Comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire

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

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

Irrigated land: 1660 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 50.1 km³ (2003)

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

Population: 5,483,088 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 113
Growth rate: 0.104% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 181
Below poverty line: 21% (2002)

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)

Population growth rate: 0.104% (2012 est.)
Rank: 181

Birth rate: 10.38 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 186

Death rate: 9.64 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 56

Net migration rate: 0.29 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 69

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 167

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 81

Total fertility rate: 1.38 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 208

Physicians density: 3 physicians/1000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density: 6.56 beds/1000 population (2008)

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 153
People living with hivaids: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 150
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 131

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 14.3% (2002)
Rank: 39

Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 114

Government type: parliamentary democracy

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

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

National holiday: Constitution Day 1 September (1992)

Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992 effective 1 January 1993; changed September 1998; amended February 2001

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council)

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

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

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: 64

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 128

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 57

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

Industrial production growth rate: 6.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 45

Labor force: 2.724 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 106

Unemployment rate: 13.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 132

Population below poverty line: 21% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index: 26.3 (1996)
Rank: 131

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -4.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 153

Taxes and other revenues: 34.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Public debt: 43.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 65

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 106

Central bank discount rate: 1.75% (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 130

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 3.7% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 172

Stock of narrow money: $36.49 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 56

Stock of broad money: $52.99 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 68

Stock of domestic credit: $67.93 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 61

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 85

Current account balance: $52.86 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 46

Exports: $78.5 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 47
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 21.4% Czech Republic 15.1% Poland 7.9% Hungary 7.8% Austria 7.5% France 6.7% Italy 5.2% (2011)

Imports: $75.1 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 41
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 31% mineral products 13% vehicles 12% base metals 9% chemicals 8% plastics 6% (2009 est.)
Partners: Germany 19.3% Czech Republic 18.5% Russia 11.4% Hungary 7% Poland 5.5% Austria 4.6% Italy 4.1% China 4% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.462 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 112

Debt external: $59.33 billion (30 June 2010 est.)
Rank: 51

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $51.29 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 54

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $4.209 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 63

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 27.7 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 67
Consumption: 28.76 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 64
Exports: 10.5 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 21
Imports: 10.9 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 20
Installed generating capacity: 7.155 million kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 66
Generation sources fossil fuels: 37.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 174
Generation sources nuclear: 25.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 4
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 22% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 87
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 49

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 5,781 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 87
Crude oil exports: 300 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 68
Crude oil imports: 114,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 45
Crude oil proven reserves: 9 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 95

Refined petroleum
Products production: 136,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products production rank: 67
Products consumption: 83,910 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 85
Products exports: 78,640 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products exports rank: 46
Products imports: 25,630 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products imports rank: 92

Natural gas
Production: 116 million m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 79
Consumption: 6.468 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 55
Exports: 7 million m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 49
Imports: 6.743 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 32
Proven reserves: 14.16 billion m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 79

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 34.54 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 74

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.056 million (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 75
Mobile cellular: 5.983 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 99

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

Military expenditures: 1.08% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 125

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2010)

Airports: 37 (2012)
Rank: 109

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Pipelines: gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 48

Roadways
Rank: 83

Waterways: 172 km (on Danube River) (2009)
Rank: 100

Merchant marine
Rank: 112

Ports and terminals: Bratislava Komarno

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

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