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

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 49,035 km²
Land: 48,105 km²
Water: 930 km²
Rank: 131
Comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries
Total: 1611 km
Border countries: (5) Austria 105 km; Czech Republic 241 km; Hungary 627 km; Poland 541 km; Ukraine 97 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
Mean elevation: 458 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m: highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 40.1%
Forest: 40.2%
Other: 19.7%

Irrigated land: 869 km² (2012)

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
Distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border: 5,445,802 (July 2016 est.)
Rank: 119
Growth rate: 0.01% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 195
Below poverty line: 12.6% (2014 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Slovak
Adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups: Slovak 80.7% Hungarian 8.5% Roma 2% other and unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)

Languages: Slovak (official) 78.6% Hungarian 9.4% Roma 2.3% Ruthenian 1% other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 62% Protestant 8.2% Greek Catholic 3.8% other or unspecified 12.5% none 13.4% (2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.14%
15-24 years: 11.32%
25-54 years: 45.13%
55-64 years: 13.52%
65 years and over: 14.88% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 40.8%
Youth dependency ratio: 21.3%
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.5%
Potential support ratio: 5.1%

Median age
Total: 40.1 years
Male: 38.4 years
Female: 41.9 years
Rank: 49

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2016 est.)
Rank: 195

Birth rate: 9.8 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 198

Death rate: 9.8 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 47

Net migration rate: 0.1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 71

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 53.6% of total population
Rate of urbanization: -0.31% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: BRATISLAVA (capital) 401,000 (2015)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 85 Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Antarctic Treaty Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male/female
55-64 years: 0.9 male/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male/female
Total population: 0.94 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 27.4 (2013 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.2 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 5.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.5 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 176

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.1 years
Male: 73.5 years
Female: 80.9 years
Rank: 76

Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 211

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 3.32 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 6 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.02% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 129
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: less than 100 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 116

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27.4% (2014)
Rank: 54

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 103

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 16 years

Country name
Conventional long form: Slovak Republic
Conventional short form: Slovakia
Local long form: Slovenska republika
Local short form: Slovensko
Etymology: related to the Slavic autonym 'Slovenin' a derivation from 'slovo' (word) denoting 'people who speak (the same language)' (i.e. people who understand each other)

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Bratislava
Geographic coordinates: 48 09 N 17 07 E
Time difference: UTC+1
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

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 many times last in 2015 (2016)

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

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

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Andrej KISKA
Head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO ; 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
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held in 2 rounds on 15 and 29 March 2014 (next to be held in March 2019); following National Council elections the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president
Election results: Andrej KISKA elected president; percent of vote in second round - Andrej KISKA 59.4% Robert FICO (Smer-SD) 40.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada
Elections: last held on 5 March 2016
Election results: percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 28.3% SaS 12.1% OLaNO-NOVA 11% SNS 8.6% LSNS 8% SME-Rodina 6.6% Most-Hid 6.5% Siet 5.6% other 13.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 49 SaS 21 OLaNO-NOVA 19 SNS 15 LSNS 14 SME-Rodina 11 Most-Hid 11 Siet 10

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic ; Constitutional Court (consists of 13 judges)
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Peter KMEC
In the us chancery: 3,523 International Court NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 237-1054
In the us FAX: [1] 237-6,438
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Charge d’Affaires J. Liam WASLEY
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] 5,443-3,338
From the us FAX: [421] 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
Note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

National symbols: double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white blue red

National anthem
Name: 'Nad Tatrou sa blyska'
Lyrics and music: Janko MATUSKA/traditional
Note: adopted 1993 in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song 'Kopala studienku'

Economy overview:

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 73

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 79

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 62

Gross national saving:
Rank: 73

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 56%
Government consumption: 19%
Investment in fixed capital: 23%
Investment in inventories: -0.4%
Exports of goods and services: 93.8%
Imports of goods and services: -91.4%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.7%
Industry: 31.1%
Services: 65.3%

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

Industries: automobiles; metal and metal products; electricity gas coke oil nuclear fuel; chemicals synthetic fibers wood and paper products; machinery; earthenware and ceramics; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products; food and beverages; pharmaceutical

Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (2015 est.)
Rank: 23

Labor force: 2.719 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 109
By occupation agriculture: 4.2%
By occupation industry: 22.6%
By occupation services: 73.2%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 130

Population below poverty line: 12.6% (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 4.4%
Highest 10: 26%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 138

Budget
Revenues: $36.95 billion
Expenditures: $39.53 billion
Surplus or deficit: -3% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 114

Taxes and other revenues: 42.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 31

Public debt:
Note: data cover general Government Gross Debt and includes debt instruments issued by Government entities including sub-sectors of central government state government local government and social security funds
Rank: 74

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 37

Central bank discount rate:
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks from the euro area; Slovakia became a member of the Economic and Monetary Union on 1 January 2009
Rank: 141

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 171

Stock of narrow money:
Note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Rank: 54

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 65

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 58

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 85

Current account balance:
Rank: 126

Exports:
Rank: 40
Commodities: vehicles and related parts 27% machinery and electrical equipment 20% nuclear reactors and furnaces 12% iron and steel 4% mineral oils and fuels 5% (2015 est.)
Partners: Germany 22.7% Czech Republic 12.5% Poland 8.5% Austria 5.7% Hungary 5.7% France 5.6% UK 5.5% Italy 4.5% (2015)

Imports:
Rank: 39
Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 20% vehicles and related parts 14% nuclear reactors and furnaces 12% fuel and mineral oils 9% (2015 est.)
Partners: Germany 19.4% Czech Republic 17.4% Austria 9.1% Hungary 6.3% Poland 6.3% South Korea 5.5% Russia 5.2% China 4.1% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 106

Debt external:
Rank: 57

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 56

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 59

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100%
Production: 27.25 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 67
Consumption: 28.36 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 62
Exports: 11.86 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 18
Imports: 12.96 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 13
Installed generating capacity: 8.076 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 62
Generation sources fossil fuels: 33.2% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 174
Generation sources nuclear: 24% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 8
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 31.4% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 72
Generation sources other renewable sources: 11.2% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 30

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 98
Crude oil exports: 501.5 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 89
Crude oil imports: 119,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 42
Crude oil proven reserves: 9 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 94

Refined petroleum
Products production: 142,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 66
Products consumption: 82,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 87
Products exports: 83,390 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 48
Products imports: 28,870 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 100

Natural gas
Production: 100 million m³ (2014 est.)
Production rank: 68
Consumption: 4.535 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 63
Exports: 3 million m³ (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 48
Imports: 4.757 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 34
Proven reserves: 14.16 billion m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Proven reserves rank: 78

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 33 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 80

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 866,630
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16
Fixed lines rank: 80
Mobile cellular total: 6.676 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123
Mobile cellular rank: 108

Telephone system
General assessment: a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth of cellular services
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 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 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 (2016)

Internet
Country code: .sk
Users total: 4.629 million
Users percent of population: 85%
Users rank: 72

Military expenditures:
Rank: 89

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)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 23
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,100
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OM (2016)

Airports: 35 (2013)
Rank: 111
With paved runways total: 21
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
With unpaved runways total: 14
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5

Heliports: 1 (2013)

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

Railways
Total: 3,624 km
Broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge
Standard gauge: 3,475 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 50 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge
Rank: 49

Roadways
Total: 54,869 km (2012)
Rank: 82

Waterways: 172 km (on Danube River) (2012)
Rank: 99

Merchant marine
Total: 11
By type: cargo 9 refrigerated cargo 2
Foreign owned: 11 (2010)
Rank: 112

Ports and terminals
River port: 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 1523

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy