Background: 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. 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 one and a half times the size of Maryland; 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
Note: (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: 94 m
Note: lowest point: Bodrok River

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 40.1% (2011 est.)
Forest: 40.2% (2011 est.)
Other: 19.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 869 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: flooding

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: 5,445,040 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 118
Growth rate: -0.02% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 197
Below poverty line: 12.3% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Slovak(s)
Adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:

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: 15.2% (male 424,921 /female 402,483)
15-24 years: 10.48% (male 293,573 /female 277,041)
25-54 years: 45.04% (male 1,239,670 /female 1,212,687)
55-64 years: 13.32% (male 345,114 /female 380,077)
65 years and over: 15.97% (male 339,350 /female 530,124) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 41.5 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 21.6 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.9 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 41 years
Male: 39.3 years
Female: 42.7 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 46

Population growth rate: -0.02% (2018 est.)
Rank: 197

Birth rate: 9.6 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 198

Death rate: 9.9 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 38

Net migration rate: 0.1 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 69

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: 53.7% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 430,000 BRATISLAVA (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution and acid rain present human health risks and damage forests; land erosion caused by agricultural and mining practices; water pollution
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(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 27.6 years (2014 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 5.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 4.4 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 176

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.4 years (2018 est.)
Male: 73.9 years (2018 est.)
Female: 81.2 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 74

Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 210

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Physicians density: 3.45 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 5.8 beds/1000 population (2015)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 1.8% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 1.2% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: <.1% (2017 est.)
People living with hivaids note: <1000 (2017 est.)
Deaths note: <100 (2017 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.5% (2016)
Rank: 98

Education expenditures: 4.6% of GDP (2015)
Rank: 90

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years (2014)
Male: 14 years (2014)
Female: 16 years (2014)

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 (self-designation) 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 (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

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

National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution
History: several previous (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992 (2017)
Amendments: proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2017 (2017)

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 (since 15 June 2014)
Head of government: Prime Minister Peter PELLIGRINI (since 22 March 2018); Deputy Prime Ministers Peter KAZIMIR (since 22 March 2018), Richard RASI (since 22 March 2018), Laszlo SOLYMOS (since 22 March 2018), Gabriela MATECNA (since 29 November 2017)
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 (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 and 29 March 2014 (next to be held on 9 March 2019); following National Council elections (every 4 years), the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president
Election results: Andrej KISKA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrej KISKA (independent) 59.4%, Robert FICO (Smer-SD) 40.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single- and multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 5 March 2016 (next to be held in March 2020)
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; composition - men 120, women 30, percent of women 20%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms
Subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit;

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Alojz HLINA]Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR]Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK]Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA]Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC]Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef MENYHART]Progressive Slovakia [Ivan STEFUNKO]Slovak Conservative Party or SKS [Ivan ZUZULA] (formerly the SIET party)Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO]Together or Spolu [Miroslav BEBLAVY]We Are Family or Sme-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR]

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 Ivan KORCOK (since 17 September 2018)
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: Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Adam H. STERLING (since 31 August 2016)
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) 5,441-5,148

Flag description:

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 (Lightning Over the Tatras)
Lyricsmusic: Janko MATUSKA/traditional: note: adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song 'Kopala studienku'

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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 69

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 102

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 61

Gross national saving:
Rank: 92

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 54.7% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 19.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 96.3% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -92.9% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 35% (2017 est.)
Services: 61.2% (2017 est.)

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: 2.7% (2017 est.)
Rank: 114

Labor force: 2.758 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 110
By occupation agriculture: 3.9%
By occupation industry: 22.7%
By occupation services: 73.4% (2015)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 119

Population below poverty line: 12.3% (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 19.3% (2015 est.)
Highest 10: 19.3% (2015 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 155

Budget
Revenues: 37.79 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 38.79 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 81

Taxes and other revenues: 39.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 47

Public debt:
Rank: 98

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 74

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 160

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 182

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 51

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 51

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 57

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 86

Current account balance:
Rank: 164

Exports:
Rank: 40
Partners: Germany 20.7%, Czech Republic 11.6%, Poland 7.7%, France 6.3%, Italy 6.1%, UK 6%, Hungary 6%, Austria 6% (2017)
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.)

Imports:
Rank: 42
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 19.1%, Czech Republic 16.3%, Austria 10.3%, Poland 6.5%, Hungary 6.4%, South Korea 4.5%, Russia 4.5%, France 4.3%, China 4.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 102

Debt external:
Rank: 58

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 53

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 51

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 25.32 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 72
Consumption: 26.64 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 66
Exports: 10.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 19
Imports: 13.25 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 19
Installed generating capacity: 7.644 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 72
Generation sources fossil fuels: 36% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 176
Generation sources nuclear: 27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 3
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 24% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 81
Generation sources other renewable sources: 13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 70

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 95
Crude oil exports: 1022 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 74
Crude oil imports: 111,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 42
Crude oil proven reserves: 9 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 91

Refined petroleum
Products production: 131,300 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products production rank: 64
Products consumption: 85,880 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption rank: 85
Products exports: 81,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products exports rank: 46
Products imports: 38,340 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports rank: 91

Natural gas
Production: 104.8 million m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 81
Consumption: 4.672 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 62
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 184
Imports: 4.984 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 37
Proven reserves: 14.16 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 75

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 34.86 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 73

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 758,842 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 83
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7,117,753 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 105

Telephone system
General assessment: a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth of cellular services (2017)
Domestic: Slovak Telecom maintains a near monopoly on fixed-line service; four companies have a license to operate cellular networks and provide nationwide cellular services (cellular operators); a few other companies provide services but do not have their own networks (2017)
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 (2017)

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: 4,382,558 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 80.5% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 82

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1,404,751 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2017 est.)
Rank: 62

Military expenditures:
Rank: 102

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 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 23 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,100 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OM (2016)

Airports: 35 (2013)
Rank: 111
With paved runways total: 21 (2013)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2 (2013)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2013)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2013)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2013)
With paved runways under 914 m: 11 (2013)
With unpaved runways total: 14 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: 2,270 km gas transmission pipelines, 6,278 km high-pressure gas distribution pipelines, 27,023 km mid- and low-pressure gas distribution pipelines (2016), 510 km oil (2015)

Railways
Total: 3,580 km (2016)
Standard gauge: 3,435 km
Note: 1.520-m gauge (2016)
Narrow gauge: 46 km
Broad gauge: 99 km
Rank: 54

Roadways
Total: 56,926 km
Note: (includes local roads national roads and 464 km of highways) (2016)
Rank: 75

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

Ports and terminals
River port: Bratislava, Komarno (Danube)

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 1,523 (2017)

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