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 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.

Central Europe, south of Poland

about twice the size of New Hampshire

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

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

brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

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

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

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

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

5,483,088 (July 2012 est.)

10.38 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

9.64 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

BRATISLAVA (capital) 428,000 (2009)

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

1.38 children born/woman (2012 est.)

3 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

6.56 beds/1,000 population (2008)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0% of population

less than 0.1% (2009 est.)

fewer than 500 (2009 est.)

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

parliamentary democracy

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

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

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

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

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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

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)

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

Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS; Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic; Medical Trade Association or LOZ; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

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

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

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

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.

$132.4 billion (2012 est.)

$129 billion (2011 est.)

$124.8 billion (2010 est.)

$91.19 billion (2012 est.)

2.724 million (2012 est.)

22.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

34.4% of GDP (2012 est.)

-4.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

48.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

43.3% of GDP (2011 est.)

1.75% (31 December 2011 est.)

1.75% (31 December 2010 est.)

3.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

3.7% (31 December 2011 est.)

$35.31 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$36.49 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$52.73 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$52.99 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$63.87 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$67.93 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$4.736 billion (31 December 2011)

$4.15 billion (31 December 2010)

$4.672 billion (31 December 2009)

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

$535.2 million (2012 est.)

$52.86 million (2011 est.)

$77.82 billion (2012 est.)

$78.5 billion (2011 est.)

machinery and electrical equipment 35.9%, vehicles 21%, base metals 11.3%, chemicals and minerals 8.1%, plastics 4.9% (2009 est.)

Germany 21.4%, Czech Republic 15.1%, Poland 7.9%, Hungary 7.8%, Austria 7.5%, France 6.7%, Italy 5.2% (2011)

$74.29 billion (2012 est.)

$75.1 billion (2011 est.)

machinery and transport equipment 31%, mineral products 13%, vehicles 12%, base metals 9%, chemicals 8%, plastics 6% (2009 est.)

Germany 19.3%, Czech Republic 18.5%, Russia 11.4%, Hungary 7%, Poland 5.5%, Austria 4.6%, Italy 4.1%, China 4% (2011)

$2.676 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$2.462 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$72.94 billion (30 November 2011 est.)

$59.33 billion (30 June 2010 est.)

$53.09 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$51.29 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$4.309 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$4.209 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

27.7 billion kWh (2011 est.)

28.76 billion kWh (2010 est.)

10.5 billion kWh (2011 est.)

10.9 billion kWh (2011 est.)

7.155 million kW (2009 est.)

37.1% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

25.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

22% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

2.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

5,781 bbl/day (2011 est.)

300 bbl/day (2009 est.)

114,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

9 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

136,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

83,910 bbl/day (2011 est.)

78,640 bbl/day (2009 est.)

25,630 bbl/day (2009 est.)

116 million cu m (2011 est.)

6.468 billion cu m (2011 est.)

7 million cu m (2011 est.)

6.743 billion cu m (2011 est.)

14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

34.54 million Mt (2010 est.)

1.056 million (2011)

5.983 million (2011)

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)

1.384 million (2012)

4.063 million (2009)

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

172 km (on Danube River) (2009)

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2010)

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

1.08% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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