2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.8% (male 495,316; female 471,823) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,903,335; female 1,924,065) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 238,912; female 396,582) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

37 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3

total

20

under 914 m

9 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m

7 (2002)

Area

land

48,800 sq km

total

48,845 sq km

water

45 sq km

Area - comparative

about twice the size of New Hampshire

Background

In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002. Geography Slovakia

Birth rate

10.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

revenues

$5.2 billion

Capital

Bratislava

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Country name

conventional long form

Slovak Republic

conventional short form

Slovakia

local long form

Slovenska Republika

local short form

Slovensko

Currency

Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code

SKK

Death rate

9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$9.6 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ronald WEISER

embassy

Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[421] (2) 5443-3338

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Rastislav KACER

Disputes - international

small boundary changes made with Poland in 2003; Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, who protest the law

Distribution of family income - Gini index

26.3 (1996)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment funds (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004, especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, the containment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health care system.

Electricity - consumption

24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

30.3%

hydro

16%

nuclear

53.6%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

lowest point

Bodrok River 94 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Ethnic groups

Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Exchange rates

koruny per US dollar - 45.33 (2002), 48.35 (2001), 46.04 (2000), 41.36 (1999), 35.23 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)

election results

Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%; Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002

elections

president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June 2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since 24 September 2003)

note

government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO

Exports

$12.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8% (1999)

Exports - partners

Germany 30.1%, Czech Republic 16.4%, Austria 10.7%, Italy 7.2%, Poland 5.7%, Hungary 4.6% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 237-6438

[421] (2) 5441-5148

telephone

[1] (202) 237-1054

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Slovakia

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue Economy Slovakia

GDP

purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4.5%

industry

34.1%

services

61.4% (2000)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.4% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

48 40 N, 19 30 E

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 People Slovakia

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Slovakia

Highways

paved

37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)

total

42,717 km

unpaved

5,681 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

18.2% (1992)

lowest 10%

5.1%

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$15.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners

Germany 24.8%, Czech Republic 16%, Russia 13.5%, Austria 7%, Italy 6.4%, France 4% (2002)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

4.4% (2002 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate

female

7.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

9.39 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.55 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.sk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet users

700,000 (2000) Transportation Slovakia

Irrigated land

1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

total

1,524 km

Land use

arable land

30.74%

other

66.62% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.64%

Languages

Slovak (official), Hungarian

Legal system

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Legislative branch

unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU 15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by party - governing coalition 78 (SDKU 28, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 15), opposition 72 (HZDS 36, SMER 25, KSS 11) (as of February 2003, 12 deputies had split from HZDS and formed an independent faction)

elections

last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.64 years (2003 est.)

male

70.44 years

total population

74.43 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA% Government Slovakia

male

NA%

total population

NA%

Location

Central Europe, south of Poland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

36.7 years (2002)

male

33.3 years

total

35 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 1, cargo 1 (2002 est.)

total

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,574 GRT/16,330 DWT

Military branches

Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces, Home Guards (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway Armed Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post, and Telecommunications)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.89% (2002) Transnational Issues Slovakia

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,484,950 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,135,612 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

44,287 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Nationality

adjective

Slovak

noun

Slovak(s)

Natural gas - consumption

7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

7.504 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

4.5 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

Population

5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.14% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bratislava, Komarno

Radio broadcast stations

AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

3.12 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

106 km 1.520-m gauge

narrow gauge

51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2002)

standard gauge

3,511 km 1.435-m gauge (1,567 km electrified)

total

3,668 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

predominantly an analog system that is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added

general assessment

a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality

international

three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services

Telephones - main lines in use

1,934,558 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

736,662 (April 1999)

Television broadcast stations

38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

2.62 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

17.2% (2002 est.)

Waterways

172 km (all on the Danube)