2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.7% (male 465,304/female 443,967) 15-64 years: 71.3% (male 1,929,448/female 1,947,735) 65 years and over: 12% (male 244,609/female 408,385) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

36 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3

total

18

under 914 m

8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m

8 (2006)

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

The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join 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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. Geography Slovakia

Birth rate

10.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$26.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$24.57 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

48 09 N, 17 07 E

name

Bratislava

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

ratified 1 September 1992, 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 (code)

Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code

SKK

Current account balance

$-3.781 billion (2006 est.)

Death rate

9.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$31.5 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rodolphe "Skip" M. VALLEE

embassy

Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava

mailing address

P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava

telephone

[421] (2) 5443-3338

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Rastislav KACER

telephone

[1] (202) 237-1054

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 must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Distribution of family income - Gini index

25.8 (1996)

Economic aid - recipient

$12.67 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2007-13)

Economy - overview

Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business-friendly policies, such as labor market liberalization and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-06, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 10.2% in 2006, but remains the economy's Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.

Electricity - consumption

24.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

10.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

7.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

28.81 billion kWh (2004)

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-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

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

koruny per US dollar - 29.9315 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)

election results

Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%

elections

president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); 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 Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)

Exports

$39.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004)

Exports - partners

Germany 26.2%, Czech Republic 14.1%, Austria 7.1%, Italy 6.7%, Poland 6.3%, Hungary 5.7% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 237-6438

[421] (2) 5443-0096

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Slovakia

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side Economy Slovakia

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.8%

industry

31.4%

services

64.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$17,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$46.9 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$96.35 billion (2006 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 (2006)

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 200 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

20.9% (1996)

lowest 10%

3.1%

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 8 February, 2007

Imports

$41.84 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)

Imports - partners

Germany 25.1%, Czech Republic 19.3%, Russia 10.5%, Austria 6.1%, Poland 4.7%, Hungary 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2005)

Independence

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

Industrial production growth rate

7.8% (2006 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

5.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

8.48 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Internet country code

.sk

Internet hosts

210,758 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet users

2.5 million (2005) Transportation Slovakia

Investment (gross fixed)

27.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

1,830 sq km (2003)

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); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)

Labor force

2.629 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 5.8%, industry 5.8%, construction 9%, services 29.3% (2003)

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

29.23%

other

68.1% (2005)

permanent crops

2.67%

Languages

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

Legal system

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; 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 - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SNS 11.7%, SMK 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%; seats by party - Smer 50, SDKU 31, SNS 19, SMK 20, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14

elections

last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held 2010)

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.89 years (2006 est.)

male

70.76 years

total population

74.73 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.6% (2001 est.) Government Slovakia

male

99.7%

total population

99.6%

Location

Central Europe, south of Poland

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

1,322,647 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

1,351,848

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

1,093,077 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

1,089,645

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

40,183 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

41,544

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

37.6 years (2006 est.)

male

34.2 years

total

35.8 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 6, cargo 36, chemical tanker 1

foreign-owned

40 (Bulgaria 7, Estonia 1, Greece 4, Israel 7, Poland 2, Syria 2, Turkey 8, UK 1, Ukraine 8)

registered in other countries

2 (Cyprus 1, Georgia 1) (2006)

total

43 ships (1000 GRT or over) 217,819 GRT/309,049 DWT

Military branches

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.87% FY05 (2005) Transnational Issues Slovakia

Military service age and obligation

complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force went into effect at the beginning of 2006 after 140 years of mandatory army service; volunteers include women, with minimum age of 17 years (2005)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Nationality

adjective

Slovak

noun

Slovak(s)

Natural gas - consumption

6.719 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

1 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

6.948 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

165 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

74,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

2,160 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports

59,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - production

11,480 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

9 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Parties in the Parliament

Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA];

Parties outside the Parliament

Agrarian Party of the Provinces or ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA]; Left-wing Bloc or LB [Jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 - New Christian Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav MORIC]; Slovak People's Party or SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK]

Pipelines

gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2006)

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Population

5,439,448 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

21% (2002)

Population growth rate

0.15% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Bratislava, Komarno Military Slovakia

Public debt

36.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

3.12 million (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

100 km 1.520-m gauge

narrow gauge

50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2005)

standard gauge

3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)

total

3,662 km

Religions

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

Republiky)

Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily), Training and Support Forces (Vycviku a Podpory Sily) (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$15.75 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

37,533 km (including 316 km of expressways)

total

42,993 km

unpaved

5,460 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2006 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

analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; three companies provide nationwide cellular services

general assessment

Slovakia has a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in cellular services

international

country code - 421; 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

1.197 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.54 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Televisions

2.62 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.33 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.2% (2006 est.)

Waterways

172 km (on Danube River) (2005)