2020 Edition
factbook.json (GitHub)
Introduction
Background
Slovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. The Slovaks then became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. After the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (known as "Magyarization") led to a public backlash that boosted Slovak nationalism and strengthened Slovak cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved at the end 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, in the wake of Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland, the newly established Slovak Republic became a German client state for the remainder of World War II. After World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded and ended the efforts of Czechoslovakia'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, Czechoslovakia underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009.
Geography
Area
- land
- 48,105 sq km
- total
- 49,035 sq km
- water
- 930 sq km
Area - comparative
about 1.5 times the size of Maryland; about twice the size of New Hampshire
Climate
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- highest point
- Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
- lowest point
- Bodrok River 94 m
- mean elevation
- 458 m
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
Irrigated land
259 sq km (2022)
Land boundaries
- border countries
- Austria 105 km; Czechia 241 km; Hungary 627 km; Poland 517 km; Ukraine 97 km
- total
- 1,587 km
Land use
- agricultural land
- 38% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 27.2% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 10.4% (2023 est.)
- forest
- 40.3% (2023 est.)
- other
- 21.4% (2023 est.)
Location
Central Europe, south of Poland
Major rivers (by length in km)
Dunaj (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
- Atlantic Ocean drainage
- (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
flooding
Natural resources
lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border
Terrain
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
People and Society
Age structure
- 0-14 years
- 15.3% (male 444,033/female 408,902)
- 15-64 years
- 66.5% (male 1,834,359/female 1,867,158)
- 65 years and over
- 18.1% (2024 est.) (male 406,355/female 602,842)
Alcohol consumption per capita
- beer
- 4.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits
- 4.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- total
- 10.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine
- 2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
9.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
49.2% (2023 est.)
Death rate
11.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios
- elderly dependency ratio
- 27.3 (2024 est.)
- potential support ratio
- 3.7 (2024 est.)
- total dependency ratio
- 50.3 (2024 est.)
- youth dependency ratio
- 23 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
- improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: total
- total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: urban
- urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: total
- total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 11% national budget (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Slovak 83.8%, Hungarian 7.8%, Romani 1.2%, other 1.8% (includes Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish), unspecified 5.4% (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.77 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 7.8% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 14.6% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
5.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- female
- 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- male
- 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- total
- 5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Languages
- Languages
- Slovak (official) 81.8%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 1.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)
- major-language sample(s)
- Svetova Kniha Faktov, nenahraditelny zdroj zakladnej informacie. (Slovak) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
- female
- 81 years
- male
- 73.7 years
- total population
- 77.2 years (2024 est.)
Major urban areas - population
441,000 BRATISLAVA (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age
- female
- 44.4 years
- male
- 41.3 years
- total
- 43.1 years (2025 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
27.2 years (2020 est.)
Nationality
- adjective
- Slovak
- noun
- Slovak(s)
Net migration rate
0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
20.5% (2016)
Physician density
3.7 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Population
- female
- 2,878,902
- male
- 2,684,747
- total
- 5,563,649 (2024 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.07% (2025 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 55.8%, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession 5.3%, Greek Catholic 4%, Reformed Christian 1.6%, other 3%, none 23.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
- improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: total
- total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- improved: urban
- urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: total
- total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- female
- 16 years (2023 est.)
- male
- 15 years (2023 est.)
- total
- 15 years (2023 est.)
Sex ratio
- 0-14 years
- 1.09 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years
- 0.98 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over
- 0.67 male(s)/female
- at birth
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- total population
- 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
- female
- 26.3% (2025 est.)
- male
- 34.5% (2025 est.)
- total
- 30.3% (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.6 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- rate of urbanization
- 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- urban population
- 54% of total population (2023)
Government
Administrative divisions
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina
Capital
- daylight saving time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- etymology
- the meaning is unclear but has medieval Slavic origins; the name was adopted in 1919 after Czechoslovakia gained its independence, replacing the name Prešporok
- geographic coordinates
- 48 09 N, 17 07 E
- name
- Bratislava
- time difference
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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
Constitution
- amendment process
- proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members
- history
- several previous (pre-independence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992
Country name
- conventional long form
- Slovak Republic
- conventional short form
- Slovakia
- etymology
- the country takes its name from the local Slav ethnic group; the origin of the group's name is unclear, although early forms were used in Medieval Latin (Sclavus) and Byzantine Greek (Sklabos)
- local long form
- Slovenska republika
- local short form
- Slovensko
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission
- Ambassador Gautam A. RANA (since 28 September 2022)
- email address and website
- consulbratislava@state.gov https://sk.usembassy.gov/
- embassy
- P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
- FAX
- [421] (2) 5441-8861
- mailing address
- 5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC 20521-5840
- telephone
- [421] (2) 5443-3338
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chancery
- 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
- chief of mission
- Ambassador Andrej DROBA (since 16 December 2025)
- consulate(s) general
- New York
- email address and website
- emb.washington@mzv.sk https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en
- FAX
- [1] (202) 237-6438
- telephone
- [1] (202) 237-1054
Executive branch
- cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
- chief of state
- President Peter PELLEGRINI (since 15 June 2024)
- election results
- 2024: Peter PELLEGRINI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in second round Peter PELLEGRINI 53.1%; Ivan KORCOK 46.9%; percent of vote in first round - Ivan KORCOK (independent) 42.5%; Peter PELLEGRINI (Hlas-SD) 37%; Stefan HARABIN (independent) 11.7%, other 8.8%; 2019: Zuzana CAPUTOVA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6%
- election/appointment process
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following National Council elections, the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council
- expected date of next election
- 2029
- head of government
- Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 25 October 2023)
- most recent election date
- 23 March 2024, with a runoff on 6 April 2024
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red; the national coat of arms (a red shield bordered in white, with a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius on top of three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset to the left meaning: white, blue, and red are the pan-Slav colors
Government type
parliamentary republic
Independence
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial branch
- highest court(s)
- 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
Legal system
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes
Legislative branch
- chamber name
- National Council (Národná rada)
- electoral system
- proportional representation
- expected date of next election
- September 2027
- legislative structure
- unicameral
- legislature name
- National Council (Narodna rada Slovenskej republiky)
- most recent election date
- 9/30/2023
- number of seats
- 150 (all directly elected)
- parties elected and seats per party
- Smer - Social Democracy (Smer-SD) (42); Progressive Slovakia (PS) (32); Hlas (“Voice”) - SD (27); Coalition OĽaNO and Friends, 'For the People' and 'Christian Union' (16); Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) (12); Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) (11); Slovak National Party (SNS) (10)
- percentage of women in chamber
- 23.3%
- scope of elections
- full renewal
- term in office
- 4 years
National anthem(s)
- history
- adopted 1993; music based on an 1843 Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" (She Was Digging a Well)
- lyrics/music
- Janko MATUSKA/traditional
- title
- "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Storm Over the Tatras)
National color(s)
white, blue, red
National heritage
- selected World Heritage Site locales
- Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica (c); Levoča, Spišský Hrad, and the Associated Cultural Monuments (c); Vlkolínec (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Bardejov Town (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathians (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Danube Limes (Western Segment) (c)
- total World Heritage Sites
- 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)
National holiday
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
National symbol(s)
double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) over three peaks
Political parties
Direction - Social Democracy or SMER-SD Freedom and Solidarity or SaS Progressive Slovakia or PS Republic Slovakia The Slovak National Party or SNS The Christian Democratic Movement or KDH Voice - Social Democracy or HLAS-SD
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agricultural products
wheat, sugar beets, maize, milk, barley, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, potatoes, soybeans, pork (2023)
Average household expenditures
- on alcohol and tobacco
- 4.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on food
- 19.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Budget
- expenditures
- $46.056 billion (2022 est.)
- revenues
- $43.882 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance
- Current account balance 2022
- -$11.126 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$1.169 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$3.895 billion (2024 est.)
Economic overview
high-income EU and eurozone economy; manufacturing and exports led by automotive sector; growth supported by private consumption and public investment from EU funds, tempered by trade risks; increased taxes and withdrawal of energy subsidies contributing to rising but manageable inflation; strong labor demand and influx of foreign labor offsets aging workforce
Exchange rates
- Currency
- euros (EUR) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 0.876 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 0.845 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 0.95 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 0.925 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 0.924 (2024 est.)
Exports
- Exports 2022
- $114.519 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $122.04 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $120.355 billion (2024 est.)
Exports - commodities
cars, vehicle parts/accessories, video displays, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum (2023)
Exports - partners
Germany 20%, Czechia 10%, Hungary 7%, USA 6%, Poland 6% (2023)
GDP - composition, by end use
- exports of goods and services
- 91.3% (2023 est.)
- government consumption
- 20% (2023 est.)
- household consumption
- 58.4% (2023 est.)
- imports of goods and services
- -89.8% (2023 est.)
- investment in fixed capital
- 21.1% (2023 est.)
- investment in inventories
- -1.3% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture
- 2% (2024 est.)
- industry
- 28.5% (2024 est.)
- services
- 60% (2024 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$141.776 billion (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
- Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
- 24.1 (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
- highest 10%
- 18.2% (2022 est.)
- lowest 10%
- 2.8% (2022 est.)
Imports
- Imports 2022
- $121.473 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $119.739 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $120.29 billion (2024 est.)
Imports - commodities
vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, cars, plastic products, insulated wire (2023)
Imports - partners
Germany 16%, Czechia 14%, Poland 8%, China 7%, Hungary 6% (2023)
Industrial production growth rate
0.3% (2024 est.)
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
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 12.8% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 10.5% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 2.8% (2024 est.)
Labor force
2.779 million (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
13.7% (2021 est.)
Public debt
- Public debt 2022
- 64.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $209.794 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $214.343 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $218.762 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 0.4% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 2.2% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 2.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $38,600 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $39,500 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $40,300 (2024 est.)
Remittances
- Remittances 2022
- 2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 1.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $10.28 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $11.288 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $14.452 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
19.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 6.2% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 5.9% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 5.3% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- female
- 15% (2024 est.)
- male
- 20.1% (2024 est.)
- total
- 18.2% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
- consumption
- 6.066 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- exports
- 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports
- 3.658 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- production
- 2.315 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- proven reserves
- 19 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity
- consumption
- 24.18 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- exports
- 14.078 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- imports
- 10.671 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- installed generating capacity
- 8.138 million kW (2023 est.)
- transmission/distribution losses
- 1.233 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
- electrification - total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
- biomass and waste
- 5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- fossil fuels
- 14.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- hydroelectricity
- 13.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- nuclear
- 63.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- solar
- 2.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 127.582 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas
- consumption
- 4.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- imports
- 4.56 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- production
- 46.585 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- proven reserves
- 14.158 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear energy
- Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
- 2.3GW (2025 est.)
- Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
- 3 (2025)
- Number of nuclear reactors under construction
- 1 (2025)
- Number of operational nuclear reactors
- 5 (2025)
- Percent of total electricity production
- 61.3% (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- crude oil estimated reserves
- 9 million barrels (2021 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption
- 90,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
- total petroleum production
- 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 33 (2023 est.)
- total
- 1.83 million (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), has 2 national TV stations; roughly 50 privately owned national, regional, and local TV stations; about 40% of households connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; multiple RTVS national and regional radio networks; 32 privately owned radio stations
Internet country code
.sk
Internet users
- percent of population
- 90% (2024 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 9 (2023 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 505,000 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 132 (2022 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 7.63 million (2023 est.)
Transportation
Airports
116 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
OM
Heliports
2 (2025)
Railways
- total
- 3,627 km (2020) 1,585 km electrified
Military and Security
Military - note
the Slovak military is responsible for external defense and fulfilling Slovakia’s commitments to European and international security; Slovakia has been a member of both the EU and NATO since 2004; a key focus of the Slovak military is fulfilling the country’s security responsibilities to NATO, including modernizing and acquiring NATO-compatible equipment, participating in training exercises, and providing forces for security missions such as NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic States; since 2022, Slovakia has hosted a multinational NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the NATO effort to boost the defenses of Eastern Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Slovakia also contributes to EU and UN peacekeeping missions the Slovak Air Force has only a handful of fighter aircraft and is assisted by NATO’s air policing mission over Slovakia, which includes fighter aircraft from Czechia and Poland; in 2022, Slovakia signed a defense agreement with the US that allows the US to use two Slovak military air bases (2025)
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Ground Forces (Slovenské Pozemné Sily), Air Forces (Slovenské Vzdušné Sily), Special Operations Forces (Sily Pre Speciálne Operácie) Ministry of Interior: Slovak Police Force (SPF or Policajný Zbor) (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 17,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)
Military deployments
200 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 150 Latvia (NATO) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory is a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more modern/NATO-compatible armaments from suppliers such as Germany and the US (2025)
Military expenditures
- Military Expenditures 2021
- 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2022
- 1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2023
- 1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2024
- 2% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2025
- 2% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military service age and obligation
minimum age is 18 for voluntary service for men and women; citizens 18-65 can volunteer for the military reserves (2026)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees
- 144,349 (2024 est.)
- stateless persons
- 65 (2024 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions
- from coal and metallurgical coke
- 9.607 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas
- 8.368 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids
- 12.112 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- total emissions
- 30.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environmental issues
air pollution and acid rain; land erosion from agricultural and mining practices; water pollution
Geoparks
- global geoparks and regional networks
- Novohrad-Nógrád (includes Hungary) (2023)
- total global geoparks and regional networks
- 1
International environmental agreements
- party to
- Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified
- Antarctic-Environmental Protection
Particulate matter emissions
16.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
50.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- agricultural
- 32.851 million cubic meters (2022)
- industrial
- 224.562 million cubic meters (2022)
- municipal
- 306.21 million cubic meters (2022)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually
- 2.296 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 13.2% (2022 est.)