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Slovakia Country Guide
Explore Slovakia in Europe
Slovakia with the capital city Bratislava is located in Europe (Central Europe, south of Poland). It covers some 48,845 square kilometres (about twice the size of New Hampshire) with 5,455,000 citizens.
The topography includes rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south. The average density of population is approximately 112 per km². The notable climate conditions in Slovakia can be described as temperate with cool summers and cold, cloudy, humid winters. Possible natural disasters include NA.
To reach someone in Slovakia dial +421 prior to a number. There are 1,022,000 installed telephones. And there are 5,498,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900/1800/3G MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".sk". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 230V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Slovakia
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 note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia.
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.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Europe Neighbours: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Austria Capital: Bratislava |
| Size | 48,845 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 18,859 square miles (mi² or sqmi) about twice the size of New Hampshire |
| Population | 5,455,000 |
| Currency | Name Koruna, Currency Code:SKK |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .sk |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +421 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 5,498,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 1,022,000 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 49,035 (sq km) | 131 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,488,339 | 113 |
| Population growth rate | 0.09 (%) | 184 |
| Birth rate | 10.27 (births/1,000 population) | 189 |
| Death rate | 9.69 (deaths/1,000 population) | 55 |
| Net migration rate | 0.29 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 71 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 6.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 171 |
| Infant mortality rate | 6.35 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 168 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.24 (years) | 80 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.39 (children born/woman) | 207 |
| Health expenditures | 8.80 (% of GDP) | 47 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.10 (%) | 143 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 500 | 150 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 100 | 139 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 25.40 (%) | 54 |
| Education expenditures | 4.10 (% of GDP) | 109 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 33.20 (%) | 19 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 134,100,000,000 | 65 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.00 (%) | 135 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 24,600 | 64 |
| Labor force | 2,724,000 | 107 |
| Unemployment rate | 12.80 (%) | 132 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 26.00 | 129 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 22.20 (% of GDP) | 69 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 34.10 (% of GDP) | 66 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -4.90 (% of GDP) | 156 |
| Public debt | 48.60 (% of GDP) | 66 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.60 (%) | 99 |
| Central bank discount rate | 1.75 (%) | 129 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 3.70 (%) | 172 |
| Stock of narrow money | 35,310,000,000 | 55 |
| Stock of broad money | 52,730,000,000 | 67 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 63,870,000,000 | 61 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 4,150,000,000 | 87 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 6.90 (%) | 42 |
| Current account balance | 535,200,000 | 45 |
| Exports | 77,820,000,000 | 47 |
| Imports | 74,290,000,000 | 41 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 2,676,000,000 | 112 |
| Debt - external | 68,440,000,000 | 53 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | 53,090,000,000 | 53 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | 4,309,000,000 | 64 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 27,700,000,000 (kWh) | 68 |
| Electricity - consumption | 28,760,000,000 (kWh) | 64 |
| Electricity - exports | 10,500,000,000 (kWh) | 20 |
| Electricity - imports | 10,900,000,000 (kWh) | 19 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 7,155,000 (kW) | 66 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 37.10 (% of total installed capacity) | 174 |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 25.40 (% of total installed capacity) | 4 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 22.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 86 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 2.70 (% of total installed capacity) | 49 |
| Crude oil - production | 5,781 (bbl/day) | 88 |
| Crude oil - exports | 300 (bbl/day) | 69 |
| Crude oil - imports | 114,100 (bbl/day) | 47 |
| Crude oil - proved reserves | 9,000,000 (bbl) | 94 |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 136,100 (bbl/day) | 68 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 83,910 (bbl/day) | 84 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 78,640 (bbl/day) | 46 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 25,630 (bbl/day) | 93 |
| Natural gas - production | 116,000,000 (cu m) | 79 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 6,468,000,000 (cu m) | 56 |
| Natural gas - exports | 7,000,000 (cu m) | 50 |
| Natural gas - imports | 6,743,000,000 (cu m) | 32 |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 14,160,000,000 (cu m) | 79 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 34,540,000 (Mt) | 74 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 1,056,000 | 75 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,983,000 | 99 |
| Internet hosts | 1,384,000 | 41 |
| Internet users | 4,063,000 | 58 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 37 | 108 |
| Railways | 3,622 (km) | 48 |
| Roadways | 43,761 (km) | 83 |
| Waterways | 172 (km) | 100 |
| Merchant marine | 11 | 111 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 1.08 (% of GDP) | 123 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve Bardejov is a small but exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a fortified medieval town, which typifies the urbanisation in this region. Among other remarkable features, it also contains a small Jewish quarter around a fine 18th-centur ... | 2000 |
| Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity Over the centuries, the town of Banská Štiavnica was visited by many outstanding engineers and scientists who contributed to its fame. The old medieval mining centre grew into a town with Renaissance palaces, 16th-century churches, elegant squares an ... | 1993 |
| Levoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments Spišský Hrad has one of the largest ensembles of 13th and 14th century military, political and religious buildings in eastern Europe, and its Romanesque and Gothic architecture has remained remarkably intact. ... | 1993 |
| Vlkolínec Vlkolínec, situated in the centre of Slovakia, is a remarkably intact settlement of 45 buildings with the traditional features of a central European village. It is the region’s most complete group of these kinds of traditional log houses, often found ... | 1993 |
| Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain Area The Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of Carpathian Mountain Area inscribed on the World Heritage List consist of two Roman Catholic, three Protestant and three Greek Orthodox churches built between the 16th and 18th centuries. The property presents ... | 2008 |