Data at glance of Slovak Republic - average on period

History

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.

Environment

Area: 49,035 sq km km2

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Natural resources: lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Ethnic characteristics

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.)

Languages: Slovak (official) 81.8%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 1.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 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.)

Government

Capital: Bratislava

Government type: parliamentary republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Peter PELLEGRINI (since 15 June 2024)

Head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 25 October 2023)

Legislative branch

Description: National Council (Narodna rada Slovenskej republiky) - unicameral

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

GDP by sector: Agriculture: 2% (2024 est.), Industry: 28.5% (2024 est.), Services: 60% (2024 est.)

Trade

Export partners: Germany 20%, Czechia 10%, Hungary 7%, USA 6%, Poland 6% (2023)

Export commodities: cars, vehicle parts/accessories, video displays, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum (2023)

Import partners: Germany 16%, Czechia 14%, Poland 8%, China 7%, Hungary 6% (2023)

Import commodities: vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, cars, plastic products, insulated wire (2023)

Geography

Central Europe, south of Poland

Defence

Military expenditure: 2025: 2% of GDP (2025 est.)