SLOVAKIA, a brief
introduction
Slovakia, landlocked republic in central Europe, bounded on the northwest by the Czech Republic, on the north by Poland, on the east by Ukraine, on the south by Hungary, and on the southwest by Austria. Slovakia existed as part of Hungary from the beginning of the 10th century until 1918, when it united with the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia, in addition to a small part of Silesia, to form Czechoslovakia.
In 1939, shortly before the start of World War II, Slovakia declared its independence under pressure from German dictator Adolf Hitler, but in 1945 it was reunited with the rest of Czechoslovakia. From 1948 until 1989 Czechoslovakia was ruled by a Soviet-style Communist regime. In 1993 the country broke apart, and Slovakia and the Czech Republic became independent.
In October 1993 Slovakia became an associate member of the European Union (EU). In December 2002 the EU invited Slovakia to become a full member. Slovakia and nine other countries formally joined the EU in May 2004, during the organization’s second round of expansion.
♦ Official name: Slovak Republic ♦ Form
of
government: Parliamentary democracy ♦ Constitution:
1 January 1993, amended 1999 and 2001 ♦ Voting qualification:
universal at age 18
♦ Capital: Bratislava ♦ Other cities: Košice, Prešov, Nitra, Žilina ♦ Area: 49,035 sq km ♦ Population: 5,423,567; growth rate 0.14%; density 111 persons per sq km ; urban 58%, rural 42% (2004 estimate) ♦ Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%; Hungarian Magyar 10.7%; Roman Gypsy 1.5%; Czech 1.0%; Others 1.1% ♦ Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic 68%; Protestant 11%; Atheist 4%; Non-religious 11%; Others 6% ♦ Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian, Romani, Ukranian, Czech, Germany.
♦ Life expectancy (2004 estimation): female 78.4 years, male 74.2 years ♦ Infant mortality: 8 death per 1.000 live birth ♦ Years of compulsary education: 10 ♦ Education expenditure as a share of GNP (2000-2001): 4.2%
♦ Gross Domestic Products (2002): USD 23.7 billion ♦ GDP per capita: USD 4,400 ♦ GDP per sector: Services 66.7%; Industry 29.2%; Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.2% ♦ Number of labour force: 2,955,233 ♦ Unemployment rate: 18.6% ♦ National budget (2001): Revenue USD 6.8 million, Expenditure USD 8.0 million ♦ Currency: Slovak koruna (Sk) ♦ Major trade partners: Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Austria, Italy ♦
Slovakia, landlocked republic in central Europe, bounded on the northwest by the Czech Republic, on the north by Poland, on the east by Ukraine, on the south by Hungary, and on the southwest by Austria. Slovakia existed as part of Hungary from the beginning of the 10th century until 1918, when it united with the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia, in addition to a small part of Silesia, to form Czechoslovakia.
In 1939, shortly before the start of World War II, Slovakia declared its independence under pressure from German dictator Adolf Hitler, but in 1945 it was reunited with the rest of Czechoslovakia. From 1948 until 1989 Czechoslovakia was ruled by a Soviet-style Communist regime. In 1993 the country broke apart, and Slovakia and the Czech Republic became independent.
In October 1993 Slovakia became an associate member of the European Union (EU). In December 2002 the EU invited Slovakia to become a full member. Slovakia and nine other countries formally joined the EU in May 2004, during the organization’s second round of expansion.
♦ Official name: Slovak Republic ♦ Form
of
government: Parliamentary democracy ♦ Constitution:
1 January 1993, amended 1999 and 2001 ♦ Voting qualification:
universal at age 18♦ Capital: Bratislava ♦ Other cities: Košice, Prešov, Nitra, Žilina ♦ Area: 49,035 sq km ♦ Population: 5,423,567; growth rate 0.14%; density 111 persons per sq km ; urban 58%, rural 42% (2004 estimate) ♦ Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%; Hungarian Magyar 10.7%; Roman Gypsy 1.5%; Czech 1.0%; Others 1.1% ♦ Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic 68%; Protestant 11%; Atheist 4%; Non-religious 11%; Others 6% ♦ Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian, Romani, Ukranian, Czech, Germany.
♦ Life expectancy (2004 estimation): female 78.4 years, male 74.2 years ♦ Infant mortality: 8 death per 1.000 live birth ♦ Years of compulsary education: 10 ♦ Education expenditure as a share of GNP (2000-2001): 4.2%
♦ Gross Domestic Products (2002): USD 23.7 billion ♦ GDP per capita: USD 4,400 ♦ GDP per sector: Services 66.7%; Industry 29.2%; Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.2% ♦ Number of labour force: 2,955,233 ♦ Unemployment rate: 18.6% ♦ National budget (2001): Revenue USD 6.8 million, Expenditure USD 8.0 million ♦ Currency: Slovak koruna (Sk) ♦ Major trade partners: Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Austria, Italy ♦