"text":"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."
"text":"air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests"
},
"Environment - international agreements":{
"party to":{
"text":"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":{
"text":"none of the selected agreements"
}
},
"Geography - note":{
"text":"landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys"
}
},
"People and Society":{
"Nationality":{
"noun":{
"text":"Slovak(s)"
},
"adjective":{
"text":"Slovak"
}
},
"Ethnic groups":{
"text":"Slovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 2%, other and unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)"
},
"Languages":{
"text":"Slovak (official) 78.6%, Hungarian 9.4%, Roma 2.3%, Ruthenian 1%, other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)"
},
"Religions":{
"text":"Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4% (2011 est.)"
"text":"1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)"
},
"National holiday":{
"text":"Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)"
},
"Constitution":{
"text":"several previous (preindependence); latest passed by National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992; amended several times, last in 2009; note - amendments relating to same sex marriages were passed by the National Council in 2014 but failed to meet the required percentage of voters in a February 2015 referendum (2015)"
},
"Legal system":{
"text":"civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe"
},
"International law organization participation":{
"text":"accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
"text":"President Andrej KISKA (since 15 June 2014)"
},
"head of government":{
"text":"Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 April 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Robert KALINAK, Peter KAZIMIR, Miroslav LAJCAK (since 4 April 2012), Lubomir VAZNY (since 26 November 2012)"
},
"cabinet":{
"text":"Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister"
},
"elections/appointments":{
"text":"president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held in 2 rounds on 15 and 29 March 2014 (next to be held in March 2019); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president"
},
"election results":{
"text":"Andrej KISKA elected president; percent of vote in second round - Andrej KISKA (independent) 59.4%, Robert FICO (Smer-SD) 40.6%"
}
},
"Legislative branch":{
"description":{
"text":"unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)"
"text":"percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 44.4%, KDH 8.8%, OLaNO 8.6%, Most-Hid 6.9%, SDKU-DS 6.1%, SaS 5.9%, other 19.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 83, KDH 16, OLaNO 16, Most-Hid 13, SDKU-DS 11, SaS 11"
}
},
"Judicial branch":{
"highest court(s)":{
"text":"Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 84 judges - as of 2015 - organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels; Constitutional Court (consists of 13 judges)"
},
"judge selection and term of office":{
"text":"Supreme Court judge candidates proposed by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, a 17-member independent body to include the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential and governmental appointees; judges appointed by the president for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges appointed for 12-year terms"
},
"subordinate courts":{
"text":"regional and district civil courts; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit"
}
},
"Political parties and leaders":{
"parties in the Parliament":{
"text":" ++ Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Jan FIGEL] ++ Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO] ++ Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK] ++ Most-Hid or Bridge [Bela BUGAR] ++ Ordinary People and Independent Personalities or OLaNO [Igor MATOVIC] ++ Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or SDKU-DS [Pavol FRESO]"
},
"selected parties outside the Parliament":{
"text":" ++ Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Ondrej DOSTAL] ++ Nation and Justice - Our Party or NAS [Anna BELOUSOVOVA] ++ Network or Siet [Radoslav PROCHAZKA] ++ New Majority or NOVA [Daniel LIPSIC] ++ Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef BERENYI] ++ People's Party - Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA] ++ Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO]"
}
},
"Political pressure groups and leaders":{
"text":"Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS ++ Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ ++ Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS ++ Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic or AZZZ ++ Medical Trade Association or LOZ ++ National Union of Employers or RUZ ++ Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK ++ The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS"
"text":"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":{
"text":"the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia"
}
},
"National symbol(s)":{
"text":"double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white, blue, red"
},
"National anthem":{
"name":{
"text":"\"Nad Tatrou sa blyska\" (Lightning Over the Tatras)"
},
"lyrics/music":{
"text":"Janko MATUSKA/traditional"
},
"note":{
"text":"adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song \"Kopala studienku\""
}
}
},
"Economy":{
"Economy - overview":{
"text":"Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy, with exports, at about 92% of GDP, serving as the main driver of GDP growth. Slovakia joined the European Union (EU) in 2004 and the Eurozone in 2009. The country’s banking sector is sound. Slovakia has led the region garnering FDI, because of its relatively low-cost, highly-skilled labor force, reasonable tax rates, and favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. However, recent increases in corporate taxes, as well as changes to the Labor Code, slow dispute resolution, and ongoing corruption potentially threaten the attractiveness of the Slovak market. Moreover, the energy sector is characterized by high costs, unpredictable regulatory oversight, and growing government interference."
"text":"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"
},
"Industrial production growth rate":{
"text":"3.2% (2014 est.)"
},
"Labor force":{
"text":"2.363 million (2014 est.)"
},
"Labor force - by occupation":{
"agriculture":{
"text":"3.5%"
},
"industry":{
"text":"25.9%"
},
"services":{
"text":"70.6% (2014)"
}
},
"Unemployment rate":{
"text":"13.2% (2014 est.) ++ 14.2% (2013 est.)"
},
"Population below poverty line":{
"text":"20.5% (2012 est.)"
},
"Household income or consumption by percentage share":{
"lowest 10%":{
"text":"4.4%"
},
"highest 10%":{
"text":"26% (2013 est.)"
}
},
"Distribution of family income - Gini index":{
"text":"25.3 (2012) ++ 25.7 (2011)"
},
"Budget":{
"revenues":{
"text":"$36.45 billion"
},
"expenditures":{
"text":"$39.36 billion (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Taxes and other revenues":{
"text":"36.5% of GDP (2014 est.)"
},
"Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)":{
"text":"-2.9% of GDP (2014 est.)"
},
"Public debt":{
"text":"54.1% of GDP (2014 est.) ++ 54.6% of GDP (2013 est.)",
"note":{
"text":"data cover general Government Gross Debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds."
}
},
"Fiscal year":{
"text":"calendar year"
},
"Inflation rate (consumer prices)":{
"text":"-0.1% (2014 est.) ++ 1.5% (2013 est.)"
},
"Central bank discount rate":{
"text":"0.3% (10 September 2014) ++ 0.75% (13 November 2013)",
"note":{
"text":"this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the euro area; Slovakia became a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2009"
}
},
"Commercial bank prime lending rate":{
"text":"3.2% (31 December 2014 est.) ++ 3.34% (31 December 2013 est.)"
},
"Stock of narrow money":{
"text":"$45.57 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $42.37 billion (31 December 2013 est.)",
"note":{
"text":"see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders"
}
},
"Stock of broad money":{
"text":"$64.13 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $62.69 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
},
"Stock of domestic credit":{
"text":"$53.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $72.07 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
},
"Market value of publicly traded shares":{
"text":"$5.172 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $4.04 billion (31 December 2013) ++ $4.611 billion (31 December 2012 est.)"
},
"Current account balance":{
"text":"$58.62 million (2014 est.) ++ $1.402 billion (2013 est.)"
"text":"vehicles and related parts 25%, machinery and electrical equipment 21%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, iron and steel 5%, mineral oils and fuels 5% (2014 est.)"
},
"Exports - partners":{
"text":"Germany 23.3%, Czech Republic 13.6%, Poland 8.8%, Hungary 6.6%, Austria 6.5%, UK 5.4%, France 5.2%, Italy 4.8% (2014)"
"text":"machinery and electrical equipment 19%, vehicles and related parts 13%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, fuel and mineral oils 11% (2014 est.)"
},
"Imports - partners":{
"text":"Germany 19%, Czech Republic 16.9%, Austria 9.3%, Russia 7.9%, Poland 6.2%, Hungary 6.2%, South Korea 4.2%, China 4% (2014)"
},
"Reserves of foreign exchange and gold":{
"text":"$2.878 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $1.176 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
"Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy":{
"text":"29.27 million Mt (2012 est.)"
}
},
"Communications":{
"Telephones - fixed lines":{
"total subscriptions":{
"text":"920,000"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"17 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephones - mobile cellular":{
"total":{
"text":"6.4 million"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"117 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephone system":{
"general assessment":{
"text":"a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth of cellular services"
},
"domestic":{
"text":"analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services"
},
"international":{
"text":"country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services (2011)"
}
},
"Broadcast media":{
"text":"state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), operates 3 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 35 privately owned TV stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 40% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; more than 20 privately owned radio stations (2008)"
},
"Radio broadcast stations":{
"text":"AM 1, FM 22, shortwave 1 (2008)"
},
"Television broadcast stations":{
"text":"37 (2008)"
},
"Internet country code":{
"text":".sk"
},
"Internet users":{
"total":{
"text":"4.5 million"
},
"percent of population":{
"text":"82.7% (2014 est.)"
}
}
},
"Transportation":{
"Airports":{
"text":"35 (2013)"
},
"Airports - with paved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"21"
},
"over 3,047 m":{
"text":"2"
},
"2,438 to 3,047 m":{
"text":"2"
},
"1,524 to 2,437 m":{
"text":"3"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"3"
},
"under 914 m":{
"text":"11 (2013)"
}
},
"Airports - with unpaved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"14"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"9"
},
"under 914 m":{
"text":" ++ 5 (2013)"
}
},
"Heliports":{
"text":"1 (2013)"
},
"Pipelines":{
"text":"gas 6,774 km; oil 419 km (2013)"
},
"Railways":{
"total":{
"text":"3,624 km"
},
"broad gauge":{
"text":"99 km 1.520-m gauge"
},
"standard gauge":{
"text":"3,475 km 1.435-m gauge (1,616 km electrified)"
},
"narrow gauge":{
"text":"50 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2014)"
}
},
"Roadways":{
"total":{
"text":"54,869 km (includes local roads, national roads, and 420 km of highways) (2012)"
"text":"Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2010)"
},
"Military service age and obligation":{
"text":"18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2012)"
},
"Manpower available for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"1,405,310"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"1,369,897 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower fit for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"1,156,113"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"1,139,380 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually":{
"male":{
"text":"31,646"
},
"female":{
"text":"30,219 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Military expenditures":{
"text":"1.02% of GDP (2014) ++ 1% of GDP (2013) ++ 1.12% of GDP (2012) ++ 1.1% of GDP (2011) ++ 1.12% of GDP (2010)"
}
},
"Transnational Issues":{
"Disputes - international":{
"text":"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 has implemented the strict Schengen border rules"
},
"Refugees and internally displaced persons":{
"stateless persons":{
"text":"1,523 (2014)"
}
},
"Illicit drugs":{
"text":"transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy"
