Slovakia

parliamentary democracyIndependence 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

Slovakia as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 fields, one of 33 editions from 1993 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBratislava
LocationCentral Europe, between Hungary and Poland
1994

Every edition of Slovakia

Populationas each edition published it
5.4 million July 1994 est. · 5.38m in 1993
Population growth% a year
0.53% 1994 est. · 0.51% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 35 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 72.39 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.96 children per woman 1994 est. · 1.99 in 1993
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
10.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 10.8 in 1993
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$5,800 1993 est. · $6,100 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-5% 1993 est. · -7% in 1993

Geography

Central Europe, between Hungary and Poland

22 fields
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Land boundaries
1,355km
total · Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km

Location

Central Europe, between Hungary and Poland

Map references

Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

48,845 sq km

land area

48,800 sq km

comparative area

about twice the size of New Hampshire

International disputes

Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary; unresolved property issues with Czech Republic over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property

Climate

  • temperate;
  • cool summers;
  • cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain

rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south

Natural resources

  • brown coal and lignite;
  • small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore;
  • salt

arable land

NA%

permanent crops

NA%

meadows and pastures

NA%

forest and woodland

NA%

other

NA%

current issues

acid rain damaging forests

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

  • party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Antarctic Treaty, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
  • signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Climate Change

Note

landlocked

People

20 fields
Population
5,403,505
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 0.53% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
14.55Death
9.28Net migration
0

Religions

Roman Catholic 60.3%atheist 9.7%Protestant 8.4%Orthodox 4.1%other 17.5%
Labor force
2.484million

Infant mortality rate

10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

72.81 years

male

68.66 years

female

77.2 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.96 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Slovak(s)

adjective

Slovak

Ethnic divisions

Slovak 85.6%, Hungarian 10.8%, Gypsy 1.5% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which could reach 500,000 or more), Czech 1.1%, Ruthenian 15,000, Ukrainian 13,000, Moravian 6,000, German 5,000, Polish 3,000

Languages

Slovak (official), Hungarian

total population

NA%

male

NA%

female

NA%

by occupation

industry 33.2%, agriculture 12.2%, construction 10.3%, communication and other 44.3% (1990)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

32 fields

Legislature, 150 seatsone dot, one seat

Movement for a Democratic Slovakia 55Party of the Democratic Left 28Christian Democratic Movement 18Slovak National Party 9Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement/Coexistence 14Democratic Union of Slovakia 16independents 5

conventional long form

Slovak Republic

conventional short form

Slovakia

local long form

Slovenska Republika

local short form

Slovensko

Type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Bratislava

Administrative divisions

4 departments (kraje, singular - Kraj) Bratislava, Zapadoslovensky, Stredoslovensky, Vychodoslovensky

Independence

1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

National holiday

Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, August 29 (1944)

Constitution

ratified 1 September 1992; fully effective 1 January 1993

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

  • President Michal KOVAC (since 8 February 1993);
  • election last held 8 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1998);
  • results - Michal KOVAC elected by the National Council

head of government

Prime Minister Jozef MORAVCIK (since 16 March 1994)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

National Council (Narodni Rada)

  • elections last held 5-6 June 1992 (next to be held 31 September-1October 1994);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (150 total) Movement for a Democratic Slovakia 55, Party of the Democratic Left 28, Christian Democratic Movement 18, Slovak National Party 9, National Democratic Party 5, Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement/Coexistence 14, Democratic Union of Slovakia 16, independents 5

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, Vladimir MECIAR, chairman;
  • Party of the Democratic Left, Peter WEISS, chairman;
  • Christian Democratic Movement, Jan CARNOGURSKY;
  • Slovak National Party, Jan SLOTA, chairman;
  • Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement, Vojtech BUGAR;
  • National Democratic Party - New Alternative, Ludovit CERNAK, chairman;
  • Democratic Union of Slovakia, Jozef MORAVCIK, chairman;
  • Coexistence Movement, Miklos DURAY, chairman

Other political or pressure groups

  • Green Party;
  • Social Democratic Party in Slovakia;
  • Freedom Party;
  • Slovak Christian Union;
  • Hungarian Civic Party

Member of

BIS, CCC, CE (guest), CEI, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NACC, NSG, PCA, UN (as of 8 January 1993), UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMUR, UNPROFOR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

chief of mission

Ambassador-designate Bravislav LICHARDUS

chancery

(temporary) Suite 330, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone

(202) 965-5161

FAX

(202) 965-5166

chief of mission

Ambassdor Theodore RUSSELL

embassy

Hviezdoslavovo Namesite 4, 81102 Bratislava

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[42] (7) 330-861

FAX

[42] (7) 335-439

Flag

  • three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side;
  • the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Economy

The dissolution of Czechoslovakia into two independent states - the | Czech Republic and Slovakia - on 1 January 1993 has complicated the | task of moving toward a more open and decentralized economy.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$5,800
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-5%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -13.5% (December 1993 over December 1992)
Unemployment rate
14.4%
(1993 est.)

Overview

The dissolution of Czechoslovakia into two independent states - the Czech Republic and Slovakia - on 1 January 1993 has complicated the task of moving toward a more open and decentralized economy. The old Czechoslovakia, even though highly industrialized by East European standards, suffered from an aging capital plant, lagging technology, and a deficiency in energy and many raw materials.

In January 1991, approximately one year after the end of communist control of Eastern Europe, the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic launched a sweeping program to convert its almost entirely state-owned and controlled economy to a market system. In 1991-92 these measures resulted in privatization of some medium- and small-scale economic activity and the setting of more than 90% of prices by the market - but at a cost in inflation, unemployment, and lower output.

For Czechoslovakia as a whole inflation in 1991 was roughly 50% and output fell 15%. In 1992 in Slovakia, inflation slowed to an estimated 8.7% and the estimated fall in GDP was a more moderate 7%. In 1993 GDP fell roughly 5%, with the disruptions from the separation from the Czech lands probably accounting for half the decline;

exports to the Czech Republic fell about 35%. Bratislava adopted an austerity program in June and devalued its currency 10% in July. In 1993, inflation rose an estimated 23%, unemployment topped 14%, and the budget deficit exceeded the IMF target of $485 million by over $200 million.

By yearend 1993 Bratislava estimated that 29% of GDP was being produced in the private sector. The forecast for 1994 is gloomy; Bratislava optimistically projects no growth in GDP, 17% unemployment, a $425 million budget deficit, and 12% inflation. At best, if Slovakia stays on track with the IMF, GDP could fall by only 2-3% in 1994 and unemployment could be held under 18%, but a currency devaluation will likely drive inflation above 15%.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $31 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$4.5 billion

expenditures

$5.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exports

$5.13 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

  • machinery and transport equipment;
  • chemicals;
  • fuels, minerals, and metals;
  • agricultural products

partners

Czech Republic, CIS republics, Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Italy, France, US, UK

Imports

$5.95 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

  • machinery and transport equipment;
  • fuels and lubricants;
  • manufactured goods;
  • raw materials;
  • chemicals;
  • agricultural products

partners

Czech Republic, CIS republics, Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Hungary, UK, Italy

External debt

$3.2 billion hard currency indebtedness (31 December 1993)

capacity

6,800,000 kW

production

24 billion kWh

consumption per capita

4,550 kWh (1992)

Industries

brown coal mining, chemicals, metal-working, consumer appliances, fertilizer, plastics, armaments

Agriculture

  • largely self-sufficient in food production;
  • diversified crop and livestock production, including grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit, hogs, cattle, and poultry;
  • exporter of forest products

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe

donor

the former Czechoslovakia was a donor - $4.2 billion in bilateral aid to non-Communist less developed countries (1954-89)

Currency

1 koruna (Sk) = 100 halierov

Exchange rates

  • koruny (Sk) per US$1 - 32.9 (December 1993), 28.59 (December 1992), 28.26 (1992), 29.53 (1991), 17.95 (1990), 15.05 (1989);
  • note - values before 1993 reflect Czechoslovak exchange rate

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

17 fields

Railroads

3,669 km total (1990)

total

17,650 km (1990)

paved

NA

unpaved

NA

Pipelines

petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km

Ports

  • maritime outlets are in Poland (Gdynia, Gdansk, Szczecin), Croatia (Rijeka), Slovenia (Koper), Germany (Hamburg, Rostock);
  • principal river ports are Komarno on the Danube and Bratislava on the Danube

Merchant marine

total 19 (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 309,502 GRT/521,997 DWT, bulk 13, cargo 6

note

most under the flag of Saint Vincent

total

46

usable

32

with permanent-surface runways

7

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

6

with runways 1,060-2,439 m

18

note

a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip

Defense Forces

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units

3 fields
Defense expenditures
8.2billion koruny
NA% of GDP (1993 est.); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Branches

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 1,426,290;
  • fit for military service 1,095,604;
  • reach military age (18) annually 48,695 (1994 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Slovakia.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/slovakia/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →