Slovakia

Slovak RepublicSlovenska Republika

parliamentary democracyIndependence 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

Slovakia as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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
Position48 40 N, 19 30 E
Area48,845 sq km
LocationCentral Europe, south of Poland
1999

Every edition of Slovakia

Populationas each edition published it
5.4 million July 1999 est. · 5.38m in 1993
Population growth% a year
0.04% 1999 est. · 0.51% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 35 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
73.46 years 1999 est. · 72.39 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.2 children per woman 1999 est. · 1.99 in 1993
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
9.48 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 10.8 in 1993
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$8,300 1998 est. · $6,100 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 1998 est. · -7% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

After centuries under foreign rule, mainly by Hungary, the Slovaks joined with their neighbors to form the new nation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989, and Czechoslovakia once more was an independent country turning toward the West. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia has experienced more difficulty than the Czech Republic in developing a modern market economy.

Geography

Central Europe, south of Poland

18 fields

Land useshare of 48,845 sq km

arable land 31%permanent crops 3%permanent pastures 17%forests and woodland 41%other 8% (1993 est.)irrigated 800 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
48,845sq km
land: 48,800 sq kmwater: 45 sq kmabout twice the size of New Hampshire
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Highest point
2,655m
Gerlachovkalowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
Land boundaries
1,355km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km

Location

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates

48 40 N, 19 30 E

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

Environment--current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment--international agreements

party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography--note

landlocked

People

15 fields
Population
5,396,193
(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.04% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth
9.52Death
9.43Net migration
0.29

Ethnic groups

Slovak 85.7%Hungarian 10.7%Gypsy 1.5% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000)Czech 1%Ruthenian 0.3%Ukrainian 0.3%German 0.1%Polish 0.1%other 0.3%

Religions

Roman Catholic 60.3%atheist 9.7%Protestant 8.4%Orthodox 4.1%other 17.5%

Age structure

0-14 years:
20% (male 551,847; female 528,236)
15-64 years:
69% (male 1,837,788; female 1,861,305)
65 years and over:
11% (male 237,710; female 379,307) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.63 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

9.48 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
73.46 years
male:
69.71 years
female:
77.4 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.2 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Slovak(s)
adjective:
Slovak

Languages

Slovak (official), Hungarian

Government

Parliamentary democracy; President (vacant); Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998)

19 fields

Legislature, 150 seats, elected 25-26 September 1998one dot, one seat

-governing coalition (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13) 93opposition (HZDS 43, SNS 14) 57

Country name

conventional long form:
Slovak Republic
conventional short form:
Slovakia
local long form:
Slovenska Republika
local short form:
Slovensko

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Bratislava

Administrative divisions

8 departments (kraje, singular--kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence

1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)

National holiday

Slovak Constitution Day, 1 September (1992); Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, 29 August (1944)

Constitution

ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President (vacant);
  • note--President NOVAC retired at the end of his term;
  • the government has announced its intention to hold direct presidential election in early 1999;
  • in the meantime the prime minister takes over the president's duties
head of government:
Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections:
  • president elected by National Council secret ballot that must yield a three-fifths majority for a five-year term;
  • election last held NA March 1998 but no candidate was able to win a three-fifths majority required by law (next to be held NA 1999);
  • following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results:
presidency vacant

Legislative branch

unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovensky Repubiky (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 25-26 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2003)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party--HZDS 27%, SDK 16.3%, SDL 14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%;
  • seats by party--governing coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are elected by the National Council; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders

  • Movement for a Democratic Slovakia Hungarian Coalition or SMK (includes MKDH, MOS, and Coexistence) LUPTAK, chairman];
  • Social Democratic Party of Slovakia or SSDS chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Party of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen of Slovakia;
  • Christian Social Union;
  • Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ;
  • Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG;
  • Association of Employers of Slovakia;
  • Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate Martin BUTORA
chancery:
(temporary) Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Ralph R. JOHNSON
embassy:
Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address:
use embassy street address

Flag description

  • 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

31 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$8,300
purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)
Real growth rate
5%
(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 2.7% (1997)
Unemployment rate
14%
(1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 4.8%industry 33.4%services 61.8% (1997)

Budget

Revenues
$5.4 billionExpenditures
$6.5 billion (1997)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 35.57%hydro 20.81%nuclear 43.62%other 0%
Electricity production
25.81 billion (1996)Electricity consumption
26.353 billion (1996)Electricity exports
2.607 billion (1996)Electricity imports
3.15 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

Slovakia, continuing the difficult transition from a centrally controlled economy to a modern market-oriented; economy, begins 1999 with clouds on the horizon: GDP growth is slowing sharply; budget and current account deficits are too large; external debt is growing uncomfortably fast; unemployment is high and rising; corrupt insider deals persist; and demand is weakening for Slovakia's key primary goods exports, especially as Russia and Ukraine slump and as EU growth slows. International credit rating agencies have downgraded Slovak debt to below investment grade. The new government intends to address the economy's ills by giving priority to joining the OECD and EU, cutting government wage and infrastructure spending, boosting some taxes and regulated prices, expanding privatization to companies formerly considered strategic, restructuring the financial section, encouraging foreign investment, and reenergizing the social partnership with labor and employers. Government officials believe as long as two years may be needed before its structural reforms improve economic performance. In 1999, the government expects GDP growth to slow from 5% in 1998 to 2%, inflation to rise from 6% to 10%, and unemployment to rise from less than 14% to 15% or 16%, but hopes to bring the budget deficit down to no more than 2% of GDP and the current account deficit down to 5% to 6% of GDP.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$44.5 billion (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
5.1%
highest 10%:
18.2% (1992)

Labor force

3.32 million (1997)

Labor force--by occupation

industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Industries

  • metal and metal products;
  • food and beverages;
  • electricity, gas, coke, oil, and nuclear fuel;
  • chemicals and manmade fibers;
  • machinery;
  • paper and printing;
  • earthenware and ceramics;
  • transport vehicles;
  • textiles;
  • electrical and optical apparatus;
  • rubber products

Agriculture--products

  • grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit;
  • pigs, cattle, poultry;
  • forest products

Exports

$10.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

  • machinery and transport equipment 37%;
  • intermediate manufactured goods 30%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%;
  • chemicals 9%;
  • raw materials 4% (1998)

Exports--partners

EU 56% (Germany 29%), Czech Republic 20%, Austria 7%, Poland 7% (1998)

Imports

$12.9 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

  • machinery and transport equipment 40%;
  • intermediate manufactured goods 18%;
  • fuels 11%;
  • chemicals 11%;
  • miscellaneous manufactured goods 10% (1998)

Imports--partners

EU 50% (Germany 26%), Czech Republic 18%, Russia 10%, Italy 6% (1998)

Debt--external

$10.7 billion (1997)

Economic aid--recipient

$421.9 million (1995)

Currency

1 koruna (Sk) = 100 halierov

Exchange rates

koruny (Sk) per US$1--36.207 (January 1999), 35.233 (1998). 33.616 (1997), 30.654 (1996), 29.713 (1995), 32.045 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
1,362,178
(1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:
NA
international:
NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note--there are 22 private broadcast stations and two public (state) broadcast stations

Radios

915,000 (1995 est.)

Televisions

1.2 million (1995 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
2
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
3
total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Networkskm

Highways
38,000Railways
3,660Waterways
172
Highways: paved: 37,500 km (including 280 km of expressways) · unpaved: 500 km (1998 est.) · Railways: broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge · standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1424 km electrified) · narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1996)

Railways

total:
3,660 km
broad gauge:
102 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge:
3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1424 km electrified)
narrow gauge:
51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1996)

Highways

total:
38,000 km
paved:
37,500 km (including 280 km of expressways)
unpaved:
500 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km

Ports and harbors

Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine

total: 3 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,041 GRT/19,517 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports

15 (1998 est.)

Military

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Reserve | Force (Home Guards), Civil Defense Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Reserve Force (Home Guards), Civil Defense Force

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 1,478,729 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,130,482 (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

  • ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary is before the International Court of Justice;
  • unresolved property issues with Czech Republic over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property

Illicit drugs

minor, but increasing, transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish bound for Western Europe

Central Intelligence Agency. “Slovakia.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/slovakia/1999.

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