Slovakia (officially the Slovak Republic) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It shares land borders with Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, and Hungary. The capital and largest city is Bratislava. The area of the territory is 49,035 km².
The form of government is a parliamentary republic.
The country first appeared as an independent Slovak Republic (outside of Czechoslovakia) during World War II (1939–1945), becoming a puppet state of Nazi Germany. In 1945, Czechoslovakia was restored under a socialist regime. The republic became fully independent in 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Slovakia joined the European Union in 2004. It is also a member of the Schengen Area, NATO, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization.
Slovakia is also known for having 120 ancient castles scattered across its relatively small territory, which are open to tourists. Additionally, there are many ski resorts here that are comparable to the more popular Austrian ones.
Climate Conditions
Slovakia is situated in a continental temperate zone influenced by an oceanic climate, with this influence decreasing towards the east of the country. There are also differences between the mountainous north and the southern lowlands.
The warmest and driest areas are in the south of the country. The average annual temperature here ranges from 9°C to 11°C. In January, the average temperature is from -2°C to -1°C, and in July, it ranges from 18°C to 21°C. The average temperatures in the west are approximately 1°C higher than in the east. The average annual rainfall is up to 550 mm.
The area of moderately warm climate includes the valleys of the Inner Carpathians. Here, the average temperature decreases by about 0.6°C, and rainfall increases by approximately 50-60 mm for every 100 meters of elevation. In the valley interior areas, the average January temperature ranges from -5°C to -3°C, and in July from 14°C to 16°C. Annual precipitation is 700-800 mm.
The record high and low temperatures are +40.3°C (in 2007) and -41°C (in 1929).
Demographics
In 2023, the population of the Republic was slightly over 5.4 million. The country ranks 112th in the world by population size. The annual population growth rate is +0.1%. According to statistics, the birth rate is 1.6 children per woman, which is higher than the EU average.
The life expectancy of Slovak residents is 76.9 years (women – 80.4, men – 73.5 years). The average age of the population is 41.2 years, which is below the European average. On average, 15% of the population is under 15 years old, and 12.5% are over 65 years old.
According to the 2019 census, the majority of Slovakia's inhabitants are Slovaks (80.7%). However, there is a significant Hungarian-speaking minority in the south and east (8.5% of the country's population). Other major ethnic groups include Roma (2%), Czechs (0.7%), Russians (0.6%), Ukrainians (0.2%), Germans (0.1%), and Poles (0.1%).
According to the Constitution of the Republic, the Slovak language is the state language along with Kashubian, Polish, Serbian, and Czech.
According to the latest census, about 70% of the population belongs to one of the Christian denominations. About 25% of the population is non-religious. The largest Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church, adhered to by 55.8% of the population. Another traditionally represented denomination is the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (Lutherans), accounting for 5.3% of the population.
Economy
Slovakia's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023 was 115 billion USD. The GDP per capita in the same year was 18,876 USD. The average annual GDP growth rate is 0.4%.
The unemployment rate in 2023 was 3.8%, slightly below the EU average. 3.8% of all workers are employed in agriculture, 35% in industry, and 61.2% in services.
Agricultural production accounts for 3.5% of Slovakia's GDP. The main crops grown are wheat, corn, hops, barley, beets, sunflowers, alfalfa, potatoes, and soybeans. There is a noted trade deficit in meat (chicken, beef, pork). The share of foreign food products in some supermarket chains exceeds 50%.
Industry and construction account for over 35% of Slovakia's GDP. The country has strong industrial traditions, but all raw materials are imported from abroad. The most important industrial sectors are the automotive, electrical, and electronics industries. The metallurgical industry mainly produces products for domestic consumption.
The services and tourism sector contributes more than 61% of the state's GDP.
In the Global Competitiveness Index, measuring the competitiveness of a state, Slovakia ranks 45th (as of 2023). In the Economic Freedom Index the same year, the country ranked 33rd.
Freedom of Travel (Visa-Free Countries)
In the global passport strength ranking, Slovakia ranks 6th alongside Japan, Estonia, Lithuania, and New Zealand. A Slovak passport holder has the right to visa-free travel to 117 countries with the right to stay freely for up to 180 days. In 49 countries, a visa can be obtained upon arrival, allowing a stay of up to 90 days. For 7 countries, it is sufficient to obtain an electronic entry permit and stay for up to 90 days.