Slovakia traces its roots 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. After the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, backlash to language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) encouraged the strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. The new state was envisioned as a nation with Czech and Slovak branches. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939 Slovakia became an independent state created by and 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 Czechoslovakia’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, Czechoslovakia 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.
land: 48,105 sq km
water: 930 sq km
border countries (5): Austria 105 km; Czechia 241 km; Hungary 627 km; Poland 517 km; Ukraine 97 km
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
mean elevation: 458 m
arable land: 28.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10.8% (2018 est.)
forest: 40.2% (2018 est.)
other: 19.7% (2018 est.)
5,425,319 (2023 est.)
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak
Slovak 83.8%, Hungarian 7.8%, Romani 1.2%, other 1.8% (includes Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish), unspecified 5.4% (2021 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 7–11% of Slovakia’s population
Slovak (official) 81.8%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 1.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)
major-language sample(s):
Svetova Kniha Faktov, nenahraditelny zdroj zakladnej informacie. (Slovak)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Roman Catholic 55.8%, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession 5.3%, Greek Catholic 4%, Reformed Christian 1.6%, other 3%, none 23.8%, unspecified 6.5% (2021 est.)
0-14 years: 14.87% (male 415,224/female 391,397)
15-64 years: 66.49% (male 1,811,919/female 1,795,499)
65 years and over: 18.64% (2023 est.) (male 404,979/female 606,301)
total dependency ratio: 49.5
youth dependency ratio: 23.7
elderly dependency ratio: 25.8
potential support ratio: 3.9 (2021 est.)
total: 42.5 years (2023 est.)
male: 41 years
female: 44.1 years
-0.13% (2023 est.)
10.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
11.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border
urban population: 54% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
441,000 BRATISLAVA (capital) (2023)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
27.2 years (2020 est.)
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 76.6 years (2023 est.)
male: 73.1 years
female: 80.4 years
1.6 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.77 (2023 est.)
NA
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
7.2% of GDP (2020)
3.57 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
5.7 beds/1,000 population (2018)
improved: urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
20.5% (2016)
total: 10.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 4.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 4.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total: 31.5% (2020 est.)
male: 37.4% (2020 est.)
female: 25.6% (2020 est.)
NA
47.9% (2023 est.)
4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2020)
air pollution and acid rain present human health risks and damage forests; land erosion caused by agricultural and mining practices; water pollution
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
agricultural land: 40.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 28.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 10.8% (2018 est.)
forest: 40.2% (2018 est.)
other: 19.7% (2018 est.)
urban population: 54% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)
0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 15.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 32.42 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 4.43 megatons (2020 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.784 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 135,941 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 7.6% (2015 est.)
Dunaj (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
municipal: 290 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
50.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
high-income, EU-member European economy; major electronics and automobile exporter; new anticorruption and judiciary reforms; low unemployment; low regional innovation; strong financial sector
$173.582 billion (2021 est.)
$168.503 billion (2020 est.)
$174.388 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
3.01% (2021 est.)
-3.37% (2020 est.)
2.52% (2019 est.)
$31,900 (2021 est.)
$30,900 (2020 est.)
$32,000 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$105.388 billion (2019 est.)
3.15% (2021 est.)
1.94% (2020 est.)
2.66% (2019 est.)
Fitch rating: A (2020)
Moody’s rating: A2 (2012)
Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2015)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 3.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 35% (2017 est.)
services: 61.2% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 54.7% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 19.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.2% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 96.3% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -92.9% (2017 est.)
wheat, maize, sugar beets, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, sunflower seeds, soybeans, pork
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
2.46% (2021 est.)
2.766 million (2021 est.)
6.74% (2021 est.)
6.69% (2020 est.)
5.75% (2019 est.)
total: 21.5% (2021 est.)
male: 19.6%
female: 24.6%
11.9% (2018 est.)
23.2 (2019 est.)
on food: 18.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 19.3% (2015 est.)
revenues: $43.495 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $44.914 billion (2019 est.)
-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
77.36% of GDP (2020 est.)
61.99% of GDP (2019 est.)
62.29% of GDP (2018 est.)
note: data cover general Government Gross Debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities, including sub-sectors of central, state, local government, and social security funds
18.5% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
calendar year
-$2.875 billion (2021 est.)
$671.914 million (2020 est.)
-$3.532 billion (2019 est.)
$107.43 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$90.546 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$96.859 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Germany 22%, Czechia 11%, Poland 7%, France 7%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)
cars and vehicle parts, video displays, broadcasting equipment, tires, refined petroleum (2019)
$107.358 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$88.214 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$96.755 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Germany 18%, Czechia 18%, Poland 8%, Hungary 7%, Russia 5% (2019)
cars and vehicle parts, broadcasting equipment, crude petroleum, natural gas, insulated wiring (2019)
$9.61 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$9.344 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$7.169 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$115.853 billion (2019 est.)
$114.224 billion (2018 est.)
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)
0.847 (2018 est.)
0.885 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 7.868 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 26.503 billion kWh (2020 est.)
exports: 12.97 billion kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 13.288 billion kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.589 billion kWh (2020 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 19.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 55.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 16.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 5.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2023)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.31GW (2023)
Percent of total electricity production: 52.3% (2021)
Percent of total energy produced: 70.4% (2021)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1
production: 2.148 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 5.371 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 3.111 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 135 million metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 3,800 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 85,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 100 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 109,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 9 million barrels (2021 est.)
131,300 bbl/day (2017 est.)
81,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
38,340 bbl/day (2017 est.)
production: 62.495 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
consumption: 4.928 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports: 4.361 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 14.158 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
32.506 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 11.521 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 11.747 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 9.238 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
129.665 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 45
OM
35 (2021)
19
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
15
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
1 (2021)
2,270 km gas transmission pipelines, 6,278 km high-pressure gas distribution pipelines, 27,023 km mid- and low-pressure gas distribution pipelines (2016), 510 km oil (2015) (2016)
total: 3,627 km (2020) 1,585 km electrified
total: 56,926 km (2016) (includes local roads, national roads, and 464 km of highways)
172 km (2012) (on Danube River)
river port(s): Bratislava, Komarno (Danube)
manyapis