| ||||
| National motto: None | ||||
| Official language | Slovak | |||
| Capital | Bratislava | |||
| President | Rudolf Schuster | |||
| Prime minister | Mikulas Dzurinda | |||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 126th 48,845 km˛ Negligible | |||
| Population
- Total (2000) - Density | Ranked 103rd
5,414,937 111/km˛ | |||
| Independence
- Date | Division of Czechoslovakia
January 1, 1993 | |||
| Currency | Slovak koruna | |||
| Time zone | UTC +1 | |||
| National anthem | Nad Tatrou sa blýska | |||
| Internet TLD | .SK | |||
| Calling Code | 421 | |||
| Table of contents |
|
2 Politics 3 Regions 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Holidays 9 Miscellaneous topics 10 External Links |
Slovakia became a part of the Kingdom of Hungary in the Middle Ages and as such was later part of Austria-Hungary prior to 1918.
In that year Slovakia joined with the regions of Bohemia and neighbouring Moravia to form Czechoslovakia.
Following the break-up of that country after the Munich Agreement of 1938, Slovakia became a separate republic that would be tightly controlled by Nazi Germany.
Post World War II Czechoslovakia was reinstated and came under the influence of the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact from 1945 onward.
The end of communist Czechoslovakia in 1989 during the peaceful Velvet Revolution also meant the end for Czechoslovakia as a whole and a creation of two successor states; Slovakia and the Czech Republic went their separate ways after January 1, 1993.
Slovakia is expected to become a member of the European Union in May 2004.
See also: Bratislava - History, and History of Bratislava
The Slovak head of state is the president, elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term.
Most executive power lies with the head of government, the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the major party or a majority coalition in parliament and appointed by the president.
The remainder of the cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.
Slovakia's highest legislative body is the 150-seat unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic (Národná Rada Slovenskej Republiky).
Delegates are elected for 4-year terms on the basis of proportional representation. Slovakia highest judicial body is the Constitutional Court (Ústavný súd), which rules on constitutional issues.
The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a slate of candidates nominated by parliament.
As for administrative division, Slovakia is subdivided into 8 "kraje" (singular - kraj, usually translated as regions, but actually meaning rather county), each of which is named after their principal city. As for territorial division and the definition of self-governing entities, since 2002, Slovakia is divided into 8 "vyššie územné celky" abbr. VÚC (Higher Territorial Units) and 8 "samosprávne kraje" (Self-governing (or: autonomous) Regions), both of which are presently identical with the 8 "kraje":
The "kraje" are - and have always been - subdivided into many "okresy" (singular - okres, usually translated as districts)
See also: List of traditional regions of Slovakia
The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for its mountainous nature, with the Carpathian Mountains extending across most of the northern half of the country.
Amongst them are the high peaks of the Tatra mountains, which are a popular skiing destination and home to many scenic lakes and valleys as well as the highest point in Slovakia, the Gerlachovský at 2,655 m.
Lowlands are found in the southwestern (along the Danube) and southeastern parts of Slovakia. Major Slovak rivers, besides the Danube, are the Váh and the Hron.
The Slovak climate is temperate, with relatively cool summers and cold, cloudy and humid winters.
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy.
The Dzurinda government made progress in 2001 in macroeconomic stabilisation and structural reform.
Major privatisations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded expectations in the early 2000's, despite recession in key export markets.
Revival of domestic demand in 2002, partly due to a rise in real wages, offset slowing export growth to help drive the economy to its strongest expansion since 1998.Solid domestic demand boosted economic growth to 4.4% in 2002. Strong export growth,in turn, will boost economic growth to about 4% in 2003.
Unemployment, rising to 19.8% at the end of 2001, decreased considerably in 2003.
Slovakia will become a member of the European Union in May 2004.
The majority of the inhabitants of the Slovak Republic are ethnically Slovak (86%). Hungarians are the largest ethnic minority (10%) and are concentrated in the southern and eastern regions of Slovakia.
The Slovak constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
The majority of Slovak citizens (69%) practice Roman Catholicism; the second-largest group are Protestants (9%).
About 2,300 Jews remain of the estimated pre-WWII population of 120,000. The official state language is Slovak, a member of the Slavic languages, but Hungarian is also widely spoken in the south and enjoys a co-official status in some regions.
History
Main article: History of SlovakiaPolitics
Main article: Politics of SlovakiaRegions
Main article: Regions of Slovakia
(the word "kraj" can be replaced by "VÚC" or "samosprávny kraj" in each case)
Map
Geography
Main article: Geography of SlovakiaEconomy
Main article: Economy of SlovakiaDemographics
Main article: Demographics of Slovakia
Other ethnic groups include Roma, Czechs, Ruthenians, Ukrainians, Germanss, and Poles.Culture
Main article: Culture of SlovakiaHolidays
see also: Remembrance days in Slovakia
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January (1993) | Day of the Creation of the Slovak Republic | Deň vzniku Slovenskej republiky | independent Slovakia arose through dissolution of Czecho-Slovakia. |
| 6 January | Epiphany (The Three Magi and Christmas Day of Orthododox Christians) | Zjavenie Pána (Traja králi a vianočný sviatok pravoslávnych kresťanov) | religious |
| March, April | Easter Friday | Veľkonočný piatok | religious |
| March, April | Easter Monday | Veľkonočný pondelok | religious |
| 1 May (1886) | Labor Day | Sviatok práce | strike and mass demonstrations of workers in Chicago |
| 8 May (1945) | Victory over Fascism Day | Deň víťazstva nad fašizmom | the end of World War II; earlier celebrated one day later |
| 5 July (863) | St. Cyril and Metod Day | Sviatok svätého Cyrila a Metoda | religious; Slavic missionaries Cyril (Constantine) and Metod (Methodius) came to Great Moravia (see also Glagolitic alphabet) |
| 29 August (1944) | Slovak National Uprising anniversary | Výročie SNP | The Slovaks rose against Nazi Germany |
| 1 September (1992) | Constitution of the Slovak Republic Day | Deň Ústavy Slovenskej republiky | The constitution of (future) independent Slovakia has been adopted in Bratislava |
| 15 September | Day of Our Lady of Sorrows, patron saint of Slovakia | Sviatok Panny Márie Sedembolestnej, patrónky Slovenska | religious; Assumption of the Virgin Mary, who is a patron saint of Slovakia |
| 1 November | All Saints’ Day | Sviatok všetkých svätých | religious; Cementeries are visited on or around this day |
| 17 November (1989/1939) | Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day | Deň boja za slobodu a demokraciu | Commemorating the student demonstration against Nazi occupation in 1939, and especially the demonstration in 1989 in Prague considered to mark the beginning of the Velvet Revolution. |
| 24 December | Christmas Eve | Štedrý deň | Christmas presents are opened in the evening on Christmas Eve in Slovakia |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | 1. sviatok vianočný | in Slovak literally: 1st Christmas Day |
| 26 December | St. Stephen's Day | 2. sviatok vianočný | in Slovak literally: 2nd Christmas Day |
Countries acceding to membership on May 1, 2004:
Miscellaneous topics
External Links
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