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Photos of Slovakia

A street scene in the Slovakian town of Levoca.

Introduction

Background

Slovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. The Slovaks then 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, language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (known as "Magyarization") led to a public backlash that boosted Slovak nationalism and strengthened Slovak cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. When the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved at the end of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939, in the wake of Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland, the newly established Slovak Republic became a German client state for the remainder of World War II.

After World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded and 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 2004 and the euro zone in 2009.

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Geography

Location

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Area

total : 49,035 sq km

land: 48,105 sq km

water: 930 sq km

comparison ranking: total 130

Area - comparative

about one and a half times the size of Maryland; about twice the size of New Hampshire

Area comparison map:
Area comparison map

Land boundaries

total: 1,587 km

border countries (5): Austria 105 km; Czechia 241 km; Hungary 627 km; Poland 517 km; Ukraine 97 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain

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

Elevation

highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m

mean elevation: 458 m

Natural resources

lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use

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.)

Irrigated land

211 sq km (2015)

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border

Geography - note

landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

People and Society

Population

total: 5,563,649

male: 2,684,747

female: 2,878,902 (2024 est.)

comparison rankings: female 117; male 121; total 119

Nationality

noun: Slovak(s)

adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

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.

Slovakian audio sample:

Religions

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.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.3% (male 444,033/female 408,902)

15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,834,359/female 1,867,158)

65 years and over: 18.1% (2024 est.) (male 406,355/female 602,842)

2023 population pyramid:
2023 population pyramid

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 49.5

youth dependency ratio: 23.7

elderly dependency ratio: 25.8

potential support ratio: 3.9 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 42.8 years (2024 est.)

male: 41.3 years

female: 44.4 years

comparison ranking: total 39

Population growth rate

-0.08% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 202

Birth rate

10 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 187

Death rate

11.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 24

Net migration rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 73

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border

Urbanization

urban population: 54% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030File Icon

Major urban areas - population

441,000 BRATISLAVA (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.2 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 171

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 174

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.)

male: 73.7 years

female: 81 years

comparison ranking: total population 94

Total fertility rate

1.6 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 184

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

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.)

Current health expenditure

7.2% of GDP (2020)

Physician density

3.57 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density

5.7 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access

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.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.5% (2016)

comparison ranking: 98

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

comparison ranking: total 21

Tobacco use

total: 31.5% (2020 est.)

male: 37.4% (2020 est.)

female: 25.6% (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: total 25

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 94

Literacy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2020)

Environment

Environment - current issues

air pollution and acid rain present human health risks and damage forests; land erosion caused by agricultural and mining practices; water pollution

Environment - international agreements

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

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Land use

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.)

Urbanization

urban population: 54% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030File Icon

Revenue from forest resources

0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)

comparison ranking: 89

Revenue from coal

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

comparison ranking: 48

Air pollutants

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.)

Waste and recycling

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.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 290 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

50.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 1

global geoparks and regional networks: Novohrad-Nógrád (includes Hungary) (2023)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska republika

local short form: Slovensko

etymology: may derive from the medieval Latin word "Slavus" (Slav), which had the local form "Sloven", used since the 13th century to refer to the territory of Slovakia and its inhabitants

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Bratislava

geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the name was adopted in 1919 after Czechoslovakia gained its independence and may derive from later transliterations of the 9th century military commander, Braslav, or the 11th century Bohemian Duke BRETISLAV I; alternatively, the name may derive from the Slovak words brat (brother) and slava (glory)

Administrative divisions

8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina

Independence

1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Legal system

civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Constitution

history: several previous (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992

amendments: proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2020

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Peter PELLEGRINI (since 15 June 2024)

head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 25 October 2023)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election first round 23 March 2024 with a runoff on 6 April 2024 (next to be held in 2029); following National Council elections (every 4 years), the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council

election results:
2024:
Peter PELLEGRINI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Ivan KORCOK (independent) 42.5%; Peter PELLEGRINI (Hlas-SD) 37%; Stefan HARABIN (independent) 11.7%, other 8.8%; percent of vote in second round Peter PELLEGRINI (Hlas-SD) 53.1%; Ivan KORCOK (independent) 46.9%

2019:
 Zuzana CAPUTOVA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6%

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single- and multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 30 September 2023 (next to be held by 2027)

election results: percent of vote by party - SMER-SSD 23%, PS 18%, Hlas-SD 14.7%, OL'aNO 8.9%, KDH 6.8%, SaS 6.3%, SNS 5.6%; seats by party - SMER-SSD 42, PS 32, Hlas-SD 27, OL'aNO 16, KDH 12, SaS 11, SNS 10; composition - men 116, women 34, percentage women 22.7%

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms

subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit;

Political parties

Alliance-Szovetseg or A-S
Christian Union or KÚ
Civic Conservative Party or OKS
Democrats
Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SSD
For the People or Za Ludi
Freedom and Solidarity or SaS
Life National Party or Život–NS (formerly Christian Democracy - Life and Prosperity - Alliance for Slovkia)
New Majority or NOVA
Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA
People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS
Progressive Slovakia or PS
Republic
Slovak National Party or SNS
Voice - Social Democracy or Hlas-SD
We Are Family or Sme-Rodina (formerly Party of Citizens of Slovakia)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Radovan JAVORČÍK (since 18 January 2021)

chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en

consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gautam A. RANA (since 28 September 2022)

embassy: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava

mailing address: 5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC  20521-5840

telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338

FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://sk.usembassy.gov/

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side

note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

National symbol(s)

double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white, blue, red

National anthem

name: "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras)

lyrics/music: Janko MATUSKA/traditional

note: adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" (She was digging a well)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica (c); Levoča, Spišský Hrad, and the Associated Cultural Monuments (c); Vlkolínec (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Bardejov Town (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathians (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Danube Limes (Western Segment) (c)

Economy

Economic overview

high-income EU- and eurozone-member economy; manufacturing and exports led by automotive sector; weakening of anti-corruption laws may impact foreign investment and status of EU funds; influx of foreign labor offsets aging workforce; widening fiscal deficit from social spending and EU-financed public investments 

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$213.053 billion (2023 est.)
$209.705 billion (2022 est.)
$205.856 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 76

Real GDP growth rate

1.6% (2023 est.)
1.87% (2022 est.)
4.77% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 150

Real GDP per capita

$39,300 (2023 est.)
$38,600 (2022 est.)
$37,800 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 64

GDP (official exchange rate)

$132.794 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.53% (2023 est.)
12.77% (2022 est.)
3.15% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 180

Credit ratings

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.

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 35% (2017 est.)

services: 61.2% (2017 est.)

comparison rankings: services 113; industry 47; agriculture 142

GDP - composition, by end use

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.)

Agricultural products

wheat, sugar beets, milk, maize, barley, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, potatoes, soybeans, pork (2022)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

15.61% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 3

Labor force

2.823 million (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 115

Unemployment rate

5.84% (2023 est.)
6.14% (2022 est.)
6.89% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 116

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 19.4% (2023 est.)

male: 21.6% (2023 est.)

female: 15.8% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 65

Population below poverty line

13.7% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

24.1 (2021 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 152

Average household expenditures

on food: 19.6% of household expenditures (2021 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 5.4% of household expenditures (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.4% (2021 est.)

highest 10%: 19.2% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

1.69% of GDP (2023 est.)
2% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.05% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $43.495 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures: $44.914 billion (2019 est.)

Public debt

64.51% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 65

Taxes and other revenues

19.5% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 90

Current account balance

-$2.088 billion (2023 est.)
-$8.452 billion (2022 est.)
-$4.655 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 161

Exports

$121.238 billion (2023 est.)
$114.678 billion (2022 est.)
$109.565 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 45

Exports - partners

Germany 20%, Czechia 11%, Hungary 9%, Poland 7%, France 6% (2022)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports - commodities

cars, vehicle parts/accessories, video displays, broadcasting equipment, electricity (2022)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$118.869 billion (2023 est.)
$120.622 billion (2022 est.)
$109.265 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 44

Imports - partners

Czechia 18%, Germany 15%, Poland 9%, Russia 7%, Austria 7% (2022)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports - commodities

vehicle parts/accessories, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, cars, electricity (2022)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$11.288 billion (2023 est.)
$10.28 billion (2022 est.)
$9.61 billion (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 88

Debt - external

$115.853 billion (2019 est.)
$114.224 billion (2018 est.)

comparison ranking: 52

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
0.925 (2023 est.)
0.95 (2022 est.)
0.845 (2021 est.)
0.876 (2020 est.)
0.893 (2019 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 8.029 million kW (2022 est.)

consumption: 26.372 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports: 15.336 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports: 16.709 billion kWh (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 1.236 billion kWh (2022 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 108; imports 14; exports 20; consumption 69; installed generating capacity 73

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 17.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear: 60.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity: 11.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

biomass and waste: 7.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 5 (2023)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 1 (2023)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.31GW (2023 est.)

Percent of total electricity production: 61.3% (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 3 (2023)

Coal

production: 2.343 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption: 5.794 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports: 20,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports: 3.414 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves: 19 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 94,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 9 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 52.556 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

consumption: 60.424 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports: 6.241 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves: 14.158 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

21.405 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 9.253 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 12.033 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 118,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 84

Energy consumption per capita

93.681 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: 57

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 541,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 88

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 7.445 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 108

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: the broadband market has shown steady growth in recent years; fiber has become the principal platform for fixed broadband services, followed by DSL; the cable sector is a distant third in terms of subscribers, though cable is particularly strong in urban areas; mobile broadband access and content services are developing rapidly in line with operators having upgraded their networks; the regulator prepared the groundwork for 5G services in line with European Union requirements, with concessions in the 3.5GHz range followed by those in the 700MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz bands; 5G was launched in late 2021 and is expected to cover about a fifth of the population by the end of 2022 (2024)

domestic: fixed-line is 10 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 132 per 100 tele density (2022)

international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services; connects to DREAM cable (2017)

Broadcast media

state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), operates 2 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 50 privately owned TV stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 40% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 32 privately owned radio stations

Internet users

total: 4.806 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 89% (2021 est.)

comparison ranking: total 98

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1,701,561 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: total 63

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 45

Airports

114 (2024)

comparison ranking: 47

Heliports

2 (2024)

Pipelines

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)

Railways

total: 3,627 km (2020) 1,585 km electrified

comparison ranking: total 53

Roadways

total: 45,106 km (2022)

comparison ranking: total 86

Waterways

172 km (2012) (on Danube River)

comparison ranking: 109

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Slovenské Pozemné Sily), Air Forces (Slovenské Vzdušné Sily), Special Operations Forces (Sily Pre Speciálne Operácie)

Ministry of Interior: Slovak Police Force (SPF or Policajný Zbor) (2024)

note: the SPF has sole responsibility for internal and border security

Military expenditures

2% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2023)
1.8% of GDP (2022)
1.7% of GDP (2021)
1.9% of GDP (2020)

comparison ranking: 69

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel (8,000 Land Forces; 4,000 Air Forces; 3,000 other, including staff, special operations, and support forces) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era platforms; in recent years, it has imported limited quantities of more modern, NATO-compatible equipment, particularly from Italy and the US (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004 (2023)

note: as of 2020, women made up around 12% of the military's full-time personnel

Military deployments

240 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 150 Latvia (NATO) (2024)

Military - note

the Slovak military was created from the Czechoslovak Army after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in January 1993; it is responsible for external defense and fulfilling Slovakia’s commitments to European and international security; Slovakia has been a member of both the EU and NATO since 2004; a key focus of the Slovak military is fulfilling the country’s security responsibilities to NATO, including modernizing and acquiring NATO-compatible equipment, participating in training exercises, and providing forces for security missions such as NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic States; since 2022, Slovakia has hosted a NATO ground force battlegroup comprised of troops from Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the US as part of the NATO effort to boost the defenses of Eastern Europe since the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Slovakia also contributes to EU and UN peacekeeping missions

the Slovak Air Force has only a handful of fighter aircraft and is assisted by NATO’s air policing mission over Slovakia, which includes fighter aircraft from Czechia and Poland; in 2022, Slovakia signed a defense agreement with the US that allows the US to use two Slovak military air bases (2024)

Space

Space agency/agencies

no national government agency; the Slovak Space Office is responsible for inter-ministerial political coordination and multilateral international cooperation; it serves as the official national contact point for international cooperation between space agencies, offices, associations, businesses, and research entities, and is part of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport (2023)

Space program overview

focused on the development of satellites, satellite subcomponents, and other space-related technologies; as a member state of the EU, it is actively involved in all key components of the EU space program, and Slovak researchers actively participate in a variety of EU and/or European Space Agency (ESA) space missions including the Galileo global navigational system program, Copernicus Earth observation satellite program, Rosetta comet probe, BepiColombo (Mercury planetary orbiter), and Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission; has more than 40 established companies actively involved in the space sector (2023)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 117,265 (Ukraine) (as of 14 April 2024)

stateless persons: 2,940 (2022)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of MDMA (ecstasy)