Slovakia

Slovakia is a country in central Europe that became independent on Jan. 1, 1993. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, and Austria and the Czech Republic to the west.

From 1918 until Dec. 31, 1992, Slovakia and the Czech Republic were partners in the larger nation of Czechoslovakia. A Communist government took over and ruled Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1989.

A Short Background

In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. 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 became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993.

Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors.

Location:

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Population:

5,414,937 (July 2001 est.)

Ethnic groups:

Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Religions:

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

Languages:

Slovak (official), Hungarian

Currency:

Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:

SKK

Exchange rates:

1 EURO to Slovak Koruna: 40,460 (April 2004)