Dialing code +421
ISO 2 code SK
ISO 3 code SVK
Capital Bratislava
Main Language Slovak
Currency Euro (EUR)
GDP $119.5 billion 58th
Population 5,455,000 112th

Geography

Continent Europe
Location Central Europe south of Poland
Land 48,845 km2 131st
Terrain Rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Climate Temperate; cool summers; cold cloudy humid winters
Natural Hazards Rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Note: Landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys

Neighbouring Countries

Austria Czech Republic Hungary Poland Ukraine

History

The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated 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. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro area on 1 January 2009.
Read more on Wikipedia

Demographics

Life Expectancy 75.4 years 69th
Median Age 36.9 years 49th
Birth Rate 10.6 births/1,000 population 168th
Death Rate 9.53 births/1,000 population 69th
Sex Ratio 0.6 male(s)/female 192nd
Literacy 99.6% 16th
Population

5.5 million

Transportation

Roadways 43761 km 82nd
Railways 3622 km 47th
Airports 35 108th
Waterways 172 km 98th
Heliports 1 90th
Airports paved 2 66th

Economy

Currency Euro (EUR)
GDP $119.5 billion 58th
GDP per capita (PPP) $21900 48th