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Slovakia (Slovak: Slovensko) is a
landlocked republic in Central Europe. It borders the Czech Republic in
the northwest, Poland in the north, Ukraine
in the east, Hungary in the south, and Austria in the southwest.
Name
Slovakia is officially also called Slovak Republic (in Slovak: Slovenská republika). However, this
form is not often used and its use is not desired by the Slovaks. The short form is lingustically or historically more correct
than the long one.
The recent practice, especially in economic texts, of using the name Slovak Republic instead of Slovakia,
when the terms Hungary, Slovenia etc. are used in the same text, is wrong. This wrong usage arose in analogy to the use of the
term Czech Republic, but that is (partly) another problem (see Czech
Republic, Czech lands).
History
Main article: History of Slovakia
The original Slavic population settled the general territory of Slovakia in the 5th century. Slovakia was part of the center
of Samo's empire in the 7th century. The highest point of the 9th century proto-Slovak
state known as Great Moravia came with the arrival of Cyril and Methodius and the expansion under King
Svatopluk. Eventually, Slovakia became a part of the Kingdom of Hungary in the
11th-14th centuries 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 became a member of the European Union in May 2004.
See also: Bratislava - History, and History of Bratislava
Politics
Main article: Politics of Slovakia
Slovakia joined the NATO on March 29,
2004 and the EU on May 1, 2004. There were Presidential election in Slovakia on April 3, 2004 and April 17
2004.
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.
See also: List of rulers of
Slovakia
Regions
Main article: Regions of Slovakia
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":
- Banska
Bystrica region (Banskobystrický kraj) (see also Banska
Bystrica)
- Bratislava region
(Bratislavský kraj) (see also Bratislava)
- Kosice region (Košický
kraj) (see lalso Kosice)
- Nitra region (Nitriansky
kraj) (see also Nitra)
- Presov region (Prešovský kraj) (see also Presov)
- Trencin region
(Trenčiansky kraj) (see also Trencin)
- Trnava region (Trnavský
kraj) (see also Trnava)
- Zilina region
(Žilinský kraj) (see also Zilina)
(the word "kraj" can be replaced by "VÚC" or "samosprávny kraj" in each case)
The "kraje" are - and have always been - subdivided into many "okresy" (singular - okres, usually translated as districts).
Slovakia currently has 79 districts.
See also: List of
traditional regions of Slovakia
Map of Slovakia
Geography
Main article: Geography 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.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Slovakia
In a survey of the German Chamber of Commerce held in
March 2004, as much as 50% of German enterpreneurs chose Slovakia as the best place for investment.
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, boosted economic growth to 4,2 % in 2003. Unemployment, rising to 19.8% at the
end of 2001, decreased considerably in 2003.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of
Slovakia
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.
Other ethnic groups include Roma, Czechs, Ruthenians, Ukrainians, Germans, and Poles.
The Slovak constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
The majority of Slovak citizens (69%) practise 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.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Slovakia
Miscellaneous topics
- National holidays in Slovakia
- Remembrance days in Slovakia
- List of rulers of Slovakia
- List of Slovaks
- List of traditional
regions of Slovakia
- List of towns in Slovakia
- List of national parks of
Slovakia
- Slovak rivers
- History of Ice Hockey in
Slovakia
- Ski and winter sports in
Slovakia
- Communications in Slovakia
- Transportation in Slovakia
- Military of Slovakia
- Foreign relations of Slovakia
- Education in Slovakia
External links
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