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. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Full Name: Slovak Republic
Area: 48,845 sq km (land: 48,800 sq km, water: 45 sq km)
Population: 5,447,502 (July 2007 est.)
Capital City: Bratislava
People: Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Language: Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)
Religion: Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
Government Type: Parliamentary democracy
Chief of State President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)
GDP: $US 99.19 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per Capita: $US 18,200 (2006 est.)
Inflation: 4.4% (2006 est.)
Unemployment: 10.2% (2006 est.)
Industries: Metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products
Currency: Slovak koruna (SKK)
Member of EU: Yes
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