Slovakia

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 (2016)

Internet country code

.sk

Internet users

total: 4,382,558 | percent of population: 80.5% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Telephone system

general assessment: a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth of cellular services | domestic: Slovak Telecom maintains a near monopoly on fixed-line service; four companies provide nationwide cellular services | 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 (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 823,594 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 6,989,902 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 128 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Agriculture - products

grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products

Budget

revenues: $35.79 billion | expenditures: $37.3 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.7% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Central bank discount rate

0% (31 December 2016 est.) | 0.05% (31 December 2015 est.) | note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the euro area; Slovakia became a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2009 | country comparison to the world: 153

Commercial bank prime lending rate

2.55% (31 December 2016 est.) | 2.78% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Current account balance

$-653 million (2016 est.) | $145.2 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Debt - external

$75.04 billion (31 March 2016 est.) | $74.19 billion (31 March 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Distribution of family income - Gini index

23.7 (2015) | 26.1 (2014) | country comparison to the world: 148

Economy - overview

Slovakia’s economy suffered from a slow start in the first years after its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, due to the country’s authoritarian leadership and high levels of corruption, but economic reforms implemented after 1998 have placed Slovakia on a path of strong growth. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy driven mainly by automobile and electronics exports, which account for more than 80% of GDP. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country’s banking sector is sound and predominantly foreign owned. | Slovakia has been a regional FDI champion for several years, attractive due to a relatively low-cost yet skilled labor force, and a favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Among the most pressing domestic issues potentially threatening the attractiveness of the Slovak market are shortages in qualified labor force, persistent corruption issues, and an inadequate judiciary, as well as a lack of innovation. The energy sector in particular is characterized by unpredictable regulatory oversight and high costs, in part driven by government interference in regulated tariffs.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - | 0.9214 (2016 est.) | 0.885 (2015 est.) | 0.885 (2014 est.) | 0.7634 (2013 est.) | 0.7752 (2012 est.)

Exports

$75.53 billion (2016 est.) | $73.33 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39

Exports - commodities

vehicles and related parts 27%, machinery and electrical equipment 20%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, iron and steel 4%, mineral oils and fuels 5% (2015 est.)

Exports - partners

Germany 21.9%, Czech Republic 11.9%, Poland 7.7%, France 6.1%, UK 5.9%, Austria 5.7%, Hungary 5.7%, Italy 4.8% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$89.53 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$170 billion (2016 est.) | $162.5 billion (2015 est.) | $154.9 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 72

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 54.7% | government consumption: 19.5% | investment in fixed capital: 20.2% | investment in inventories: 1.9% | exports of goods and services: 93.8% | imports of goods and services: -90.1% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.8% | industry: 34.8% | services: 61.4% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$31,300 (2016 est.) | $30,400 (2015 est.) | $29,300 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 60

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2016 est.) | 3.8% (2015 est.) | 2.6% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Gross national saving

20.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | 23.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | 22.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.3% | highest 10%: 19.3% (2015 est.)

Imports

$73.01 billion (2016 est.) | $71.1 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40

Imports - commodities

machinery and electrical equipment 20%, vehicles and related parts 14%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, fuel and mineral oils 9% (2015 est.)

Imports - partners

Germany 20.2%, Czech Republic 16.9%, Austria 9.8%, Poland 6.5%, Hungary 6.1%, South Korea 4.7%, China 4.6%, France 4.4% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.5% (2016 est.) | -0.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

Labor force

2.759 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 3.9% | industry: 22.7% | services: 73.4% (2016)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$4.492 billion (30 November 2016 est.) | $4.634 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $4.732 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Population below poverty line

12.3% (2015 est.)

Public debt

51.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 52.5% of GDP (2015 est.) | note: data cover general Government Gross Debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds | country comparison to the world: 95

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.892 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $2.892 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Stock of broad money

$59.48 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $58.41 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$15.06 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $10.52 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$54.03 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $51.83 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Stock of domestic credit

$70.84 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $67.71 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Stock of narrow money

$45.63 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $43 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders | country comparison to the world: 53

Taxes and other revenues

40% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40

Unemployment rate

9.6% (2016 est.) | 11.5% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

31.1 million Mt (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Crude oil - exports

129.7 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Crude oil - imports

115,600 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Crude oil - production

200 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Crude oil - proved reserves

9 million bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 94

Electricity - consumption

25.87 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

Electricity - exports

10.6 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - from fossil fuels

35.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

14.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

25.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Electricity - from other renewable sources

11.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity - imports

13.25 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Electricity - installed generating capacity

7.11 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity - production

24.85 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

7.868 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - exports

3 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - imports

4.407 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - production

94 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - proved reserves

14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 80

Refined petroleum products - consumption

84,290 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Refined petroleum products - exports

83,030 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Refined petroleum products - imports

36,470 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 95

Refined petroleum products - production

137,400 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Area

total: 49,035 sq km | land: 48,105 sq km | water: 930 sq km | country comparison to the world: 131

Area - comparative

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

Climate

temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 458 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m | highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

48 40 N, 19 30 E

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

Irrigated land

869 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 1,611 km | border countries (5): Austria 105 km, Czech Republic 241 km, Hungary 627 km, Poland 541 km, Ukraine 97 km

Land use

agricultural land: 40.1% | arable land 28.9%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 10.8% | forest: 40.2% | other: 19.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Europe, south of Poland

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

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

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

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

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

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 2017 (2017)

Country name

conventional long form: Slovak Republic | conventional short form: Slovakia | local long form: Slovenska republika | local short form: Slovensko | etymology: related to the Slavic autonym (self-designation) "Slovenin," a derivation from "slovo" (word), denoting "people who speak (the same language)" (i.e., people who understand each other)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Adam H. Sterling (since August 2016) | embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava | mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava | telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 | FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter KMEC (since 19 September 2012) | chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054 | FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Andrej KISKA (since 15 June 2014) | head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 April 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Robert KALINAK (since 4 April 2012), Lucia ZITNANSKA and Peter PELLEGRINI (since 23 March 2016) | 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 last held on 15 and 29 March 2014 (next to be held in March 2019); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president | election results: Andrej KISKA elected president; percent of vote in second round - Andrej KISKA (independent) 59.4%, Robert FICO (Smer-SD) 40.6%

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and 79 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court (consists of 13 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates proposed by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member independent body to include the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges appointed for 12-year terms | subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit

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

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 5 March 2016 (next to be held in March 2020) | election results: percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 28.3%, SaS 12.1%, OLaNO-NOVA 11%, SNS 8.6%, LSNS 8%, Sme-Rodina 6.6%, Most-Hid 6.5%, Siet 5.6%, other 13.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 49, SaS 21, OLaNO-NOVA 19, SNS 15, LSNS 14, Sme-Rodina 11, Most-Hid 11, Siet 10

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"

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Alojz HLINA] | Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR] | Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO] | Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK] | Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA] | Network or Siet [Marek CEPKO, acting] | Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC] | Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef MENYHART] | Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO] | We Are Family or Sme-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Alliance of Companies Employing 500 or More Employees or Klub500 | Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS | Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ | Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS | Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic or AZZZ | Medical Trade Association or LOZ | National Union of Employers or RUZ | Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK | The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Slovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently, the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. Following the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) resulted in a strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who were under Austrian rule. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close 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 Slovakia became an independent state allied with Nazi Germany. Following World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country'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, the country underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro zone on 1 January 2009.

Military branches

Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2010)

Military expenditures

1.16% of GDP (2016) | 1.15% of GDP (2015) | 1.01% of GDP (2014) | 1% of GDP (2013) | 1.2% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 89

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.17% (male 424,039/female 402,284) | 15-24 years: 10.87% (male 305,058/female 286,902) | 25-54 years: 45.1% (male 1,240,943/female 1,215,260) | 55-64 years: 13.42% (male 347,221/female 383,852) | 65 years and over: 15.43% (male 325,738/female 514,532) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

9.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Death rate

9.9 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 41.5 | youth dependency ratio: 21.6 | elderly dependency ratio: 26.8 | potential support ratio: 3.7 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 103

Ethnic groups

Slovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Romani 2%, other and unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.) | note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 7–11% of Slovakia's population

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

<.1% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<100 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

<1000 (2016 est.)

Health expenditures

8.1% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 54

Hospital bed density

6 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Languages

Slovak (official) 78.6%, Hungarian 9.4%, Roma 2.3%, Ruthenian 1%, other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.3 years | male: 73.7 years | female: 81.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Major urban areas - population

BRATISLAVA (capital) 401,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Median age

total: 40.5 years | male: 38.8 years | female: 42.3 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.6 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

noun: Slovak(s) | adjective: Slovak

Net migration rate

0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.5% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 98

Physicians density

3.39 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

5,445,829 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.01% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Religions

Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.4% of population | rural: 98.2% of population | total: 98.8% of population | urban: 0.6% of population | rural: 1.8% of population | total: 1.2% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years | male: 14 years | female: 16 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female | total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.41 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 210

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 26.5% | male: 25.8% | female: 27.5% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Urbanization

urban population: 53.4% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: -0.09% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 1,523 (2016)

Airports

35 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 111

Airports - with paved runways

total: 21 | over 3,047 m: 2 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 3 | under 914 m: 11 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 14 | 914 to 1,523 m: 9 | under 914 m: 5 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

OM (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 11 | by type: cargo 9, refrigerated cargo 2 | foreign-owned: 11 (Germany 3, Ireland 1, Italy 2, Montenegro 1, Slovenia 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 2) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 112

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 4 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 23 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 11,100 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

gas transmission pipelines 2,270 km; high-pressure gas distribution pipelines 6,278 km; mid- and low-pressure gas distribution pipelines 27,023 km (2016); oil 510 km (2015)

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Bratislava, Komarno (Danube)

Railways

total: 3,626 km | broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge | standard gauge: 3,477 km 1.435-m gauge (1,587 km electrified) | narrow gauge: 50 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2016) | country comparison to the world: 49

Roadways

total: 54,869 km (includes local roads, national roads, and 420 km of highways) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 75

Waterways

172 km (on Danube River) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 99