Basic Facts

OFFICIAL NAME: Slovak Republic ➡️ Capital: Bratislava ➡️ POPULATION: ~5.4 million primarily ethnic Slovaks (~84%), with a significant Hungarian minority (~8%) in the south. ➡️ OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Slovak (a Slavic language) ➡️ CURRENCY: Euro (€) ➡️ GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary democracy

Historical facts

HISTORY: Slovakia was historically part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire until its dissolution in 1918. ➡️ CZECHOSLOVAKIA: joined with the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia after World War I in 1918, falling under communist rule after World War II. ➡️ VELVET REVOLUTION: a peaceful end to communist rule in 1989.➡️ INDEPENDENCE: became an independent state on January 1, 1993, after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia. Slovak and czech people love each other, we all have families on the both sides, we understand our languages very well. ➡️ EU & EURO: joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2009.

Economy

CAR INDUSTRY: Slovakia is the world's largest car producer - Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Škoda, Kia, Land Rover, Citroën, Peugeot, Volvo. ➡️ IT & BUSINESS SERVICES: Bratislava and Košice host technology hubs, software development centers for international tech and financial firms. ➡️ ENERGY & NUCLEAR POWER: global leader in nuclear energy, generating approximately 66% of its electricity from nuclear power. ➡️ METALLURGY & STEEL: heavy industry plays a prominent role, which supplies raw materials and metal products across Europe.

Landscape

THE HIGH TATRAS: the country's highest and most famous mountain range. ➡️ THE HIGHEST PEAK: Gerlachovský štít is 2,655 meters, alpine skiing and hiking. ➡️ CAVES & KARSTS: Slovakia boasts over 7,000 discovered caves. Several are UNESCO World Heritage sites. ➡️ FORESTS: forests cover approximately 41% of Slovakia's total land area. ➡️ NATIONAL PARKS: Approximately 23% of the country is protected land. ➡️ WATER: Slovakia has some of the highest-quality tap water in the world, with over 80% coming from clean underground sources.

People

PEOPLE: slovaks are generally warm, modest, and family-oriented people. Known for being hospitable and hardworking. They can be reserved at first but are deeply loyal and open once a relationship is formed for a long time. ➡️ NATURE LOVERS: weekend hiking and foraging for mushrooms or berries in the mountains are highly popular national pastimes. ➡️ TRADITIONS: folk music, folk dance, and traditional crafts remain very alive, proudly celebrated at annual seasonal festivals.

National hero

JURAJ JÁNOŠÍK was our folk hero (1688–1713), he is the slovak Robin Hood. ➡️ LEGEND: according to legend, he stole from wealthy aristocrats and gave to the poor peasants. ➡️ REAL HISTORY: he served as a soldier in anti-Habsburg rebellion and later became the leader of a bandit group in the Terchová region (near Žilina). ➡️ TRAGIC END: he was captured and brutally executed in 1713 by being hung by his rib on a hook after the old woman in the pub threw peas under his feet and he fell down, and the king's soldiers caught him. ➡️ OUR PRIVAT OPINION: we are really sad, that our hero was murderer and thief.