Area

48,100 sq. km

Population

5,403,000 with 87.7% ethnic Slovaks, 10,6% ethnic Hungarians, 1.4% Romany and 1% Czech

Density

112 per sq. km

Urban Population

58%

Head of State

President of the Slovakian Republic

Government

National Council of 150 members directly elected for 4 years by proportional representation

National Flag

Three horizontal stripes of white, blue and red with small arms across the stripes near the hoist (side nearest the flagpole)

Joined EU

1 May 2004

Capital

Bratislava - population 428,672

Language

Slovak is the official language with Hungarian and Czech also spoken

Education

Free and compulsory primary from 6 - 14 years, 14 - 15 free but not compulsory.

Religion

60% Roman Catholic and 8% Protestant

Currency

Koruna of 100 halierov

Landscape

Elevation extremes 2655 m at the highest point and 94 m at the lowest (Bodrog). The climate is continental - warm humid summers and cold dry winters. 1 degree C in January and 21 degrees C in July.

Agriculture

wheat, rye, corn, potatoes, sugar beets

Resources

Brown coal, chemical, natural gas, iron ore, lead and zinc

Industry

Food stuffs, metal production, gas and oil, textiles, metal working, consumer appliances, fertilizers, plastics, armaments, transport vehicles and rubber