Slovakia is a former country. Slovakia map in Russian

Physical map of Slovakia

Slovakia(Slovak. Slovensko), the official name - The Slovak Republic(Slovak. Slovenská republika) - a state in Central Europe. The population is 5 443 120 people (December 2017), the territory is 48 845 km². It takes 112th place in the world in terms of population and 127th in terms of territory.

Most of the believers (about 70% of the population) are Catholic.

Slovakia is a member of NATO and the EU. An industrial country with a dynamically developing economy. The volume of GDP in 2011 amounted to 127.111 billion US dollars (about 23 384 dollars per capita). The monetary unit is the euro.

The country's independence was proclaimed on January 1, 1993. Throughout history, the territory of the country was part of many powers and state formations, from the State of Samo in the 7th century to Czechoslovakia in the 20th century. During the Second World War, there was a Slovak state dependent on the Third Reich, which in 1945 again became part of Czechoslovakia.

Etymology

The first written mention of Slovakia dates back to 1586. The name comes from the Czech word Slováky; previous German forms were Windischen landen and Windenland(XV century). Self-name Slovensko(1791) comes from the older ethno-burial name of the Slovaks - Sloven, which may indicate its origin before the 15th century. The original meaning was geographic (not political), as Slovakia was part of the multinational Kingdom of Hungary and did not create a separate administrative unit during this period.

History

Nitran principality of the ancestors of the Slovaks, which existed in the 9th century

The Slavs settled the territory of Slovakia in the 6th century, during the Great Migration. Slovakia was part of the center of the Samo state in the 7th century; later, the Principality of Nitra was located on its territory. The Slavic state known as Great Moravia reached its highest development in the 9th century with the arrival of Cyril and Methodius and expansion under the leadership of Prince Svyatopolk I. Ultimately, Slovakia became part of the Kingdom of Hungary in the 11th-14th centuries, and then later became part of Austria-Hungary until its collapse in 1918. In the same year, Slovakia united with Subcarpathian Rus and the state of Czechoslovakia was formed.

In 1919, during the campaign to the north of the Hungarian Red Army, the Slovak Soviet Republic was formed for some time on part of the territory of Slovakia.

Due to the collapse of Czechoslovakia after the Munich Agreement of 1938, Slovakia became a separate republic, which was controlled by Nazi Germany.

After World War II, Czechoslovakia was restored and came under the influence of the Soviet Union since 1945.

At the same time, Slovakia retained the bodies of national self-government of Slovaks that arose during the war - the Slovak National Council and local national committees - while the Czechs did not have such bodies (the so-called asymmetric national-state structure). Then, in October 1968, the Constitutional Law on the Federation was adopted, which entered into force on January 1, 1969, according to which Czechoslovakia (the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic - as Czechoslovakia was officially called since 1960) was divided, like the USSR and the SFRY (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) , into two constituent republics of the federation - the Czech and Slovak socialist republics.

The end of socialist Czechoslovakia in 1989 during the peaceful Velvet Revolution also meant the end of Czechoslovakia as a whole state and led to the creation of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in March 1990, and then, from January 1, 1993, two separate states - Slovakia and ("Velvet divorce"). Slovakia became a member of NATO on March 29, 2004, the European Union on May 1, 2004, entered the Schengen zone on December 21, 2007, and entered the Euro zone on January 1, 2009.

Physical and geographical characteristics

Gerlachovsky Shtit

Slovakia is surrounded from the north and northeast by the mountain ranges of the Western Carpathians. They reach the highest heights in the High Tatras, where the highest point of the country is located - the Gerlahovski Shtit peak (2655 m), the Krivan and Dumbier peaks, the height of which exceeds 1850 m.South of the Carpathians, elevations prevail, separated by fertile valleys, along which the Danube numerous rivers flow into it. The largest of them are Vag, Nitra and Hron. Although almost 80% of the territory of Slovakia is located at an altitude of 750 m above sea level, the country also has a fertile Middle Danube lowland, located closer to the Danube in the region of Bratislava and Komarno, and is the granary of the country.

Water resources

The Danube River forms the southwestern border of the country. Many Carpathian rivers flowing to the south flow into it. The largest of the Danube tributaries are the Vag, Nitra and Hron. In the east, Carpathian rivers such as Laborets, Torisa and Ondava belong to the basin of the Tisza River, the largest tributary of the Danube.

Climate

The climate of Slovakia has a pronounced continental character. Winters are cold and dry; summer is warm and humid. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the mountains. Annual precipitation exceeds 1000 mm in the mountains and less than 500 mm in the plains. In Bratislava, the average January temperature is -1 ° C, July + 21 ° C. In the mountains, winters are colder and summers are cooler.

Flora and fauna

They occupy almost 40% of the country's territory. The southern slopes of the mountains are covered with deciduous (beech and oak) or mixed forests, while the northern slopes are covered by coniferous forests, consisting mainly of spruce and fir. The country is dominated by broad-leaved species (53%), primarily beech (31%) and oak (10%), while spruce (29%) and fir (9%) are the most widespread conifers. Higher in the mountains there are alpine meadows.

In the mountain forests of Slovakia, there are deer, lynxes, wolves and bears, and from small animals - foxes, squirrels, weasels.

National parks

National Park Slovak Paradise

National parks are only part of a system of protected areas and sites, which is managed by the Ministry of the Environment. From 1949 to 2002, nine national parks were created:

• Veельká Fatra,
• Mala Fatra,
• Muranska Planina,
• Low Tatras,
• Pienines,
• Polonyna,
• Slovak Karst,
• Slovak Paradise,
• Tatras.

Mineral resources

Relief of Slovakia

In Slovakia, oil, natural gas and brown coal are extracted, which are used for the needs of the economy. Oil covers 1% of the domestic energy needs, gas - 3%, and brown coal - about 80%. The rest is compensated by imports from the Czech Republic. The country has reserves of uranium, coal and shale gas, but currently they are not being developed due to their high cost. The country has large reserves of non-metallic materials. In particular, magnesite is being actively mined, which is exported and accounts for about 6% of world production. In the past, a significant amount of gold, silver, etc. was mined in Slovakia. Currently, precious metals are mined in insignificant quantities in the Hodruša-Homre region.

State structure

The head of state in Slovakia is a president elected by direct universal suffrage for a 5-year term. Most of the executive power is vested in the head of government, the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the majority in parliamentary elections and is appointed by the president. The executive body is the Government of the Slovak Republic. The rest of the cabinet is appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

The highest legislative body in Slovakia is the 150-seat unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic. Delegates are elected for a 4-year term based on proportional representation.

Parliament can dismiss the president if three-fifths of the total number of deputies vote for it. The president can dissolve parliament if he does not approve the government's policy statement three times within a month after the election.

The body of constitutional supervision is the Constitutional Court, which has jurisdiction over constitutional issues. 10 members of this court are confirmed by the president from several candidates nominated by parliament. The highest court is the Supreme Court, the courts of first instance are the regional courts, the lowest level of the judicial system is the district courts.

Political parties

Rights

• Slovak National Party - nationalist, right-wing populist,
• People's Party - Movement for Democratic Slovakia - right-wing populist,
• The People's Party - our Slovakia - is far-right.

Center-right

• Ordinary people are conservative
• Slovak Democratic and Christian Union - Democratic Party - Conservative,
• Christian Democratic Movement - conservative,
• The new majority is conservative
• The Liberal Party is conservative.

The centrists

• Freedom and Solidarity (Party) - Liberal.

Left

• Course - Social Democracy - Social Democratic,
• Democratic Left Party - Social Democratic,
• Communist Party of Slovakia - communist,
• Workers' Union of Slovakia - left-populist,
• 99% - a civic voice - left-populist.

Out of the spectrum

• "Bridge" - Hungarian national, for interethnic dialogue,
• The Hungarian Coalition Party is Hungarian national.

Unions

The largest trade union center is the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic.

Administrative division

Administrative divisions of Slovakia

Slovakia is divided into 8 regions (NUTS-3 units). In 2002, each region received some autonomy.

1. Bratislava region,
2. Trnava region,
3. Trencin Region,
4. Nitra region,
5. Zhilinsky region,
6. Banskobystritsa region,
7. Presov region,
8. Kosice region.

The edges are divided into several areas. In total, there are 79 districts in Slovakia now.

Economy

National Bank of Slovakia in Bratislava.

Slovakia is a developed industrial and agrarian country. A relatively developed diversified agriculture is based on a modern material and technical base and infrastructure.

In 2018, the minimum wage in Slovakia is 480 euros per month. The average monthly salary in 2017 was 925 euros. In the Bratislava region, the average salary for 2017 was 1,527 euros per month. As of February 2018, the unemployment rate was 5.88%. From 1 January 2019, the minimum wages are 520 euros (gross) and 430.35 euros (net). The Keitz index (the ratio between the minimum and average wages in the country) in Slovakia as of 2019 (average 1106 euros and minimum 520 euros) is about 47%.

Advantages: production growth, especially in the Bratislava region.

Tourism

Slovakia has significant tourism potential. Its nature, mountains, caves, ski resorts, castles and cities attract many tourists. In 2006, the country was visited by about 1.6 million tourists, and the most popular places were Bratislava and the High Tatras. Most of the tourists were from the Czech Republic (26%), followed by Poland (15%) and Germany (11%). Many of the country's citizens travel abroad. For example, in 2012, the outbound tourist flow amounted to 3,017 thousand people.

Automotive industry

At the time of the collapse of Czechoslovakia in the early 1990s, there was no car production in Slovakia. In Bratislava, there was only the Bratislava Automobile Plant, which produced components for Czech Skoda cars. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, thanks to the policy of attracting investment, large foreign TNCs began building car factories in the country. The factories of the Volkswagen companies were built in Bratislava (on the territory of the buildings of the Bratislava Automobile Plant), Peugeot in Trnava and Kia Motors in Zilina. According to OICA data, in 2000, 182 thousand cars were produced in Slovakia. In 2005, 218 thousand cars were produced in Slovakia. By 2010, with the commissioning of the factories at full capacity, the production of cars increased to 557 thousand units. Slovakia became the world leader in the production of cars per capita, with a population of 5.4 million people in 2011, almost 640 thousand cars were produced, most of which were exported to other European countries (the share of cars in the country's export exceeded 25%).

International trade

The republic's foreign trade is focused on the EU countries. The main export trade partners in 2017 were: Germany 20.7%, Czech Republic 11.6%, Poland 7.7%, France 6.3%, Italy 6.1%, Great Britain 6%, Hungary 6%, Austria 6 %; total exports amounted to $ 80.57 billion, and the main items were vehicles and spare parts 27%, equipment and electrical goods 20%, metallurgical machines, furnaces and similar equipment 12%, iron and steel 4%. The main import trading partners in 2017 were: Germany 19.1%, Czech Republic 16.3%, Austria 10.3%, Poland 6.5%, Hungary 6.4%, South Korea 4.5%, Russia 4, 5 %; total imports amounted to $ 77.96 billion, and the main items were machinery and equipment 20%, vehicles and components 14%, energy equipment 12%, fuel 9%.

Population

Number, resettlement

The population is 5.5 million people. Settled fairly evenly across the territory. High population density in the southwest, due to the fact that the terrain in that area is more suitable for agriculture.

Peoples of Slovakia

Hungarian minority (2011)

Most of the inhabitants of Slovakia are ethnic Slovaks (85.8% according to the 2001 census). Hungarians are the largest national minority (9.7%), they live mainly in the southern and eastern regions of the country. Other ethnic groups include Roma, Czechs, Rusyns, Ukrainians, Germans, and Poles.

Religion

In general, Slovakia is a rather religious country, especially compared to its neighboring country. The Slovak constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Most of the citizens of Slovakia (69%) are Catholics; the second largest group are Protestants (11%, Lutherans (mainly Slovaks) and Reformed (mainly Hungarians)), Greek Catholics (4%) and Orthodox (1%).

Languages

The official state language is Slovak, which belongs to the group of Slavic languages. Hungarian is equally widely spoken in southern Slovakia; according to Slovak legislation, it can be used as an official language along with Slovak in those regions where Hungarians make up over 21.7 percent of the population.

The native language of the majority of the inhabitants of Slovakia is Slovak: 78.6% of the inhabitants (4,240,453 people), according to the 2011 census. Hungarian was named as their native language by 9.4% of the population (508,714 people). Roma is native to 2.3% of the population (122,518 people). The Rusyn language is in fourth place in terms of the number of those who called it their native language - 1% of the population (55,469 people). The rest of the languages ​​scored less than 1%.

The culture

• Music of Slovakia
• Literature of Slovakia
• Slovak National Theater

Military establishment

Slovak Military Police Officer

The Armed Forces of Slovakia are composed of ground and air forces, air defense forces, border troops and civil defense forces. The army has 14,000 soldiers and officers. In 2004 Slovakia became a NATO member. On August 1, 2005, universal military service was abolished, and a transition to a professional army took place. The military budget in 2009 was $ 1.35 billion. Slovakia takes part in UN peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan, and Kosovo and Metohija.

Public holidays

• January 1 - Education Day of the Slovak Republic,
• May 8 - Day of Victory over Nazism,
• July 5 - St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day,
• August 29 - Day of the Slovak National Uprising,
• September 1 - Constitution Day of the Slovak Republic,
• November 17 - Day of Struggle Against Totalitarianism,
• December 25 - Christmas,
• Easter is declared a public holiday in spring, the date of which is determined each year in accordance with Catholic traditions.

see also

• Moravian Slovakia

Notes (edit)

1. World Atlas: The most detailed information / Project leaders: A. N. Bushnev, A. P. Pritvorov. - Moscow: AST, 2017 .-- S. 18. - 96 p. - ISBN 978-5-17-10261-4.
2. (unspecified) . www.imf.org.
3. Report for Selected Countries and Subjects (unspecified) . www.imf.org.
4. Report for Selected Countries and Subjects (unspecified) . www.imf.org.
5. Report for Selected Countries and Subjects (unspecified) . www.imf.org.
6. Human Development Indices and Indicators(English). United Nations Development Program (2018). - Human Development Report on the website of the United Nations Development Program. Date of treatment September 14, 2018.
7. Gorodetskaya I. L., Levashov E. A. Russian names of inhabitants: Dictionary-reference book. - M .: Russian dictionaries: Astrel: AST, 2003 .-- P. 266.
8. Until 2009 - Slovak crown
9. http://chartsbin.com/view/edr
10. Stav obyvateľstva v SR k 31.decembru 2017(words.). Štatistický úrad Slovenskej republiky.
11. Uličný, Ferdinand. Toponymum Slovensko - pôvod a obsah názvu (unopened) // Historický časopis. - Historický ústav SAV, 2014. - No. 3. - S. 548. - ISSN 0018-2575.
12. At the same time, Slovaks distinguish Uhorsko(historical state) and Maďarsko(modern state), while both of these place names refer to Hungary.
13. Minimalna mzda 2018 (unspecified) . Minimalnamzda.sk
14. Priemerná mzda (unspecified) . www.minimalnamzda.sk... Date of treatment March 1, 2018.
15. Nezamestnanosť ďalej klesá, bez práce je 5.88 percenta ľudí (unspecified) . ekonomika.sme.sk... Date of treatment March 1, 2018.
16. Minimalna mzda 2019
17. Votruba, Martin Regional wealth (unspecified) . Slovak Studies Program... University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved May 12, 2010. Archived August 22, 2011.
18. Turistov na Slovensku je čoraz viac. Prichádzajú turisti aj z Číny - Ammado.sk
19. Archived copy (unspecified) (unavailable link)... Date of treatment August 28, 2012. Archived October 9, 2007.
20. Trukhachev A.V., Ivolga A.G. Analysis of the influence of factors on inbound and outbound tourist flows on the example of individual countries // Modern problems of science and education. - 2014. - No. 5. - P. 369
21. OICA 2000 statistic
22. OICA 2005 statistic
23. OICA 2010 statistic
24. OICA 2011 statistic
25. Slovakia according to the CIA handbook
26. Slovakia in the CIA Directory of the World(English). Date of treatment October 30, 2010.
27. Final results of the census in Slovakia in 2011(words.). Date of treatment August 22, 2012. Archived October 14, 2012.
28. http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2010_06/20100610_PR_CP_2010_078.pdf

Links

• Slovakia in the Open Directory Project (dmoz) link directory
• Official website of the government
• Official website of the President
• Národná Rada - Official website of the National Council (the country's parliament)
• Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Moscow
• Slovakia maps
• SK TODAY News from Slovakia. Independent online publication. (English)
• Krejčí, Oskar: Geopolitics of the Central European Region. The view from Prague and Bratislava Bratislava: Veda, 2005.494 p. (Czech.) (unavailable link)

It may seem surprising, but in recent years, the increase in the number of tourists in Slovakia is due to the sports events held in this country. This means that Slovakia is still an unknown country for most tourists. Meanwhile, Slovakia has everything that tourists need - a thousand-year history, a large number of medieval castles and fortresses, the amazing nature of the Tatras and the Carpathians, numerous thermal resorts and wonderful ski resorts.

Geography of Slovakia

Slovakia is located in Central Europe. In the west, Slovakia borders on the Czech Republic and Austria, in the north - with Poland, in the east - with Ukraine, and in the south - with Hungary. The total area of ​​Slovakia is 49,000 square kilometers, and the total length of the state border is 1,524 km.

Mountains occupy a significant part of the territory of Slovakia. East of Bratislava is the Danube Lowland. The entire north of the country is occupied by the Carpathian Mountains, near the border with Poland are the Low and High Tatras. The highest peak in Slovakia is Gerlachovski Shtit (2,655 meters).

The main rivers in Slovakia are the Danube, Vah, Hron and Ipel.

Capital

The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava, which is home to over 470 thousand people. On the site of modern Bratislava, human settlements have existed since the Neolithic era.

Official language

The official language in Slovakia is Slovak, which belongs to the West Slavic subgroup of the Slavic language family. Hungarian is widely spoken in southern Slovakia.

Religion

More than 60% of the population of Slovakia consider themselves Catholics, belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. Another 6% of Slovaks are Protestant, and 4.1% are Orthodox Christians.

State structure

Slovakia is a parliamentary republic in which the head of state, according to the Constitution, is the President, elected for 5 years by direct universal suffrage.

Legislative power belongs to a unicameral parliament - the National Council of the Slovak Republic, which consists of 150 members.

Climate and weather in Slovakia

In general, the climate in Slovakia is continental. Although Slovakia is a small country, the weather there can be noticeably different in the north, where the mountains are predominant, and in the flat south.

The warmest region of Slovakia is Bratislava and the south of the country, where in summer the temperature can rise above + 30C. In winter in Bratislava, the daytime air temperature ranges from -5C to + 10C.

In the mountains of Slovakia, snow lies in winter all the time, until April. Summers in the north of Slovakia are mild, with an average temperature of + 25C.

Rivers and lakes

Several large (by the standards of this country) rivers flow through the territory of Slovakia - Vag (403 km), Hron (298 km) and Ipel (232 km). Slovak rivers are of great interest to rafting enthusiasts.

Lakes in Slovakia are popular summer vacation spots for Slovaks and foreign tourists. The largest of them are Velke Gintsovo Pleso, Zemplinska Širava, and Štrbske Pleso. There are over 180 mountain lakes in Slovakia.

History of Slovakia

Ancient people on the territory of modern Slovakia lived in the early Paleolithic era. Roman legions came to Slovakia in the 6th century AD. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Slovakia was invaded by Germanic tribes and Goths. Around the end of the 8th - beginning of the 9th centuries, Slavic tribes settled in Slovakia, and the Nitran principality was formed, which then became part of Great Moravia, and later - into Hungary.

Under the blows of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, the Hungarian kingdom fell into three parts, and in 1526 Slovakia became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Only after the end of the First World War, Slovakia gained independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and united with the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia was formed).

In 1939, Slovakia, like the entire territory of Czechoslovakia, was occupied by German troops.

After World War II, the Communist Party came to power in Czechoslovakia. In 1968, the troops of the Warsaw Pact countries suppressed the attempts of the leadership of Czechoslovakia to build "socialism with a human face", and instead of Alexander Dubcek, Gustav Husak began to lead the country.

In 1998, in Czechoslovakia, the Communist Party lost power, and, finally, in January 1993, this country split into two independent states, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In 2004, Slovakia was admitted to the NATO military bloc, and in 2009 it became a member of the European Union.

The culture

Slovakia is a country with rich cultural traditions and folk customs. Slovaks are very proud of their culture and cherish the traditions of their ancestors. Each Slovak region has its own typical folk costumes and customs. Slovak folk culture is known for its dances, music and songs.

Folklore music festivals are held every summer in many Slovak cities, some of which have already become international.

Slovakian cuisine

Slovak cuisine is unique. She was greatly influenced by Austrian and Hungarian cuisines. The main products of Slovak cuisine are pork, poultry, cabbage, potatoes, flour, cheese, onions, and garlic.

Traditional Slovak dishes are cheese dumplings, pancakes (potato pancakes), pasta (pasta) with potatoes, fried cheese, schnitzel, and cabbage soup.

The traditional alcoholic drink in Slovakia is plum brandy (plum vodka). Beer is also very popular in Slovaks.

Slovakia landmarks

In Slovakia, curious tourists will find a large number of interesting sights. In our opinion, the top ten attractions in Slovakia include the following:

Cities and resorts of Slovakia

The largest cities in Slovakia are Bratislava, Kosice, Presov, Zilina, Banska Bystrica, Trnava, Nitra and Trencin.

Ski resorts in Slovakia are becoming more and more popular in Europe every year, combining beautiful nature and excellent skiing infrastructure. The most famous of them are Strbske Pleso, Liptovsky Mikulas, Tatranska Lomnica, Smokovec, Jasna, and Podbanske.

On the territory of Slovakia there are 1,470 mineral and thermal water springs. Resorts have been built near many of them. The most popular of them are Piešтяany, Smrdaki, Sliach, Sklenne Teplice, Trenčianske Teplice, and Luchki.

Souvenirs / shopping

From Slovakia, tourists most often bring dolls in folk Slovak costumes, giant shepherd flutes ("fujara"), shepherd's hatchets, ceramics, glass and porcelain, wine, chocolate, and sheep's cheese.

Opening hours of institutions

Slovakia has exactly two "chips" - but what kind! Healing thermal springs with a full periodic table and a crazy number of medieval castles (of course, with ghosts). Cozy Bratislava, treatment in Smrdaki and Dudince - everything about Slovakia: tours, rest, prices and photos.

• Tours for May around the world
• Last Minute Tours around the world

According to some, not too experienced tourists, Slovakia serves as a kind of "addition" to the Czech Republic on the market. Let's face it: such an opinion is not only offensive, but also fundamentally wrong. This country with its beautiful nature, spectacular mountain peaks, numerous castles and fortresses (every first with its own ghost and every second with its own dramatic history) may well compete with the "veterans" of excursion tourism.

Time difference to Moscow

- 2 hours in summer -1 hour

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

Climate

Moderate continental, with pronounced high-altitude zoning. Average temperatures in July are +19 ... + 21 ° C in the plains and +8 ... + 12 ° C in the mountains, in January +1 ... + 4 ° C in the plains and up to -10 ° C in the mountainous regions. The coldest month is January, the warmest are in July and August. It often rains in autumn, and it is often windy in the mountains in winter. The ski season lasts from November to March. The most comfortable time to visit the country for the purpose of treatment and broadening one's horizons is from May to September. It can be chilly in the evenings at the thermal spas, so it is advisable to bring a sweater with you.

Import and export of currency is not limited. When entering from the territory of non-EU countries, amounts over 10,000 EUR are subject to mandatory declaration. Permitted duty-free import of 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos or 50 regular cigars, or 250 grams of smoking tobacco; 1 liter of alcoholic beverages with a strength over 22 °, 2 liters of wine; 50 ml of perfume, 250 ml of eau de toilette, as well as personal items for an amount not exceeding 430 EUR. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Medicines and medical supplies can be imported duty-free in the amount necessary to meet the minimum personal needs. Tobacco products can only be imported by persons over 16 years old, alcoholic products - over 18 years old.

The import and export of weapons, explosives, pornographic products, narcotic substances, as well as cultural and historical values ​​that do not have documentary evidence of the legality of their acquisition are prohibited.

It is forbidden to import products containing meat or milk into the territory of the EU countries, including sausage, canned food, bacon and even chocolates. If found, they will be confiscated, and the passenger will be fined. The ban does not apply to baby food and special preparations needed for people with certain diseases (in this case, the products must be carefully packed, and their weight should not exceed 2 kg).

• How to get a visa to Slovakia for traveling by car

Tax Free

In Slovakia, there is a Tax free system: having forked out from EUR 175.01 in one check, you can return up to 20% VAT. First you need to take a special form at the checkout with a list of purchased goods and enter your passport data there. At the airport, the completed form (along with a regular cashier's receipt, passport and freshly purchased items in undamaged packages) must be presented to the customs officer to obtain a stamp, and then exchanged for cash at the Global Blue pick-up point. If time is running out, you can send a stamped Tax free check to the Bratislava office (but no later than 3 weeks from the date of registration) and wait for a refund to your bank card.

How to get to Slovakia

The second largest Slovak airport is located in Kosice. From Moscow, LOT is delivered here (157 EUR one way, from 4 hours with a transfer in Warsaw), Czech Airlines (165 EUR, from 10 hours through Prague) and other carriers. Connecting flights from St. Petersburg are organized by Czech Airlines (223 EUR one way, 23 hours via Prague), Austrian Airlines (260 EUR, 21 hours 40 minutes via Vienna) and Turkish Airlines (399 EUR, 29 hours 20 minutes via Istanbul).

Search for flights to Slovakia

Transport

The size of the country is small, most of the traffic is carried out by trains and buses. The main railway line Kosice - Bratislava runs through Spisska Nova Ves, Poprad, Zilina and Trencin. Tickets are sold at the office. the carrier's website (in English), from the capital to Trencin can be reached for 6-8 EUR, in Ruzomberok - for 11-23 EUR, in Kosice - for 13-40 EUR (morning flights are cheaper). The Slovak Expres system (official website in English) operates on popular routes: round-trip tickets for night trains cost 18-27 EUR.

There is also water transport in the country: the Danube connects Bratislava with neighboring cities and abroad (Vienna and Budapest). The cost of a sightseeing cruise in the capital's waters is 7 EUR for adults, 4.50 EUR for children (for the schedule, see the carrier's website in English).

In Slovakia, there is a system of youth and student discounts; on weekends and holidays, travel on intercity buses becomes cheaper.

Public transport within cities

Trams, buses and trolleybuses act as urban transport. Travel is paid with coupons, which are sold in orange vending machines at bus stops - they must be composted in the salon. Tickets are valid for a limited period (15, 30 or 60 minutes), so you should buy them strictly before the trip. Single tickets cost 0.7-3.1 EUR, travel passes for 3 days - 8 EUR. They can be bought at DPHMB offices, underground passages, kiosks and railway station ticket offices.

Taxis in Slovakia are inexpensive, equipped with meters and, due to the small size of cities, are not very popular. Ordering them by phone is more profitable than catching them on the street. The standard fare is EUR 1-2 for the boarding plus EUR 0.50-1 for each km.

Rent a Car

By renting a car in compact Slovakia, you can see its main attractions in a few days: medieval cities, castles, national parks. The roads are good (though some of them are paid), there are few traffic jams, the drivers are polite and tidy. There may be problems with parking: the old streets are not adapted to the abundance of modern vehicles. Most of the parking lots are paid: special coupons and cards are sold in tobacco and newsstands, an hour in a covered parking lot will cost 1-3 EUR per hour (depending on the location, it is the most expensive in the center).

Compact car rental - from EUR 30, standard model - from EUR 52, station wagon - from EUR 56 per day. The cost of gasoline is 1.44 EUR per 1 liter.

Car rental is possible with a driver's license (both international and Russian), passport and credit card. Cash is often accepted for payment, but a credit card in the form of a collateral is required. The amount of rent depends on the car and the rental period, as well as on the day of the week - on weekends (from 15:00 Friday to 9:00 Monday) and holidays, it is slightly higher (excluding distance). The driver's age must be at least 21 years old, and the driving experience must be from one year. The cost of renting Czech car brands is significantly lower than all others.

The maximum permitted speed within settlements is 50 km / h, outside them - 90 km / h, on highways - up to 130 km / h. The dipped beam must always be on, the use of seat belts is mandatory. Drinking any alcohol (even beer) and talking on a mobile while driving are prohibited. Antiradars in Slovakia are illegal. For exceeding the speed limit by 20 km / h, the driver will have to pay a fine of 100 EUR, for 70 km / h - already 650 EUR. Driving while intoxicated can cost up to 2,500 EUR.

It is worth additionally taking out accident insurance (in the region of 10 EUR per day) and against theft (for the same money). The insurance will cover any damage caused to the car only if the driver is sober.

Connectivity and Wi-Fi

There are several mobile operators in Slovakia: Orange, O2, Telekom and Swan. Orange is the leader in terms of the number of subscribers and the quality of communication. SIM cards worth 3-15 EUR are sold in company offices and supermarkets (you need a passport for registration), the balance is replenished via the Internet or using scratch cards. Orange calls to Russia cost EUR 0.47 per minute, Telekom - EUR 0.30.

There are payphones on Slovak streets that accept telephone cards with a nominal value of 5-10 EUR. You can buy them from post offices and newsagents and call both local numbers and overseas. Communication with the homeland from a public telephone booth will cost 10-15%, and from a hotel - 30% more expensive than from a payphone.

Free Wi-Fi is available in hotels, catering establishments (you will have to order something to get access) and on the central streets of Bratislava. In large cities, Internet cafes are common, offering connection for 2-4 EUR per hour. In some places, there are free internet kiosks that allow you to check email, send a message or surf the web (only the connection speed is annoyingly slow).

Slovakia Accommodation

There are few 5 * hotels in the country, most of them are located in Bratislava. The basis of the number of rooms in Slovakia are "treshki" and "four". The price / quality distribution is as follows: 5 * mainly refer to the world hotel "chains", the level is appropriate, 4 * - very expensive and very good, 3 * - from expensive and good to inexpensive and simple. Most of the leisure activities are in the hotel and not in the resort. In 90% of hotels, check-in at 14:00, check-out at 10:00.

In addition, the country has a wide selection of private apartments, campgrounds and sanatoriums, many of which, built under socialism, are now being modernized with might and main. The hostels are mostly clean, tidy, with possible drawbacks - old furniture, poor soundproofing, cramped rooms and problems with Wi-Fi.

Mains voltage - 220 V, 50 Hz, two-pin sockets with a safety plug.

Police: 158, emergency and roadside assistance: 154, ambulance: 155, fire brigade: 150, emergency services: 112.

City codes: Bratislava - 2, High Tatras resorts - 52, Low Tatras resorts (Jasna) - 44.

Stunning views of Slovakia

Diving

Near Bratislava, there are good conditions for diving - on the Senecke Lakes and Lake Gulashka, and with good visibility (in early spring and late autumn) - also on the Golden Sands and Strkovetskoe Lakes. You can also dive on the Danube Island, in the vicinity of the towns of Banska Stiavnica (lakes Rikhniavskoe, Vindshakhtskoe) and Kraliovani (Shutovo), at the Liptovska Mara reservoir, at the Dedinka and Ruzhin dams.

The best time to dive is late spring and early autumn. The water in the Slovak lakes is surprisingly clear, but almost always cool, so you have to tune in for the thrill in advance. The bottom is predominantly rocky, overgrown with all kinds of greenery; at the depths there are carps, eels, pikes and small fish. Diving equipment can be rented in schools and clubs open in Bratislava and some other cities. The average cost of a two-hour rental is 10-15 EUR, diving with an instructor will cost 55-70 EUR, two-week diving courses with theory and practice - from 350 EUR.

Skiing

Rafting

There are 63 watercourses in Slovakia suitable for boating. The local rivers are used by boats, kayaks, kayaks and canoes. In Eastern Slovakia, the most popular rivers are Poprad, Hornad, Torisa, Toplja, Ondava and Laborec, in Central - Hron, Orava and Slana, in Western - Vag, Nitra, Small Danube and Danube.

A two-hour rafting on Bela or Vagu will cost 23-30 EUR, including equipment and an instructor's accompaniment.

The most turbulent river in Slovakia is the Bela, which descend from April 15 to September 30. Rafting down the Vag river in the area from Cerveny Klastor or along the bend of this river through the Bolshaya Fatra under the ruins of Strechna castle is less difficult. Beginners and even families with children have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature during an easy descent along the Orava River (from Parnitsa in Zhashkov Brod to Kraliovan). Descent along the Dunajec in the Pieniny National Park and the mountainous sections of the Hron River, which is characterized by the alternation of calm and turbulent currents, promise vivid sensations.

Rafting in Slovakia

Treatment in Slovakia

Tourists often come to Slovakia to improve their health: there are more than 1200 thermal and mineral springs here. Most of the resorts are located in the mountains: enjoying clean air, idyllic landscapes, tranquility and silence in itself provides a healing effect. Doctors are also not far behind, creating effective health programs based on local ingredients for patients with any diagnoses and offering a European-style high level of service.

Slovakia nature

Slovakian cuisine and restaurants

Slovakian cuisine combines features of European schools and strong national ingredients. Local sheep cheeses, "oshtepki" and "parenitsy" are especially popular, and vegetable soups, broths and various complex soups from meat and vegetables, dumplings with feta cheese, potato dumplings, bryndza dumplings, as well as poultry dishes are considered the hallmark of the local cuisine. ... You should definitely try the national cabbage soup (made from sauerkraut) and Segedin goulash.

In Slovakia, excellent local wines are produced, which occupy a worthy place among the best European varieties, and at the same time are very inexpensive. The most popular spirits are plum brandy (plum vodka) and borovichka (juniper vodka), as well as a variety of herbal liqueurs. The best desserts are walnut roll "walnut", steamed buns with plum jam, poppy seed cake "makovnik", strudels and "trdelniki" (spiral tubes made from yeast dough).

Most resorts have traditional salash and koliba restaurants where you can taste national dishes accompanied by authentic Slovak music.

Pivnitsa pubs also offer a rich selection of local treats: by the way, prices there are often lower than in other eateries. In large cities, establishments with French, Italian, Chinese and Indian menus are open. Confectioneries, pubs, "wineries", coffee shops - there is where to satisfy both hunger and thirst. Lunch in an inexpensive cafe will cost 10-15 EUR per person (the further from the center, the cheaper), a snack in a fast food - 5-8 EUR, dinner in a restaurant - from 35-40 EUR for two, excluding alcohol.

Guides in Slovakia

Entertainment and attractions

An excursion to the sights of Slovakia is a fascinating journey through time: the elegant architecture of the past ages is adjacent to the monuments of our time. A striking example of this is Bratislava: the eclectic Old Town Hall, the elegant Capuchin Church, the Cathedral of St. Martin crowned with a gilded crown, the solemn Presidential Palace - witnesses of a glorious past. And next to it is the imposing SNP bridge, the Slavin memorial complex in honor of the warriors of World War II, numerous museums and street sculptures - the heroes of today.

In Trencin there is not only a stately castle, churches and chapels, but also the Milos Bazovsky Gallery with an interesting collection of Czech and Slovak contemporary art.

The pride of Kosice is the magnificent St. Elizabeth Cathedral, built in the 14th century in the best Gothic traditions. The ceiling of the neo-Baroque opera house is decorated with frescoes based on the themes of Shakespeare's plays, and the streams of the singing fountain, illuminated by hundreds of bulbs, soar to a height of 17 meters. In the town of Komarno, there are preserved works of Hungarian culture, and in the village of Vlkolinets, there are traditional Carpathian farmsteads.

Castles of Slovakia

Slovakia is a magnet for fans of scary ghost stories and sentimental love stories: countless local castles carefully guard their legends. For example, from one of the towers of the Devin castle - Maiden - an inconsolable young lady, separated from her lover, once threw herself off. But on the other hand, much later, one resourceful comrade flew on a hang-glider from socialist Czechoslovakia straight to undelivered Austria.

The Bojnice Castle annually hosts the International Festival of Spirits and Ghosts: over the past 10 centuries, a lot of them have probably accumulated here.

The powerful Bratislava Castle, towering over the Danube, stood in ruins for many years: they say it was burned down by drunk Austrian soldiers in the 19th century, and it did not come to reconstruction until the end of the next century. To build the Kezmarsky castle, a small church had to be destroyed: there were not enough materials, and earthly values ​​were more important to the owner than spiritual ones.

In the Orava Castle there is a bench, sitting on which you can get rid of infertility. And in the largest Slovak castle, Spišský Hrad, the ghost of Hedwiga's nanny still wanders, grieving for the stolen pupil.

National parks

The country has 16 protected natural areas and 9 national parks. The most picturesque is the Low Tatras with karst caves full of bizarre limestone cascades, stalactites and stalagmites. Most of the park is occupied by mountain ranges: low, but very impressive. Beech and coniferous forests, alternating with lawns and alpine fields, have hiking trails of various difficulty levels.

In the Low Tatras you can meet bears, wolves and lynxes: they keep a respectful distance from people and pose no danger.

The highest point of the country is located in the Tatra National Park - Mount Gerlachovsky Shtit. There are endemic animals (for example, the Tatra chamois), many birds, several species of reptiles and amphibians; both walking and cycling routes have been created for visitors. In "Bolshaya Fatra" there is the largest yew grove in Europe, in "Malaya" - Vratnaya Dolina, beloved by skiers, the ancient village of Stefanova and the ruins of several castles. The main treasure of the Poloniny park is the virgin Carpathian forests, the Pieniny is famous for the beauty of the Dunajec river gorge, and the Slovak Paradise - for its stormy waterfalls, the highest of which is the 70-meter high Zavojovi.

The best pictures of Slovakia Adrenaline rush, Slovakia

Speleology in Slovakia

There are about 4000 registered caves of all kinds in Slovakia: stone, ice and aragonite. 12 of them are open to visitors. Of particular interest are the Dobšinska Ice Cave, the Gombasecka and Jasovka Caves, the Domica Cave and the Okhtina Cave - all of which are included in the UNESCO List.

The Freedom Cave in Demanovska Valley is popular for its multi-colored limestone formations: "mushrooms", "trees", pillars and icicles, painted in soft pink, terracotta and other shades. The Preposti Cave in Bojnice has been turned into a Museum of Ancient Man: the artifacts found here - tools, bones, ornaments - are more than 30 thousand years old. There are as many as 250 cave systems in the Muranska Platina National Park, but all of them are dangerous and therefore closed to tourists. But the "Slovak Karst" is a space for adventure seekers: endless labyrinths of grottoes, passages and faults keep many amazing secrets.

Fishing

In the rivers and lakes of Slovakia, fish of the carp and salmon family are caught, including trout and grayling. The most popular among fishermen are the rivers Danube, Vag, Hron, Turiec, Orava, Gornad, Ondava, Latoritsa, Laborets, Nitra, Ipel, Dunajec, Liptovska Mara, Zemplinska Shirava, Oravska Dam, Veельka Domasha, Slnava, Duhonka, Ruzhin, Teply Verkhly and Dedinki.

Holidays and events

January 1 in Slovakia is not only New Year, but also Republic Day, so the fun is in full swing. The main holiday of spring is Easter with solemn divine services, warm family dinners and ancient customs like water pouring. May 1 - Labor Day (greetings from the socialist past), 8 - Day of liberation from fascism. On July 5, they honor Cyril and Methodius, who once visited Moravia on a Christian mission. August 29 - Day of the National Uprising against the dictator Tiso, September 1 - Constitution Day. On November 1, deceased relatives are commemorated, and on November 17, students who participated in the 1989 demonstrations are celebrated.

December passes under the sign of Christmas: a special, fabulous atmosphere reigns in the well-dressed cities throughout the month.

Slovakia is fond of festivals: in the capital, Jazz Days are held in the fall, and in the summer - Coronation Day with colorful theatrical processions. The local analogue of Shrovetide is Fashank with songs, dances and street fairs; they lead round dances on Ivan Kupala (St. John) and guess at the betrothed. In October, the International Peace Marathon starts in Kosice, and in December the cities pass the baton of the Febiofest film festival to each other. In Trencianske Teplice, music shows are thundering all summer, in Kezmarok a large-scale craft fair is organized in July, and in Pezinka in September, Vinoborne is held - a wine festival with competitions for the title of the best Slovak alcohol.

SLOVAKIA

(The Slovak Republic)

General information

Geographical position. Slovakia is a state of Central Europe, the state borders on Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. Square. The territory of Slovakia is 49,035 km2. sq.

Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. The largest cities: Bratislava (443 thousand people), Kosice (235 thousand people), Nitrat (90 thousand people), Presov (88 thousand people). Administratively, Slovakia is divided into 3 regions and the capital equivalent to them.

Political system

Slovakia is a republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. The legislature is a unicameral National Council.

Relief. Most of Slovakia is located in the Western Carpathians, which are low to medium-high mountains with soft, rounded landforms. Only the highest massif of the country - the High Tatras - has rocky mountains with traces of glaciation. Lowlands occupy a small area in the southwest.

Geological structure and minerals. On the territory of Slovakia there are deposits of iron ore, antimony, magnesite, manganese.

Climate. Slovakia has hot summers and cold winters. The sunniest and warmest region of the country is located in the Danube Valley east of Bratislava. The average temperature in January is -2 ° С, in July +21 ° С. Summers are cooler in the mountains, with a lot of snow in winter. It rains throughout the country in autumn.

Inland waters. The rivers mainly belong to the Danube basin. The border of Slovakia with the Czech Republic runs along the course of the Morava River.

Soils and vegetation. Large tracts of deciduous (oak, beech) and coniferous forests cover the slopes of the mountains.

Animal world. In Slovakia, wolf, lynx, hare, fox, bear, deer, roe deer, hedgehog are widespread.

Population and language

The total number of inhabitants of Slovakia is about 5.5 million people. The average population density is 110 people per 1 sq. km. 77% of Slovaks live in cities. The most densely populated areas are located in the east of the country. There are also about 570 thousand Hungarians living in Slovakia, which is 10% of the total population. On the territory of the republic there is the largest Roma diaspora in Europe, amounting to 300 thousand people. Also, Poles, Jews, Russians and Ukrainians live on the territory of Slovakia.

The official language of Slovakia is Slovak.

Religion

About 60% of the population is Catholic. Of the Protestants, most of all are Calvinists and Lutherans, as well as an insignificant percentage of the population profess the Orthodox religion. The Catholic Church plays a fairly prominent role in the political life of the country.

A brief historical outline

VIV century. n. NS. Slavic tribes appeared on the territory of modern Slovakia.

In the VI century. the Slavs had to defend their territory from the invasions of the Arabs. During this period, an independent Nitran principality was allocated.

ВIX century. Czech princes annexed the lands of the Slovaks to the Great Moravian Empire. The first ruler of this ancient Slavic state was Moimir I. The closest neighbor of his state was the Frankish Empire, from where Christian missionaries came to the Czechs, trying not only to convert the pagan tribes to the new faith, but also to strengthen the Frankish influence on the lands of the Slavs. Moimir did not want to obey the formidable neighbor and, in order to strengthen its own independence, sought to enlist the support of another powerful state of that time, the Byzantine Empire.

Continuing his policy, the next ruler of Great Moravia, Rostislav (846-870), invited two missionaries from Constantinople - Cyril and Methodius. Thanks to the efforts of the brothers, Byzantium soon granted the Moravians the privilege of worshiping in Old Church Slavonic and using the Glagolitic script developed by Cyril. The Old Church Slavonic language became the third world language in Europe, along with Latin and Greek.

During the reign of Rostislav's nephew Svyatopolk (871-894), the Slavic state again fell under the influence of Catholicism, the Moravian independent church organization was approved not from Constantinople, but from Rome.

In 896 the Magyar invasion of the Czech lands began. The Great Moravian Empire practically ceased to exist.

At the beginning of the XI century. part of the territory of Slovakia was captured by the Hungarian princes, and by 1018 almost all of its territory became part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

In the XIII century. Hungary entered a period of feudal fragmentation. For this reason, its rulers were unable to resist the invasion of the Tatars in 1241, after which the southwestern and southeastern regions of the Slovak lands suffered especially, they were completely ruined.

In 1298, a large Hungarian feudal lord Matus Chaka, with the support of the petty nobility, took possession of the territory of western and central Slovakia and helped the Czech king Wenceslas II to gain a foothold on the Hungarian throne for several years.

In the middle of the 15th century. the invasions of the Ottoman Empire began on the territory of Hungary.

In 1526 the Turks inflicted a decisive defeat on the Hungarian-Slovak army at the Battle of Mohacs. The capital of the Kingdom of Hungary was moved from Buda to Bratislava.

In the middle of the XVI century. The Habsburgs took possession of the Hungarian crown, and Slovakia became part of the vast Austrian Empire.

In the middle of the XIX century. Ludovit Stuhr (1815-1856), the son of a pastor, created the Slovak literary language.

In 1918, the Slovaks recognized the interim government of Tomáš Masaryk, as a result of which Czechoslovakia was formed.

In 1918, the president of the republic, Tomáš Masaryk, during the signing of the law on Slovak immigrants in the United States, promised the speedy formation of an independent Slovak parliament.

In 1920, the constitution of a unified Czechoslovakia was adopted, and Czech was declared its state language.

In the 1935 parliamentary elections, most Slovaks cast their votes to political organizations that advocated autonomy.

In 1938, under strong public pressure, the autonomy of Slovakia was proclaimed within Czechoslovakia.

In 1939, after the capture of Czechoslovakia by German troops, a protectorate regime was established in Slovakia, and it formally gained independence. The country was headed by the pro-fascist leader J. Tiso.

In August 1944, the Slovak partisans organized a national uprising, which was brutally suppressed in October of the same year.

In April 1945, Soviet troops began to liberate Slovakia; by May 1945 Bratislava was liberated.

In 1947, due to the deteriorating economic situation in the country, the communists began to lose support from broad strata of the population.

In 1948, the so-called February victory of the communists took place, when, after twelve non-communist ministers resigned, Gottwald secured a new government, in which there were no longer representatives of other parties.

In the 90s, serious reforms were carried out in the post-communist republic to transfer the national economy to market principles, in particular, the privatization of state property.

In April 1990, the Federal Assembly announced the new name of the state: Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

Market reforms in Slovakia were much more difficult than in the more economically developed Czech Republic.

In 1992, in a referendum, the majority of the population of Slovakia voted to secede from Czechoslovakia.

Brief economic outline

Slovakia is an industrial and agricultural country. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine building, oil refining, petrochemical, chemical, forestry, woodworking, textile, food industries. Agriculture is dominated by agriculture (cereals, sugar beets, etc.). Gardening, viticulture. Meat and dairy cattle breeding. Export: machinery and equipment, products of the oil refining, chemical and woodworking industries, agriculture, etc.

The monetary unit is the Slovak crown.

A brief outline of culture

Art and architecture. Monuments of primitive art, as well as ancient Roman buildings of the first centuries of our era, have been preserved on the territory of Slovakia. Since the Middle Ages, the development of Slovak art took place in an atmosphere of centuries-old struggle for the preservation of the national culture.

The first architectural monuments date back to the early Middle Ages. Romanesque buildings of the XI-XII centuries: a single-hall church in Drazovce, a basilica in Dyakovec, as well as a number of castles. In the XIII-XV centuries. in Slovakia, Gothic architecture is developing, in its architectural features close to the Czech architectural tradition. Cathedrals in Bratislava, churches in Kremnica and Presov have survived to this day. In the XVI century. the leading place was taken by secular architecture. During this period, in the spirit of the Renaissance, town halls, residential buildings were built, as well as castles were rebuilt. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. Baroque art spreads in Slovakia (Trinity Church in Bratislava). IN THE XEX century. classicism was typical for Slovak architecture.

Bratislava. Old City, St. Martin's Cathedral (XIV century), Church of the XIII century, Old Town Hall (XIV century). Kosice. Cathedral of St. Elizabeth (XV century). Nitra. Castle (XIII century), Basilica of St. Emeram (XIII century).

Numerous medieval castles throughout the country.

Literature. J. Kollar (1793-1852) - a figure of the Slovak and Czech national Renaissance, poet, scientist, in poems ("Daughter of Glory") and articles spoke with a program of cultural rapprochement of the Slavs.

Music. By the second half of the 19th century. includes the activities of a galaxy of talented composers who laid the foundations of modern Slovak music. The largest of them is YL. Bell (1843-1936).

The content of the article

SLOVAKIA, Slovak Republic, a state in Central Europe, formed on January 1, 1993 after the collapse of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (CSFR). From 1918 to 1992 inclusive - an integral part of Czechoslovakia; until 1918 - for almost nine centuries - part of Hungary. The area of ​​the country is 49,035 sq. km, population - 5.34 million people (1995). It borders in the north with Poland, in the east - with Ukraine, in the south - with Hungary, in the west - with Austria and the Czech Republic. The capital is the city of Bratislava. see also CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

ECONOMY

Since 1990 in Slovakia, which was part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republics, the transition from a centrally planned economic system to a market economy began.

In 1990-1992, 9,500 small businesses were sold at auctions, mainly in the retail and service sectors. By the beginning of 1993, there were approx. 16 thousand private enterprises, of which approximately 2 thousand were joint stock companies, and 800 were owned by foreign companies. The privatization of large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises in 1993 was carried out through the issuance and sale of vouchers.

In 1991, there was a decrease in the rate of economic development of the Slovak economy as a result of a sharp decline in foreign trade, a transition to market relations and an almost complete absence of foreign investment. In 1992, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Slovakia fell by 30%, and by 1993 the unemployment rate exceeded 10%. Both agriculture and industry were affected. Agriculture suffered significant losses due to high production costs and a decrease in demand for food products associated with higher retail prices and lower incomes of the population, as well as the termination of government subsidies. In industry, the decline in output was especially large in the manufacturing industries.

Conversion of the military industry has become a very serious problem for the economy of Slovakia. 35 machine-building enterprises, which were engaged in the production of military equipment for the Warsaw Pact countries, found themselves in a difficult situation. Since 1993, after the collapse of the CSFR, Slovakia continued the process of reforming the economy, revising the reform scenario towards strengthening social support and state regulation.

In 1993, the GDP was 367.3 billion kroons, in 1994 - 385.0, in 1995 - 414.7 billion kroons. In terms of growth rates, the country was among the leaders in the transition economies of Central Europe, and in terms of the depth of economic reform it came out - in terms of the total points scored in assessing the adopted market measures - in fourth place after Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. In 1996, the country provided high rates of GDP growth (6.9%), a further increase in production in industry (2.5%), construction (3.7%), agriculture (2.3%). There was a decrease in inflation (to 5.9%), unemployment fell slightly (to 12.6%). The share of the private sector in the creation of GDP has noticeably increased (76% against 63% in 1995). The main source of economic growth was an increase in domestic consumption: while the share of exports in GDP fell to 57.5%, the share of imports, on the contrary, increased to 68.1%.

Positive macroeconomic results, which have been expressed for several years by the growth of GDP, have not led to a noticeable increase in the living standards of the majority of the country's population.

Foreign trade and investment.

In 1989, 67% of Slovakia's exports went to the USSR and other Eastern European countries and 27% to the European Union and other Western European countries. In the same year, 50% of all imports came from Eastern Europe and 32% from Western Europe. By 1993, the picture had changed: 53% of Slovakia's exports went to Western Europe and 35% to Eastern Europe, while 46% of all imports came from Western Europe and 42% from Eastern Europe. The main articles of Slovak export are semi-finished products for the manufacturing industry, machinery and chemical products. The main imports are cars and various types of fuel.

Foreign investment since 1990 has been less than expected. By 1993, they had reached only $ 234 million. The main investors are Germany, Austria and the USA. Already in 1996, the deterioration of the state of affairs in the financial and budgetary sphere and in the field of foreign trade was noticeably manifested. The budget deficit of Slovakia increased to 4.4% of GDP (against 1.6% in 1995). The volume of mutual non-payments in the economic sphere, which in 1995 decreased by 32% compared to the previous year, increased by 16 billion kroons in 1996 and reached 102 billion kroons.

Whereas in 1995 the trade balance was closed with a slight surplus (1.79 billion kroons), in 1996, with the predominant growth of imports, a huge trade deficit of 64.5 billion kroons arose. To limit the growth of the negative balance of trade and balance of payments, the Slovak government in July 1997 introduced a 7% import surcharge, covering more than 75% of all imported goods, and also took a number of other measures to reduce imports. In 1997, exports increased by 9.9% and imports by only 4.5%.

In 1996, the foreign debt of Slovakia increased from 5.8 to 7.8 billion dollars, and by the end of 1997 amounted to about 10.27 billion dollars; the trend of its growth did not stop in 1999 either. At the same time, the main part of it was the debt of enterprises and commercial banks.

Monetary system.

The monetary unit is the freely convertible Slovak koruna. Inflation during this period ranged from 10 to 15% per year. By 1993, the external debt of Slovakia was 3.3 billion dollars. In 1997, inflation in the country, despite a slowdown in imports and an increase in some regulated prices, amounted to only 6.5-6.7%, slightly exceeding the previous year (5.8% ).

In 1996, the country's foreign exchange reserves increased, but their growth was significantly lower than the growth of Slovakia's foreign debt, which increased by $ 2 billion and by the end of 1996 reached $ 7.2 billion (of which the public debt was $ 1.7 billion). .). At the same time, Slovakia in terms of external debt per capita (USD 1,360) differs markedly from other Central European countries (for the Czech Republic this figure is USD 2,300, for Hungary - USD 3,000).

HISTORY

The history of Slovakia is divided into four major periods: the period preceding the Hungarian conquest in the 10th century; the era of Hungarian rule until 1918; the Czechoslovak period (1918–1992) and the period of the independent Slovak Republic (from January 1, 1993). The ancestors of modern Slovaks inhabited the southern slopes of the Carpathians from about the 5th century. In the 9th century. the Great Moravian state was created, which included both Slovaks and their neighbors - the Czechs. Apostles of the Slavs Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century. converted Slovaks to Christianity. At the beginning of the 10th century. during the invasion of the Hungarians, the Great Moravian state was destroyed. Slovakia, separated from the Czech and Moravian lands, came under the rule of the Hungarians.

Hungarian rule.

The country conquered by Hungary was inhabited mainly by peasants. Hungary behaved towards the Slovaks as a defeated people. In the 13th century. the territory of Slovakia was subjected to a devastating invasion by the Mongols who invaded Hungary. Later, with the appearance of immigrants (mainly from Germany), the economic development of the Slovak lands began. The cities grew, a class of Slovak burghers appeared. In the 13-14 centuries. ties between Slovaks and Czechs were restored. The Hussite movement in the Czech Republic also affected Slovakia.

The result of the victory of the Turks at Mohacs in 1526 was the division of the Hungarian kingdom into three regions: the central one under the rule of the Turks, Transylvania under the control of local princes, and the so-called. Royal Hungary under the rule of the Habsburgs; Slovakia was also included in the latter. Slovakia occupied a central position in the Kingdom of Hungary, and Bratislava was the capital of the Habsburgs until the final expulsion of the Turks and the liberation of all of Hungary at the end of the 17th century. Protestantism spread throughout the region, but the forces of the Catholic Counter-Reformation intensified under the Hapsburgs.

The period of enlightened absolutism under Emperor Joseph II (ruled 1765-1790) was especially important for the development of Slovakia. Although social reforms and religious tolerance had a beneficial effect on Slovakia, the introduction of the German language in Hungary provoked indignation among the local population, which in turn affected the Slovaks. The growth of Hungarian national identity contributed to the Slovak national revival; a similar movement took place among the Czechs. Slovak writers such as Jan Kollar and Josef Šafarik played an equally important role in both the Czech and Slovak revival. Both wrote in classical Czech. Some writers began to use the Slovak dialect as a literary language. This was a reaction to the policy of Hungary, which in 1836 declared only Hungarian as an official language. In 1845, the Slovak writer and patriot Ludovit Stuhr began publishing the first periodical in the Slovak language, the Slovak Narodnaya Gazeta.

The patriotic upsurge and the spread of revolutionary ideas in Hungary continued to have a stimulating effect on the Slovak patriotic movement. During the revolution of 1848, the program "Demands of the Slovak People" was developed - the first expression of the political demands of Slovaks. The program called for the use of the Slovak language in schools, courts, local governments, and the election of the Slovak parliament on the basis of universal suffrage. This led to a confrontation between Slovaks and Hungarians; some Slovak revolutionaries moved to Prague. The defeat of the Hungarian revolution and the victory of the Austrian reaction did not improve the situation of the Slovaks. In 1861, the "Memorandum of the Slovak People" was adopted, which contained the demand for local autonomy. The cultural and educational society "Matica Slovatskaya" was founded.

The creation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867) increased the dependence of the Slovaks on Budapest. The Hungarians, inspired by the idea of ​​uniting their part of the empire, pursued the policy of Magyarization with great zeal. Matica Slovakia and Slovak higher educational institutions were closed, the Slovak language was allowed only in primary schools. Political discrimination of the Slovaks continued; Slovak deputies were rarely elected to the Hungarian parliament. There were no mechanisms for the formation of the Slovak elite; the role of political leader was often assumed by the clergy. On the eve of the First World War, Slovak patriots worked closely with other peoples of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; it was at this time that the idea of ​​creating a Czechoslovak state began to take shape.

During the First World War, Czechs and Slovaks demanded a single state. Slovak General Milan Stefanik, along with Czech leaders Tomas Masaryk and Eduard Benes, spent the war years in the West, seeking support from France and Britain. In Slovakia itself, the priest Andrei Glinka and Vavro Schrobar called for the creation of a new country; Milan Goja became the herald of Czechoslovak and Slovak interests in Vienna. As soon as the independence movement gained strength inside Slovakia and abroad, Slovaks in the United States came forward with the initiative to sign an agreement with the Czechs, containing plans for the creation of a Czechoslovak state. The Pittsburgh Declaration on May 30, 1918, signed in the presence of Masaryk, did not have the status of an official document; it said that Slovakia should become an autonomous part of the new state with its own parliament, administration, judicial system, and the Slovak language was supposed to be used as an official one.

Formation of Czechoslovakia.

On October 28, 1918, the Czech National Council proclaimed the independence of Czechoslovakia in Prague, and on October 30, the Slovak National Council in the city of Turcsanski Sveti Martin (modern Martin) announced the separation of Slovakia from Hungary and the creation of the Czechoslovak state (the so-called Martin Declaration). The joint state was recreated on the basis of the unification of the two peoples after ten centuries of separation, but the question of a clear relationship between them remained open. In the constitutional debate, the centralist tendency was victorious, with the support of the majority of Czechs. Czechoslovakia was proclaimed a single and indivisible republic. The idea of ​​a single nation using a common language found support both in Prague and among a part of the Slovak population. And yet the centralist nature of the new republic did not suit many citizens of Slovakia, primarily supporters of the Glinka People's Party, as well as Josef Tiso, who demanded full autonomy for this part of the country and received 32% of the votes in the 1925 elections. also more moderate parties opposed to autonomy. Catholics played a leading role in the more extremist movements.

As a result, the Slovak issue became the central problem of the new state, and antagonism and tension in relations between Czechs and Slovaks often overshadowed the real achievements in the development of Slovakia. Some of its more moderate leaders have held high positions in the Czechoslovak government.

In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, many Slovaks from the extremist wing of the autonomists demanded complete separation from the Czechoslovak state. As a result of this agreement, the line of dismemberment of Czechoslovakia prevailed; Hungary and Poland annexed parts of the territory of Slovakia. When Hitler captured Prague in March 1939, the German and Slovak Nazis created a separate Slovak state. His government was a Nazi dictatorship led by President Tiso. Later, Slovak troops were sent to the Soviet-German front to demonstrate support for the German invasion of the USSR.

During the war years, some Slovak leaders (Stefan Osuski, Juraj Slavik, and others) collaborated with the emigre government of Czechoslovakia, headed by Beneš; a group of Slovak communists, who did not have much influence in Slovakia, launched an active activity in Moscow. In December 1943, the Slovak National Council was created, which became the head of the underground resistance movement, in which communist and non-communist forces participated. The Council opposed the Tiso regime, recognized the need to restore Czechoslovakia on the basis of an equal partnership between Czechs and Slovaks, and began to prepare for an armed uprising. It began in August 1944 in the Banska Bystrica area under the leadership of communist partisans. Despite the assistance provided by the Soviet offensive from Poland, the Slovak partisans were defeated by superior German forces.

At the end of the war, the Slovak National Council took control of all of Slovakia. Using slogans of Slovak nationalism, the communists sought to retain power, but in the 1946 elections non-communist parties won 63% of the council's seats. Then the communists changed their tactics, relying not on persuasion, but on violence; mass arrests began in the country. After the seizure of power by the communists in 1948, Slovakia first received broad autonomy, which was subsequently largely curtailed. The sovereignty of Slovakia became one of the main goals of the 1968 liberation movement in Czechoslovakia. Despite the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact countries in August 1968, a constitutional law was passed on October 30, 1968, establishing a federal state in Czechoslovakia. The new law, which came into force on January 1, 1969, granted broad powers to the Czech and Slovak regional administrations, established a bicameral national assembly, in one of the chambers of which Czechs and Slovaks had equal representation.

Demonstrations in November 1989 ended communist rule. In the Czech Republic, the Civic Forum (GF) movement emerged, and in Slovakia, the Public Against Violence (OPV) movement. The country received a new name - the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. In the 1990 elections, the UPN and the Christian Democratic Movement (CDM) received the largest number of votes.

Towards independence.

At the end of 1990, the federal parliament gave Slovakia the right to manage its budget, without resolving the issue of guarantees of its sovereignty. In 1991, federal, Czech and Slovak government circles held a series of meetings at which the issues of granting autonomy to Slovakia were considered, but no agreement was reached. The UPN movement split, in particular on the issue of separatism, and in the 1992 elections a new organization of patriotic forces - the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (DZDS, founded in 1991) - won the majority of seats in the Slovak legislative body. In June 1992, the leaders of the federal, Czech and Slovak governments came to an agreement on the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia. On January 1, 1993, two independent states emerged: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

SLOVAK REPUBLIC AFTER 1993

After the formation of Slovakia as a sovereign political entity, the development of its political system was characterized by the processes of regrouping and polarization of forces. The initial period of the political history of the Slovak Republic is associated with the name of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar. During his first term as prime minister (January 1993 - March 1994) Meciar advocated gradual privatization. In addition, holding twice the post of prime minister, as well as important economic posts in the government, Meciar exerted a great influence on foreign policy, which led to the aggravation of relations with Hungary. Josef Moravczyk, formerly foreign minister in the Meciar government, made accusations against him and at the beginning of March 1994 Meciar did not receive support in the Slovak National Council when discussing the vote of confidence.

On March 16, Morawczyk was elected head of the interim coalition government, which included representatives of the following opposition parties: Democratic Union (DS), Left Democratic Party (PLD), Christian Democratic Movement (CDM) and National Democratic Party (NDP). However, the victory of Meciar's opponents was short-lived: the opposition did not have enough time to create a real alternative to Meciar. In September 1994, early parliamentary elections were scheduled.

The first national elections in Slovakia after independence were held from September 30 to October 1, 1994. 18 parties and movements and 76% of all registered voters took part in them. The Movement for Democratic Slovakia V. Mečiar received the overwhelming majority of votes. The Common Choice bloc (PLD, Slovak Social Democratic Party, Green Party, Agrarian Movement) received 10.41% of the vote (18 mandates), the Hungarian Coalition (Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement, Coexistence Movement and Hungarian Civil Party) - 10.18% (17 seats), CDM - 10.08% (17 seats), Democratic Union - 8.57% (15 seats), Workers' Union of Slovakia - 7.34% (13 seats), Slovak National Party - 5.4% (9 seats).

DZDS traces its origins to the Public Against Violence (OPV) movement, which emerged after the Velvet Revolution. Meciar was one of the founders of the OPN and served as Minister of the Interior in the Slovak government from January to June 1990. During the debate on the future of Czechoslovakia in March 1991, Meciar suffered his first political defeat and was forced to resign as Prime Minister of Slovakia, as he was accused of damaging Czech-Slovak relations by his position of full autonomy of Slovakia. Meciar left the ranks of the OPN and organized the DZDS.

Meciar remained in power from 1994 to 1998. During this time, he became involved in a protracted struggle with President Michal Kovacs, his former associate in the creation of the DZDS and a presidential rival. On September 25-26, 1998, parliamentary elections were held in the country, in which 17 parties took part. In the struggle for power, Meciar was opposed by the opposition - the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), which united five parties, including the Christian Conservatives, the Green Party and Socialists; it was headed by Mikulas Dzurinda. KFOR received approx. 23% of the vote, and parties in opposition to Meciar won about two-thirds of the seats in the national assembly (93 out of 150).

In addition, the Civil Consent Party (CCP), led by Rudolf Schuster, was represented in the national assembly; the center-right Christian Democratic Party (CDP); The Left Democratic Party (PLD), the successor to the Slovak Communist Party led by Josef Migash, which won 15% of the vote; the three-party Coalition of Hungarian Parties (HCP). Although the DZDS, led by Meciar, won the support of 27% of the vote, i.e. more than any other party, it has lost almost a quarter of its former electorate. The DZDS coalition partner, the Slovak Workers' Party (SRP), won only 1% of the vote, not breaking the 5% barrier required for representation in parliament. The Slovak National Party (SNP), another member of the DZDS coalition, received 9% of the vote. Having won 57 seats in the national assembly (jointly with the SNP), Meciar was not re-elected as prime minister.

In the spring of 1999, the political crisis in Slovakia was resolved due to the absence (since March 2, 1998) of the country's president: Michal Kovacs, elected by the parliamentary majority in 1993, having come into conflict with the country's prime minister V. Mečiar, left his post. After being defeated in the parliamentary elections in September 1998, Meciar announced his retirement from the political scene, but after the decision by the Slovak parliament in January 1999 to hold direct nationwide presidential elections, he announced his candidacy. Its support was the parliamentary opposition, mainly the DZDS, which received the largest number of votes (about 500 thousand with 3 million voters). The opponent was the mayor of Kosice, 65-year-old Rudolf Schuster, the former chairman of the Slovak parliament in Czechoslovakia, a member of the central committee of the Communist Party of Slovakia. Shuster, the candidate for the government coalition, received 57% of the vote in the second round of elections (May 30, 1999), while Meciar received 32%. The presidential elections strengthened the position of the parliamentary majority, and also strengthened the country's pro-Western course in foreign policy: it was declared a desire to join NATO as quickly as possible (in the spring and summer of 1999, the government supported NATO during the military operation against Yugoslavia, providing airfields and transport communications to Western countries and refusing to provide air corridors to Russian aircraft) and to the European Union (tightening the monetarist course and curtailing trade ties with Russia and neighboring countries).