Slovak republic
General characteristic
Slovakia is located in Central Europe. Hungary, Poland, Austria, Czech republic and Ukraine are its neighbours.
Area: 49 035 km2
Population: 5 379 161
(National Bank of Slovakia)
EUR/SKK 39,855 (to 26. 7. 2004)
USD/SKK 32,619 (to 26. 7. 2004)
The most of inhabitants (85,5 %) are of Slovak nationality. The biggest minority groups are Hungarian, Romany and Czech.
Slovak republic became the member of European Union on 1st May 2004.
Slovak republic is divided into eight self-governing regions and 79 districts:
- Bratislava region with center Bratislava
- Trnava region with center Trnava
- Trenčín region with center Trenčín
- Nitra region with center Nitra
- Žilina region with center Žilina
- Banská Bystrica region with center Banská Bystrica
- Košice region with center Košice
- Prešov region with center Prešov
Number of workers in economy in Slovak republic was 2164,6 thousand people in the year 2003. The most inhabitants worked in industry (29,3 %), wholesale and retail trade (12,5 %) and construction (9 %).
Proportion of workers from economically active inhabitants is 82,2 %.
Rate of unemployment in Slovakia was 17,4 % and number of unemployed was 459 200 in the year 2003. Graduates and lastly employed in industry made largest part of unemployed.
Average monthly salary in economy in the year 2003
| Economic sector | In SKK |
| Agriculture, hunting, forestry | 10 940 |
| Fishing | 15 389 |
| Industry together | 15 400 |
| - mineral material mining | 16 251 |
| - industry production | 14 873 |
| - production and distribution of power, gas and water | 21 061 |
| Construction | 12 001 |
| Wholesale, retail, repair of motors, motorcycles and consumer products | 14 461 |
| Hotels and restaurants | 11 053 |
| Transport, storage, mailing and telecommunication | 15 300 |
| Financing | 29 088 |
| Personal estate, lease and business activities | 17 940 |
| Public government and defence, obligatory social provision | 17 508 |
| Education | 11 984 |
| Health service and social care | 12 430 |
| Other social and personal services | 11 120 |
| Economy of Slovak republic total | 14 365 |
Source: Statistical office of Slovak republic
In the year 2003 the great domestic product measured in current prices was 1 195 812 mil. SKK.
The rate of influence measured by index of consumer prices was 8,5 %.
Transport
Aerial navigation
There are available six international airports in Slovakia: M. R. Štefánik airport Bratislava, Airport Košice, Airport Poprad, Airport Sliač, Airport Piešťany and Airport Žilina. They can be used for both passenger and cargo flights.
Regular and irregular air connection of Slovakia to Europe and the rest of the world provides Wienna Schwechat airport because Slovak airports are not fully exploited. Schwechat airport is main international Austrian airport. It is only 50 km far from Bratislava. There is also regular bus and train connection between Bratislava and Schwechat. Ferihegyi airport is also available. It is main Hungarian international airport and distant 250 km from Bratislava. It is possible to use airport Ruzyne in Prague that has regular flights to M. R. Štefánik airport in Bratislava.
Railway transport
There are 3 665 km of railways that provide railroad connection and railway transport services in Slovakia. Most of these tracks belong to networks of international corridors. Their parameters meet international standard.
Following international corridors are passing across Slovakia:
- Corridor No. IV – North-western Europe – Czech republic – Kúry – Bratislava Štúrovo – Hungary – Balkan/Orient
- Branch of corridor No. Va – Bratislava – Žilina – Čierna nad Tisou – Ukraine
- Corridor No. VI – Balt – Varsaw – Zwardoň – Skalité – Čadca – Žilina, continuing farther through corridor No. Va
- Corridor No. IX – „North-southern connection of corridor No. IX with Poland“ – Varsaw – Krakow – Muszyna – Plaveč – Prešov – Kysak – Košice – Čaňa – Hungary – Romania – Bulgaria – Alexandropolis (Greece)
It is possible to make the trip (445 km) between two largest Slovak towns – Bratislava and Košice – in 4 hours and 50 minutes by Inter City train.
Road transport
Slovakia has quality highway network. Its total length is 297 km and it is connected to main European corridors:
- Corridor No. IV: Berlin - Prague – Bratislava – Budapest – Istanbul
- Corridor No. Va: Bratislava– Žilina – Košice – Ukraine
- Corridor No. VI: Gdansk – Katovice – Žilina
Easiest way to European Union borders is through Bratislava because it is border town with Austria.
Ship transport
It is possible to use ship transport in Slovakia through European corridors:
- Corridor No. IV – Berlin/Norimberg – Prague - Budapest – Konstanca (Thesaloniky) – Istanbul
- Corridor No. V – branch A – Bratislava – Žilina – Košice – Užhorod
- Corridor No. VI – Gdansk – Varsaw – Katovice – Žilina
- Corridor No. VII – Danube (includes inland course the Danube, the Black Sea – the Danube channel, the Danube tributaries the Kilia and the Sulina, inland water corridors connecting the Black Sea and the Danube, the Danube-Sava channel, the Danube-Tisa channel) (Source: SARIO)
Water corridor E 81 – Váh waterway (Agreement AGN) is directly aligned to land transport corridors No. V and VI.
The route of waterway E 81 – Komárno – Sereď – Púchov – Žilina with continuing to water corridors in Czech Republic and Poland, this is a channeled connection between the Váh and the Odra rivers through the Kysuca and the Olša rivers.
Nowadays there are three public ports for cargos in operation: Bratislava, Komárno and Štúrovo.
Public transshipment universal port in Bratislava situated on international Danube stream is system of water surfaces, hydro-technical equipments and areas with transport and technical infrastructure.
Komárno port represents ideal connection of shipping channels, railways and highways. With its technological equipment and geographic position it is suitable mainly for transhipment of bulk materials, especially agriculture goods.
There is a plan to exploit huge transport potential of the Slovak rivers in the near future. Project „Váh waterway“ plans to canalize the Váh river by lining-up on international water corridor and building several ports on this river.
Number of workers in economy in Slovak republic was 2164,6 thousand people in the year 2003. The most inhabitants worked in industry (29,3 %), wholesale and retail trade (12,5 %) and construction (9 %). Proportion of workers from economically active inhabitants is 82,2 %.Rate of unemployment in Slovakia was 17,4 % and number of unemployed was 459 200 in the year 2003. Graduates and lastly employed in industry made largest part of unemployed.Average monthly salary in economy in the year 2003It is planned enlargement of next highway network in the future. It will reach final length 658 km.Now it is possible to use I. class highways for personal and cargo transport. They are also part of international transport corridors.Easiest way to European Union borders is through Bratislava because it is border town with Austria.It is possible to use ship transport in Slovakia through European corridors:
Water corridor E 81 – Váh waterway (Agreement AGN) is directly aligned to land transport corridors No. V and VI.The route of waterway E 81 – Komárno – Sereď – Púchov – Žilina with continuing to water corridors in Czech Republic and Poland, this is a channeled connection between the Váh and the Odra rivers through the Kysuca and the Olša rivers. Nowadays there are three public ports for cargos in operation: Bratislava, Komárno and Štúrovo.Public transshipment universal port in Bratislava situated on international Danube stream is system of water surfaces, hydro-technical equipments and areas with transport and technical infrastructure.Komárno port represents ideal connection of shipping channels, railways and highways. With its technological equipment and geographic position it is suitable mainly for transhipment of bulk materials, especially agriculture goods.There is a plan to exploit huge transport potential of the Slovak rivers in the near future. Project „Váh waterway“ plans to canalize the Váh river by lining-up on international water corridor and building several ports on this river.
