The Slovak Republic is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Europe that is bordered by Austria and the Czech Republic in west, by Hungary in south, by Poland in north, and the Ukraine in east. Slovakia’s territory spans about 49,000 square kilometers, and is mostly mountainous. The capital and largest city is Bratislava. The official language is Slovak.
Formerly part of Czechoslovakia, it was known as the Slovak Socialist Republic from 1969 until 1990. In 1993, the Slovak Republic became an independent, sovereign state.
Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The head of state of Slovakia is the president; he is elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term.
In 2004, Slovakia became an EU member country, and in December 2007, it joined the Schengen zone. The Slovak economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, and the 3rd fastest in Eurozone. The country maintains a combination of a market economy with a comprehensive social security system. Its currency is the Euro.
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