SLOVAKIA

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Slovakia is known for its numerous and impressive mountain ranges. Many of the country’s mountains give way to rolling hills and river valleys, where agriculture, winemaking, and livestock raising are practiced. Slovakia’s mountainous terrain has also influenced settlement patterns within the country. The Carpathian Mountains, a major mountain system of central Europe, extend across much of northern and northwestern Slovakia and encompass the Little Carpathians, the White Carpathians, and the Tatry, which is the highest Carpathian range. The High Tatry mountains contain the country’s highest peak, Gerlachovský Štít, which rises to an elevation of 2,655 m. The High Tatry also contain one of Slovakia’s largest national parks and are a popular place for skiing and hiking. Other important mountains include the Low Tatry, in central Slovakia, and the Lesser and Greater Fatra ranges, in central and western Slovakia. The Slovak Ore Mountains, in eastern Slovakia, are named for their mineral deposits. Southwestern Slovakia is dominated by the Danubian Lowlands, a fertile region that extends to the Danube River on the Hungarian border. Much of the country’s agriculture is produced in this area; Bratislava is its main industrial center. Slovakia also contains a number of interesting and unusual caves. Among them are the Demänovská caves, a series of caves linked by underground lakes and waterfalls, located in central Slovakia; and the Domica cave, known for its vaulted roof and colored stalactites, located near the Hungarian border in eastern Slovakia. The Danube is Slovakia’s main navigable river. Other important rivers include the Váh, Hron, Ipel’, Nitra, Ondava, Laborec, and Hornád. Many small glacial lakes are located in the High Tatry Mountains. Slovakia contains significant forest resources. The country’s main mineral resources are copper, lead, zinc, manganese, and iron. Lignite, a type of coal, is found near the cities of Modrý Kameň and Handlová.
AGRICULTURE: Although subsistence agriculture traditionally dominated the Slovak economy, this sector declined during the Communist period, when industry was promoted as Slovakia’s principal economic activity. Cultivated fields occupy 30 percent of land in Slovakia. Wheat, barley, maize, sugar beets, and potatoes are the country’s principal crops. Viticulture is practiced on mountain slopes, and some tobacco is grown in the Váh River valley. The breeding of livestock, including pigs, cattle, sheep, and poultry, is also important.
ENERGY: Much of Slovakia’s energy supply is imported, particularly oil and gas. Hydroelectric power from plants located on the Váh, Orava, Slaná, and Hornád rivers provides an important domestic source of energy. There is a nuclear-power station at Jaslovské Bohunice and another one under construction at Mochovce. In 2003, Slovakia produced 29.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. In 1977 the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric project began as a joint effort between Czechoslovakia and Hungary, with Austria providing technical and financial assistance for the Hungarian part of the project. The plan called for the diversion of the Danube and the construction of two dams on the section of the river that formed the Czechoslovak-Hungarian border. One dam was to be built by Hungary at Nagymaros, and the other was to be constructed at Gabčíkovo in eastern Czechoslovakia. In 1989 environmental concerns led Hungary to abandon the project; the Czechoslovak government proceeded unilaterally on construction of the Gabčíkovo dam, producing a major dispute between the two governments. The dispute, inherited by the Slovak government with independence in 1993, was referred to the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands. A 1997 ruling that both countries had violated the project agreement did not resolve the dispute.
TOURISM: Slovakia’s tourism industry has grown since the end of Communist rule. In 2004 the country received 1,401,189 visitors. Slovakia’s historic cities and numerous mountain ski resorts are popular tourist destinations. Foreign trade is important to Slovakia’s economy. In 2004 exports were worth $27.6 billion and imports cost the country $29 billion. Crude oil, natural gas, machinery, and transportation equipment are Slovakia’s main imports. Exports include machinery, chemicals, fuels, steel, and weapons. In the mid-1990s the Czech Republic was Slovakia’s main trading partner, supplying about 30 percent of Slovakia’s imports and purchases approximately 40 percent of its exports. Other leading purchasers of exports are Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States.