World Factbook
Slovakia
Slovenska republika
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red; the national coat of arms (a red shield bordered in white, with a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius on top of three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset to the left meaning: white, blue, and red are the pan-Slav colors
note: the pan-Slav colors were inspired by Russia's flag
Capital
name
Bratislava
etymology
the meaning is unclear but has medieval Slavic origins; the name was adopted in 1919 after Czechoslovakia gained its independence, replacing the name Prešporok
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates
48 09 N, 17 07 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous (pre-independence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992
amendment process
proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members
Country name
etymology
the country takes its name from the local Slav ethnic group; the origin of the group's name is unclear, although early forms were used in Medieval Latin (Sclavus) and Byzantine Greek (Sklabos)
local long form
Slovenska republika
local short form
Slovensko
conventional long form
Slovak Republic
conventional short form
Slovakia
Independence
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Legal system
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes
Government type
parliamentary republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels)
subordinate courts
regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life, subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
chief of state
President Peter PELLEGRINI (since 15 June 2024)
election results
2024: Peter PELLEGRINI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in second round Peter PELLEGRINI 53.1%; Ivan KORCOK 46.9%; percent of vote in first round - Ivan KORCOK (independent) 42.5%; Peter PELLEGRINI (Hlas-SD) 37%; Stefan HARABIN (independent) 11.7%, other 8.8%; 2019: Zuzana CAPUTOVA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6%
head of government
Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 25 October 2023)
most recent election date
23 March 2024, with a runoff on 6 April 2024
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following National Council elections, the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council
expected date of next election
2029
National holiday
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
National color(s)
white, blue, red
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica (c); Levoča, Spišský Hrad, and the Associated Cultural Monuments (c); Vlkolínec (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Bardejov Town (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathians (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Danube Limes (Western Segment) (c)
Political parties
Direction - Social Democracy or SMER-SD Freedom and Solidarity or SaS Progressive Slovakia or PS Republic Slovakia The Slovak National Party or SNS The Christian Democratic Movement or KDH Voice - Social Democracy or HLAS-SD
Legislative branch
chamber name
National Council (Národná rada)
term in office
4 years
number of seats
150 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
National Council (Narodna rada Slovenskej republiky)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
9/30/2023
expected date of next election
September 2027
percentage of women in chamber
23.3%
parties elected and seats per party
Smer - Social Democracy (Smer-SD) (42); Progressive Slovakia (PS) (32); Hlas (“Voice”) - SD (27); Coalition OĽaNO and Friends, 'For the People' and 'Christian Union' (16); Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) (12); Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) (11); Slovak National Party (SNS) (10)
National anthem(s)
title
"Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Storm Over the Tatras)
history
adopted 1993; music based on an 1843 Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" (She Was Digging a Well)
lyrics/music
Janko MATUSKA/traditional
National symbol(s)
double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) over three peaks
Administrative divisions
8 regions ( kraje , singular - kraj ); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 237-6438
chancery
3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 237-1054
chief of mission
Ambassador Andrej DROBA (since 16 December 2025)
consulate(s) general
New York
email address and website
emb.washington@mzv.sk https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[421] (2) 5441-8861
embassy
P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
telephone
[421] (2) 5443-3338
mailing address
5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC 20521-5840
chief of mission
Ambassador Gautam A. RANA (since 28 September 2022)
email address and website
consulbratislava@state.gov https://sk.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction