Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about 49,000 square kilometres (almost 19,000 square miles). The Slovak Republic borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava. Slovakia is a member state of the European Union, NATO, OECD, WTO, and other international organizations.

The Slavic people arrived in the territory of present day Slovakia between the 5th and 6th century AD during the Migration Period (Migration of Nations). Various parts of Slovakia belonged to Samo's Empire, the first known political unit of Slavs, Great Moravia, the Kingdom of Hungary, Habsburg (Austrian) monarchy, Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia throughout history. Slovakia became independent on 1 January 1993, after the Velvet Divorce.

Area
49,033 sq km (18,932 sq miles).

Population
5,378,595 (official estimate 2002).

Population Density
109.7 per sq km.

Capital
Bratislava. Population: 617,049 (2000).

Geography
The Slovak Republic is situated in Central Europe, sharing frontiers with the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Ukraine. Mountains, lowlands, canyons, lakes, cave formations, forests and meadows provide many examples of the Slovak Republics year-round natural beauty. The Slovak Republic is a small country but its terrain varies impressively from lowlands to mountain ranges. Almost half of the country is taken up by the Carpathian Arc, a range of mountains stretching across the north. The smaller ranges include the Lesser Carpathians, White Carpathians, Mal¨¢ (Lesser) Fatra, Vel¡¯k¨¢ (Greater) Fatra, High and Low Tatras and the Slovensk¨¦ rudohorie Mountains (Slovak Ore Mountains).

Language
The official language is Slovak. Hungarian, Ruthenian, Ukrainian and German are spoken by ethnic minorities. English is also spoken.