{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "Slovakia's roots can be traced to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently, the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. Following the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) resulted in a strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who were under Austrian rule. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939 Slovakia became an independent state allied with Nazi Germany. Following World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create \"socialism with a human face,\" ushering in a period of repression known as \"normalization.\" The peaceful \"Velvet Revolution\" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a nonviolent \"velvet divorce\" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro zone on 1 January 2009."
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Central Europe, south of Poland"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "48 40 N, 19 30 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Europe"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total": {
        "text": "49,035 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "48,105 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "930 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "about twice the size of New Hampshire"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,611 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "text": "Austria 105 km, Czech Republic 241 km, Hungary 627 km, Poland 541 km, Ukraine 97 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "0 km (landlocked)"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "text": "none (landlocked)"
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "458 m"
      },
      "elevation extremes": {
        "text": "lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m ++ highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "lignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "40.1% ++ arable land 28.9%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 10.8%"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "40.2%"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "19.7% (2011 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "869 sq km (2012)"
    },
    "Population - distribution": {
      "text": "a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "text": "5,445,802 (July 2016 est.)"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Slovak(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Slovak"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Slovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 2%, other and unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "text": "Slovak (official) 78.6%, Hungarian 9.4%, Roma 2.3%, Ruthenian 1%, other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "15.14% (male 422,797/female 401,718)"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "11.32% (male 317,775/female 298,954)"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "45.13% (male 1,241,212/female 1,216,596)"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "13.52% (male 349,089/female 387,394)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "14.88% (male 312,042/female 498,225) (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "40.8%"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "21.3%"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "19.5%"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "5.1% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "40.1 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "38.4 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "41.9 years (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "0.01% (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "9.8 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "9.8 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech border"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "53.6% of total population (2015)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "-0.31% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "BRATISLAVA (capital) 401,000 (2015)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.07 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.05 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "1.02 male(s)/female"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "0.9 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.62 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.94 male(s)/female (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "27.4 (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Maternal mortality rate": {
      "text": "6 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "5.2 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "5.8 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "77.1 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "73.5 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "80.9 years (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.4 children born/woman (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Health expenditures": {
      "text": "8.1% of GDP (2014)"
    },
    "Physicians density": {
      "text": "3.32 physicians/1,000 population (2012)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "6 beds/1,000 population (2011)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 100% of population ++ rural: 100% of population ++ total: 100% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 0% of population ++ rural: 0% of population ++ total: 0% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 99.4% of population ++ rural: 98.2% of population ++ total: 98.8% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 0.6% of population ++ rural: 1.8% of population ++ total: 1.2% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "0.02% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - deaths": {
      "text": "less than 100 (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "27.4% (2014)"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "4.1% of GDP (2013)"
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "15 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "16 years (2014)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": {
      "total": {
        "text": "29.7%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "29.5%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "30.1% (2014 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Slovak Republic"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Slovakia"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Slovenska republika"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Slovensko"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "related to the Slavic autonym (self-designation) \"Slovenin,\" a derivation from \"slovo\" (word), denoting \"people who speak (the same language)\" (i.e., people who understand each other)"
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary republic"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Bratislava"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "48 09 N, 17 07 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC,. during Standard Time)"
      },
      "daylight saving time": {
        "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "history": {
        "text": "several previous (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992"
      },
      "amendments": {
        "text": "proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)"
      }
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe"
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "5 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President Andrej KISKA (since 15 June 2014)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 April 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Robert KALINAK, Peter KAZIMIR, Miroslav LAJCAK (since 4 April 2012), Lubomir VAZNY (since 26 November 2012)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held in 2 rounds on 15 and 29 March 2014 (next to be held in March 2019); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "Andrej KISKA elected president; percent of vote in second round - Andrej KISKA (independent) 59.4%, Robert FICO (Smer-SD) 40.6%"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "description": {
        "text": "unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)"
      },
      "elections": {
        "text": "last held on 5 March 2016 (next to be held in March 2020)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 28.3%, SaS 12.1%, OLaNO-NOVA 11%, SNS 8.6%, LSNS 8%, SME-Rodina 6.6%, Most-Hid 6.5%, Siet 5.6%, other 13.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 49, SaS 21, OLaNO-NOVA 19, SNS 15, LSNS 14, SME-Rodina 11, Most-Hid 11, Siet 10"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and 84 judges  organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court (consists of 13 judges)"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Supreme Court judge candidates proposed by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, a 17-member independent body to include the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential and governmental appointees; judges appointed by the president for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges appointed for 12-year terms"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "regional and district civil courts; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit"
      }
    },
    "Political parties and leaders": {
      "parties in the Parliament": {
        "text": " ++ Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO] ++ Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR] ++ Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK] ++ Network or Siet [Radoslav PROCHAZKA] ++ Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC] ++ People's Party - Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA] ++ Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO] ++ We Are Family or SME-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR] ++ "
      },
      "selected parties outside the Parliament": {
        "text": " ++ Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Jan FIGEL] ++ JUMP! or SKOK! [Juraj MISKOV] ++ Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef BERENYI] ++ Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or SDKU-DS [Pavol FRESO]"
      }
    },
    "Political pressure groups and leaders": {
      "text": "Alliance of Companies Employing 500 or More Employees or Klub500 ++ Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS ++ Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ ++ Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS ++ Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic or AZZZ ++ Medical Trade Association or LOZ ++ National Union of Employers or RUZ ++ Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK ++ The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS"
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "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, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Peter KMEC (since 17 September 2012)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 237-1054"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 237-6438"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "Los Angeles, New York"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Charge d’Affaires J. Liam WASLEY (since September 2015)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[421] (2) 5443-3338"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[421] (2) 5441-8861"
      }
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side",
      "note": {
        "text": "the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia"
      }
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white, blue, red"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Nad Tatrou sa blyska\" (Lightning Over the Tatras)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Janko MATUSKA/traditional"
      },
      "note": {
        "text": "adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song \"Kopala studienku\""
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economy - overview": {
      "text": "Slovakia has made significant economic reforms since its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy, with exports, at about 93% of GDP, serving as the main driver of GDP growth. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country’s banking sector is sound. ++  ++ Slovakia has led the region garnering FDI, because of its relatively low-cost, highly-skilled labor force, reasonable tax rates, and favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. However, recent increases in corporate taxes, as well as changes to the Labor Code, slow dispute resolution, and ongoing corruption potentially threaten the attractiveness of the Slovak market. Moreover, the energy sector is characterized by high costs, unpredictable regulatory oversight, and growing government interference."
    },
    "GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "text": "$169.1 billion (2016 est.) ++ $163.4 billion (2015 est.) ++ $157.8 billion (2014 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data are in 2016 dollars"
      }
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$90.26 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - real growth rate": {
      "text": "3.4% (2016 est.) ++ 3.6% (2015 est.) ++ 2.5% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - per capita (PPP)": {
      "text": "$31,200 (2016 est.) ++ $30,200 (2015 est.) ++ $29,100 (2014 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data are in 2016 dollars"
      }
    },
    "Gross national saving": {
      "text": "21.8% of GDP (2016 est.) ++ 21.6% of GDP (2015 est.) ++ 21.1% of GDP (2014 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "55.9%"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "18.9%"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "22.2%"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "-0.2%"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "94.8%"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-91.6% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "3.6%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "31.6%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "64.8% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agriculture - products": {
      "text": "grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "automobiles; metal and metal products; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals, synthetic fibers, wood and paper products; machinery; earthenware and ceramics; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products; food and beverages; p"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "4.3% (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "2.724 million (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "4.2%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "22.6%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "73.2% (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "text": "9.8% (2016 est.) ++ 11.5% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "12.6% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "4.4%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "26% (2013 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Distribution of family income - Gini index": {
      "text": "26 (2013) ++ 25.7 (2011)"
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$34.87 billion"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$37.04 billion (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "38.6% of GDP (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "-2.4% of GDP (2016 est.)"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "text": "52.4% of GDP (2016 est.) ++ 52.9% of GDP (2015 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data cover general Government Gross Debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds"
      }
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "calendar year"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "text": "-0.3% (2016 est.) ++ -0.3% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Central bank discount rate": {
      "text": "0.05% (9 December 2015) ++ 0.05% (10 September 2014)",
      "note": {
        "text": "this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks from the euro area; Slovakia became a member of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2009"
      }
    },
    "Commercial bank prime lending rate": {
      "text": "2.7% (31 December 2016 est.) ++ 2.78% (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of narrow money": {
      "text": "$42.43 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $43 billion (31 December 2015 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of"
      }
    },
    "Stock of broad money": {
      "text": "$58.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $58.41 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of domestic credit": {
      "text": "$66.15 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $67.67 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Market value of publicly traded shares": {
      "text": "$4.634 billion (31 December 2015 est.) ++ $4.732 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $4.801 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "text": "-$885 million (2016 est.) ++ -$1.128 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "text": "$74.35 billion (2016 est.) ++ $73.12 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "vehicles and related parts 27%, machinery and electrical equipment 20%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, iron and steel 4%, mineral oils and fuels 5% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 22.7%, Czech Republic 12.5%, Poland 8.5%, Austria 5.7%, Hungary 5.7%, France 5.6%, UK 5.5%, Italy 4.5% (2015)"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "text": "$71.47 billion (2016 est.) ++ $71.09 billion (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "machinery and electrical equipment 20%, vehicles and related parts 14%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, fuel and mineral oils 9% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 19.4%, Czech Republic 17.4%, Austria 9.1%, Hungary 6.3%, Poland 6.3%, South Korea 5.5%, Russia 5.2%, China 4.1% (2015)"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "text": "$2.657 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $2.892 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "text": "$75.04 billion (31 March 2016 est.) ++ $74.19 billion (31 March 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home": {
      "text": "$59.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $56.31 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad": {
      "text": "$12.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.) ++ $10.71 billion (31 December 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "text": "euros (EUR) per US dollar - ++ 0.9214 (2016 est.) ++ 0.885 (2015 est.) ++ 0.885 (2014 est.) ++ 0.7634 (2013 est.) ++ 0.7752 (2012 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity - production": {
      "text": "27.25 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - consumption": {
      "text": "28.36 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - exports": {
      "text": "11.86 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - imports": {
      "text": "12.96 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - installed generating capacity": {
      "text": "8.076 million kW (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from fossil fuels": {
      "text": "33.2% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": {
      "text": "24% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": {
      "text": "31.4% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from other renewable sources": {
      "text": "11.2% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - production": {
      "text": "200 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - exports": {
      "text": "501.5 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - imports": {
      "text": "119,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - proved reserves": {
      "text": "9 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "142,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - consumption": {
      "text": "82,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "83,390 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "28,870 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - production": {
      "text": "100 million cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - consumption": {
      "text": "4.535 billion cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - exports": {
      "text": "3 million cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - imports": {
      "text": "4.757 billion cu m (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - proved reserves": {
      "text": "14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es)"
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": {
      "text": "33 million Mt (2013 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "866,630"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "16 (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total": {
        "text": "6.676 million"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "123 (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephone system": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth of cellular services"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services (2011)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "state-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), operates 2 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 50 privately owned TV stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 40% of (2016)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".sk"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "4.629 million"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "85% (July 2015 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "4"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "23"
      },
      "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "11,100"
      },
      "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "0 mt-km (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "OM (2016)"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "35 (2013)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "21"
      },
      "over 3,047 m": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "2,438 to 3,047 m": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "1,524 to 2,437 m": {
        "text": "3"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "3"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": "11 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Airports - with unpaved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "9"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": "5 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Heliports": {
      "text": "1 (2013)"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "gas 6,774 km; oil 419 km (2013)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3,624 km"
      },
      "broad gauge": {
        "text": "99 km 1.520-m gauge"
      },
      "standard gauge": {
        "text": "3,475 km 1.435-m gauge (1,616 km electrified)"
      },
      "narrow gauge": {
        "text": "50 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2014)"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "54,869 km (includes local roads, national roads, and 420 km of highways) (2012)"
      }
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "172 km (on Danube River) (2012)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "11"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "cargo 9, refrigerated cargo 2"
      },
      "foreign-owned": {
        "text": "11 (Germany 3, Ireland 1, Italy 2,  Montenegro 1, Slovenia 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 2) (2010)"
      }
    },
    "Ports and terminals": {
      "river port(s)": {
        "text": "Bratislava, Komarno (Danube)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military branches": {
      "text": "Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2010)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2012)"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "text": "1.03% of GDP (2015) ++ 1.01% of GDP (2014) ++ 1% of GDP (2013) ++ 1.12% of GDP (2012) ++ 1.1% of GDP (2011)"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules"
    },
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "stateless persons": {
        "text": "1,523 (2015)"
      }
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy"
    }
  }
}