A landlocked country in central Europe, Slovakia is mostly mountainous except for southern lowlands along the Danube—where the capital, Bratislava, is found. This country's split from the more affluent, industrialized Czech Republic in 1993 was prompted by Slovak nationalism and grievances over rapid economic reforms instituted by the Czechoslovak government in Prague—reforms that left many Slovaks without jobs. Slovakia's industrial economy is market oriented. It joined NATO and the European Union in 2004.
ECONOMYIndustry: metal and metal products, food and beverages, electricity, gas.
Agriculture: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops; pigs; forest products.
Exports: machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods.Text source:
National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2004
