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Administrative divisions 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Rauno Viemerö
Ambassadors from Israel > Current Israeli Ambassadors > Embassy > Website	Bratislava
Ambassadors from Israel > Current Israeli Ambassadors > Israeli Ambassador	Zev Boker
ambassadors to the United States > Ambassador	Rastislav Kacer
Capital city	Bratislava
Capital city > Daylight saving time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	48 09 N, 17 07 E
Capital city > Name	Bratislava
Capital city > Time difference UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership
Copyright > Reference	§ 18,
Corruption	4.3		[48th of 160]
Council of EU, 2005 > Country leader	Mikuláš Dzurinda
Council of EU, 2005 > Country votes	7		[18th of 25]
Council of EU, 2005 > European party of leader EPP
Council of EU, 2006 > Country leader	Mikuláš Dzurinda
Council of EU, 2006 > Country votes	7		[18th of 25]
Council of EU, 2006 > European party of leader EPP
Council of EU, 2007 > Country leader	Robert Fico
Council of EU, 2007 > Country votes	7		[19th of 27]
Council of EU, 2007 > European party of leader PES
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	70 pma
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Vincent OBSITNIK
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[421] (2) 5441-8861
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[421] (2) 5443-3338
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Peter BURIAN
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general	Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 237-6438
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 237-1054
Elections > Head of state	Direct election
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address	50 Rideau Terrace
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood	Rockcliffe Park
European Council > Current composition of the European Council > Title	Prime minister
European Parliament constituency > Comparison with member states without constituencies > per Seat	378k
European Parliament constituency > Comparison with member states without constituencies > Seats	14		[17th of 25]
Executive branch > A note government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
Executive branch > Election results Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)
Executive branch > Note government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side
Flag modification	1		[191st of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment	January 1, 1993
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment	March 4, 1994
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	2.14 %		[70th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	4,871,743,000 constant 2000 US$		[43rd of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	904.352 constant 2000 US$ per c		[28th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	169950000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	286297000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	9,228,838,000 $		[47th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.199 $ per $1 of GDP		[33rd of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	1,713.168 $ per capita		[30th of 184]
Government type	parliamentary democracy
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom	Judith Macgregor
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type	Embassy
Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Independence Day > Date	July 17
International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president)
Key ministers > Agriculture	Zsolt Simon (SMK)
Key ministers > Culture	Frantisek Toth (ANO)
Key ministers > Defence	Juraj Liska (SDKU)
Key ministers > Education	Martin Fronc (KDH)
Key ministers > Environment	Laszlo Miklos (SMK)
Key ministers > Finance	Ivan Miklos (SDKU)
Key ministers > Foreign affairs	Eduard Kukan (SDKU)
Key ministers > Health	Rudolf Zajac (ANO)
Key ministers > Interior	Vladimir Palko (KDH)
Key ministers > Justice	Daniel Lipsic (KDH)
Laws against Holocaust denial > Penalties for violation > Maximum	3 years
Laws against Holocaust denial > Penalties for violation > Minimum	Fine or 1 month
Legal origin German
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Legislative branch unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by party - Smer 50, SDKU 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14
Legislative branch > Elections last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time	3.04 %		[28th of 38]
National holiday Constitution Day, 1 September
Parliamentary seats > Female	13%		[41st of 143]
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > European > party PES
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > Leader	Robert Fico
Parties in the Council of the European Union > leaders > Votes	7		[19th of 27]
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint	12.73 %		[27th of 38]
political parties > Multi party	•
Political parties and leaders Parties in the Parliament: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Pal CSAKY]; People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]; Parties outside the Parliament: Agrarian Party of the Provinces or ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA]; Left-wing Bloc or LB [Jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 - New Christian Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav MORIC]; Slovak People's Party or SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK]
Political pressure groups and leaders 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; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS
Prime minister	Robert Fico
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	13		[138th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	2.413 per 1 million people		[83rd of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	27		[116th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	5.012 per 1 million people		[78th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	3		[154th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	556.896 per 1 billion people		[90th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	20 %		[56th of 174]
Stabilisation and Association process > Albania	6.12.2006
Stabilisation and Association process > Croatia	entered the EU later
Stabilisation and Association process > Stabilisation and Association process > Republic of > Macedonia	entered the EU later
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	9		[93rd of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	1.671 per 1 million people		[72nd of 171]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days	272 days		[36th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	565 days		[65th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	17 days		[138th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	25 days		[117th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	344 hours		[50th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	4 years		[33rd of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	420,812		[27th of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	78.223 per 1 million people		[14th of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents	1,148		[25th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita)	0.213 per 1 million people		[18th of 146]
Trademarks, residents	2,912		[26th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita)	0.541 per 1 million people		[24th of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International 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
UN membership date	19 Jan. 1993
United Nations mission http://www.un.int/slovakia/main.htm
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood	Cleveland Park

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