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SLOVAKIA |
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National anthem |
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The region was first occupied by a combination of Proto-Nordic and Old European sub-racial types, with Indo-European peoples arriving in the area around the year 3000 BC. It thus became the westernmost area of settlement by Slav Indo-Europeans. The lands eventually formed part of the Roman province of Pannonia and were among the first to sustain the wrath of Gothic and Asiatic invasions, with subsequent liberation coming from Germans, Austrians or combinations of settled European peoples.
The continual occupation of inter-mixing races led to the establishment of defined ethnic groupings of White and mixed Asiatic-White descent. There was also an overtly non-White Rom population (some 500,000 at the latest count) who were descendants of Indians who entered southern Europe at the time of the great Asiatic invasions and who remained biologically isolated from mainstream society. After that the territories of Bohemia, Moravia, part of Silesia, Slovakia and sub-Carpathian Ruthenia which fell under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, broke up there arose an opportunity amongst a core of Czechs and Slovaks in 1918 who declared independence. Yet the new state of Czechoslovakia which emerged still contained five ethnic groupings, namely Czechs 51%, Slovaks 16%, Germans 22%, Ruthenes (Ukrainians) 6% and Hungarians 5%. The Slovaks retain a high degree of racial homogeneity, but for that part of the population which shows slight Asiatic ancestry. The dominant sub-racial type thus remains Slavic, a combination of Nordic and Alpine sub-racial types. 5.4 million, of which 85.7% are Slovak, 10.6% Hungarian, 1.6% Roma (or some 500,000 according to non-government estimates), 1.1% Czech, Moravian, Silesian, 0.6% Ruthenian and Ukrainian, 0.1% German, 0.1% Polish and 0.2% others (where 0.1% correspond to some 5,400 persons).Of these 60.3% are Roman Catholic, 8.4% Protestant, 4.1% Orthodox and 17.5% other. About 9.7% are agnostic. Slovak, a West Slavic language, is the official language with about 4.6 million speakers. It has three major dialect groups, the Eastern, Central and Western. Hungarian is widespread in certain areas. The Constitution was ratified on the 1st September, 1992 and was fully effective on the 1st January, 1993 when Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It was amended in September, 1998 to allow for the direct election of the president, and further in February, 2001 so that Slovakia might apply for NATO and EU membership.The incumbent president is Ivan Gasparovic who was elected on the 17th April, 2004 securing 60% of the direct, popular vote on a 30% turnout in a run-off with former prime minister Vladimir Meciar. Four-yearly elections to the 150-seat unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic, or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky, were last held in September, 2002 when Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda was returned as head of a five-party coalition government which polled 42.6% of the votes and 78 seats. The opposition polled a total of 39.3% of the votes and 72 seats.The capital is Bratislava. There are eight kraje, or regions, namely Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky and Zilinsky kraj. On the 1st May, 2004 Slovakia joined the European Union. Lightning flashes over the Tatra is the Slovak section of the former Czechoslovak anthem. The section was retained from 1993 onwards after the separation of Slovakia and Czechia. Words are by Janko Matúžka (1821-1877); the composer is unknown.Lightning flashes over the Tatra Lightning flashes over the Tatra, wildly the thunder pounds, Lightning flashes over the Tatra, wildly the thunder pounds. Brothers, let them pause, they will surely disappear, the Slovaks will revive, Brothers, let them pause, they will surely disappear, the Slovaks will revive.
This Slovakia of ours has been fast asleep until now, This Slovakia of ours has been fast asleep until now. Yet lightning and thunder are encouraging it to come alive, Yet lightning and thunder are encouraging it to come alive. PravdaSlovak Spectator - English-language weekly Slovakia Daily Surveyor - English-language TASR – News agancy having an English-language page
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COUNTRIES |
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CONTACT US |
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