The Slovak Republic lies in the centre of Europe between 16º 50´05´´ and 22º 34´04´´ of eastern geographic length and 47º 43´54´´ and 49º 36´52´´ of northern geographic width.

Demographic situation

The long-lasting decrease of birth rate and unsatisfactory mortality rate in the SR resulted in gradual reduction in natural increase of population up to the extent that in 2001 – 2003 there occurred population decline in natural population increase, i.e., the rate of live-born children was lower than death rate. Due to positive migration balance the population decrease was not observed. 

Since 2004, natural population increase has been positive with a maximum in 2011. However, due to COVID-19, significantly more people died than were born in Slovakia in 2020, which means that it was the first time since 2003 that a natural decrease occurred. The increase in the population of the Slovak Republic in 2020 was achieved only thanks to the positive migration balance, i.e. because the number of immigrants significantly surpassed the group of those who emigrated from the Slovak Republic.¹ In the 2nd quarter of 2022, the total population of the Slovak Republic decreased by 85 people.²

Basic demographic characteristics

Note:

¹ Converted to mid-year state

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2008. Demography and social statistic: Population Development in the Slovak Republic 2007 (Demografia a sociálna štatistika: Vývoj obyvateľstva v Slovenskej republike 2007).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2022. Demography and Social Statistic: Us in Numbers. Population Movement 2021 (Demografia a sociálna štatistika: My v číslach. Pohyb obyvateľstva 2021). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (lasted accessed 07/12/2022).

International migration (in persons)

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2008. Demography and social statistic: Population Development in the Slovak Republic 2007 (Demografia a sociálna štatistika: Vývoj obyvateľstva v Slovenskej republike 2007).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2022. Demography and Social Statistic: Us in Numbers. Population Movement 2021 (Demografia a sociálna štatistika: My v číslach. Pohyb obyvateľstva 2021). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Foreign migration to and from the Slovak Republic in 2021

Source: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2022. Demography and Social Statistic: Us in Numbers. Population Movement 2021(Demografia a sociálna štatistika: My v číslach. Pohyb obyvateľstva 2021). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022).
 

Population in working age started to decrease in 2011. The changes in composition of population according to economic age groups univocally point out population ageing. This trend continued also in 2021 when the number of persons in productive age decreased and the proportion of people in post-productive age increased. 

Age composition of population as at 31 December according to economic age groups

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2001. Demography and social statistic: Age composition of the population of the Slovak Republic 2000 (Demografia a sociálna štatistika: Vekové zloženie obyvateľstva Slovenskej republiky 2000).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2006. Demography and social statistic: Age composition of the population of the Slovak Republic 2005 (Demografia a sociálna štatistika: Vekové zloženie obyvateľstva Slovenskej republiky 2005).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2022. Demography and Social Statistic: Us in Numbers. Population Movement 2021(Demografia a sociálna štatistika: My v číslach. Pohyb obyvateľstva 2021). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022).

The year 2020 saw the biggest drop in employment since 2010 due to unfavourable economic situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.³ In 2021, the number of employed increased year on year in ten industries, however, for the whole of 2021, the employment rate decreased.⁴ In the first quarter of 2022, the employment rate had been growing year on year for three consecutive quarters, the growth reached 2.8% and the number of employed in Slovakia increased to 2.572 million people⁵.

Rate of employment and unemployment

Note:
¹ According to workforce survey – average numbers. Years 2000 and 2005 including soldiers in compulsory military service

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2004. Slovak Republic in Figures 2003 (Slovenská republika v číslach 2003). 

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2007. Slovak Republic in Figures 2006 (Slovenská republika v číslach 2006). 

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2021. The Slovak Republic in Numbers 2021(Slovenská republika v číslach 2021). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022). 

Employment rate
(Sampling of workforce)

Source:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2021. The Slovak Republic in Numbers 2021 (Slovenská republika v číslach 2021). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022). 

The average nominal wage of employees in the economy of the Slovak Republic in the 4th quarter of 2021 increased year on year by 6.9% to 1331 euro. At the same time, it surpassed the average wage before the pandemic (4th quarter of 2019) by 154 euro (13.1%). A significant portion of the growth was cut by high inflation in the last months of 2021, so real wages increased by 1.3%. It is the lowest real growth since the second quarter of 2020 when the real wage in the Slovak Republic decreased after a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic⁶.
 

Wages

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2004. Slovak Republic in Figures 2003 (Slovenská republika v číslach 2003). 

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2007. Slovak Republic in Figures 2006 (Slovenská republika v číslach 2006). 

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2022. Average Monthly Wage of Employee in Economy of the Slovak Republic in the 4th Quarter of 2021(Priemerná mesačná mzda zamestnanca v hospodárstve SR vo 4. štvrťroku a za rok 2021) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Development of employee’s gross monthly wage 

Source:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2022. Average Monthly Wage of Employee in Economy of the Slovak Republic in the 4th Quarter of 2021 (Priemerná mesačná mzda zamestnanca v hospodárstve SR vo 4. štvrťroku a za rok 2021) (Last accessed 07/12/2022).
 

Official language and minority languages

On the territory of the Slovak Republic, the state official language is the Slovak language. 

Its use is specified by the Act on the State Language. 

Learning of the state language is compulsory at all primary and secondary schools. Other languages can also be languages of instruction and examination within the extent set by law.

Rights of person belonging to a national minority and ethnic groups or rights of foreigners who do not master the official language are arranged for translation and interpretation under the conditions stated by law. 

In addition to Slovak majority population, the territory of the Slovak Republic is inhabited by more national minorities. Citizens who indicated that they belong to the Hungarian national minority comprise the biggest percentage. 

The second biggest national minority in the Slovak Republic is the Romany minority, who make up 1.23 % of the total population. However, this number does not correspond to the real number of inhabitants of Romany origin residing in the Slovak Republic. Based on the result of population and housing census in 1970 and 1980, and on national committee registers of permanent Gypsy – Romany residents before 1989, they estimate that the territory of the Slovak Republic is currently inhabited by approximately 400 thousand Romany gypsies.

 Population by nationality

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2001. Population and Housing Census 2001: Basic Data (Sčítanie obyvateľov domov a bytov 2001: Základné údaje) (last accessed 10/09/2019).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad Slovenskej republiky), 2012. Population and Housing Census 2011: Basic Data: Population by nationality (Základné údaje zo sčítania obyvateľov, domov a bytov 2011: Obyvateľstvo podľa národnosti). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2021. Population and Housing Census: Nationality and Mother Tongue (Sčítanie obyvateľov, domov a bytov: Národnosť a materinský jazyk) (last accessed 07/12/2022). 

In agreement with the above nationality composition of population the most frequent minority language in the Slovak Republic is Hungarian (especially in southern Slovakia). Next to follow are the Ruthenian and Ukrainian languages (especially in eastern Slovakia). The use of the Czech language in official communication fulfils the requirement of understanding with the official language, insofar the international agreements binding for the Slovak Republic, do not specify otherwise.

Education in minority languages in the Slovak Republic currently takes place at the level of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and higher education institutions. 

In addition, at some primary schools the instruction of a national minority language and literature as a subject has been introduced (Hungarian language and literature, Ukrainian language and literature, Ruthenian language and literature, German language and literature and Romany language and literature).

Religions

The Slovak Republic is religiously neutral, that is, there is no official religion existing in it. Freedom of religious denomination is ensured under law.

The degree of religiosity in the population is high. The main trend is an increase in the proportion of atheists.  Most people in the Slovak Republic (3 million) indicated Roman Catholic denomination. The religiosity rate in the population is high. However, the main trend is a rise in the proportion of the non-religious population. 

The majority of the Slovak population (3 million) indicated Roman Catholic denomination, which was 56% of the population in 2021. However, it decreased by 6% compared with 2011. The second biggest portion of the population is comprised of people who belong to the Evangelical Church of the Ausburg Confession. They make up 5.3% of the population (287,000). The third biggest denomination is the Greek Catholic church whose members comprise 4% of the population (218,000), the fourth place belongs to Calvinists (1.6%). All other religious denominations comprise less the 1% of the population⁷. 

Religiosity

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2001. Population and Housing Census 2001: Basic Data (Sčítanie obyvateľov domov a bytov 2001: Základné údaje).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad Slovenskej republiky), 2012. Population and Housing Census 2011: Basic Data: Population by religiosity (Základné údaje zo sčítania obyvateľov, domov a bytov 2011: Obyvateľstvo podľa náboženského vyznania). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2021. Population and Housing Census: Religious Denomination (Sčítanie obyvateľov, domov a bytov: Náboženské vyznanie) (last accessed 07/12/2022). 

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2021. Population and Housing Census: Population by Religious Denomination in the Slovak Republic as at 1st January 2021 (Sčítanie obyvateľov, domov a bytov: Počet obyvateľov podľa náboženského vyznania v SR k 1. 1. 2021) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Population with religious denomination according to church

Sources:
Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2001. Population and Housing Census 2001: Basic Data (Sčítanie obyvateľov domov a bytov 2001: Základné údaje) (last accessed 10/09/2019).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (Štatistický úrad Slovenskej republiky), 2012. Population and Housing Census 2011: Basic Data: Population by religiosity (Základné údaje zo sčítania obyvateľov, domov a bytov 2011: Obyvateľstvo podľa náboženského vyznania). Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2021. Population and Housing Census: Population by Religious Denomination in the Slovak Republic as at 1st January 2021 (Sčítanie obyvateľov, domov a bytov: Počet obyvateľov podľa náboženského vyznania v SR k 1. 1. 2021) (last accessed 07/12/2022). 

At present, there are 18 churches and religious communities registered in the Slovak Republic.

After the regime change in 1989 the relations between the State and churches have changed. In independent Slovak Republic the restitutions of church property took place. Churches received back the properties that had been confiscated to them after 1948.

Also, the separation of Church from the State was required, however, it has not yet been realised. The churches are still supported through the State budget, where they have their own expense item. Simultaneously, the churches have an income from their own property revenues (both movable and immovable), and from funds offered to the church by their believers, as well as gifts, eventually, voluntary contributions; the believers also help to the church without any claim of rewards (e.g., at building sites of new or reconstruction of old church premises).

The individual churches have some space reserved in public media for presentation of their activities and opinions on topical social and ethic-moral problems.

References

¹ Central Statistical Office of the SR, 2021. After 17 years, the number of deceased in the Slovak Republic surpassed the number of born, the growth of the population was saved by migration. (Po 17 rokoch počet zomretých v SR prevýšil počet narodených, rast počtu obyvateľov zachránila migrácia) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

² Central Statistical Office of the SR, 2022. The State of the Population in the Slovak Republic at 30th June 2022 (Stav obyvateľstva v SR k 30. júnu 2022) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

³ Central Statistical Office of the SR, 2020. Employment Rate in 2nd Quarter of 2020 (Zamestnanosť v 2. štvrťroku 2020) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

⁴ Central Statistical Office of the SR , 2022. Employment Rate in 4th Quarter of 2021 (Zamestnanosť vo 4. štvrťroku a za rok 2021) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

⁵ Central Statistical Office of the SR, 2022. Employment Rate in 1st Quarter of 2022 (Zamestnanosť v 1. štvrťroku 2022) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

⁶ Central Statistical Office of the SR, 2022. Average Monthly Wage of Employee in Economy of the Slovak Republic in the 4th Quarter of 2021 (Priemerná mesačná mzda zamestnanca v hospodárstve SR vo 4. štvrťroku a za rok 2021) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

⁷ Statistical Office of the SR, 2022. Population and Housing Census 2021: Religious Denomination: 56% of the population indicated Roman Catholic denomination (Náboženské vyznanie: K rímskokatolíckemu vyznaniu sa prihlásilo 56 % obyvateľov) (last accessed 07/12/2022).

Legislation references

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 1995. Act No. 270/1995 Coll. on official language of the Slovak Republic and on the change and supplement to some acts as amended by subsequent provisions (Zákon č. 270/1995 Z.z. o štátnom jazyku Slovenskej republiky a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 07/12/2022).