History of Slovakia in Timeline

Slovakia, or the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked Central European nation. With a mostly mountainous terrain covering approximately 49,000 km2, it shares borders with Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The country has a population of over 5.4 million. Bratislava is its capital and largest city, followed by Košice as the second largest city.

October 1918: Establishment of Czechoslovakia

In October 1918, President Woodrow Wilson and the United States played a major role in the establishment of the original Czechoslovak state.

October 1918: Declaration of Independence

On October 18, 1918, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Milan Rastislav Štefánik, and Edvard Beneš declared in Washington, D.C. the independence of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Upper Hungary, and Carpathian Ruthenia from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and proclaimed a common state, Czechoslovakia.

1918: Proclamation of Czechoslovakia

In 1918, during World War I, the Czechoslovak National Council successfully fought for independence, leading to the proclamation of Czechoslovakia.

1918: Collapse of Austria-Hungary

Up until the collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918, the territory of Slovakia was an integral part of the Hungarian state.

1919: Establishment of Comenius University

Comenius University was established in 1919. Although not the first university ever established on Slovak territory, it is the oldest university still running.

1919: Treaty of Saint Germain

In 1919, after the break-up of Austria-Hungary, the Treaty of Saint Germain helped set the borders of the newly formed Czechoslovakia.

1920: Treaty of Trianon

In 1920, the Treaty of Trianon established some of the borders of Czechoslovakia, which incorporated the territory of present-day Slovakia that was previously part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

1925: Locarno Treaties

In 1925, the Locarno Treaties left East European security open, during the Interwar period of democratic Czechoslovakia.

1935: Release of Jánošík film

In 1935, the film "Jánošík" directed by Martin Frič, depicting the life of the Slovak hero, was released.

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1937: Czechoslovakia boundaries

In 1937, the Czechoslovak government-in-exile sought to return the Republic to its 1937 boundaries.

September 1938: Munich Agreement

In September 1938, the Munich Agreement allowed the majority ethnic Germans in the Sudetenland, borderlands of Czechoslovakia, to join with Germany.

November 1938: First Vienna Award

In November 1938, parts of southern and eastern Slovakia were reclaimed by Hungary at the First Vienna Award.

1938: Carpathian Germans in Slovakia

In 1938, there were about 130,000 Carpathian Germans in Slovakia.

March 1939: Slovakia seceded from Czecho-Slovakia

In March 1939, Slovakia seceded from Czecho-Slovakia and allied itself with Hitler's coalition, creating the first Slovak state in history.

September 1939: Invasion of Poland

In September 1939, Slovakia sent troops to the invasion of Poland, collaborating with Nazi Germany.

1939: Establishment of the first Slovak Republic

In 1939, the first Slovak Republic was established as a one-party clerical fascist client state under the control of Nazi Germany.

November 1940: Slovakia joined the Axis

On November 24, 1940, Slovakia joined the Axis powers when its leaders signed the Tripartite Pact.

1940: Slovakia joined the Axis

In 1940, Slovakia joined the Axis powers when its leaders signed the Tripartite Pact.

1941: Invasion of the Soviet Union

In 1941, Slovakia sent troops to the invasion of the Soviet Union, collaborating with Nazi Germany.

1944: Slovak National Uprising

Near the end of summer 1944, internal opposition to the fascist government's policies culminated in the Slovak National Uprising.

February 1945: Yalta Conference

As a result of the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Czechoslovakia came under the influence of the Soviet Union.

April 1945: Liberation of Slovakia

By the end of April 1945, the territory of Slovakia was liberated by Soviet and Romanian forces.

1945: Re-establishment of Czechoslovakia

In 1945, Czechoslovakia was re-established after the country's liberation at the end of World War II.

1947: Execution of Jozef Tiso

In 1947, after World War II, Jozef Tiso was executed for collaboration with the Nazis.

February 1948: Communist Party assumed control

In February 1948, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia through a coup d'état.

1948: International laws signed in Slovakia

Between 1948 and 2006, multiple international laws signed in Slovakia guaranteed Human rights.

1948: Communist Coup

Following the Soviet-backed coup of 1948, Czechoslovakia became a communist state within the Eastern Bloc, a satellite state of the Soviet Union behind the Iron Curtain and a member of the Warsaw Pact.

1948: Slovak National Gallery Founded

In 1948, the Slovak National Gallery, the biggest network of galleries in Slovakia, was founded.

1948: Border with the West

In 1948, the borders with the West were protected by the Iron Curtain.

1950: Korean War

After the beginning of the Korean War in 1950, Czechoslovakia protested against measures taken by the Security Council, considering the intervention against North Korean aggression illegal.

1952: Military hospital sent to North Korea

During the Korean War in 1952, Czechoslovakia sent a military hospital with two hospital teams consisting of 58 people to North Korea.

1953: Forced Labour Camps

Between 1948 and 1953, 8,240 people went to forced labour camps in Czechoslovakia.

1953: Establishment of the Slovak Academy of Sciences

Since 1953, the Slovak Academy of Sciences has been the most important scientific and research institution in the country.

1959: Embassy opened in Cuba

In 1959, after the Cuban Revolution, Czechoslovakia opened an embassy in Cuba and developed mutual relations.

July 1960: Constitution of Czechoslovakia

On July 11, 1960, the Constitution of Czechoslovakia was promulgated, changing the country's name to the "Czechoslovak Socialist Republic".

1961: Bratislava City Gallery Founded

In 1961, the Bratislava City Gallery, the second biggest Slovak gallery of its kind, was founded.

August 1968: Castro denounced the Prague Spring

In August 1968, Fidel Castro denounced the Prague Spring as led by a "fascist reactionary rabble" and praised the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

August 1968: Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia

In August 1968, the Prague Spring's liberalization efforts were suppressed by the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.

1968: Invasion by Warsaw Pact forces

In 1968, following the Prague Spring, Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Warsaw Pact forces, ending a period of liberalisation.

1969: Federation of Czech and Slovak Socialist Republics

In 1969, Czechoslovakia became a federation of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic within the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.

1989: Border with the West

Between 1948 and 1989, about 600 people were killed on the Czechoslovak border with Austria and West Germany.

1989: Velvet Revolution

In 1989, the Velvet Revolution peacefully ended Communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

1989: End of Communist rule

In 1989, the end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia, during the peaceful Velvet Revolution, was followed once again by the country's dissolution into two successor states.

1990: US Census

In the 1990 US census, 1.8 million people self-identified as having Slovak ancestry.

July 1992: Slovakia declared itself a sovereign state

On July 17, 1992, Slovakia, led by Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar, declared itself a sovereign state.

September 1992: Constitution of the Slovak Republic ratified

The Constitution of the Slovak Republic was ratified on 1 September 1992.

December 1992: Dissolution of the country

In November 1992, the federal parliament voted to dissolve the country officially on December 31, 1992.

1992: Constitution of Slovakia

In 1992, the Constitution of Slovakia guaranteed human rights in Slovakia.

January 1993: Constitution of the Slovak Republic became effective

On 1 January 1993, the Constitution of the Slovak Republic became effective.

January 1993: Velvet Divorce

On January 1, 1993, Slovakia became an independent democratic state after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia, known as the Velvet Divorce.

February 1993: First President of the Slovak Republic

In February 1993, Michal Kováč became the first President of the Slovak Republic, elected by the National Council of Slovakia.

February 1993: Slovakia Joins IIHF

On February 2, 1993, Slovakia became a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

March 1993: Ratified the UNESCO World Heritage Convention

On March 31, 1993, Slovakia ratified the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the UNESCO list.

April 1993: Joined GATT

On April 15, 1993, Slovakia joined GATT (current World Trade Organization).

May 1993: Slovakia signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity

On 19 May 1993, Slovakia signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity.

1993: Slovakia joined the United Nations

In 1993 Slovakia joined the United Nations and participates in its specialized agencies.

1993: Vlkolínec Becomes UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 1993, the well-preserved village of Vlkolínec, an example of wooden folk architecture in Slovakia, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1993: Slovak National Football Team Formed

Since 1993, the Slovak national football team has been active.

August 1994: Slovakia became a party to the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity

On 25 August 1994, Slovakia became a party to the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity.

1994: Organised crime established

Between 1994 and 1998, during the government of Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar, organised crime became well established and penetrated the highest political positions.

1995: Kidnapping of Michal Kováč Jr.

In 1995, Slovak president's son Michal Kováč Jr. was kidnapped, an event organised by the Slovak intelligence service and the government of Vladimír Mečiar.

1997: MFK Košice in UEFA Champions League

In 1997–98, MFK Košice qualified for the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.

March 1998: Head of state missing

In March 1998, Slovakia spent 14 months without a head of state because the National Council of Slovakia failed multiple times to elect a new president.

September 1998: Constitution amended

In September 1998, the Constitution of the Slovak Republic was amended to allow direct election of the president.

November 1998: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan received

On 2 November 1998, Slovakia's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan was received by the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity.

1998: Mikuláš Dzurinda replaced Vladimír Mečiar as Prime Minister

After the 1998 parliamentary election, Mikuláš Dzurinda replaced Vladimír Mečiar as Prime Minister.

1999: Peak Unemployment Rate

At the end of 1999, unemployment in Slovakia peaked at 19%.

1999: Rudolf Schuster became President

In 1999, Rudolf Schuster became the second President of Slovakia, and the first directly-elected president.

1999: First Slovak in Space

In 1999, astronaut Ivan Bella became the first and only Slovak citizen to fly in space.

1999: Direct presidential election introduced

In 1999, due to multiple failed attempts by the National Council of Slovakia to elect a new president, a direct presidential election was introduced.

December 2000: Slovakia became a member of OECD

On 14 December 2000, Slovakia became a member of the OECD.

2000: Passengers served by Bratislava Airport

In 2000, Bratislava Airport served 279,028 passengers.

2000: Start of 'Tatra Tiger' Era

In the 2000s, Slovakia began its transformation into a market-driven economy, averaging roughly 6% per capita GDP growth each year from 2000 to 2008.

2000: Bronze Age development

Starting from 2000 BCE, the geographical territory of modern-day Slovakia went through three stages of development during the Bronze Age.

February 2001: Constitution amended due to EU admission

In February 2001, the Constitution of the Slovak Republic was amended due to EU admission requirements.

2002: Autonomy for Regions

Since 2002, regions in Slovakia have enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy.

March 2004: Slovakia joins NATO

In March 2004, Slovakia joined NATO, marking a significant step in its integration with Western security structures.

March 2004: Slovakia became a member of NATO

On 29 March 2004, Slovakia became a member of NATO.

May 2004: Slovakia joined the European Union

On 1 May 2004, Slovakia joined the European Union.

2004: Slovakia joined the European Union and NATO

In 2004, Slovakia joined the European Union and NATO.

2004: Church Attendance

In 2004, about one third of the church members in Slovakia regularly attended church services.

October 2005: Slovakia elected to UN Security Council

On 10 October 2005, Slovakia was elected to a two-year term on the UN Security Council.

2005: FC Artmedia Bratislava in UEFA Champions League

In the 2005–06 season, FC Artmedia Bratislava qualified for the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.

2006: International laws signed in Slovakia

Between 1948 and 2006, multiple international laws signed in Slovakia guaranteed Human rights.

2006: Slovakia on the UN Security Council

From 2006 to 2007, Slovakia served a two-year term on the UN Security Council.

2006: Robert Fico became Prime Minister

In 2006, Robert Fico became Prime Minister of Slovakia for the first time.

2006: Abolishment of compulsory military service

In 2006, Slovakia transformed its army into a fully professional organization, abolishing compulsory military service.

2006: End of Mikuláš Dzurinda's government

In 2006, the two successive governments of Mikuláš Dzurinda between 1998–2006 ended.

November 2007: Opening of A6 motorway

On 19 November 2007, the A6 motorway to Vienna was opened connecting Slovakia directly to the Austrian motorway system.

December 2007: Slovakia joined the Schengen area

On 21 December 2007, Slovakia joined the Schengen area, allowing visa-free travel.

2007: Slovakia served a two-year term on the UN Security Council

From 2006 to 2007, Slovakia served a two-year term on the UN Security Council.

2007: Slovakia joined the Schengen Area

In 2007, Slovakia joined the Schengen Area.

2007: Foreign Language Knowledge

In 2007, Slovakia was ranked among the top EU countries regarding foreign language knowledge, with 68% of the population aged 25-64 claiming to speak two or more foreign languages.

2007: World's Largest Car Producer Per Capita

Since 2007, Slovakia has been the world's largest producer of cars per capita.

May 2008: Approval of Euro Adoption

In May 2008, the European Commission approved the euro for Slovakia.

2008: Tatra Tiger economy growth

In 2008, Slovakia was dubbed the "Tatra Tiger" achieving roughly 6% per capita GDP growth each year from 2000 to 2008.

2008: Financial crisis

In 2008, The Slovak economy faced the worst economic crisis since the 2008 financial crisis and fell into recession.

2008: End of 'Tatra Tiger' Era

In the 2000s, Slovakia successfully transformed into a market-driven economy, averaging roughly 6% per capita GDP growth each year from 2000 to 2008.

January 2009: Slovakia adopted the Euro

On 1 January 2009, Slovakia adopted the Euro as its national currency at 30.1260 korunas to the euro.

January 2009: Adoption of the Euro Currency

On 1 January 2009, Slovakia adopted the euro currency as the 16th member of the eurozone.

2009: Ivan Gašparovič re-elected

In 2009, Ivan Gašparovič became the first and only Slovak president to be re-elected.

2009: Slovakia joined the Eurozone

In 2009, Slovakia joined the Eurozone.

2010: Iveta Radičová became Prime Minister

In 2010, Iveta Radičová became the first female Prime Minister of Slovakia.

2010: Observer Status to ESA

In 2010, Slovakia was granted observer status to the European Space Agency (ESA).

2010: FIFA World Cup Qualification

In 2010, the Slovak national football team qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time, progressing to the last 16.

2010: Fourth Place at Vancouver Winter Olympics

In 2010, the Slovak national hockey team finished fourth at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

2010: Muslim Population

In 2010, there were an estimated 5,000 Muslims in Slovakia, representing less than 0.1% of the country's population.

2010: MŠK Žilina in UEFA Champions League

In the 2010–11 season, MŠK Žilina qualified for the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.

2011: Slovakia Hosts IIHF World Championship

In 2011, Slovakia hosted the IIHF World Championship, where Finland won the gold medal. The competition took place in Bratislava and Košice.

2012: Eurobarometer survey on language knowledge

According to a Eurobarometer survey from 2012, 26% of the Slovak population had conversational knowledge of English, followed by German (22%) and Russian (17%).

2012: Robert Fico became Prime Minister for the second time

In 2012, Robert Fico became Prime Minister for the second time after his party won the election.

2012: Silver Medal at IIHF World Championship

In 2012, the Slovak national ice hockey team won a silver medal at the IIHF World Championship in Helsinki.

2012: Collapse of Radičová's government

In 2012, the Slovak parliament rejected the EFSF, leading to the collapse of Iveta Radičová's government.

2014: Andrej Kiska became President

In 2014, Andrej Kiska became the fourth President of Slovakia, the first entrepreneur and first-time politician to be elected as President.

2014: Ban on export of drinking water

Since 2014, the export of drinking and mineral waters in pipelines and water tanks is banned in Slovakia, with exceptions for bottled water and water for personal use.

2015: European Cooperating State Agreement

In 2015, Slovakia signed the European Cooperating State Agreement, committing to the PECS entrance programme.

2015: European migrant crisis

In 2015, the European migrant crisis impacted Slovak politics and media coverage.

2016: Robert Fico became Prime Minister for the third time

In 2016, Robert Fico became Prime Minister for the third time, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Slovak history when years are counted cumulatively.

2016: Bill Obstructing Islam

In 2016, a two-thirds majority of the Slovak parliament passed a bill that would obstruct Islam and other religious organisations from becoming state-recognised religions by doubling the minimum followers threshold from 25,000 to 50,000; however, Slovakia's then-president Andrej Kiska vetoed the bill.

2016: UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification

In 2016, the Slovak national football team qualified for the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, helping the team reach its best-ever position of 14th in the FIFA World Rankings.

2017: Tourist visits

In 2017, more than 5,4 million tourists visited Slovakia.

February 2018: Murder of Ján Kuciak

On 21 February 2018, Ján Kuciak, a young Slovak investigative journalist, and his fiancée were killed, leading to widespread protests and eventually Robert Fico's resignation as Prime Minister.

2018: Passengers served by Bratislava Airport

In 2018, Bratislava Airport served 2,292,712 passengers.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score

In 2019, Slovakia had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.34/10, ranking it 129th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Slovakia Hosts IIHF World Championship

In 2019, Slovakia hosted the IIHF World Championship, where Finland also won the gold medal. The competitions took place in Bratislava and Košice.

2019: Lowest Recorded Unemployment Rate

In 2019, Slovakia's unemployment rate decreased to 4.9%, the lowest recorded rate in Slovak history.

2019: Zuzana Čaputová became President

In 2019, Zuzana Čaputová became the fifth President of Slovakia, and the first female president.

2020: World Bank Doing Business Report Ranking

According to the 2020 World Bank Doing Business Report, Slovakia ranked 45th out of 190 economies in terms of ease of doing business.

2020: Igor Matovič became Prime Minister

In 2020, Igor Matovič became the new Prime Minister of Slovakia.

2020: Oil Imports

In 2020, Russia was the origin country for 78 percent of Slovakia's total oil imports.

2020: Electricity Production

In 2020, Slovakia produced a total of 29,322 GWh of electricity. Nuclear energy accounted for 54% (15 400 GWh) of total electricity production, followed by 16% by hydro power energy, 16% natural gas, 8% coal, biofuel 3% and 3% by solar energy.

2020: Economic Decline Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the Slovak economy experienced a -3.3% decline due to the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis, despite economic policy support.

2021: Census Results

According to the 2021 census, the majority of the inhabitants of Slovakia are Slovaks (83.8%). Hungarians are the largest ethnic minority (7.8%).

2021: Slovakia acquired Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine

At the beginning of 2021, Matovič signed an agreement to acquire 2 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, leading to a government crisis and his resignation.

2021: Religious Identification

In 2021, 55.8% of the Slovak population identified as Catholics, 5.3% as Lutherans, 1.6% as Calvinists, 4% as Greek Catholics, 0.9% as Orthodox, 23.8% as atheists or non-religious, and 6.5% did not answer the question about their belief.

2021: Opening of D4 Motorway

In 2021, a large part of the D4 motorway (an outer bypass) opened, easing the pressure on Bratislava's highway system.

2021: Oil Production

In 2021, oil production in Slovakia reached a volume of 4,500 tons per year.

2021: US State Department Report

In 2021, the US State Department issued a report regarding Slovakia.

2022: Slovak Armed Forces Personnel Count

In 2022, Slovak armed forces numbered 19,500 uniformed personnel and 4,208 civilians.

2022: Associate Member State of ESA

In 2022, Slovakia became a European Space Agency associate member state.

2022: Economic Growth Slowed Down

In 2022, after a strong economic recovery in 2021, Slovakia's growth slowed down markedly as a result of the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the subsequent EU sanctions on Russia and Global energy crisis.

2022: Slowing Economic Growth

In 2022, economic growth in Slovakia slowed down markedly to +1.9% as a result of the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2022: Bronze Medal at Beijing Winter Olympics

In 2022, the Slovak national hockey team won a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

January 2023: Mochovce-3 on-line

In January 2023, the Mochovce-3 reactor came on-line.

September 2023: Parliamentary elections

In September 2023, the last parliamentary elections were held.

2023: Car Production

In 2023 alone, a total of 1,080,000 cars were manufactured in Slovakia.

2023: Ľudovít Ódor became Prime Minister

In 2023, President Zuzana Čaputová appointed the first technocrat government in Slovak history and Ľudovít Ódor became the new Prime Minister.

2023: Robert Fico became Prime Minister for the fourth time

In 2023, Robert Fico became Prime Minister for the fourth time after the parliamentary election.

2023: Slowing Economic Growth

In 2023, economic growth in Slovakia slowed down markedly to +1.6% as a result of the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2023: Self-Sufficient in Electricity Production

Slovakia became self-sufficient in electricity production following the launch of the third unit of the Mochovce nuclear power plant in 2023.

April 2024: Presidential elections

In April 2024, two rounds of presidential elections took place on 23 March and 6 April.

May 2024: Assassination attempt on Robert Fico

On 15 May 2024, Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot several times and wounded in an assassination attempt.

2024: World Competitiveness Yearbook Report Ranking

According to the 2024 World Competitiveness Yearbook Report, Slovakia ranked 59th out of the 67 countries and territories in terms of competitive economy.

2024: Peter Pellegrini became President

In 2024, Peter Pellegrini became the sixth President of Slovakia, the first Slovak politician to have held all three highest constitutional posts.

2024: Artemis Accords with NASA

In 2024, Slovakia signed the Artemis Accords with NASA.

2024: Domestic Gas Production

In 2024, domestic gas production covers roughly 2% of Slovak consumption.

2024: EU countries as trading partners

In 2024, more than 80% of Slovak exports went to the European Union, and more than 65% of Slovak imports came from other European Union member states.

2024: Slovak Exports and Imports

In 2024, more than 80% of Slovak exports went to the European Union, and more than 65% of Slovak imports came from other European Union member states. Main export partners are Germany (23% of total exports), Czech Republic (12.4%), Poland (8.3%) and Austria (5.7%).

2024: New Nuclear Reactor Plan

In 2024, the Slovak government approved a plan to build another new nuclear reactor in Jaslovské Bohunice.

2024: Median Age of Population

In 2024, the median age of the Slovak population was 42.8 years.

2024: Government Debt to GDP Ratio

In 2024, the ratio of government debt to GDP in Slovakia reached 60.5%.

2024: Global Hunger Index

In the 2024 Global Hunger Index, Slovakia is one of 22 countries with a GHI score of less than 5.

June 2025: Unemployment Rate

As per June 2025, Slovakia's unemployment rate was 5.3%.

2025: Slovak Military Personnel Deployed Internationally

As of 2025, Slovakia has 240 military personnel deployed in Cyprus for UNFICYP United Nations led peace support operations, 50 troops deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina for EUFOR Althea and 135 troops deployed in Latvia for NATO Enhanced Forward Presence.

2025: Gas Imports from Russia

As of 2025, most of gas imports to Slovakia is from Russia via TurkStream pipeline.

2025: D1 Motorway Construction

As of 2025, some sections of the D1 motorway are still under construction.

2025: Slovak passport ranking

In 2025, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 185 countries and territories, putting the Slovak passport at the 6th rank of travel freedom on the Henley Passport Index.