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Slovakia vs. Ukraine

Introduction

SlovakiaUkraine
BackgroundSlovakia traces its roots to the 9th century state of Great Moravia. Subsequently, the Slovaks became part of the Hungarian Kingdom, where they remained for the next 1,000 years. After the formation of the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1867, backlash to language and education policies favoring the use of Hungarian (Magyarization) encouraged the strengthening of Slovak nationalism and a cultivation of cultural ties with the closely related Czechs, who fell administratively under the Austrian half of the empire. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. The new state was envisioned as a nation with Czech and Slovak branches. During the interwar period, Slovak nationalist leaders pushed for autonomy within Czechoslovakia, and in 1939 Slovakia became an independent state created by and allied with Nazi Germany. Following World War II, Czechoslovakia was reconstituted and came under communist rule within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of Czechoslovakia's leaders to liberalize communist rule and create "socialism with a human face," ushering in a period of repression known as "normalization." The peaceful "Velvet Revolution" swept the Communist Party from power at the end of 1989 and inaugurated a return to democratic rule and a market economy. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia underwent a nonviolent "velvet divorce" into its two national components, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004 and the euro zone on 1 January 2009.

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

A peaceful mass protest referred to as the "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019.

Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a "referendum" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The "referendum" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the "referendum" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel driving an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government that continues to this day. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 to end the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the unrecognized Russian proxy republics, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. More than 13,000 civilians have been killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.

 

 

Geography

SlovakiaUkraine
LocationCentral Europe, south of PolandEastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east
Geographic coordinates48 40 N, 19 30 E49 00 N, 32 00 E
Map referencesEuropeAsiaEurope
Areatotal: 49,035 sq km

land: 48,105 sq km

water: 930 sq km
total: 603,550 sq km

land: 579,330 sq km

water: 24,220 sq km

note: approximately 43,133 sq km, or about 7.1% of Ukraine's area, is Russian occupied; the seized area includes all of Crimea and about one-third of both Luhans'k and Donets'k oblasts
Area - comparativeabout one and a half times the size of Maryland; about twice the size of New Hampshirealmost four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundariestotal: 1,587 km

border countries (5): Austria 105 km, Czechia 241 km, Hungary 627 km, Poland 517 km, Ukraine 97 km
total: 5,581 km

border countries (7): Belarus 1111 km, Hungary 128 km, Moldova 1202 km, Poland 498 km, Romania 601 km, Russia 1944 km, Slovakia 97 km
Coastline0 km (landlocked)2,782 km
Maritime claimsnone (landlocked)territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation
Climatetemperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winterstemperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; warm summers across the greater part of the country, hot in the south
Terrainrugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the southmostly fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, with mountains found only in the west (the Carpathians) or in the extreme south of the Crimean Peninsula
Elevation extremeshighest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m

mean elevation: 458 m
highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 175 m
Natural resourceslignite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable landiron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land
Land useagricultural land: 40.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 28.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 10.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 40.2% (2018 est.)

other: 19.7% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 71.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 56.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 13.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 16.8% (2018 est.)

other: 12% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land869 sq km (2012)21,670 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardsfloodingoccasional floods; occasional droughts
Environment - current issuesair pollution and acid rain present human health risks and damage forests; land erosion caused by agricultural and mining practices; water pollutionair and water pollution; land degradation; solid waste management; biodiversity loss; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protection
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
Geography - notelandlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleysstrategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe after Russia
Total renewable water resources50.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)175.28 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributiona fairly even distribution throughout most of the country; slightly larger concentration in the west in proximity to the Czech borderdensest settlement in the eastern (Donbas) and western regions; noteable concentrations in and around major urban areas of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donets'k, Dnipropetrovs'k, and Odesa

Demographics

SlovakiaUkraine
Population5,436,066 (July 2021 est.)43,745,640 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 15.13% (male 423,180/female 400,128)

15-24 years: 10.06% (male 280,284/female 266,838)

25-54 years: 44.61% (male 1,228,462/female 1,198,747)

55-64 years: 13.15% (male 342,124/female 373,452)

65 years and over: 17.05% (male 366,267/female 561,120) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 16.16% (male 3,658,127/female 3,438,887)

15-24 years: 9.28% (male 2,087,185/female 1,987,758)

25-54 years: 43.66% (male 9,456,905/female 9,718,758)

55-64 years: 13.87% (male 2,630,329/female 3,463,851)

65 years and over: 17.03% (male 2,523,600/female 4,957,539) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 41.8 years

male: 40.1 years

female: 43.6 years (2020 est.)
total: 41.2 years

male: 38.2 years

female: 44.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate-0.08% (2021 est.)-0.49% (2021 est.)
Birth rate9.1 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)9.23 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)13.9 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.76 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female

total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.56 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 7.44 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 78.07 years

male: 74.56 years

female: 81.82 years (2021 est.)
total population: 73.18 years

male: 68.51 years

female: 78.15 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate1.45 children born/woman (2021 est.)1.56 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate<.1% (2018 est.)1% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Slovak(s)

adjective: Slovak
noun: Ukrainian(s)

adjective: Ukrainian
Ethnic groupsSlovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Romani 2%, other 1.8% (includes Czech, Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Polish), unspecified 7% (2011 est.)

note: data represent population by nationality; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 7-11% of Slovakia's population
Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS1,200 (2018 est.)260,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsRoman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4% (2011 est.)Orthodox (includes the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC), and the Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP)), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish (2013 est.)

note: Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; the OCU and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population
HIV/AIDS - deaths<100 (2018 est.)3,100 (2020 est.)
LanguagesSlovak (official) 78.6%, Hungarian 9.4%, Roma 2.3%, Ruthenian 1%, other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Svetova Kniha Faktov, nenahraditelny zdroj zakladnej informacie. (Slovak)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes small Crimean Tatar-, Moldovan/Romanian-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities) 2.9% (2001 est.); note - in February 2018, the Constitutional Court ruled that 2012 language legislation entitling a language spoken by at least 10% of an oblast's population to be given the status of "regional language" - allowing for its use in courts, schools, and other government institutions - was unconstitutional, thus making the law invalid; Ukrainian remains the country's only official nationwide language

major-language sample(s):
??i???? ????? ????i? - ???????? ??????? ??????? ??????????. (Ukrainian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2018)
total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2014)
Education expenditures3.9% of GDP (2017)5.4% of GDP (2017)
Urbanizationurban population: 53.8% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 69.8% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: -0.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 99.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 99.9% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 96.3% of population

total: 98.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 3.7% of population

total: 1.6% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population437,000 BRATISLAVA (capital) (2021)3.001 million KYIV (capital), 1.426 million Kharkiv, 1.009 million Odesa, 952,000 Dnipropetrovsk, 899,000 Donetsk (2021)
Maternal mortality rate5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)19 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Health expenditures6.7% (2018)7.7% (2018)
Physicians density3.42 physicians/1,000 population (2017)2.99 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density5.8 beds/1,000 population (2017)7.5 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate20.5% (2016)24.1% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth27.2 years (2019 est.)26.2 years (2019 est.)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 47.6

youth dependency ratio: 23

elderly dependency ratio: 24.6

potential support ratio: 4.1 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 49.1

youth dependency ratio: 23.8

elderly dependency ratio: 25.3

potential support ratio: 4 (2020 est.)

note: data include Crimea

Government

SlovakiaUkraine
Country nameconventional long form: Slovak Republic

conventional short form: Slovakia

local long form: Slovenska republika

local short form: Slovensko

etymology: may derive from the medieval Latin word "Slavus" (Slav), which had the local form "Sloven", used since the 13th century to refer to the territory of Slovakia and its inhabitants
conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Ukraine

local long form: none

local short form: Ukraina

former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology: name derives from the Old East Slavic word "ukraina" meaning "borderland or march (militarized border region)" and began to be used extensively in the 19th century; originally Ukrainians referred to themselves as Rusyny (Rusyns, Ruthenians, or Ruthenes), an endonym derived from the medieval Rus state (Kyivan Rus)
Government typeparliamentary republicsemi-presidential republic
Capitalname: Bratislava

geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: the name was adopted in 1919 after Czechoslovakia gained its independence and may derive from later transliterations of the 9th century military commander, Braslav, or the 11th century Bohemian Duke Bretislav I; alternatively, the name may derive from the Slovak words "brat" (brother) and "slava" (glory)
name: Kyiv (Kiev)

geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

note: pronounced KAY-yiv

etymology: the name is associated with that of Kyi, who along with his brothers Shchek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid, are the legendary founders of the medieval city of Kyiv; Kyi being the eldest brother, the city was named after him
Administrative divisions8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities** (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol), Dnipropetrovsk (Dnipro), Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad (Kropyvnytskyi), Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol**, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn (Lutsk), Zakarpattia (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); plans include the eventual renaming of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts, but because these names are mentioned in the Constitution of Ukraine, the change will require a constitutional amendment

note: the US Government does not recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the "Republic of Crimea" and the "Federal City of Sevastopol"
Independence1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: ca. 982 (VOLODYMYR I consolidates Kyivan Rus); 1199 (Principality (later Kingdom) of Ruthenia formed; 1648 (establishment of the Cossack Hetmanate); 22 January 1918 (from Soviet Russia)
National holidayConstitution Day, 1 September (1992)Independence Day, 24 August (1991); note - 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its independence from Soviet Russia, and the date the short-lived Western and Greater (Eastern) Ukrainian republics united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day
Constitutionhistory: several previous (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992

amendments: proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2020
history: several previous; latest adopted and ratified 28 June 1996

amendments: proposed by the president of Ukraine or by at least one third of the Supreme Council members; adoption requires simple majority vote by the Council and at least two-thirds majority vote in its next regular session; adoption of proposals relating to general constitutional principles, elections, and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote by the Council and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on personal rights and freedoms, national independence, and territorial integrity cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2019
Legal systemcivil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europecivil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President Zuzana CAPUTOVA (since 15 June 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Eduard HEGER (since 1 April 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Stefan HOLY, Veronika REMISOVA, Richard SULIK (all since 21 March 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 16 March and 30 March 2019 (next to be held March 2024); following National Council elections (every 4 years), the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council

election results: Zuzana CAPUTOVA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6%
chief of state: President Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (since 20 May 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Denys SHMYHAL (since 4 March 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, approved by the Verkhovna Rada 

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 31 March and 21 April 2019 (next to be held in March 2024); prime minister selected by the Verkhovna Rada

election results: first round results: percent of vote - Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (Servant of the People) 30.2%, Petro POROSHENKO (BPP-Solidarity) 15.6%, Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (Fatherland) 13.4%, Yuriy BOYKO (Opposition Platform-For Life) 11.7%, 35 other candidates 29.1%; second round results: percent of vote - Volodymyr ZELENSKYY (Servant of the People) 73.2%, Petro POROSHENKO (BPP-Solidarity) 24.5%; Denys SHMYHAL (independent) elected prime minister; Verkhovna Rada vote - 291-59

note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a presidential administration helps draft presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president
Legislative branchdescription: unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single- and multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 29 February 2020 (next to be held March 2024)

election results: percent of vote by party - OLaNO-NOVA 25%, Smer-SD 18.3%, Sme-Rodina 8.2%, LSNS 8%, PS-SPOLU 7%, SaS 6.2%, Za Ludi 5.8%, other 21.5%; seats by party - OLaNO-NOVA 53, Smer-SD 38, Sme-Rodina 17, LSNS 17, SaS 13, Za Ludi 12, PS-SPOLU 0; composition - men 120, women 30, percent of women 20%
description: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; 225 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 225 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 21 July 2019 (next to be held in July 2024)

election results: percent of vote by party - Servant of the People 43.2%, Opposition Platform-For Life 13.1%, Batkivshchyna 8.2%, European Solidarity 8.1%, Voice 5.8%, other 21.6%; seats by party (preliminary) - Servant of the People 254, Oposition Platform for Life 43, Batkivshchyna 26, European Solidarity 25, Voice 20, Opposition Bloc 6, Samopomich 1, Svoboda 1, other parties 2, independent 46; note - voting not held in Crimea and parts of two Russian-occupied eastern oblasts leaving 26 seats vacant; although this brings the total to 424 elected members (of 450 potential), article 83 of the constitution mandates that a parliamentary majority consists of 226 seats
Judicial branchhighest courts: Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms

subordinate courts: regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit;
highest courts: Supreme Court of Ukraine or SCU (consists of 100 judges, organized into civil, criminal, commercial and administrative chambers, and a grand chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of 18 justices); High Anti-Corruption Court (consists of 39 judges, including 12 in the Appeals Chamber)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges recommended by the High Qualification Commission of Judges (a 16-member state body responsible for judicial candidate testing and assessment and judicial administration), submitted to the High Council of Justice, a 21-member independent body of judicial officials responsible for judicial self-governance and administration, and appointed by the president; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; High Anti-Corruption Court judges are selected by the same process as Supreme Court justices, with one addition - a majority of a combined High Qualification Commission of Judges and a 6-member Public Council of International Experts must vote in favor of potential judges in order to recommend their nomination to the High Council of Justice; this majority must include at least 3 members of the Public Council of International Experts; Constitutional Court justices appointed - 6 each by the president, by the Congress of Judges, and by the Verkhovna Rada; judges serve 9-year nonrenewable terms

 



subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; district courts

note: specialized courts were abolished as part of Ukraine's judicial reform program; in November 2019, President ZELENSKYY signed a bill on legal reforms

Political parties and leadersChristian Democratic Movement or KDH [Alojz HLINA]
Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR]
Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]
For the People or Za Ludi [Andrej KISKA]
Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK]
Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA]
Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC]
Party of the Hungarian Community or SMK [Jozsef MENYHART]
Progressive Slovakia or PS [Michal TRUBAN]
Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO]
Together or SPOLU [Miroslav BEBLAVY]
We Are Family or Sme-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR]
Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]
European Solidarity (BPP-Solidarity) [Petro POROSHENKO]
Holos (Voice) [Sviatoslav VAKARCHUK]
Opposition Bloc or OB [Evgeny MURAYEV]
Opposition Platform-For Life [Yuriy BOYKO, Vadim RABINOVICH]
Radical Party [Oleh LYASHKO]
Samopomich (Self Reliance) [Andriy SADOVYY]
Servant of the People [Oleksandr KORNIENKO]
Svoboda (Freedom) [Oleh TYAHNYBOK]
International organization participationAustralia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZCAustralia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CICA (observer), CIS (participating member, has not signed the 1993 CIS charter), EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador Radovan JAVORCIK (since 18 January 2021)

chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

email address and website:
emb.washington@mzv.sk

https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Oksana Serhiyivna MARKAROVA (since 7 July 2021)

chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 349-2963

FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817

email address and website:
emb_us@mfa.gov.ua; consul_us@mfa.gov.ua

https://usa.mfa.gov.ua/en

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador Bridget A. BRINK (since 20 August 2019)

embassy: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava

mailing address: 5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC  20521-5840

telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338

FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861

email address and website:
consulbratislava@state.gov

https://sk.usembassy.gov/
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kristina KVIEN (since January 2020)

embassy: 4 A. I. Igor Sikorsky Street, 04112 Kyiv

mailing address: 5850 Kyiv Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850

telephone: [380] (44) 521-5000

FAX: [380] (44) 521-5544

email address and website:
kyivacs@state.gov

https://ua.usembassy.gov/
Flag descriptionthree equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side

note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia
two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow; although the colors date back to medieval heraldry, in modern times they are sometimes claimed to represent grain fields under a blue sky
National anthemname: "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras)

lyrics/music: Janko MATUSKA/traditional

note: adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku"
name: "Shche ne vmerla Ukraina" (Ukraine Has Not Yet Perished)

lyrics/music: Paul CHUBYNSKYI/Mikhail VERBYTSKYI

note: music adopted 1991, lyrics adopted 2003; song first performed in 1864 at the Ukraine Theatre in Lviv; the lyrics, originally written in 1862, were revised in 2003
International law organization participationaccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdictionhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
National symbol(s)double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white, blue, redtryzub (trident); national colors: blue, yellow
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Ukraine

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Economy

SlovakiaUkraine
Economy - overview

Slovakia's economy suffered from a slow start in the first years after its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, due to the country's authoritarian leadership and high levels of corruption, but economic reforms implemented after 1998 have placed Slovakia on a path of strong growth. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy driven mainly by automobile and electronics exports, which account for more than 80% of GDP. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country's banking sector is sound and predominantly foreign owned.

Slovakia has been a regional FDI champion for several years, attractive due to a relatively low-cost yet skilled labor force, and a favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Exports and investment have been key drivers of Slovakia's robust growth in recent years. The unemployment rate fell to historical lows in 2017, and rising wages fueled increased consumption, which played a more prominent role in 2017 GDP growth. A favorable outlook for the Eurozone suggests continued strong growth prospects for Slovakia during the next few years, although inflation is also expected to pick up.

Among the most pressing domestic issues potentially threatening the attractiveness of the Slovak market are shortages in the qualified labor force, persistent corruption issues, and an inadequate judiciary, as well as a slow transition to an innovation-based economy. The energy sector in particular is characterized by unpredictable regulatory oversight and high costs, in part driven by government interference in regulated tariffs. Moreover, the government's attempts to maintain low household energy prices could harm the profitability of domestic energy firms while undercutting energy efficiency initiatives.

After Russia, the Ukrainian Republic was the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil accounted for more than one fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied unique equipment such as large diameter pipes and vertical drilling apparatus, and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR.

 

Shortly after independence in August 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms to foster economic growth. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy. From 2000 until mid-2008, Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president. The economy contracted nearly 15% in 2009, among the worst economic performances in the world. In April 2010, Ukraine negotiated a price discount on Russian gas imports in exchange for extending Russia's lease on its naval base in Crimea.

 

Ukraine's oligarch-dominated economy grew slowly from 2010 to 2013 but remained behind peers in the region and among Europe's poorest. After former President YANUKOVYCH fled the country during the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine's economy fell into crisis because of Russia's annexation of Crimea, military conflict in the eastern part of the country, and a trade war with Russia, resulting in a 17% decline in GDP, inflation at nearly 60%, and dwindling foreign currency reserves. The international community began efforts to stabilize the Ukrainian economy, including a March 2014 IMF assistance package of $17.5 billion, of which Ukraine has received four disbursements, most recently in April 2017, bringing the total disbursed as of that date to approximately $8.4 billion. Ukraine has made progress on reforms designed to make the country prosperous, democratic, and transparent, including creation of a national anti-corruption agency, overhaul of the banking sector, establishment of a transparent VAT refund system, and increased transparency in government procurement. But more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, improving the business environment to attract foreign investment, privatizing state-owned enterprises, and land reform. The fifth tranche of the IMF program, valued at $1.9 billion, was delayed in mid-2017 due to lack of progress on outstanding reforms, including adjustment of gas tariffs to import parity levels and adoption of legislation establishing an independent anti-corruption court.

 

Russia's occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and ongoing Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine have hurt economic growth. With the loss of a major portion of Ukraine's heavy industry in Donbas and ongoing violence, the economy contracted by 6.6% in 2014 and by 9.8% in 2015, but it returned to low growth in in 2016 and 2017, reaching 2.3% and 2.0%, respectively, as key reforms took hold. Ukraine also redirected trade activity towards the EU following the implementation of a bilateral Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, displacing Russia as its largest trading partner. A prohibition on commercial trade with separatist-controlled territories in early 2017 has not impacted Ukraine's key industrial sectors as much as expected, largely because of favorable external conditions. Ukraine returned to international debt markets in September 2017, issuing a $3 billion sovereign bond.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$178.513 billion (2019 est.)

$174.47 billion (2018 est.)

$168.134 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$538.388 billion (2019 est.)

$521.524 billion (2018 est.)

$504.35 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - real growth rate2.4% (2019 est.)

3.9% (2018 est.)

3.04% (2017 est.)
3.24% (2019 est.)

3.41% (2018 est.)

2.48% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$32,730 (2019 est.)

$32,032 (2018 est.)

$30,911 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$12,810 (2019 est.)

$12,338 (2018 est.)

$11,871 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 3.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 35% (2017 est.)

services: 61.2% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 12.2% (2017 est.)

industry: 28.6% (2017 est.)

services: 60% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line11.9% (2018 est.)1.1% (2019 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 19.3% (2015 est.)
lowest 10%: 4.2%

highest 10%: 21.6% (2015 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)2.6% (2019 est.)

2.5% (2018 est.)

1.3% (2017 est.)
7.9% (2019 est.)

11% (2018 est.)

14.4% (2017 est.)

note: Excluding the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and part of the anti-terrorist operation zone
Labor force2.511 million (2020 est.)16.033 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 3.9%

industry: 22.7%

services: 73.4% (2015)
agriculture: 5.8%

industry: 26.5%

services: 67.8% (2014)
Unemployment rate5% (2019 est.)

5.42% (2018 est.)
8.89% (2019 est.)

9.42% (2018 est.)

note: officially registered workers; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers
Distribution of family income - Gini index25.2 (2016 est.)

26.1 (2014)
26.1 (2018 est.)

28.2 (2009)
Budgetrevenues: 37.79 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 38.79 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 29.82 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 31.55 billion (2017 est.)

note: this is the planned, consolidated budget
Industriesautomobiles; metal and metal products; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals, synthetic fibers, wood and paper products; machinery; earthenware and ceramics; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products; food and beverages; pharmaceuticalcoal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing
Industrial production growth rate2.7% (2017 est.)3.1% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productswheat, maize, sugar beet, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, sunflower seed, soybeans, porkmaize, wheat, potatoes, sunflower seed, sugar beet, milk, barley, soybeans, rapeseed, tomatoes
Exports$113.964 billion (2019 est.)

$113.092 billion (2018 est.)

$107.518 billion (2017 est.)
$161.231 billion (2019 est.)

$151.075 billion (2018 est.)

$153.046 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiescars and vehicle parts, video displays, broadcasting equipment, tires, refined petroleum (2019)corn, sunflower seed oils, iron and iron products, wheat, insulated wiring, rapeseed (2019)
Exports - partnersGermany 22%, Czechia 11%, Poland 7%, France 7%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)Russia 9%, China 8%, Germany 6%, Poland 6%, Italy 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports$107.88 billion (2019 est.)

$105.67 billion (2018 est.)

$100.689 billion (2017 est.)
$207.335 billion (2019 est.)

$195.071 billion (2018 est.)

$189.402 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiescars and vehicle parts, broadcasting equipment, crude petroleum, natural gas, insulated wiring (2019)refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, coal, natural gas (2019)
Imports - partnersGermany 18%, Czechia 18%, Poland 8%, Hungary 7%, Russia 5% (2019)China 13%, Russia 12%, Germany 10%, Poland 9%, Belarus 7% (2019)
Debt - external$115.853 billion (2019 est.)

$114.224 billion (2018 est.)
$117.41 billion (2019 est.)

$114.449 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rateseuros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.82771 (2020 est.)

0.90338 (2019 est.)

0.87789 (2018 est.)

0.885 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)
hryvnia (UAH) per US dollar -

28.10001 (2020 est.)

23.7 (2019 est.)

27.80499 (2018 est.)

21.8447 (2014 est.)

11.8867 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar yearcalendar year
Public debt50.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

51.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general Government Gross Debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities, including sub-sectors of central, state, local government, and social security funds
71% of GDP (2017 est.)

81.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: the total public debt of $64.5 billion consists of: domestic public debt ($23.8 billion); external public debt ($26.1 billion); and sovereign guarantees ($14.6 billion)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$3.622 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.892 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$18.81 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$15.54 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance-$3.026 billion (2019 est.)

-$2.635 billion (2018 est.)
-$4.124 billion (2019 est.)

-$6.432 billion (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$105.388 billion (2019 est.)$155.082 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsFitch rating: A (2020)

Moody's rating: A2 (2012)

Standard & Poors rating: A+ (2015)
Fitch rating: B (2019)

Moody's rating: B3 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: B (2019)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 75.6 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 84.8 (2020)

Trading score: 100 (2020)

Enforcement score: 66.1 (2020)
Overall score: 70.2 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 91.1 (2020)

Trading score: 80.1 (2020)

Enforcement score: 63.6 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues39.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)26.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 16.1%

male: 14%

female: 19.7% (2019 est.)
total: 15.4%

male: 15.5%

female: 15.3% (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 54.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 19.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 96.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -92.9% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 66.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 20.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 4.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 47.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -55.6% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving21.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

22.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

21.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
12.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

15.2% of GDP (2018 est.)

17.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Energy

SlovakiaUkraine
Electricity - production25.32 billion kWh (2016 est.)153.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption26.64 billion kWh (2016 est.)133.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports10.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)3.591 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports13.25 billion kWh (2016 est.)77 million kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production200 bbl/day (2018 est.)32,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports111,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)4,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - exports1,022 bbl/day (2017 est.)413 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - proved reserves9 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)395 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)1.104 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production104.8 million cu m (2017 est.)19.73 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption4.672 billion cu m (2017 est.)30.92 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports0 cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports4.984 billion cu m (2017 est.)12.97 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity7.644 million kW (2016 est.)57.28 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels36% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants24% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels27% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production131,300 bbl/day (2017 est.)63,670 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption85,880 bbl/day (2017 est.)233,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports81,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)1,828 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports38,340 bbl/day (2017 est.)167,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 100% (2020)electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Telecommunications

SlovakiaUkraine
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 675,297

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12.41 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 4,182,994

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9.52 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 7,399,534

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135.96 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 54,842,940

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124.78 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.sk.ua
Internet userstotal: 4,391,969

percent of population: 80.66% (July 2018 est.)
total: 25,883,509

percent of population: 58.89% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment:

a modern telecom system; one operator has near monopoly of fixed-line market; competition in mobile- and fixed-broadband market; broadband growth in recent years; competition among DSL, cable, and fiber platforms; FttP growth in cities; operator launched 1Gb/s cable broadband service in 3 cities and 200,000 premises in 2019; EU funding for development and improvement of e-government and online services; regulator prepared groundwork for 5G services in 2020 (2021)

(2020)

domestic: four companies have a license to operate cellular networks and provide nationwide cellular services; a few other companies provide services but do not have their own networks; fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular 136 per 100 teledensity (2019)

international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services; connects to DREAM cable (2017)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

general assessment:

Ukraine's telecom market continues to face challenges resulting from the annexation of Crimea by Russia and unrest in eastern regions; developing telecom market has attracted international investors from Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan; government plan emphasizes improvement of domestic trunk lines, international connections, and a national mobile-cellular system; operators moving from 3G services to 4G, but some areas still use 2G; LTE services available in cities; FttP networks taking over DSL platforms; government approved plan in 2020 for 5G migration and operator is developing IoT capabilities; improvement of licensing requirements for operators and positive reforms for users; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021)

(2020)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is 10 per 100; the mobile-cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to saturation of the market that is now 131 mobile phones per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 380; landing point for the Kerch Strait Cable connecting Ukraine to Russia; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic TAE system and 3 Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic TEL project that connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by an unknown number of earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 1,585,092

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29.12 (2019 est.)
total: 6,784,185

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15.44 (2019 est.)
Broadcast mediastate-owned public broadcaster, Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), operates 2 national TV stations and multiple national and regional radio networks; roughly 50 privately owned TV stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 40% of households are connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 32 privately owned radio stations

Ukraine's media landscape is dominated by oligarch-owned news outlets, which are often politically motivated and at odds with one another and/or the government; while polls suggest most Ukrainians still receive news from traditional media sources, social media is a crucial component of information dissemination in Ukraine; almost all Ukrainian politicians and opinion leaders communicate with the public via social media and maintain at least one social media page, if not more; this allows them direct communication with audiences, and news often breaks on Facebook or Twitter before being picked up by traditional news outlets

Ukraine television serves as the principal source of news; the largest national networks are controlled by oligarchs: TRK Ukraina is owned by Rinat Akhmetov; Studio 1+1 is owned by Ihor Kolomoyskyy; Inter is owned by Dmytro Firtash and Serhiy Lyovochkin; and StarlightMedia channels (ICTV, STB, and Novyi Kanal) are owned by Victor Pinchuk;  a set of 24-hour news channels also have clear political affiliations: 112-Ukraine and NewsOne tacitly support pro-Russian opposition and are believed to be controlled by political and business tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk; pro-Ukrainian government Channel 5 and Pryamyi are linked to President Petro Poroshenko; 24 and ZIK are owned by opposition, but not pro-Russian, politicians; UA: Suspilne is a public television station under the umbrella of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine; while it is often praised by media experts for balanced coverage, it lags in popularity; Ukrainian Radio, institutionally linked to UA: Suspilne, is one of only two national talk radio networks, with the other being the privately owned Radio NV

(2019)

Transportation

SlovakiaUkraine
Railwaystotal: 3,580 km (2016)

standard gauge: 3,435 km 1.435-m gauge (1,587 km electrified) (2016)

narrow gauge: 46 km 1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge (2016)

broad gauge: 99 km 1.520-m gauge (2016)
total: 21,733 km (2014)

standard gauge: 49 km 1.435-m gauge (49 km electrified) (2014)

broad gauge: 21,684 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2014)
Roadwaystotal: 56,926 km (includes local roads, national roads, and 464 km of highways) (2016)total: 169,694 km (2012)

paved: 166,095 km (includes 17 km of expressways) (2012)

unpaved: 3,599 km (2012)
Waterways172 km (on Danube River) (2012)1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2012)
Pipelines2270 km gas transmission pipelines, 6278 km high-pressure gas distribution pipelines, 27023 km mid- and low-pressure gas distribution pipelines (2016), 510 km oil (2015)36720 km gas, 4514 km oil, 4363 km refined products (2013)
Ports and terminalsriver port(s): Bratislava, Komarno (Danube)major seaport(s): Feodosiya (Theodosia), Chornomosk (Illichivsk), Mariupol, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Yuzhnyy
Airportstotal: 35 (2013)total: 187 (2013)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 19 (2019)

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 9
total: 108 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 13 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 42 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013)

under 914 m: 28 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 15 (2019)

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 5
total: 79 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2013)

under 914 m: 69 (2013)
Heliports1 (2019)9 (2013)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 45
number of registered air carriers: 14 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 126

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,854,842 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 75.26 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixOMUR

Military

SlovakiaUkraine
Military branchesArmed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Slovenské Pozemné Sily), Air Forces (Slovenské Vzdusné Sily), Special Operations Forces (Sily Pre Speciálne Operácie) (2021)Armed Forces of Ukraine (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, ZSU): Ground Forces (Sukhoputni Viys'ka), Naval Forces (Viys'kovo-Mors'ki Syly, VMS), Air Forces (Povitryani Syly, PS), Air Assault Forces (Desantno-shturmovi Viyska, DShV), Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (UASOF), Territorial Defense Forces (Reserves);  Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (includes Maritime Border Guard) (2021)
Military service age and obligation18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004; women are eligible to serve (2019)conscription abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; 20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP2% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.71% of GDP (2019)

1.23% of GDP (2018)

1.11% of GDP (2017)

1.12% of GDP (2016)
3% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.9% of GDP (2019)

3.7% of GDP (2018)

3.1% of GDP (2017)

3.6% of GDP (2016)
Military - noteSlovakia officially became a member of NATO in 2004the Ukrainian military's primary concern is Russia's material support for armed separatist forces in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk where the conflict has become stalemated along a 250-mile front known as the line of contact; since the cease-fire of October 2019, Ukrainian military casualties along the front line have fallen significantly despite continued sporadic exchanges of fire through 2020 and into 2021
Military and security service personnel strengthsthe Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic have approximately 13,000 active duty personnel (6,000 Land Forces; 4,000 Air Forces; 3,000 other, including staff, special operations, and support forces) (2020)information varies; approximately 200,000 active troops (150,000 Army, including Airborne/Air Assault Forces; 12,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 National Guard (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe inventory of the Slovakian military consists mostly of Soviet-era platforms; since 2010, it has imported limited quantities of equipment from China, Czechia, Italy, Russia, and the US (2020)the Ukrainian military is equipped mostly with older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems; since 2010, it has imported limited quantities of weapons from several European countries, as well as Canada, the US, and the United Arab Emirates; Ukraine has a broad defense industry capable of building Soviet-era land systems and maintaining and upgrading Soviet-era combat aircraft, as well as missile and air defense systems (2020)
Military deployments240 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 150 Latvia (NATO) (Jan 2021)250 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2021)

note - Ukraine contributes about 500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units

Transnational Issues

SlovakiaUkraine
Disputes - international

bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued 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 strict Schengen border rules

1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains unratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is complete and demarcation began in 2012; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov is suspended due to the occupation of Crimea by Russia; Ukraine and Moldova signed an agreement officially delimiting their border in 1999, but the border has not been demarcated due to Moldova's difficulties with the break-away region of Transnistria; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor transit of people and commodities through Moldova's Transnistria Region, which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops; the ICJ ruled largely in favor of Romania in its dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea

Illicit drugstransshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasylimited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF
Refugees and internally displaced personsstateless persons: 1,532 (2020)IDPs: 734,000 (Russian-sponsored separatist violence in Crimea and eastern Ukraine) (2020)

stateless persons: 35,875 (2020); note - citizens of the former USSR who were permanently resident in Ukraine were granted citizenship upon Ukraine's independence in 1991, but some missed this window of opportunity; people arriving after 1991, Crimean Tatars, ethnic Koreans, people with expired Soviet passports, and people with no documents have difficulty acquiring Ukrainian citizenship; following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, thousands of Crimean Tatars and their descendants deported from Ukraine under the STALIN regime returned to their homeland, some being stateless and others holding the citizenship of Uzbekistan or other former Soviet republics; a 1998 bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Uzbekistan simplified the process of renouncing Uzbek citizenship and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship

Environment

SlovakiaUkraine
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 17.54 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 32.42 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.43 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 18.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 202.25 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 63.37 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 293.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 231.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 31.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 2.397 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 3.577 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 3.206 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 0.34% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0.42% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 1.784 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 135,941 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 7.6% (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 15,242,025 tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 487,745 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.2% (2015 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook