The Slavs arrived in the territory of present Slovakia between the fifth and sixth centuries AD during the Migration Period. In the course of history,
various parts of today's Slovakia belonged to Samo's Empire (the first known political unit of Slavs), Great Moravia, Kingdom of Hungary,[5] the
Austro-Hungarian Empire or Habsburg Empire, and Czechoslovakia. An independent Slovak state was created for a brief period during World War II, during which
Slovakia was a dependency of Nazi Germany 1939–1944. From 1945 Slovakia once again became a part of Czechoslovakia. The present-day Slovakia became an
independent state on January 1, 1993 after the dissolution of its federation with the Czech Republic.
Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with one of the fastest growth rates in the EU and OECD. It joined the European Union in 2004 and joined the
Eurozone on the 1st of January, 2009.
Slovakia is known for its numerous and impressive mountain ranges. Many of the country’s mountains give way to rolling hills and river valleys, where agriculture, winemaking, and livestock raising are practiced. Slovakia’s mountainous terrain has also influenced settlement patterns within the country.
Southwestern Slovakia is dominated by the Danubian Lowlands, a fertile region that extends to the Danube River on the Hungarian border. Much of the country’s agriculture is produced in this area; Bratislava is its main industrial center.
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