Economy, Tourism and Foreign Trade

Slovakia’s tourism industry has grown since the end of Communist rule. In 2000 the country received 1,053,000 visitors. Slovakia’s historic cities and numerous mountain ski resorts are popular tourist destinations.

Foreign trade is important to Slovakia’s economy. In 2000 exports were worth $11.8 billion and imports cost the country $13.3 billion. Crude oil, natural gas, machinery, and transportation equipment are Slovakia’s main imports. Exports include machinery, chemicals, fuels, steel, and weapons. In the mid-1990s the Czech Republic was Slovakia’s main trading partner, supplying about 30 percent of Slovakia’s imports and purchases approximately 40 percent of its exports. Other leading purchasers of exports are Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and the United States.