POPULATION 5,422,366
ROMAN CATHOLIC 68.9 percent
EVANGELICAL (LUTHERAN) 6.9 percent
GREEK CATHOLIC 4.1 percent
REFORMED 2.0 percent
NOT AFFILIATED 13.0 percent
OTHER 5.1 percent

Country Overview

Introduction

Located in central Europe, the Slovak Republic is bordered by Poland and the Czech Republic to the north, Austria to the west, Hungary to the south, and Ukraine to the east. Since the eighth and ninth centuries Christianity has played a crucial role in the history and culture of Slovakia, and it continues to form an integral part of Slovak national identity.

Formerly part of Hungary, Slovakia became a constituent republic of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Between 1948 and 1989 it was ruled by a Communist regime, which systematically tried to eliminate religion from the country. The independent Slovak Republic was created in 1993 after the "velvet" dissolution of Czechoslovakia. According to the 2001 census, more than 83 percent of the population is Christian.

Religious Tolerance

Historically in Slovakia there has been mutual toleration among...