Economy of Slovakia

Economy of Slovakia
Panorama of Bratislava business district
CurrencyEuro (EUR, €)
Calendar year
Trade organisations
EU, WTO, OECD
Country group
Statistics
Population5,422,194 (2024)
GDP
  • $141 billion (nominal, 2024)
  • $239 billion (PPP, 2024)
GDP rank
GDP growth
  • 1.2% (2023)
  • 2.1% (2024)
  • 2.6% (2025)
GDP per capita
  • $25,935 (nominal, 2024)
  • $44,081 (PPP, 2024)
GDP per capita rank
GDP by sector
  • 11.0% (2023)
  • 3.6% (2024)
  • 3.9% (2025)
Population below poverty line
  • 13.7% (2021)
  • 17.6% at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE 2023)
21.6 low (2023)
54 out of 100 points (2023) (47th)
Labour force
  • 2,736,717 (2019)
  • 77.5% employment rate (2023)
Labour force by occupation
  • agriculture: 3.9%
  • industry: 22.7%
  • services: 73.4%
  • (2015)
Unemployment
  • 5.8% (March 2025)
  • 19.8% youth unemployment (15 to 24 year-olds; July 2020)
Average gross salary
€1,524 per month
€1,160 per month
Main industries
automobiles; 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; pharmaceutical
External
Exports$107.43 billion (2021 est.)
Export goods
vehicles and related parts 27%, machinery and electrical equipment 20%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, iron and steel 4%, mineral oils and fuels 5% (2015)
Main export partners
Imports$107.358 billion (2021 est.)
Import goods
machinery and electrical equipment 20%, vehicles and related parts 14%, nuclear reactors and furnaces 12%, fuel and mineral oils 9% (2015)
Main import partners
FDI stock
  • $69.92 billion (2017)
  • Abroad: $21.29 billion (2017)
-$2.875 billion (2021 est)
$75.04 billion (2016)
Public finances
  • 48.0% of GDP (2019)
  • €45.202 billion (2019)
$9.61 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
  • €1.2 billion deficit (2019)
  • −1.3% of GDP (2019)
Revenues41.5% of GDP (2019)
Expenses42.8% of GDP (2019)
Economic aid
  • Standard & Poor's:
  • A+ (Domestic)
  • A+ (Foreign)
  • AAA (T&C Assessment)
  • Outlook: Stable
  • Moody's:
  • A1
  • Outlook: Stable
  • Fitch:
  • A-
  • Outlook: Stable
  • Scope:
  • A
  • Outlook: Stable
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.

The economy of Slovakia is based upon Slovakia becoming an EU member state in 2004, and adopting the euro at the beginning of 2009. Its capital, Bratislava, is the largest financial centre in Slovakia. As of Q1 2018, the unemployment rate was 5.72%.

Whereas between 1970 and 1985 real incomes increased by about 50%, they fell in the 1990s. The gross domestic product only returned to its 1989 level in 2007.

Due to the Slovak GDP growing very strongly from 2000 until 2008 – e.g. 10.4% GDP growth in 2007 – the Slovak economy was referred to as the Tatra Tiger.