Slovakia

Present-day Slovakia was settled by Slavic Slovaks about the 6th century. They were politically united in the Moravian empire in the 9th century. In 907, the Germans and the Magyars conquered the Moravian state, and the Slovaks fell under Hungarian control from the 10th century up until 1918. When the Hapsburg-ruled empire collapsed in 1918 following World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czech lands of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Silesia to form the new joint state of Czechoslovakia. In March 1939, Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, established a German “protectorate,” and created a puppet state out of Slovakia with Josef Tiso as president. The country was liberated from the Germans by the Soviet army in the spring of 1945, and Slovakia was restored to its pre-war status and rejoined to a new Czechoslovakian state.

After the Communist Party took power in February 1948, Slovakia was again subjected to a centralized Czech-dominated government, and antagonism between the two republics developed. In January 1969, the nation became the Slovak Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia.

Nearly 42 years of Communist rule for Slovakia ended when Vaclav Havel became president of Czechoslovakia in 1989 and democratic political reform began. However, with the demise of Communist power, a strong Slovak nationalist movement resurfaced, and the rival relationship between the two states increased. By the end of 1991, discussions between Slovak and Czech political leaders turned to whether the Czech and Slovak republics should continue to coexist within the federal structure or be divided into two independent states.

After the general election in June 1992, it was decided that two fully independent republics would be created. The Republic of Slovakia came into existence on 1 January 1993. The parliament in February elected Michal Kovac as president. In 1999 he was succeeded by Rudolph Schuster.

Vladimir Meciar, who served three times as Slovakia's prime minister was cited as the reason Slovakia was for a time eliminated from consideration for both the EU and NATO. Meciar was unseated in 1998 elections by the reformist government of Mikulás Dzurinda.

Dzurinda improved Slovakia's reputation in the West, but his tough economic measures made him unpopular within the country. In the September 2002 elections, the ruling coalition held onto power. In April 2004 Ivan Gasparovic won the largely ceremonial post of president by a wide majority. In 2004, Slovakia joined the EU and NATO. In May 2005, it ratified the EU constitution.

Captial: Bratislava

Government: Republic

Area: 48.845 km²

Population: 5.439.548 (July 2006)

Currency: Euro (100 cent); before 1 January 2009: Slovak crown (100 heller)

Internet TLD: .sk

Dialling code: +421

Member of: United Nations and all specialized organizations

For more stamps see:

Czechoslovakia

Links

Slovakia in Wikipedia.

Flag of Slovakia in Flags of the World.

Website of the Philatelic Service.

Country description of the BBC.

Country description of the CIA.

Official website of the government of Slovakia.

Permanent Mission of Slovakia to the United Nations.

Stamp catalogue

UNESCO - Ján Kollar

date: 20 May 1993

designer: Jozef Baláž, Martin Činovský (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11¼

remark: part of a series of three stamps

1 20 portrait, text "JÁN KOLLAR 1793-1852" and "UNESCO"

buff, blue, orange

(cat. Michel 173/SG 164/Yvert 139)

International Year of the Family

date: 29 April 1994

designer: stamp: Zuzana Tóthová (11 years), Martin Činovský (engraver)

booklet: Mladá, Marta Činovská (graphic lay-out)

printer: Postal Stamp Printing Office, Joint Stock Company, Prague

perforated: 11¼:11½

2 3 Sk children's drawing of a family with pregnant mother, hearts, IYF emblem, text "MEDZINÁRODNÝ ROK

RODINY 1994"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 188/SG 176/Yvert 153)

3 15 Sk booklet with 5 x nr. 2, children's drawing of different family members, IYF emblem, text "MEDZINÁRODNÝ

ROK RODINY 1994"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel -/Yvert C 153)

World No-Tobacco Day

date: 31 May 1994

designer: Zdeno Brázdil, Martin Činovský (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11½:11¼

4 3 Sk two cigarettes, smoke forming a cross, text "SVETOVÝ / DEŇ / BEZ / TABAKU"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 192/SG 180/Yvert 157)

UPU 120th anniversary

date: 1 August 1994

designer: Oliver Solga, Rudolf Cigánik (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¼:11¾

5 8 Sk boat formed out of heart, letter, pen, pencil and stamp, UPU emblem with "1874 - 1994",

Slovakian flag,text "SVETOVÁ POŠTOVÁ / ÚNIÁ"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 199/SG 187/Yvert 160)

World Heritage

date: 19 July 1995

designer: Martin Činovský

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¼:11¾ (6), 11¾:11¼ (7 and 8)

6 7 Sk town centre with town hall and church of St. Catherine, coat of arms, text "BANSKÁ / ŠTIAVNICA"

and "UNESCO"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 232/SG 217/Yvert 194)

7 10 Sk Spiš Castle, text "SPISSKÝ / HRAD" and "UNESCO"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 233/SG 218/Yvert 195)

8 15 Sk village houses, Sidorovo massif, text "VLKOLÍNEC" and "UNESCO"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 234/SG 219/Yvert 196)

UNO 50th anniversary

date: 24 October 1995

designer: Ján Trojan, Václav Fajt (engraver)

printer: Postal Sationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾

remark: issued in sheets of 8 stamps (2 x 4 and two vignettes with UNO jubilee emblem)

9 8 Sk globe with faces, peace releasing dove, peace doves, angels with trumpets, UN Headquarters,

UNO emblem, text "1945 · OSN · 1995"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 241/SG 225/Yvert 202)

International Year for the Eradication of Poverty

date: 15 April 1996

designer: Júlia Piačková, Rudolf Cigánik (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾

10 souvenir sheet, maze with heart in the centre

7 Sk African child walking in green landscape, dry landscape, sun, text "ROK ZA ODSTRÁNENIE BIEDY"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel block 5/SG MS 233/Yvert BF 6)

World Heritage

date: 12 June 1997

designer: Martin Činovský

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11½

remark: issued in sheets of 8 stamps (2 x 4 with World Heritage emblem)

11 6 Sk Domica Cave, text "JASKYŇA DOMICA"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 280/SG 261/Yvert 238)

12 8 Sk Aragonit Cavern, Ochtiná, text "OCHTINSKÁ AGAGONITOVÁ JASKYŇA"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 281/SG 262/Yvert 239)

UPU 125th anniversary

date: 12 March 1999

designer: stamp: František Horniak

booklet: Dušan Grečner, Pavel Kovařík

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11½

13 4 Sk automatic sorting line for letters, UPU emblem, text "125. VÝROČIE SPÚ" and "AUTOMATICKÁ

TRIEDIACA LINKA"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 336/SG 308/Yvert 297)

14 40 Sk booklet with 10 x nr. 13, globe surrounded by letters and Slovak post emblem, UPU emblem, text "125.

VÝROČIE / SVETOVEJ / POŠTOVEJ / ÚNIE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel -/Yvert C 297)

International Year of Older Persons

date: 15 June 1995

designer: Mikuláš Klimčák, Arnold Feke (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¼:11½

15 5 Sk three hands of different ages, IYOP emblem, text "MEDZINÁRODNÝ ROK / STARŠÍCH ĽUDÍ"

black, flesh, green

(cat. Michel 342/SG 318/Yvert 299)

UPU 125th anniversary

date: 15 July 1999

designer: 16: Marián Čapka, Pavel Kovářík (engraver)

17: Dušan Grečner, Pavel Kovářík (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11½:11¼

16 12 Sk Zilina University, computer, open book, pigeon, letter, post horn, globe, UPU emblem, text "125.

VÝROČIE SPÚ" and "ŽILINSKÁ UNIVERZITA"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 344/SG 320/Yvert 300)

17 16 Sk Slovak Post emblem with globe, UPU emblem, text "125. / výročie / Svetovej / poštovej / únie"

and "1874-1999"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 345/SG 321/Yvert 301)

Albín Brunovský

date: 18 December 1999

designer: stamp: Martin Činovský (stamp), Rudolf Ciganík (tab)

booklet: Marta Činovská (graphic lay-out)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11¼

18 5 Sk head of a young woman (part of a Czechoslovak stamp 1988), portrait, text "ALBÍN BRUNOVSKÝ 1935-1997"

and "DEŇ / POŠTOVEJ / ZNÁMKY" (stamp day); tab with work by Brunovský

brown, stone, green

(cat. Michel 358/SG 332/Yvert 311)

19 45 Sk booklet with 9 x nr. 18, head of a young woman (part of a Czechoslovak stamp 1988), text "DEŇ /

POŠTOVEJ / ZNÁMKY"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel MH 4/Yvert C 311)

World Mathematical Year

date: 15 February 2000

designer: Jozef Baláž, František Horniak (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11¼

20 5 Sk portraits of Jur Hronec (1881-1959) and Štefan Schwarz (1914-1996), mathematical cube, text "SVETOVÝ

ROK / MATEMATIKY 2000", "JURAJ / HRONEC" and "ŠTEFAN / SCHWARZ"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 365/SG 339/Yvert 317)

UNICEF

date: 1 June 2000

designer: stamp: Alexandra Baníková, Martin Činovský (graphic lay-out), Juraj Vitek (engraver)

booklet: Terézia Barčiaková (9 years), Marta Činovská (graphic lay-out)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11½:11¼

21 5 50 Sk children's drawing of different animals, UNICEF emblem

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 370/SG 342/Yvert 322)

22 55 Sk booklet with 10 x nr. 21, children's drawing of a circus, UNICEF emblem, text "DETSKÁ ZNÁMKA"

and description of UNICEF on the back

multicoloured

(cat. Michel -/Yvert C 322)

Rudolf Schuster

date: 15 June 2000

designer: Martin Činovský after a photograph by Pavla Kastla

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11¼

23 5 50 Sk portrait

brown

(cat. Michel 371/SG 344/Yvert 324)

Rudolf Schuster

date: 5 February 2003

designer: Martin Činovský after a photograph by Pavla Kastla

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11¼

24 7 Sk portrait

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 445)

World Heritage

date: 15 July 2003

designer: Peter Augustovič, Bohumil Šneider (engraver)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾

remark: issued in sheets of 8 stamps (4 x 4 with vignette showing various biological, historical and technical

objects, text "50 ROKOV / SLOVENSKEJ AKADÉMIE VIED" (50 years of Slovak Academy of Sciences))

25 9 Sk Lake Klinger, text "BANSKOŠTIAVNICKÉ TAJCHY - KLINGER"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 463)

26 12 Sk Lake Rozgrund, text " BANSKOŠTIAVNICKÉ TAJCHY - ROZGRUND "

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 464)

Jozef Baláž

date: 28 November 2003

designer: Jozef Balaž, Martin Činovský (graphic lay-out)

printer: Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11¼

27 12 Sk design for the souvenir sheet UPU 110th anniversary (Czechoslovakia 1984), tab with self-portrait,

text "DEŇ POŠTOVEJ ZNÁMKY" (stamp day) and "* 1923 / JOZEF BALÁŽ"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 475/Yvert 405)

Solidarity with Asia

date: 31 March 2005

designer: Arnold Feke (graphic lay-out)

printer: PTC, Prague

perforated: 11¾:11½

remark: printed in sheets of 8 stamps (2 x 4); part of the proceeds go to UNICEF Slovensko to support relief

programs in Indonesia aimed at the health and nutrition of children and pregnant women

28 25 Sk pencil drawing 'Poor mother' by František Studený (1944-1945), Orava Gallery, Dolný Kubín, text "SOLIDARITA

S ÁZIOU" and "FRANTIŠEK STUDENÝ / CHUDOBNÁ MATKA 1944-45 / ORAVIKA GALÉRIA DOLNÝ KUBÍN"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 510/Yvert 442)

International Year of Physics

date: 16 May 2005

designer: Zdeno Brázdil

printer: WSP - Cartor, France

perforated: 13½

remark: the stamp also commemorates the Slovak physician Dionýz Ilkovič (1907-1980)

29 18 Sk lightning, text "SVETOVÝ ROK FYZIKY - D. ILKOVIČ"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 514/Yvert 446)

International Year of Astronomy

date: 28 May 2009

designer: Marián Komáček

printer: Poštovní tiskárna cenin, Praha, Czech Republic

perforated: 11¾:11¼

remark: printed in sheets of 8 stamps (2 x 4)

30 0,90 € symbolic representation of man in space, rocks, Europa emblem

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 615/Yvert )

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last revised: 13 August 2009