Slovakia is one of the newest European
states.
The oldest settlement in Slovakia is over 250,000 years
old. The borders of the Roman Empire crossed the territory of
present day Slovakia. Slavs first arrived in the 6th
century. In the 9th century, the first
Slavic state – the Great Moravian Empire – was established here.
After its demise, Slovakia became a part of the Hungarian Kingdom,
and later the Habsburg Empire for over 900 years.
The 19th century saw the culmination of the
Slovaks' movement for national rights and the codification of the
Slovak language.
1918 heralded the beginning of united Slovak/Czech
history. After the end of World War II, the Czechoslovak Republic
became a part of the Soviet sphere of influence, and remained a
communist dictatorship for 41 years.
Over four decades
of totalitarianism in Slovakia ended with the Velvet Revolution of
1989. The infamous Iron Curtain is commemorated by
the 'Gate of Liberty' memorial, located on the banks of the Danube
in Bratislava. The totalitarian part of Europe was 'only' separated
from the free world by the well-guarded river.
On 1 January 1993, two independent countries
were founded upon the basis of a peaceful political agreement – the
Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. In this way, Slovakia
opened up a new era of its history as a modern, independent, and
democratic country.
2004 was an important year for Slovakia – it
became a part of NATO and the European Union.