Rural areas in the Slovak Republic Palermo, December 2007 Mária Fáziková Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra

Basic characteristics of the of Slovak Republic Number of inhabitants living in Slovakia: The size of the country (in km -2 ): Density of settlement (inhab. km -2): 110

Geographic position of Slovakia

Basic geographic characteristics -60% of the surface is mountainous -40 % of the surface are lowlands -the highest pick “Gerlach” m a.s -the lowest place 94 m a.s -very variable natural conditions

Rurality of the country – NUTS II level - 86,6 % of people lives in the significantly rulal regions - 13,6 % of people lives in the predominantly urban regions

Rurality of the country – NUTS III level

Basic characteristics Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Share of the area ( % ) 12,44 44,27 54,48 Share of the inhabitants ( % ) 12,36 49,47 49,4738,15 Density of settlement (inhab.km -2 ) 632,8 122,6 122,676,8

Basic economic characteristics Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Share of enterprices ( % ) Economical activity index 7,872,61,7 Microfirms (up to 9 employees) (thous.)22,727,513,5 Small firms (up to 49 empoyees) (thous.)2,94,82,7

Basic economic characteristics Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Competitive industries - financial services -transportation - telecommunications -trade-industry -building industry -tourism-agriculture -tourism Economic structure diversified monostructural Decrease the number of jobs no 24 % 67 % Industries with increase the number of jobs -Financial services -Real estate -building industry -trade-tourism -public administration

Socio – economical development Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Unemployment rate ( % ) 7,214,317,8 Share of long- term unemployment ( % ) 44,035,758,6 Industries with highest share of long-term unemployment agricultureagricultureagriculture Average wage ( € )

Demographic potential Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Ageing index ,796,1 Natural increase ( ‰ ) - 0,09 - 0,81 + 0,84 Migration increase ( ‰ ) - 3, Share of adult people with basic education ( % ) 38,859,462,0

Settlement structure Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Average size of the settlement ( inhabitant) ( inhabitant) – – Share of peripheral settlements ( % ) 013,529,9

Infrastructure equipment Predominantly urban regions Significantly rural regions Predominantly rural regions Share of settlements connected to public water-pipe system ( % ) ,6 Share of settlements connected to public severage system ( % ) 10022,415

SWOT analysis of the rural areas Strenghts: -High rekreation and touristic potential -Rich cultural and historical heritage -Enough free labour force -Predominant share of population with secondary education -Possible development of services -Diversification of agriculture

SWOT analysis of the rural areas Weeknesess: -Negative population tendencies -Insufficient technical infrastructure -Shortage of jobs -Unfavourable demographic structure -Slightly developed capacities of human resources

SWOT analysis of the rural areas Opportunities: -Decreasing of dependency to agriculture -Increasing number of tourists -Development of the economical branches connected to rural tourism -Increasing potential to create partnerships -New jobs creation

SWOT analysis of the rural areas Threats: -Low labour force mobility -Low purchasing power of rural people -High share or people in post-productive age -Continuing brain-drain from rural areas

The strategy for rural areas in the Slovak Republic The principles of the strategy: ● sustainable development – to maintain and renew the natural and cultural resources, the ecological stability of the country and to increase the environmental feeling of the people ● equal opportunities – equal opportunities for men and women in each measure ● long-term effect – long-term efficiency of expended resources ● partnership – the principle respected in the process of creation and implementation of the plan ● informatisation – support of the interconnection and information

The key priorities of the National Conception of rural development 1.The development of economical activities suitable for rural areas. 2. The preservation of environmental and cultural funds. 3. The increas of quality of life of rural people.

Global goal: To increase the competitivity of agriculture, food-industry and forestry and to improve the environment with the implementation of sustainable agricultural and forestry methods and the quality of life in rural areas with the accent to sustainable development Axes 1 The increasing of competitivity of the agriculture and the forestry Axes 2 The improving of the quality of environment and the landscape Axes 3 Quality of life in the rural areas and the diversification of the rural economy Axes 4 LEADER Goal: To increase the competitivity of agricultural and forest industry Goal: To create the multifunction agricultural and forest systems with suitable influence to the environment, the nature and the image of the landscape Goal: To increase the employment in the rural areas and to support the development of rural municipalities Goal: To support building and development the local partnerships and the utilization of endogenous development potential of rural areas

The share of the axeses on the total public funds ( % )