Rural areas Rural areas in the Slovak Republicin the Slovak Republic

Palermo, DecemberPalermo, December 2007 2007

Mária FázikováMária FázikováFaculty of European Studies and Regional DevelopmentFaculty of European Studies and Regional DevelopmentSlovak Agricultural University in NitraSlovak Agricultural University in Nitra

Basic characteristics of the of Slovak RepublicBasic characteristics of the of Slovak Republic

Number of inhabitants living in Slovakia:Number of inhabitants living in Slovakia:

5 380 0005 380 000

The size of the country (in kmThe size of the country (in km-2-2 ): ):

49 03649 036

Density of settlement (inhab. kmDensity of settlement (inhab. km-2): -2):

110110

Geographic position of SlovakiaGeographic position of Slovakia

Basic geographic characteristicsBasic geographic characteristics

- 60% of the surface is mountainous60% of the surface is mountainous

- 40 % of the surface are lowlands40 % of the surface are lowlands

- the highest pick “Gerlach” 2 665 m a.sthe highest pick “Gerlach” 2 665 m a.s

- the lowest place 94 m a.sthe lowest place 94 m a.s

- very variable natural conditionsvery variable natural conditions

Rurality of the country – NUTS II levelRurality of the country – NUTS II level

- 86,6 % of people lives in the significantly rulal regions- 86,6 % of people lives in the significantly rulal regions- 13,6 % of people lives in the predominantly urban regions- 13,6 % of people lives in the predominantly urban regions

Rurality of the country – NUTS III levelRurality of the country – NUTS III level

Basic characteristicsBasic characteristics

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Share of the Share of the area ( % )area ( % ) 12,44 12,44

44,27 44,27

54,48 54,48

Share of the Share of the inhabitants inhabitants

( % )( % )12,36 12,36 49,47 49,47 38,15 38,15

Density of Density of settlementsettlement

(inhab.km(inhab.km-2-2))632,8632,8 122,6 122,6 76,8 76,8

Basic economic characteristicsBasic economic characteristics

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Share of Share of enterprices ( % )enterprices ( % )

3434 4444 2222

Economical Economical activity indexactivity index

7,877,87 2,62,6 1,71,7

Microfirms (up to Microfirms (up to 9 employees)9 employees)

(thous.)(thous.)

22,722,7 27,527,5 13,513,5

Small firms (up to Small firms (up to 49 empoyees)49 empoyees)

(thous.)(thous.)

2,92,9 4,84,8 2,72,7

Basic economic characteristicsBasic economic characteristics

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Competitive Competitive industriesindustries

--financial servicesfinancial services

-transportation-transportation

--telecommunicationstelecommunications

-trade-trade

-industry-industry

-building industry-building industry

-tourism-tourism

-agriculture-agriculture

-building industry-building industry

-tourism-tourism

Economic Economic structurestructure diverdiverssifiedified diverdiverssifiedified monostructuralmonostructural

Decrease the Decrease the number of jobsnumber of jobs nono 24 %24 % 67 %67 %

Industries with Industries with increase the increase the number of jobsnumber of jobs

-Financial servicesFinancial services-Real estateReal estate

-building industry-building industry

-trade-trade

-tourism-tourism

-public -public administrationadministration

Socio – economical developmentSocio – economical development

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Unemployment Unemployment rate ( % )rate ( % )

7,27,2 14,314,3 17,817,8

Share of long-Share of long-term term unemploymentunemployment

( % )( % )

44,044,0 35,735,7 58,658,6

Industries with highest Industries with highest share of long-term share of long-term unemploymentunemployment

agricultureagriculture agricultureagriculture agricultureagriculture

Average wageAverage wage

( ( € )€ )

578578 437437 362362

Demographic potentialDemographic potential

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Ageing indexAgeing index

133133 113,7113,7 96,196,1

Natural increaseNatural increase

( ‰ )( ‰ ) - 0,09- 0,09 - 0,81- 0,81 + 0,84+ 0,84

Migration Migration increase increase ( ‰ )( ‰ ) - 3,21- 3,21 + 13+ 13 + 8+ 8

Share of adult Share of adult people with basic people with basic education ( % )education ( % )

38,838,8 59,459,4 62,062,0

Settlement structureSettlement structure

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Average size of Average size of the settlementthe settlement

( inhabitant)( inhabitant)

236 000 – 400 000236 000 – 400 000 2 200 – 2 8002 200 – 2 800 900 - 1200900 - 1200

Share of Share of peripheral peripheral settlements settlements

( % )( % )

00 13,513,5 29,929,9

Infrastructure equipmentInfrastructure equipment

Predominantly Predominantly urban regionsurban regions

Significantly Significantly rural regionsrural regions

Predominantly Predominantly rural regionsrural regions

Share of Share of settlements settlements connected to public connected to public water-pipe systemwater-pipe system

( % )( % )

100100 8989 59,659,6

Share of Share of settlements settlements connected to public connected to public severage systemseverage system

( % )( % )

100100 22,422,4 1515

SWOT analysis of the rural areasSWOT analysis of the rural areas

Strenghts:Strenghts:- High rekreation and touristic potential High rekreation and touristic potential - Rich cultural and historical heritageRich cultural and historical heritage- Enough free labour forceEnough free labour force- Predominant share of population with secondary Predominant share of population with secondary

educationeducation- Possible development of servicesPossible development of services- Diversification of agricultureDiversification of agriculture

SWOT analysis of the rural areasSWOT analysis of the rural areas

Weeknesess:Weeknesess:- Negative population tendenciesNegative population tendencies

- Insufficient technical infrastructureInsufficient technical infrastructure- Shortage of jobsShortage of jobs- Unfavourable demographic structureUnfavourable demographic structure- Slightly developed capacities of human resourcesSlightly developed capacities of human resources

SWOT analysis of the rural areasSWOT analysis of the rural areas

Opportunities:Opportunities:- Decreasing of dependency to agricultureDecreasing of dependency to agriculture- Increasing number of tourists Increasing number of tourists - Development of the economical branches Development of the economical branches

connected to rural tourismconnected to rural tourism- Increasing potential to create partnershipsIncreasing potential to create partnerships- New jobs creationNew jobs creation

SWOT analysis of the rural areasSWOT analysis of the rural areas

Threats:Threats:- Low labour force mobilityLow labour force mobility- Low purchasing power of rural peopleLow purchasing power of rural people- High share or people in post-productive ageHigh share or people in post-productive age- Continuing brain-drain from rural areasContinuing brain-drain from rural areas

The strategy for rural areas in the Slovak RepublicThe strategy for rural areas in the Slovak Republic

The principles of the strategy:The principles of the strategy:● ● sustainable development – to maintain and renew the natural and sustainable development – to maintain and renew the natural and

cultural resources, the ecological stability of the country and to cultural resources, the ecological stability of the country and to increase the environmental feeling of the peopleincrease the environmental feeling of the people

● ● equal opportunities – equal opportunities for men and women in equal opportunities – equal opportunities for men and women in each measureeach measure

● ● long-term effect – long-term efficiency of expended resourceslong-term effect – long-term efficiency of expended resources

● ● partnership – the principle respected in the process of creation and partnership – the principle respected in the process of creation and implementation of the planimplementation of the plan

● ● informatisation – support of the interconnection and information informatisation – support of the interconnection and information

The key priorities of the National Conception The key priorities of the National Conception of rural developmentof rural development

1.1. The development of economical activities suitable for The development of economical activities suitable for rural areas.rural areas.

2. The preservation of environmental and cultural funds.2. The preservation of environmental and cultural funds.

3. The increas of quality of life of rural people.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 1The increasing of

competitivity of the agriculture and the forestry

Axes 2The improving of

the quality of environment

and the landscape

Axes 3Quality of life

in the rural areasand the diversification of the rural economy

Axes 4LEADER

Goal:

To increase the competitivity

of agricultural andforest industry

Goal:To create the

multifunction agriculturaland forest systems

with suitable influenceto the environment,

the nature and the image

of the landscape

Goal:To increase

the employmentin the rural areasand to support

the development of rural municipalities

Goal:To support building and development the localpartnerships and the

utilization of endogenousdevelopment potential

of rural areas

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

32,6

48,47

13,97 2,91Axes 1

Axes 2

Axes 3

Axes 4