| Slovakia is a sovereign state in Central Europe bordered by the [[Czechia Genealogy|Czechia]], [[Austria Genealogy|Austria]], [[Poland Genealogy|Poland]], [[Ukraine Genealogy|Ukraine]], and [[Hungary Genealogy|Hungary]]. The area had been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of the First World War when, in October 1918, the Czech lands of Austria (Bohemia, Moravia, and Austrian Silesia) joined with the Slovak and [[Carpathian Ruthenia|Ruthenian]] ([[Ukraine Genealogy|Ukrainian]]) counties of Hungary to create the sovereign Republic of Czechoslovakia. Slovakia became an independent state on January 1, 1993, when Czechoslovakia peacefully split into Czechia and Slovakia. The official language is Slovak.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Slovakia," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia, accessed 23 March 2016.</ref> | | Slovakia is a sovereign state in Central Europe bordered by the [[Czechia Genealogy|Czechia]], [[Austria Genealogy|Austria]], [[Poland Genealogy|Poland]], [[Ukraine Genealogy|Ukraine]], and [[Hungary Genealogy|Hungary]]. The area had been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of the First World War when, in October 1918, the Czech lands of Austria (Bohemia, Moravia, and Austrian Silesia) joined with the Slovak and [[Carpathian Ruthenia|Ruthenian]] ([[Ukraine Genealogy|Ukrainian]]) counties of Hungary to create the sovereign Republic of Czechoslovakia. Slovakia became an independent state on January 1, 1993, when Czechoslovakia peacefully split into Czechia and Slovakia. The official language is Slovak.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Slovakia," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia, accessed 23 March 2016.</ref> |