The currency is the Slovenska koruna.

COMMERNCE
Some grocers open before 8 AM and most other businesses and government offices open at 8 AM and close by 3 or 4 PM. Shops are open until 6 PM on weekdays and until 2 PM on Saturdays. Except for a few restaurants and shops, nearly all businesses close on Sundays. Small urban shops and most rural businesses close for lunch. Many people grow their own fruit and vegetables in addition to buying them from markets, and a large number of urban residents have gardens in the countryside for this purpose.

Most employees have four weeks of holiday each year. It is common for business associates to socialize with each other away from work.

COMMUNICATION
Although most Slovak families have a car, high fuel prices discourage regular use. Public transport is mainly by bus, tram, and train. Main roads are paved; there are only a few good motorways, but more are being planned. Railways link the major cities.

Slovakia's press expanded rapidly with the freedom that was introduced in 1989. More than 120 newspapers are published, as well as numerous magazines. There are several television and radio stations, and people with satellite dishes can access international broadcasts.

EDUCATION
Education, which is free at public institutions, begins at the age of six and is compulsory for nine years. Education and research have a high priority. Although state universities charge no tuition fees, admission is limited and highly competitive. The oldest of Slovakia's 13 universities is Comenius University in Bratislava. Those who do not attend university can obtain skills through vocational schools.

HEALTH
Slovakia's national health-care system, anchored by state-run hospitals, is undergoing change. Nearly all people have access to doctors, and medical advances have lowered the infant mortality rate. Health spas cater to patients from all over the world. Pollution poses serious health hazards in both rural and urban environments, and the nation's ability to clean the water and air, and to restore the decimated forests, is limited because of the lack of funds.