Slovakia is a small country situated in the heart of Europe with a fast developing economy. It has a population of over five million and covers 49,000 square kilometres in size. The capital and largest city is Bratislava, which is situated close to border with Austria (Vienna). Slovakia became a member of the European Union in 2004. It is surrounded by the Czech Republic, Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south.