Slovakia, officially Slovak Republic, republic in central Europe, bordered on the north by Poland, on the east by Ukraine, on the south by Hungary, and on the west by Austria and the Czech Republic. Formerly parts of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic emerged as independent republics on January 1, 1993. Slovakia has an area of 49,035 sq km (18,932 sq mi). Bratislava is the capital and largest city.