The Slovak diaspora refers to both historical and present emigration from Slovakia, as well as from the former Czechoslovakia. The country with the largest number of Slovaks living abroad is the United States.
Slovak diaspora in Romania
Approximately 17,000-21,000 ethnic Slovaks live in Romania. The largest Slovak communities live in the following counties:
Bihor RO, Bihar SK (7,370) Arad RO & SK (5,695) Timiș RO, Temeš SK(1,908) Sălaj RO, Salaš SK (1,366) Caraș-Severin RO, Krašovsko-severinská župa SK (340) Satu Mare RO, Satmárska župa SK (186) Hunedoara RO, Huňadská župa SK (100)
The Slovak diaspora in Romania could be divided into two major groups:
Group 1: The Slovaks of Arad county This group could be found in the flat Romanian county of Banat, especially around the town of Nădlac, RO (Nadlak, SK). In the sense of economy and culture, this is quite a developed society, in Nădlac, RO (Nadlak, SK), there is a Slovak school operating and Slovak books get printed there. The Slovaks in the county of Arad are descendants of the secondary colonizing generations - meaning, the Slovak communities re-settled there from Békéscsaba, HU (Békečská Čaba, SK), in Hungary in the 19th century. Today, Slovaks create in the town of Nădlac alone almost half of its population.
According to the 2011 census, the ethnic structure of Nădlac is:
Romanians 47.26% Slovaks 43.85% Roma 5.1% Hungarians 2.37% Others 1.75%
Group 2: The Slovaks of Munții Plopiș highlands (Bihar & Sălaj counties) Munții Plopiș, RO (Plopišské Vrchy, SK) are a part of the Romanian mountains located to the east of the city of Oradea, on a border of two counties - Bihor, RO (Bihar, SK) and Sălaj, RO (Salaš, SK). The Slovaks living there are the descendants of the colonials arriving in three waves between 1790 and 1838. A big part of the Plopiš highlands Slovaks took part in the Czecho-Slovak emigration after the World War 2. They settled in Czechia, along the border of Slovakia, where they create a specific society today.Michalčáková E., Sťahovanie Slovákov do Sedmohradska a spôsob ich životaRadek Ocelák: Reemigranti. Minulost sedmihradských Slováků a jejich poválečný příchod z Rumunska do ČSR. Rýmařov, Radek Ocelák, 2020.
Bihor county is mostly mountainous. Localities where the Slovak communities live can be found on these mountains, such as Șinteu, RO (Nová Huta, SK); Făgetu, RO (Gemelčička, SK); Șerani, RO (Šarany, SK); Sacalasău Nou, RO (Nový Šastelek, SK); Marca Huta, RO (Bojovksé, SK); Budoi, RO (Bodonoš, SK); Valea Cerului, RO (Čerpotok, SK); Borumlaca -Vărzari, RO (Boromlak - Varzaľ, SK); Fegernic RO & SK; Lugașu de Jos, RO (Lugaše, SK); Zăuan-Băi, RO (Zavaň, SK).
A village with the highest number of Slovaks is a part of this group - Șinteu, RO (Nová Huta, SK), located in the Bihor county, according to census in 2002, from the total number of inhabitants 1.287, the Slovaks were numbered at 1.264. There is a Slovak school or a kindergarten in almost every village. The Slovak highschool Jozef Kozáček High School is also located in Budoi. Teachers are sent to two schools by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic (in Șinteu and Făgetu), who work in the area as support for Slovak compatriots. In almost every village there are Slovak priests who are natives of this area.
Religious structure of the Slovak diaspora in Romania The religious structure of Slovaks in Romania could be also divided into two sections. The majority of Bihor county Slovaks are Roman Catholics, meanwhile the majority of Arad county Slovaks are Lutherans. Due to intermarriages, we can also see some Orthodox and Byzantine Catholics among them.
According to the census from 2020, this is religious structure of the Slovak diaspora in Romania overall:
Roman Catholics 67.22% Lutherans 17.65% Orthodox 3.94% Pentecostal 3.62% Byzantine Catholics 3.52% Other or unaffiliated 4.92%
Political representation of the ethnic Slovaks in Romania Since the Slovaks are officially recognised as an ethnic minority in Romania, they share together with Czechs a common representative Adrian Merka since 2008 for Democratic Union of Czechs and Slovaks in Romania.
Education In 1995, the second Slovak lyceum in Romania was established in the Slovak locality of Budoi, RO (Bodonoš, SK) in the Bihor-Sălaj county, which was named after the important Slovak canon in Oradea, RO (Veľký Varadín, SK) Jozef Kozáček (Jozef Kozáček High School). This high school is focused on the study of languages and is studied mainly by students from the surrounding Slovak communities.
At present, there are 2 Slovak high schools in Romania (in Nădlac and in Budoi) - and there are also primary schools for the I. - VIII. year, another 3 primary schools for I. - VIII. years are in Huta Voivozi, RO (Stará Huta, SK); Făgetu, RO (Gemelčička, SK) and Șerani, RO (Šarany, SK), and in addition, there are also 12 other primary schools in Slovakia for Slovaks for years I. - IV. and 14 nurseries as well. On top of that, Slovak as a mother tongue is taught in several other schools as well.
Significant localities with Slovak population in Romania +Slovaks in RomaniaRomanian nameSlovak nametotal populationSlovak populationTotal Percentage of SlovaksAleșdAlešď10,4156456.2%AştileuAštileu3,7911734.6%AuşeuAušeu3,0491986.5%Borod, mainly the settlement of ŞeraniBorod, mainly the settlement of Šarany4,17350012%BrestovăţBrestovac81815118.5%Budoi, including Vărzari and VoivoziBodonoš, including Varzaľ a Vojvoz1,12782172.8%ButinButín46338082%FăgetuGemelčička842FântâneleFantanele5,6921592.8%IosifalăuIosifalvaIppIp3,946 1112.8%Lugaşu de Sus & Lugaşu de JosLugaše - Nižný a VyšnýLugojLugoš44,636770.2%LuncşoaraLunkšoraMarcaMarkasek2,966963.2%MădărasMadarás3,0202267.5%Marca HutaBojovskéMarghitaMargita17,291820.5%MocreaMokráNădlacNadlak8,1543,84447.1%NusfălauNadfalubyOradeaVeľký Varadín206,6144740.2%Pădurea NeagrăBystráPeregu M.areVeľký Pereg1,80032918.3%PeştişPeštiš1,45415511.7%PlopişPlopiš2,79190132.3%PopeştPopešť8,4881,30515.4%Sacalaşău NouDerma, mainly the settlement of Nový Šastelek3,0202889.5%Suplacu de Barcău, Borumlaca, Foglaş, VâlceleleSiplak, Boromolaka, Fogaš, Ritoblaga4,61093420.3%ŞemlacSemlak3,787421.1%Şimleu SilvanieiŠomľov10,137390.4%Șinteu and Huta Voivozi; Socet and Valea TîrneiNová Huta and Stará Huta; Huta Sočet including Zachotár and Židáreň1,2871,26498.2%ŢiparCipár1,41041329.3%TileagdTelegdaTopolovăţul MareTopoľovecTeşTešUrvindUrvindaValea CeruluiČerpotok44442796.2%VarasăuHarasov and TermezovVagašeVucovaVukováZăuan-BăiZavaň The data are from 2002 and 1992.
Slovak diaspora in Serbia
The majority of the Slovak diaspora in Serbia is concentrated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, with the capital Novi Sad.
Vojvodina Slovaks Slovaks are the third most numerous nationality in the province of Vojvodina. According to the 2011 census, they form an absolute majority in the Bački Petrovac SRB, Báčsky Petrovec SK district (65.37%) and they are the most numerous nationality in the Kovačica district (41.85%).Sčítanie obyvateľstva, domácností a bytov z roku 2011 v Srbskej republike (Popis stanovništva, domaćinstava i stanova 2011. u Republici Srbiji — 2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia) [online]. Belgrade: Štatistický úrad srbskej republiky (Republika Srbija, Republički zavod za statistiku — Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia), 2012, [cit. 2020-05-25]. Available online. ISBN 978-86-6161-025-7. (in Serbian and English).BOTÍK, Ján. Slováci vo Vojvodine — Premeny svojbytnosti enklávneho spoločenstva. Nový Sad: Ústav pre kultúru vojvodinských Slovákov, 2016. ISBN 978-86-87947-34-4.
The Vojvodina Slovaks are descendants of mostly Lutheran emigrants from the 18th and 19th centuries, who settled in the Vojvodina fertile territory, sparsely inhabited after its devastation by the Ottoman Turks. The main causes of Slovak emigration were difficult economic and social conditions, considerable overcrowding and a lack of existential opportunities in their native regions.HOMIŠINOVÁ, Mária a kolektív. Spoločenskovedné súvislosti hovorenej slovenčiny mladej generácie Slovákov žijúcej v krajinách na Dolnej zemi [online]. Košice: Centrum spoločenských a psychologických vied SAV — Spoločenskovedný ústav, 2018, [cit. 2020-02-12]. Available online. ISBN 978-80-89524-25-9.
According to the 2020 census, the largest Slovak communities are in:
Stara Pazova SRB (Stará Pazova SK) Kovačica SRB and SK Bački Petrovac SRB (Báčsky Petrovec SK) Padina SRB and SK Kovačica Kisač SRB (Kysáč SK)
+Biggest Slovak community towns and villages in SerbiaVillage or town in SlovakVillage or town in SerbianNumber of inhabitantsNumber of SlovaksTotal percentage of SlovaksPadinaПадина (Padina)5,7605,57596.8%LugЛуг (Lug)80177296.4%JánošíkЈаношик (Janošik)1,1711,07391.6%SelenčaСеленча (Selenča)3,2792,99091.2%Báčsky PetrovecБачки Петровац (Bački Petrovac)6,7275,94988.4%HložanyГложан (Gložan)2,2831,98586.9%KovačicaКовачица (Kovačica)6,7645,69784.2%KysáčКисач (Kisač)5,4714,50582.3%PivnicaПивнице (Pivnice)3,8352,93576.5%Slankamenské VinohradyСланкаменачки Виногради (Slankamenački Vinogradi)26619974.8%KulpínКулпин (Kulpin)2,9762,11671.1%LaliťЛалић (Lalić)1,64679648.4%HajdušicaХајдучица (Hajdučica)1,37557942.1%AradáčАрадац (Aradac)3,4611,37639.8%Belo BlatoБело Блато (Belo Blato)1,47758339.5%SilbašСилбаш (Silbaš)2,8491,01835.7%BingulaБингула (Bingula)90630633.8%Stará PazovaСтара Пазова (Stara Pazova)18,6455,84831.4% The data are from 2002 census.
Slovak diaspora in Croatia
The Slovak diaspora in Croatia is concentrated mainly in the area of the town of Osijek in the Osijek-Baranja County (districts of Našice, Djakovo, Novska, Osijek, Vukovar). A number of Slovaks also live in the Sisak area. Despite its small number, the Slovak minority in Croatia has significant cultural rights.Národnostní menšiny v Evropě, Leoš Šatava, Praha, 1994 There are some important Slovak institutions such as Matica Slovenská. +Slovak diaspora in Croatia in 2011NameTotal populationSlovaks in number/%Osijec-Barajn County:305,0322,293 / 0.75%Našice16,2241,078 / 6.64%Koška3,98055 / 1.38%Punitovci1,803666 / 36.94%Sisak-Moslava County172,439212 / 0.12%Lipovljani3,455106 / 3.07%Vukovar-Sriem County179,5211,185 / 0.66%Ilok6,767935 / 13.82%Vrbanja3,94069 / 1.75% The data are from census of 2011.Sčítanie obyvateľstva Chorvátskej republiky z roku 2011
Slovak diaspora in Hungary
Slovaks are the third largest ethnic minority in Hungary. According to the official census, their number ranges from 17.693 to 110.000, which is an estimate of the Slovak organizations with seat in Hungary.Slovenská základná škola, materská škola a kolégium, Sarvaš
History of the Slovak diaspora in Hungary