Bratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic. The Bratislava Region is the wealthiest and economically most important region in Slovakia, despite being the smallest by area and having the second smallest population of the eight Slovak regions.

Slovakia is in Central Europe, south of Poland. The climate is temperate with cool summers and cold, cloudy, humid winters.

The official language is Slovak. As a Slavic language most foreigners will find it difficult to understand and learn, though a few basic words will be appreciated. English as a business language is increasingly commonplace, particularly in Bratislava, although German is more common throughout the country. Russian is widely understood but many Slovaks will refuse to speak it. Hungarian is widely spoken in the south, along the border with Hungary. However, relations between Hungarians and Slovaks are traditionally tense and members of both communities prefer not speak each other's language. The main religion is Christianity.

The economy of Slovakia increasingly resembles a developed country. The Slovak economy has been considered a tiger economy. Slovakia has been a EU member state since 2004 and adopted the euro currency at the beginning of 2009.

Expatriate business dress is relatively conservative in the form of suits. Address people by their professional titles followed by the last name. Men are referred to as 'pan' and women 'pani' followed by their last name. In Slovakia it is not advisable to address anyone by their first name in a business setting, unless told otherwise.

The security risk for expatriates in Slovakia is low. Risks include petty crime, car theft, sporadic ethnic tensions and low-scale violence.

The currency of Slovakia is the Euro (EUR). ATMs are common in major urban areas, however not all international cards are accepted. Major credit cards are accepted at most shops and restaurants.

Medical facilities vary as some hospitals are under maintained. Doctors are generally very good. The cost of treatment for expatriates from outside the EU can be high.

The population of Bratislava is 659,000 (2016 est.), while the inflation rate is 1.4% (July 2017).

The cost of living for expatriates / professional migrants in Bratislava as at 1 July 2017 is low in comparison to other places in the world.

Bratislava is ranked as a high degree of hardship location.