On January 1, 2009, Slovakia became the first former Eastern Bloc nation to adopt the common European currency.

It is also the second post-communist state to adopt the euro after the former Yugoslav republic of Slovenia.

With 100 000 people celebrating the country's move to the euro on New Year's Eve in downtown Bratislava, Slovakia became the 16th EU member state to join the Eurozone.

The Slovak koruna, or crown, which was introduced in 1993 after the breakup of Czechoslovakia, will remain in parallel circulation until January 16. There is no deadline for the exchange of koruna banknotes, and koruna coins can be exchanged for euros at the Central Bank until the end of 2013.

The Slovak euro coins bear a double cross on three hills as featured in the national emblem of Slovakia.

Thus, the Eurozone already includes Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain - with a total population of 326 million.

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