Slovakia definition

Slovakia





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2 definitions found

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Slovakia
       n : a landlocked republic in central Europe; separated from the
           Czech Republic in 1993 [syn: {Slovak Republic}]

From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:



  Slovakia
  
     Introduction Slovakia
     ---------------------
                              Background: In 1918 the Slovaks joined the
                                          closely related Czechs to form
                                          Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos
                                          of World War II, Czechoslovakia
                                          became a Communist nation within
                                          Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet
                                          influence collapsed in 1989 and
                                          Czechoslovakia once more became
                                          free. The Slovaks and the Czechs
                                          agreed to separate peacefully on 1
                                          January 1993. Historic, political,
                                          and geographic factors have caused
                                          Slovakia to experience more
                                          difficulty in developing a modern
                                          market economy than some of its
                                          Central European neighbors.
    
     Geography Slovakia
     ------------------
                                Location: Central Europe, south of Poland
                  Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N, 19 30 E
                          Map references: Europe
                                    Area: total: 48,845 sq km
                                          water: 45 sq km
                                          land: 48,800 sq km
                      Area - comparative: about twice the size of New
                                          Hampshire
                         Land boundaries: total: 1,524 km
                                          border countries: Austria 91 km,
                                          Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
                                          km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
                               Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
                         Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
                                 Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold,
                                          cloudy, humid winters
                                 Terrain: rugged mountains in the central and
                                          northern part and lowlands in the
                                          south
                      Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
                                          highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit
                                          2,655 m
                       Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small
                                          amounts of iron ore, copper and
                                          manganese ore; salt; arable land
                                Land use: arable land: 30.74%
                                          permanent crops: 2.64%
                                          other: 66.62% (1998 est.)
                          Irrigated land: 1,740 sq km (1998 est.)
                         Natural hazards: NA
            Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical
                                          plants presents human health risks;
                                          acid rain damaging forests
              Environment - international party to: Air Pollution, Air
                              agreements: Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
                                          Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-
                                          Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
                                          Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
                                          Biodiversity, Climate Change,
                                          Desertification, Endangered Species,
                                          Environmental Modification,
                                          Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
                                          Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
                                          Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
    
                                          signed, but not ratified: Air
                                          Pollution-Persistent Organic
                                          Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental
                                          Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto
                                          Protocol
                        Geography - note: landlocked; most of the country is
                                          rugged and mountainous; the Tatra
                                          Mountains in the north are
                                          interspersed with many scenic lakes
                                          and valleys
    
     People Slovakia
     ---------------
                              Population: 5,422,366 (July 2002 est.)
                           Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 508,256;
                                          female 484,739)
                                          15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,888,705;
                                          female 1,910,842)
                                          65 years and over: 11.6% (male
                                          237,770; female 392,054) (2002 est.)
                  Population growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)
                              Birth rate: 10.09 births/1,000 population (2002
                                          est.)
                              Death rate: 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                          est.)
                      Net migration rate: 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                          (2002 est.)
                               Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
                                          under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
                                          15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
                                          65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/
                                          female
                                          total population: 0.95 male(s)/
                                          female (2002 est.)
                   Infant mortality rate: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                          est.)
                Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.2 years
                                          female: 78.41 years (2002 est.)
                                          male: 70.19 years
                    Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/woman (2002 est.)
        HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
       HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 400 (1999 est.)
                                    AIDS:
                       HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
                             Nationality: noun: Slovak(s)
                                          adjective: Slovak
                           Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma
                                          1.6% (the 1992 census figures
                                          underreport the Gypsy/Romany
                                          community, which is about 500,000),
                                          Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%,
                                          Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German
                                          0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)
                               Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%,
                                          Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%,
                                          other 17.5%
                               Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian
                                Literacy: definition: NA
                                          total population: NA%
                                          male: NA%
                                          female: NA%
    
     Government Slovakia
     -------------------
                            Country name: conventional long form: Slovak
                                          Republic
                                          conventional short form: Slovakia
                                          local short form: Slovensko
                                          local long form: Slovenska Republika
                         Government type: parliamentary democracy
                                 Capital: Bratislava
                Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj);
                                          Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
                                          Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky,
                                          Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
                            Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split
                                          into the Czech Republic and
                                          Slovakia)
                        National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
                            Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully
                                          effective 1 January 1993; changed in
                                          September 1998 to allow direct
                                          election of the president; amended
                                          February 2001 to allow Slovakia to
                                          apply for NATO and EU membership
                            Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-
                                          Hungarian codes; has not accepted
                                          compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal
                                          code modified to comply with the
                                          obligations of Organization on
                                          Security and Cooperation in Europe
                                          (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-
                                          Leninist legal theory
                                Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                        Executive branch: chief of state: President Rudolf
                                          SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)
                                          head of government: Prime Minister
                                          Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October
                                          1998)
                                          cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
                                          president on the recommendation of
                                          the prime minister
                                          elections: president elected by
                                          direct, popular vote for a five-year
                                          term; election last held 29 May 1999
                                          (next to be held NA May/June 2004);
                                          following National Council
                                          elections, the leader of the
                                          majority party or the leader of a
                                          majority coalition is usually
                                          appointed prime minister by the
                                          president
                                          note: government coalition - SDK,
                                          SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH
                                          election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER
                                          elected president in the first
                                          direct, popular election; percent of
                                          vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57%
                      Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the
                                          Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada
                                          Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats;
                                          members are elected on the basis of
                                          proportional representation to serve
                                          four-year terms)
                                          election results: percent of vote by
                                          party - HZDS 27%, SDK 26.3%, SDL
                                          14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%;
                                          seats by party - governing coalition
                                          93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13),
                                          opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14);
                                          note - seating as of January 2002 -
                                          governing coalition 90 (SDK 23, SDL
                                          21, SOP 16, SMK 15, KDH 9, DS 6),
                                          opposition 51 (HZDS 43, SNS 8), PSNS
                                          6, independents 3
                                          elections: last held 25-26 September
                                          1998 (next to be held NA September
                                          2002)
                         Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by
                                          the National Council);
                                          Constitutional Court (judges
                                          appointed by president from group of
                                          nominees approved by the National
                                          Council)
           Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH
                                          [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic Party
                                          or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction
                                          (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Liberal
                                          Democratic Union or LDU [Jan BUDAJ];
                                          Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-
                                          People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir
                                          MECIAR]; Party of Civic
                                          Understanding or SOP [Pavol HAMZIK];
                                          note - SSDS and SZS joined the SOP
                                          parliamentary caucus; Party of the
                                          Democratic Left or SDL [Pvel
                                          KONCOS]; Party of the Hungarian
                                          Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Real
                                          Slovak National Party or PSNS [Jan
                                          SLOTA]; Slovak Democratic and
                                          Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas
                                          DZURINDA]; note - this is DZURINDA's
                                          new party for the 2002 elections; he
                                          remains chairman of a rump and
                                          splintering SDK; Slovak Democratic
                                          Coalition or SDK (loose
                                          parliamentary club grouping,
                                          representing members of the smaller
                                          SSDS, SZS, and those committed to
                                          run under SDKU in 2002) [Mikulas
                                          DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or
                                          SNS [Anna MALIKOVA]; Yes (ANO)
                                          [Paval RUSKO]
            Political pressure groups and Association of Employers of
                                 leaders: Slovakia; Association of Towns and
                                          Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of
                                          Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers
                                          Unions or KOVO and METALURG
               International organization Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
                           participation: (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN,
                                          EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant),
                                          FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
                                          ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
                                          IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
                                          NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
                                          PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
                                          UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO,
                                          UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU
                                          (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
                                          WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
     Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin
                                          BUTORA
                                          chancery: 3523 International Court
                                          NW, Washington, DC 20008
                                          FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
                                          telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
       Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald
                                      US: WEISER
                                          embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4,
                                          81102 Bratislava
                                          mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814
                                          99 Bratislava
                                          telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
                                          FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096
                        Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of
                                          white (top), blue, and red
                                          superimposed with the Slovak cross
                                          in a shield centered on the hoist
                                          side; the cross is white centered on
                                          a background of red and blue
    
     Economy Slovakia
     ----------------
                      Economy - overview: Slovakia has mastered much of the
                                          difficult transition from a
                                          centrally planned economy to a
                                          modern market economy. The DZURINDA
                                          government made excellent progress
                                          in 2001 in macroeconomic
                                          stabilization and structural reform.
                                          Major privatizations are nearly
                                          complete, the banking sector is
                                          almost completely in foreign hands,
                                          and foreign investment has picked
                                          up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
                                          expectations in 2001, despite
                                          recession in key export markets.
                                          Revival of domestic demand, partly
                                          due to a rise in real wages, offset
                                          slowing export growth to help drive
                                          the economy to its strongest
                                          expansion since 1998. Solid domestic
                                          demand is expected to boost economic
                                          growth to 3.4% in 2002, and about 4%
                                          in 2003. Unemployment, rising to
                                          19.8% at the end of 2001, remained
                                          the economy's Achilles' heel. The
                                          government faces other strong
                                          challenges in 2002, especially the
                                          maintenance of fiscal balance ahead
                                          of the September 2002 parliamentary
                                          election, cutting budget and current
                                          account deficits, and privatization
                                          of the Slovak energy and power
                                          monopolies.
                                     GDP: purchasing power parity - $62
                                          billion (2001 est.)
                  GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2001 est.)
                        GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,500
                                          (2001 est.)
             GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4%
                                          industry: 32%
                                          services: 64% (2000 est.)
           Population below poverty line: NA%
       Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 5.1%
                        percentage share: highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
     Distribution of family income - Gini 26.3 (1996)
                                   index:
        Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (2001 est.)
                             Labor force: 3 million (1999)
             Labor force - by occupation: industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%,
                                          construction 8%, transport and
                                          communication 8.2%, services 45.6%
                                          (1994)
                       Unemployment rate: 19.8% (yearend 2001 est.)
                                  Budget: revenues: $5.2 billion
                                          expenditures: $5.6 billion,
                                          including capital expenditures of
                                          $NA (1999)
                              Industries: metal and metal products; food and
                                          beverages; electricity, gas, coke,
                                          oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and
                                          manmade fibers; machinery; paper and
                                          printing; earthenware and ceramics;
                                          transport vehicles; textiles;
                                          electrical and optical apparatus;
                                          rubber products
       Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
                Electricity - production: 27.53 billion kWh (2000)
      Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.34%
                                          hydro: 17.11%
                                          other: 0% (2000)
                                          nuclear: 47.55%
               Electricity - consumption: 25.203 billion kWh (2000)
                   Electricity - exports: 4.9 billion kWh (2000)
                   Electricity - imports: 4.5 billion kWh (2000)
                  Agriculture - products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops,
                                          fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest
                                          products
                                 Exports: $12.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                   Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment
                                          39.4%, intermediate manufactured
                                          goods 27.5%, miscellaneous
                                          manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8%
                                          (1999)
                      Exports - partners: EU 59.0% (Germany 26.8%, Italy 9.2%,
                                          Austria 8.4%), Czech Republic 17.4%
                                          (2000)
                                 Imports: $14.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                   Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment
                                          37.7%, intermediate manufactured
                                          goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%,
                                          miscellaneous manufactured goods
                                          9.5% (1999)
                      Imports - partners: EU 48.9% (Germany 25.1%, Italy
                                          6.2%), Russia 17.0%, Czech Republic
                                          14.7% (2000)
                         Debt - external: $7.8 billion (2001 est.)
                Economic aid - recipient: $421.9 million (1995)
                                Currency: Slovak koruna (SKK)
                           Currency code: SKK
                          Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar - 47.792
                                          (September 2001), 46.035 (2000),
                                          41.363 (1999), 35.233 (1998), 33.616
                                          (1997)
                             Fiscal year: calendar year
    
     Communications Slovakia
     -----------------------
          Telephones - main lines in use: 1,934,558 (1998)
            Telephones - mobile cellular: 736,662 (April 1999)
                        Telephone system: general assessment: a modernization
                                          and privatization program is
                                          increasing accessibility to
                                          telephone service, reducing the
                                          waiting time for new subscribers,
                                          and generally improving service
                                          quality
                                          domestic: predominantly an analog
                                          system that is now receiving digital
                                          equipment and is being enlarged with
                                          fiber-optic cable, especially in the
                                          larger cities; mobile cellular
                                          capability has been added
                                          international: three international
                                          exchanges (one in Bratislava and two
                                          in Banska Bystrica) are available;
                                          Slovakia is participating in several
                                          international telecommunications
                                          projects that will increase the
                                          availability of external services
                Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)
                                  Radios: 3.12 million (1997)
           Television broadcast stations: 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)
                             Televisions: 2.62 million (1997)
                   Internet country code: .sk
       Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
                          Internet users: 700,000 (2000)
    
     Transportation Slovakia
     -----------------------
                                Railways: total: 3,660 km
                                          broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge
                                          narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-
                                          m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2001)
                                          standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-
                                          m gauge (1,505 km electrified; 1,011
                                          km double-tracked)
                                Highways: total: 17,710 km
                                          paved: 17,533 km (including 288 km
                                          of expressways)
                                          unpaved: 177 km (1998 est.)
                               Waterways: 172 km (all on the Danube)
                               Pipelines: petroleum products NA km; natural
                                          gas 2,700 km
                       Ports and harbors: Bratislava, Komarno
                         Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
                                          totaling 15,191 GRT/19,489 DWT
                                          ships by type: cargo 3 (2002 est.)
                                Airports: 34 (2001)
           Airports - with paved runways: total: 17
                                          over 3,047 m: 2
                                          2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
                                          914 to 1,523 m: 3
                                          under 914 m: 7 (2001)
                                          1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
         Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17
                                          2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
                                          914 to 1,523 m: 9
                                          under 914 m: 7 (2001)
                               Heliports: 1 (2001)
    
     Military Slovakia
     -----------------
                       Military branches: Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air
                                          Defense Forces, Home Guards
                                          (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil
                                          Defense Force, Railway Armed Forces
                                          (subordinate to the Ministry of
                                          Transportation, Post, and
                                          Telecommunications)
        Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
        Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,486,728 (2002
                                          est.)
     Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,136,775 (2002
                                 service: est.)
             Military manpower - reaching males: 45,502 (2002 est.)
                   military age annually:
           Military expenditures - dollar $406 million (2002)
                                  figure:
       Military expenditures - percent of 1.89% (2002)
                                     GDP:
    
     Transnational Issues Slovakia
     -----------------------------
                Disputes - international: Slovakia requested additional ICJ
                                          judgment in 1998, and talks continue
                                          to set modalities to assure
                                          Hungarian compliance with 1997 ICJ
                                          decision to proceed with
                                          construction of Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
                                          Dam, abandoned by Hungary in 1989
                           Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest
                                          Asian heroin bound for Western
                                          Europe; producer of synthetic drugs
                                          for regional market
    
                                         
  
  

















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