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Slovakia:
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Other pages in this profile of Slovakia:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join 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. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. |
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Location |
Central Europe, south of Poland |
Geographic coordinates |
48 40 N, 19 30 E |
Map references |
Europe |
Area |
total: 48,845 sq km land: 48,800 sq km water: 45 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: 29.23% permanent crops: 2.67% other: 68.1% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
1,830 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards |
NA |
Environment - current issues |
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests |
Environment - international agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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 |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |