Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
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Location:
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Central Europe, south of Poland
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Geographic coordinates:
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48 40 N, 19 30 E
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 48,845 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km
water: 45 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about twice the size of New Hampshire
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,524 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
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Terrain:
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rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
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Natural resources:
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brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
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Land use:
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arable land: 30.16%
permanent crops: 2.62%
other: 67.22% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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1,740 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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NA
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Environment - current issues:
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air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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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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Population:
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5,431,363 (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 17.1% (male 475,263/female 453,340)
15-64 years: 71% (male 1,919,222/female 1,939,097)
65 years and over: 11.9% (male 241,610/female 402,831) (2005 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 35.43 years
male: 33.85 years
female: 37.25 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.15% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate:
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10.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Death rate:
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9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 7.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 74.5 years
male: 70.52 years
female: 78.68 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 200 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (2001 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak
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Ethnic groups:
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Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
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Languages:
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Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2001 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local long form: Slovenska Republika
local short form: Slovensko
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy
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Capital:
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Bratislava
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Administrative divisions:
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8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
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Independence:
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1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
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National holiday:
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Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
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Constitution:
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ratified 1 September 1992, 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
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Legal system:
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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
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)
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 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); 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
election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%; Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002
note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
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Legislative branch:
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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)
elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held September 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU 15.1%, Smer 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12), opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union 5, and independents 10)
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Peter SULOVSKY]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG
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International organization participation:
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Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER
chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott N. THAYER
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
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business-friendly policies, such as labor market liberalization and a 19% flat tax. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-04, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003-04, remains the economy's Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$78.89 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.3% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 30.1%
services: 66.4% (2004 est.)
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Labor force:
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2.2 million (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 5.8%, industry 29.3%, construction 9%, services 55.9% (2003)
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Unemployment rate:
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13.1% (31 December 2004 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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26.3 (1996)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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7.5% (2004 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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24% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $15.44 billion
expenditures: $16.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
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Public debt:
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46.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
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Industries:
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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
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5.1% (2004 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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31.15 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - consumption:
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28.89 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - exports:
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8 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - imports:
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6 billion kWh (2003)
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Oil - production:
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1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA
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Oil - imports:
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NA
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Oil - proved reserves:
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4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
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Natural gas - production:
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190 million cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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6.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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6.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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7.504 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
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Current account balance:
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$-1.4 billion (2004 est.)
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Exports:
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$29.24 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4%% (2004 est.)
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 34.4%, Czech Republic 14.7%, Austria 8.2%, Italy 5.8%, Poland 5.3%, US 4.5%, Hungary 4.3% (2004)
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Imports:
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$29.67 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)
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Imports - partners:
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Germany 26.1%, Czech Republic 21.3%, Russia 9.1%, Austria 6.6%, Poland 4.9%, Italy 4.9% (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$14.91 billion (2004 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$19.54 billion (2004 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)
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Currency (code):
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Slovak koruna (SKK)
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Exchange rates:
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koruny per US dollar - 32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002), 48.355 (2001), 46.035 (2000)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,294,700 (2003)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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3,678,800 (2003)
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Telephone system:
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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: country code - 421; 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
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)
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Television broadcast stations:
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6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)
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Internet country code:
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.sk
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Internet hosts:
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89,592 (2004)
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Internet users:
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1,375,800 (2003)
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Railways:
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total: 3,662 km
broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2004)
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Highways:
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total: 42,970 km
paved: 37,698 km (including 302 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,272 km (2002)
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Waterways:
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172 km (on Danube River) (2004)
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Pipelines:
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gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004)
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Ports and harbors:
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Bratislava, Komarno
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Merchant marine:
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total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1
foreign-owned: 18 (Bulgaria 8, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Syria 1, Turkey 6, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
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Airports:
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34 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 17
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
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Heliports:
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1 (2004 est.)
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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