Part 672

Land boundaries: total: 1,355 km border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary; unresolved property issues with Czech Republic over redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property

Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain: rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovka 2,655 m

Natural resources: brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 5,374,362 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 605,379; female 579,232) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,777,100; female 1,812,555) 65 years and over: 11% (male 234,377; female 365,719) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.34% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 12.62 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 9.35 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.01 years male: 69.01 years female: 77.21 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak

Ethnic divisions: Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.7%, Gypsy 1.5% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which could reach 500,000 or more), Czech 1%, Ruthenian 0.3%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Languages: Slovak (official), Hungarian

Literacy: NA

Government ----------