u Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute
within three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to
finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining
unresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in
the Malacca Strait
Illicit drugs:
as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
laundering
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@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. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of
2004.
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
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: 30.16%
permanent crops: 2.62%
other: 67.22% (2001)
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 agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
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