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 agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air 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