Slovakia Geography Profile 2009

Location

Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates

48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 49,035 sq km
land: 48,105 sq km
water: 930 sq km

Area - comparative

about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries

total: 1,474 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 197 km, Hungary 676 km, Poland 420 km, Ukraine 90 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)

Total renewable water resources

50.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.04
per capita: 193 cu m/yr (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