Geography of 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: 29.23% permanent crops: 2.67% other: 68.1% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 1,830 sq km (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 |