Slovakia (2001) | Bermuda (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
18.86% (male 522,563; female 498,832) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 1,872,496; female 1,896,249) 65 years and over: 11.54% (male 236,996; female 387,801) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,195; female 6,205)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,110; female 22,574) 65 years and over: 11.5% (male 3,215; female 4,183) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products |
Airports | 35 (2000 est.) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 8 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
48,845 sq km land: 48,800 sq km water: 45 sq km |
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about twice the size of New Hampshire | about one-third the size of Washington, DC |
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. Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors. | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. |
Birth rate | 10.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.13 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$5.2 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999) |
revenues: $609.5 million
expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY 00/01) |
Capital | Bratislava | Hamilton |
Climate | temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 103 km |
Constitution | ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska Republika local short form: Slovensko |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
Currency | Slovak koruna (SKK) | Bermudian dollar (BMD) |
Death rate | 9.25 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $10.3 billion (2000 est.) | $145 million (FY 99/00) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Carl SPIELVOGEL embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [421] (7) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (7) 5443-0096 |
chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Martin BUTORA chancery: Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; note - new chancery opening in June 2001 at International Court NW, Washington, DC telephone: [1] (202) 965-5161 FAX: [1] (202) 965-5166 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | Gabcikovo/Nagymaros Dam dispute with Hungary is before the ICJ | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $421.9 million (1995) | $NA |
Economy - overview | Slovakia continues the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The economic slowdown in 1999 stemmed from large budget and current account deficits, fast-growing external debt, and persistent corruption. Even though GDP growth reached only 2.2% in 2000, the year was marked by positive developments such as foreign direct investment of $1.5 billion, strong export performance, restructuring and privatization in the banking sector, entry into the OECD, and initial efforts to stem corruption. Strong challenges face the government in 2001, especially the maintenance of fiscal balance, the further privatization of the economy, and the reduction of unemployment. | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been severely hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002, but remains below the pre-11 September level. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable. |
Electricity - consumption | 21.471 billion kWh (1999) | 598.6 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 930 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 1.4 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 22.582 billion kWh (1999) | 643.7 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
37.56% hydro: 18.27% nuclear: 44.17% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development |
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, 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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996) | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% |
Exchange rates | koruny per US dollar - 48.09 (March 2001), 46.395 (2000), 41.363 (1999), 35.233 (1998), 33.616 (1997), 30.654 (1996) | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June 2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57% note: government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor |
Exports | $12 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8% (1999) | reexports of pharmaceuticals |
Exports - partners | EU 59.7% (Germany 27.8%, Austria 8%, Italy 8.9%), Czech Republic 18.1% (1999) | France 77.4%, UK 2.8%, US 2.4% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $55.3 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.25 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
4.5% industry: 29.3% services: 66.2% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $35,200 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.2% (2000 est.) | 0.5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 48 40 N, 19 30 E | 32 20 N, 64 45 W |
Geography - note | landlocked | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 |
Highways | total:
17,710 km paved: 17,533 km (including 288 km of expressways) unpaved: 177 km (1998 est.) |
total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe | - |
Imports | $12.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999) | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
Imports - partners | EU 51.4% (Germany 26%, Italy 7.1%), Czech Republic 16.6%, Russia 11.9% (1999) | Kazakhstan 30.9%, France 24.7%, Italy 10.5%, US 9.7%, South Korea 8.4%, Mexico 4.3% (2002) |
Independence | 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 9.3% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products | tourism, international business, light manufacturing |
Infant mortality rate | 8.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 12.2% (2000 est.) | 2.3% (July 2002) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | Caricom (observer), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, WCO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | 20 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 800 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council) | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts |
Labor force | 3 million (1999) | 37,472 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994) | clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,355 km border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
31% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 17% forests and woodland: 41% other: 8% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.) |
Languages | Slovak (official), Hungarian | English (official), Portuguese |
Legal system | civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory | English law |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25-26 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS 27%, SDK 26.3%, SDL 14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party - governing coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14) |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held NA July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
73.97 years male: 69.95 years female: 78.2 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 77.41 years
male: 75.38 years female: 79.49 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
Location | Central Europe, south of Poland | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) |
Map references | Europe | North America |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,041 GRT/19,517 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,993,227 GRT/7,089,760 DWT
ships by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, container 14, liquefied gas 9, passenger 5, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, Civil Defense Force | no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $380 million (FY00) | $4.028 million (January 2002) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.71% (FY00) | 0.11% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,487,093 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,136,811 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
45,502 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) | Bermuda Day, 24 May |
Nationality | noun:
Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak |
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
Natural hazards | NA | hurricanes (June to November) |
Natural resources | brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism |
Net migration rate | 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Liberal Democratic Union or LDU [Jan BUDAJ]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Party of Civic Understanding or SOP [Pavol HAMZIK]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Jozef MIGAS]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; note - this is DZURINDA's new party for 2002 elections; he remains chairman of a rump and splintering SDK; Slovak Democratic Coalition or SDK (loose parliamentary club grouping representing members of the smaller SSDS, SZS, and those committed to run under SDKU in 2002) [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Anna MALIKOVA] | National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] |
Population | 5,414,937 (July 2001 est.) | 64,482 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.13% (2001 est.) | 0.72% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bratislava, Komarno | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 3.12 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
3,660 km broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1,505 km electrified; 1,011 km double track) narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1998) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5% | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services |
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,934,558 (1998) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 736,662 (April 1999) | 7,980 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995) | 3 (1997) |
Terrain | rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south | low hills separated by fertile depressions |
Total fertility rate | 1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 17% (2000 est.) | 4.5% (1993) |
Waterways | 172 km (all on the Danube) | none |