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Compare Slovakia (2007) - South Africa (2007)

Compare Slovakia (2007) z South Africa (2007)

 Slovakia (2007)South Africa (2007)
 SlovakiaSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky kraj, Bratislavsky kraj, Kosicky kraj, Nitriansky kraj, Presovsky kraj, Trenciansky kraj, Trnavsky kraj, Zilinsky kraj 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 456,105/female 435,154)


15-64 years: 71.5% (male 1,938,846/female 1,955,382)


65 years and over: 12.2% (male 247,728/female 414,287) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 29.1% (male 6,447,623/female 6,370,909)


15-64 years: 65.5% (male 14,040,210/female 14,761,179)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 917,227/female 1,460,680) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 35 (2007) 728 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 20


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 10 (2007)
total: 146


over 3,047 m: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 51


914 to 1,523 m: 67


under 914 m: 13 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 7 (2007)
total: 582


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 300


under 914 m: 248 (2007)
Area total: 48,845 sq km


land: 48,800 sq km


water: 45 sq km
total: 1,219,912 sq km


land: 1,219,912 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative about twice the size of New Hampshire slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join 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. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
Birth rate 10.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 17.94 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $25.63 billion


expenditures: $27.02 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $69.22 billion


expenditures: $67.78 billion (2006 est.)
Capital name: Bratislava


geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
name: Pretoria (administrative capital)


geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
Climate temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,798 km
Constitution ratified 1 September 1992, 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 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 4 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Country name conventional long form: Slovak Republic


conventional short form: Slovakia


local long form: Slovenska Republika


local short form: Slovensko
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
Death rate 9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 22.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $28.95 billion (2006 est.) $31.84 billion (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Rodolphe "Skip" M. VALLEE


embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava


mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava


telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338


FAX: [421] (2) 5441-8861
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST


embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria


mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001


telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048


FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244


consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER


chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054


FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO


chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia must implement the strict Schengen border rules South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
Economic aid - recipient $235 million in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004) $700 million (2005)
Economy - overview Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom with business friendly policies such as labor market liberalization and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has been strong. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-06 despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 10.2% in 2006 but remains the economy's Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004. South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income.
Electricity - consumption 24.93 billion kWh (2005) 210.7 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 11.27 billion kWh (2005) 13.42 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 8.005 billion kWh (2005) 11.08 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 29.89 billion kWh (2005) 228.3 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m


highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
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
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census) black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)
Exchange rates koruny per US dollar - 29.611 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002) rand per US dollar - 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALINAK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009); 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: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%
chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June 2005)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009)


election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
Exports 77,660 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004) gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners Germany 23.7%, Czech Republic 14.1%, Italy 6.5%, Poland 6.2%, Austria 6%, Hungary 5.8%, France 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2% (2006) Japan 12.1%, US 11.8%, UK 9%, Germany 7.6%, Netherlands 5.3%, China 4% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.6%


industry: 31.6%


services: 64.8% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 2.7%


industry: 30.9%


services: 66.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 8.3% (2006 est.) 5% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 48 40 N, 19 30 E 29 00 S, 24 00 E
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 South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Heliports 1 (2007) 1 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.1%


highest 10%: 20.9% (1996)
lowest 10%: 1.4%


highest 10%: 44.7% (2000)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy
Imports 138,200 bbl/day (2004) 398,000 bbl/day (2006)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 10.2% (2003) machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Germany 23.6%, Czech Republic 18.2%, Russia 11%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5.5%, Poland 4.9%, Italy 4.4% (2006) Germany 12.6%, China 10%, US 7.6%, Japan 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%, UK 5% (2006)
Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared)
Industrial production growth rate 7.8% (2006 est.) 7.1% (2006 est.)
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 mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair
Infant mortality rate total: 7.12 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 62.95 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 55.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.5% (2006 est.) 4.6% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land 1,830 sq km (2003) 14,980 sq km (2003)
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); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president) Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 2.658 million (2006 est.) 16.96 million economically active (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5.8%, industry 29.3%, construction 9%, services 55.9% (2003) agriculture: 30%


industry: 25%


services: 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,524 km


border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
total: 4,862 km


border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land: 29.23%


permanent crops: 2.67%


other: 68.1% (2005)
arable land: 12.1%


permanent crops: 0.79%


other: 87.11% (2005)
Languages Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census) IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory based on Roman-Dutch law and English common 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 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by party - Smer 50, SDKU 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 4 February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution


elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held on 14 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%; seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other 21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.95 years


male: 71 years


female: 79.11 years (2007 est.)
total population: 42.45 years


male: 43.21 years


female: 41.66 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.6%


male: 99.7%


female: 99.6% (2001 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.4%


male: 87%


female: 85.7% (2003 est.)
Location Central Europe, south of Poland Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 54 ships (1000 GRT or over) 260,766 GRT/361,651 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 45, refrigerated cargo 3


foreign-owned: 46 (Bulgaria 7, Estonia 2, Greece 4, Israel 6, Italy 1, Poland 2, Syria 2, Turkey 11, Ukraine 10, UK 1) (2007)
total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 28,722 GRT/32,226 DWT


by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)


registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Seychelles 1, UK 4, unknown 1) (2007)
Military - note - with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Military branches Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily) (2005) South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.87% (2005 est.) 1.7% (2006)
National holiday Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun: Slovak(s)


adjective: Slovak
noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
Natural hazards NA prolonged droughts
Natural resources brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate 0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2006) condensate 100 km; gas 1,062 km; oil 966 km; refined products 1,354 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Parties in the Parliament: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]; Parties outside the Parliament: Agrarian Party of the Provinces or ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA]; Left-wing Bloc or LB [Jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 - New Christian Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan SIMKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav MORIC]; Slovak People's Party or SLS [Jozef SASIK]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK] African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]; Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]; New National Party or NNP; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
Population 5,447,502 (July 2007 est.) 43,997,828


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 21% (2002) 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 0.147% (2007 est.) -0.46% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 3,662 km


broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge


standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2006)
total: 20,872 km


narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,931 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2006)
Religions Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census) Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.992 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.598 male(s)/female


total population: 0.942 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.012 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.628 male(s)/female


total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: Slovakia has a modern telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in cellular services


domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services


international: country code - 421; 3 international exchanges (1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services
general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa


domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria


international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 1.167 million (2006) 4.729 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4.893 million (2006) 39.66 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 80 (national broadcasting 6, regional 7, local 67) (2004) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 1.33 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.2% (2006 est.) 25.5% (2006 est.)
Waterways 172 km (on Danube River) (2005) -
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