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Compare West Bank (2008) - Slovakia (2003)

Compare West Bank (2008) z Slovakia (2003)

 West Bank (2008)Slovakia (2003)
 West BankSlovakia
Administrative divisions - 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 551,243/female 524,800)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 704,209/female 670,382)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 36,175/female 49,118) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 495,316; female 471,823)


15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,903,335; female 1,924,065)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 238,912; female 396,582) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products
Airports 3 (2007) 37 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 20


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 17


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Area total: 5,860 sq km


land: 5,640 sq km


water: 220 sq km


note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
total: 48,845 sq km


land: 48,800 sq km


water: 45 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Delaware about twice the size of New Hampshire
Background The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement by the end of 2008. 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. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.
Birth rate 30.99 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.149 billion


expenditures: $2.31 billion


note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)
revenues: $5.2 billion


expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
Capital - Bratislava
Climate temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
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
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: West Bank
conventional long form: Slovak Republic


conventional short form: Slovakia


local long form: Slovenska Republika


local short form: Slovensko
Currency - Slovak koruna (SKK)
Death rate 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9.22 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $NA $9.6 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER


embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338


FAX: [421] (2) 5441-5148
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
Disputes - international West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region small boundary changes made with Poland in 2003; Hungary has yet to amend status law extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, who protest the law
Economic aid - recipient $1.4 billion; (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.) ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment funds (2000 est.)
Economy - overview The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifada began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during March 2006 - June 2007 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries. Since June the Fayyad government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high levels of international assistance. Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA government has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004, especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, the containment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health care system.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 24.41 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 5.141 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports NA kWh 1.381 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants 30.29 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 30.3%


hydro: 16%


nuclear: 53.6%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m


highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Environment - current issues adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment 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
Ethnic groups Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% 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)
Exchange rates new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003) koruny per US dollar - 45.33 (2002), 48.35 (2001), 46.04 (2000), 41.36 (1999), 35.23 (1998)
Executive branch - chief of state: President Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since 24 September 2003)


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%; Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002


note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
Exports $301 million f.o.b.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8% (1999)
Exports - partners Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006) Germany 30.1%, Czech Republic 16.4%, Austria 10.7%, Italy 7.2%, Poland 5.7%, Hungary 4.6% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8%


industry: 13%


services: 79% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
agriculture: 4.5%


industry: 34.1%


services: 61.4% (2000)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -8% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.) 4.4% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 35 15 E 48 40 N, 19 30 E
Geography - note landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August 2005 est.) landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes and valleys
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways - total: 42,717 km


paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)


unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 5.1%


highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market
Imports $2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, consumer goods, construction materials machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)
Imports - partners Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006) Germany 24.8%, Czech Republic 16%, Russia 13.5%, Austria 7%, Italy 6.4%, France 4% (2002)
Independence - 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Industrial production growth rate 2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 4.4% (2002 est.)
Industries generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers 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
Infant mortality rate total: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006) 3.3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation - Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 6 (2000)
Irrigated land 150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003) 1,740 sq km (1998 est.)
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)
Labor force 605,000 (2006) 3 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 18%


industry: 15%


services: 67% (2006)
industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)
Land boundaries total: 404 km


border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
total: 1,524 km


border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
Land use arable land: 16.9%


permanent crops: 18.97%


other: 64.13% (2001)
arable land: 30.74%


permanent crops: 2.64%


other: 66.62% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) Slovak (official), Hungarian
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
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 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU 15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by party - governing coalition 78 (SDKU 28, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 15), opposition 72 (HZDS 36, SMER 25, KSS 11) (as of February 2003, 12 deputies had split from HZDS and formed an independent faction)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.46 years


male: 71.68 years


female: 75.35 years (2007 est.)
total population: 74.43 years


male: 70.44 years


female: 78.64 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.4%


male: 96.7%


female: 88% (2004 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Middle East, west of Jordan Central Europe, south of Poland
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,574 GRT/16,330 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches - Army (Ground Forces), Air and Air Defense Forces, Home Guards (Territorial Defense Forces), Civil Defense Force, Railway Armed Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation, Post, and Telecommunications)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $406 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 1.89% (2002)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,484,950 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,135,612 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 44,287 (2003 est.)
National holiday - Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)
Nationality noun: NA


adjective: NA
noun: Slovak(s)


adjective: Slovak
Natural hazards droughts NA
Natural resources arable land brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land
Net migration rate 2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders - Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]
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
Population 2,535,927


note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)
5,430,033 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 46% (2007 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.985% (2007 est.) 0.14% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Bratislava, Komarno
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 25, shortwave 0 (2008) AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways - total: 3,668 km


broad gauge: 106 km 1.520-m gauge


standard gauge: 3,511 km 1.435-m gauge (1,567 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (2002)
Religions Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8% Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.736 male(s)/female


total population: 1.038 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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: 0.6 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services


international: country code - 970 (2004)
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
Telephones - main lines in use 349,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 1,934,558 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 736,662 (April 1999)
Television broadcast stations 30 (2008) 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south
Total fertility rate 4.17 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 18.6% (2006) 17.2% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 172 km (all on the Danube)
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