Chapter LI: Front Matter (51)

Constitution:
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system:
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,
reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note -
president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12
filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Party
or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra Leone
People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Trade Unions and Student Unions

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS
embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485
FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light
blue

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:
Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous
inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral,
agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and
social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social
disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a
11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population
engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of
the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the
domestic market. Plans continue to reopen bauxite and rutile mines
shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency
consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends
upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of
substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe
trade imbalance and to supplement government revenues.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.057 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 49%
industry: 31%
services: 21% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $96 million
expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry,
cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:
mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,
cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
250.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
232.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$49 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Exports - partners:
Belgium 61.2%, Germany 14.2%, UK 4.5%, US 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$264 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants,
chemicals (1995)

Imports - partners:
Germany 23.7%, UK 9.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.4%, France 7.4%, US 5.3%,
Netherlands 5.1%, Ukraine 4.6% (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$103 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
leone (SLL)

Currency code:
SLL

Exchange rates:
leones per US dollar - 2,347.94 (2003), 2,099.03 (2002), 1,986.15
(2001), 2,092.12 (2000), 1,804.19 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
67,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
Freetown to Bo and Kenema
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1999)

Televisions:
53,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sl

Internet hosts:
277 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
8,000 (2002)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Highways:
total: 11,330 km
paved: 895 km
unpaved: 10,435 km (1999)

Waterways:
800 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
by type: cargo 2 (2004 est.)

Airports:
10 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches:
Army (RSLAF)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,265,140 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 614,338 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created
insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic
conflicts, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and Sierra
Leone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute over
the town of Yenga

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 67,000 (Liberia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background:
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It
joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
links (its port is the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled)
and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of
Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 692.7 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
193 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
defined in treaties and practice

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon
from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
evening thunderstorms

Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment
area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 98.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;
limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal
smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:
4,353,893 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 370,660; female 345,713)
15-64 years: 75.8% (male 1,611,502; female 1,687,048)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 149,452; female 189,518) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.2 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 36.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
11.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 2.49 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.53 years
male: 78.96 years
female: 84.29 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Religions:
Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,
Taoist, Confucianist

Languages:
Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.6%
female: 88.6% (2002)

Government Singapore

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Singapore

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);
Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime
Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN
Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the
advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the
president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong];
opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LING How
Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group);
Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP,
PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];
Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); Singapore
National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group);
Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group);
Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
consulate(s): New York
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist
side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed
portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:
Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,
enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and a high per capita GDP. The economy depends heavily on
exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard
hit in 2001-03 by the global recession and the slump in the
technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth
path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle but
is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast
Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest
rates, and global economic recovery should lead to much improved
growth in 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $109.4 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $23,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: negligible
industry: 32.2%
services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.2 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and
communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%,
other 16% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $14.15 billion
expenditures: $15.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
106.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish,
ornamental fish

Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,
life sciences, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate:
2.8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
28.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.5 billion cu m
: Note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$26.15 billion (2003)

Exports:
$142.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
Malaysia 15.8%, US 14.3%, Hong Kong 10%, China 7%, Japan 6.7%,
Taiwan 4.7%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$121.6 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Malaysia 16.8%, US 14.1%, Japan 12%, China 8.7%, Taiwan 5.1%,
Thailand 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$95.75 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$15.06 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:
SGD

Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002),
1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,896,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,521,800 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities
international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia
(Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (2003)

Televisions:
1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sg

Internet hosts:
484,825 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
2.31 million (2002)

Transportation Singapore

Highways:
total: 3,066 km
paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Pipelines:
gas 139 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Singapore

Merchant marine:
total: 900 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290 GRT/36,393,317 DWT
registered in other countries: 383 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 6, China 15, Denmark 32, Germany 18, Greece
12, Hong Kong 31, India 3, Indonesia 33, Japan 58, South Korea 13,
Malaysia 31, Monaco 19, Norway 53, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines
9, Russia 2, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Switzerland 5, Taiwan 44,
Tanzania 1, Thailand 16, United Kingdom 15, United States 1
by type: bulk 136, cargo 84, chemical tanker 96, combination bulk 4,
combination ore/oil 8, container 186, liquefied gas 41, livestock
carrier 3, multi-functional large load carrier 2, petroleum tanker
290, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger
1, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 32

Airports:
9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Singapore

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age
for volunteers; conscript service obligation to be reduced to 24
months from 30 months beginning December 2004 (June 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,292,471 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 934,317 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:
disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,
Singapore's land reclamation works, bridge construction, maritime
boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist -
parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years

Illicit drugs:
as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

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. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of
2004.

Geography Slovakia

Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 48,845 sq km
water: 45 sq km
land: 48,800 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: 30.16%
permanent crops: 2.62%
other: 67.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

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-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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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

People Slovakia

Population:
5,423,567 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 485,523; female 463,173)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 1,908,425; female 1,929,861)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 239,081; female 397,504) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.1 years
male: 33.5 years
female: 36.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.19 years
male: 70.21 years
female: 78.37 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak

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)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%,
other 17.5%

Languages:
Slovak (official), Hungarian

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Government Slovakia

Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local short form: Slovensko
local long form: Slovenska Republika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Bratislava

Administrative divisions:
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

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

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October
1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998);
Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)
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 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held
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
note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;
percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%;
Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002

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)
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 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12),
opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union
5, and independents 10)
elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA
September 2006)

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)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction
(Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Movement for
Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; 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]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI]; Slovak
Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian
Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS
[Peter SULOVSKY]

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

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER
chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott N.
THAYER
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

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

Economy Slovakia

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 2001-03 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 cutting the budget deficit, containing inflation, and
strengthening the health care system.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $72.29 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.9%
industry: 47.9%
services: 46.2% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.3 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.58 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8.9%, industry 29.3%, construction 8%, transport and
communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Unemployment rate:
15.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $12.03 billion
expenditures: $13.69 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
37.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry;
forest products

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

Industrial production growth rate:
7.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
7.504 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-277.4 million (2003)

Exports:
$21.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured
goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8%
(1999)

Exports - partners:
Germany 37.2%, Czech Republic 12%, Austria 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Poland
4.7%, US 4.7%, Hungary 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$21.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured
goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured
goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners:
Germany 27.5%, Czech Republic 18.3%, Russia 10.8%, Austria 6.4%,
Italy 5.6%, Poland 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$11.74 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$18.31 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment
funds (2000 est.)

Currency:
Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:
SKK

Exchange rates:
koruny per US dollar - 36.7729 (2003), 45.3267 (2002), 48.3548
(2001), 46.0352 (2000), 41.3628 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,294,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,678,800 (2003)

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: country code - 421; 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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Televisions:
2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sk

Internet hosts:
89,592 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
1,375,800 (2003)

Transportation Slovakia

Railways:
total: 3,661 km
broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 49 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2003)

Highways:
total: 42,717 km
paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)

Waterways:
172 km (on Danube River) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 4
foreign-owned: Bulgaria 3, Estonia 1, Greece 1, India 1, Liberia 1,
Panama 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
34 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Slovakia

Military branches:
Ground Forces (including Home Guard [Domobrana]), Air and Air
Defense Forces (January 2003)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (conscripts serve nine months of basic military
service; term of service will be reduced to six months effective
2004) complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force is
planned for 1 January 2007; 82% of Slovak armed forces will be
volunteers by December 2004; volunteers include women, with minimum
age of 17 years; 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscripts serve 9 months of basic military service; service
obligation reduced to 6 months effective 2004 (October 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,477,017 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,129,935 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 43,029 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.89% (2002)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international:
Hungary amended its status law extending special social and
cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, many of whom had
protested the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed discussions on
ways to resolve differences over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible resort again to the
ICJ for final resolution

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western
Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Slovenia

Introduction Slovenia

Background:
The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria
until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming
a new multinational state, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World
War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short
10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and
a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a
modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring
of 2004.

Geography Slovenia

Location:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 20,273 sq km
water: 122 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
Hungary 102 km

Coastline:
46.6 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild
to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the
east

Terrain:
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region
adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with
numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:
lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower,
forests

Land use:
arable land: 8.6%
permanent crops: 1.49%
other: 89.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding and earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution
of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest
damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical
and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some
of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population:
2,011,473 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 147,506; female 139,435)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 716,057; female 704,734)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 115,391; female 188,350) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 41.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.93 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 79.92 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
280 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:
Slovene 92%, Croat 1%, Serb 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Bosniak 0.3%,
other 5.8% (1991)

Religions:
Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist
4.3%, other 22.9%

Languages:
Slovenian 92%, Serbo-Croatian 6.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Slovenia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia
local short form: Slovenija
former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenija

Government type:
parliamentary democratic republic

Capital:
Ljubljana

Administrative divisions:
182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
- Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected
prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 November 2004
(next National Assembly elections to be held October 2008)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or Drzavni
Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a
proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and
proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National
Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body
organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers;
it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,
and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to
five-year terms by an electoral college)
election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,
ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS
4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each
elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be
held October 2008)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
(judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton
ROUS]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or
NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene Democratic Party or SDS [Janez Jansa];
Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's
Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko
KRANJC]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NSG,
OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland
FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State,
7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with
the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's
highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center;
beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and
above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted
triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of
Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early
15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the
flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview:
Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP
per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning
economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia became the
first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor
partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy proceeded at
an accelerated pace in 2002-03, and the budget deficit dropped from
3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.6% in 2003. Despite the economic slowdown
in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3% growth. Structural
reforms to improve the business environment allow for greater
foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to lower
unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also needed.
Corruption and the high degree of coordination between government,
business, and central bank policy are issues of concern in the
run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the European
Union.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $36.82 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 39.7%
services: 57.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
875,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
11.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.46 billion
expenditures: $11.85 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
31.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep,
poultry

Industries:
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting,
electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2003)

Electricity - production:
13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$15.1 million (2003)

Exports:
$11.98 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals,
food

Exports - partners:
Germany 23.2%, Italy 13.2%, Croatia 9%, Austria 7.3%, France 5.7%,
Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$12.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals,
fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:
Germany 19.3%, Italy 18.3%, France 10%, Austria 8.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$8.598 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$11.33 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
tolar (SIT)

Currency code:
SIT

Exchange rates:
tolars per US dollar - 207.099 (2003), 240.248 (2002), 242.749
(2001), 222.656 (2000), 181.769 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
812,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,739,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
48 (2001)

Televisions:
710,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.si

Internet hosts:
45,491 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)

Internet users:
750,000 (2002)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways:
total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 20,177 km
paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)
unpaved: 20 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports:
14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Slovenia

Military branches:
Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
abolished in 2004 (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 525,983 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 417,875 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 13,315 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international:
the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which
would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia
and several villages to Croatia, remains controversial, has not been
ratified, and has been complicated by Croatia's declaration of an
ecological-fisheries zone in the Adriatic Sea

Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound
for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Solomon Islands

Introduction Solomon Islands

Background:
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the
1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on
these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence
two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and
endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June
2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of
Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an
Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and
disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the
Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and
order and rebuilding government institutions.

Geography Solomon Islands

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua
New Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 28,450 sq km
water: 910 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
5,313 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources:
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 0.64%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 97.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with
frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs
are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean,
the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population:
523,617 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)
15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.76% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.38 years
male: 69.9 years
female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%,
Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Religions:
Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian)
12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%,
indigenous beliefs 4%

Languages:
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English
is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Government Solomon Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:
parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Capital:
Honiara

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul,
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona,
Temotu, Western

Independence:
7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:
7 July 1978

Legal system:
English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from
single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
18
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
December 2005)

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party
or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh
Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or
SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP
[Joses TUHANUKU]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA