sleep for a single, long period each
night. The average amount of sleep for
an adult ranges from six to nine hours
each night. Elderly people may nap
often during the day and sleep only a
few hours at night.
Sloth
Sloths are slow-moving mammals that
spend most of their lives in trees. They
cling to the trunks or hang upside down
from the branches. Sloths live in the
tropical forests of Central and South
America. They are related to armadillos
and anteaters.
Sloths can grow up to 27 inches (69
centimeters) long. They have thick skin
and either a short, stumpy tail or no tail
at all. The fur is usually grayish brown
or tan. Sloths often have a greenish tint
because of algae on their fur. The algae
protects sloths from other animals by
helping them to blend in with tree
leaves.
Sloths have either two or three toes on
their feet. The toes have long, curved
claws, which the sloth uses to grasp
branches. Two-toed sloths spend much
of the time hanging onto trees with all
four legs. Three-toed sloths often sit on
the branches rather than hang from
them.
Sloths are quiet animals that live alone.
They sleep most of the day. Sloths sleep
hanging upside down, with the head
tucked up between the front legs. At
night they move very slowly through the
trees eating leaves and fruit. Sloths rarely
come down from the trees because they
cannot walk.
#More to explore
Anteater • Armadillo • Mammal
Most dreams
occur during a
part of sleep
when there
are rapid eye
movements
(REMs). People
usually have
three to five
periods of
REM sleep per
night.
A three-toed sloth clings to a tree
trunk.
108 Sloth BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Slovakia
Slovakia is a small country in central
Europe. From 1918 to 1992 Slovakia
was part of the country of Czechoslovakia.
Slovakia’s capital is Bratislava.
Slovakia shares borders with the Czech
Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary,
and Austria. The Carpathian Mountains
run across northern Slovakia. Lower
mountains rise in the center. Slovakia
has cool summers and cold winters.
Forests cover nearly half of Slovakia.
Alpine grass and shrubs grow in the
highest areas. Bears, wolves, lynx, wildcats,
otters, and mink live in the mountains.
Slovakia’s many birds include wild
geese and herons.
Slovaks make up most of the population.
The rest of the people are mainly
Hungarians. Slovak is the main language.
Roman Catholicism is the most
common religion.
Banking, tourism, and other services are
large parts of Slovakia’s economy.
Manufacturing and mining are also
important. Factories produce metals,
machinery, flour, fuels, paper, and other
goods. Mines provide iron and coal. The
main crops grown in Slovakia are wheat,
sugar beets, and corn.
Tribes of people called Slavs settled Slovakia’s
land in the 500s or 600s. Hungary
later conquered the region. In 1526
the Hapsburg Empire of Austria took
over Hungary and Slovakia. After 1867
Slovakia was a part of the Austro-
Hungarian Empire. In 1918 Slovakia
joined a new country called Czechoslovakia.
In 1989 the people of Slovakia voted to
separate from Czechoslovakia. Slovakia
became an independent country on
January 1, 1993. In 2004 Slovakia
joined the European Union.
..More to explore
Bratislava • Czechoslovakia
The oldest parts of Orava Castle in Slovakia
are more than 700 years old.
Facts About
SLOVAKIA
Population
(2008 estimate)
5,401,000
Area
18,933 sq mi
(49,035 sq km)
Capital
Bratislava
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Bratislava,
Kosice, Presov,
Nitra, Zilina,
Banska Bystrica
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Slovakia 109
Slovenia
Slovenia is a country in the Balkans, a
region of southeastern Europe. The capital
is Ljubljana.
Slovenia shares borders with Italy, Austria,
Hungary, and Croatia. In the southwest
Slovenia has a short coastline on
the Adriatic Sea.
Parts of the Alps mountains stretch
across northern Slovenia. The Sava and
Drava rivers flow down through the east.
In the southwest is the Karst, a rocky
region with many caves. Most of Slovenia
has cool or warm summers and
cold winters.
Slovenia’s many forests include juniper,
birch, and beech trees in the hilly areas.
Shrubs grow in the lower areas. Brown
bears, wolves, lynx, wild boars, and deer
live in Slovenia.
Most of Slovenia’s people are Slovenes.
Their language is also called Slovene.
Most of the Slovenes are Roman Catholics.
Small groups of Serbs, Croats, Bosniacs
(Muslims), and others also live in
Slovenia.
Manufacturing is important to the
economy. Slovenia produces iron and
steel, electronics, cloth, chemicals, wood
products, and motor vehicles. Banking
and other services are also important.
Slavic people, the ancestors of the Slovenes,
settled in the region in the 500s.
Over the centuries different powers
ruled the Slovenes. In 1918 Slovenia
joined the new Kingdom of Serbs,
Croats, and Slovenes. The country was
renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Slovenia
broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991. In
2004 Slovenia joined the European
Union.
..More to explore
Balkan Peninsula • Communism
• Ljubljana • Yugoslavia
A town sits in a valley near the Alps mountains
in northern Slovenia.
Facts About
SLOVENIA
Population
(2008 estimate)
2,029,000
Area
7,827 sq mi
(20,273 sq km)
