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(opens in new window) The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the
latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes
joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was
named 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 by 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. Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria
and Croatia 46 07 N, 14 49 E
total: 20,273 sq km total: 1,334 km 46.6 km Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot
summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east 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 lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests
arable land: 8.53% 30 sq km (2003)
flooding and earthquakes
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
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of
Europe's major transit routes
2,010,347 (July 2006 est.)
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 143,079/female 135,050) total: 40.6 years -0.05% (2006 est.)
8.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births total population: 76.33 years 1.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
280 (2001 est.) less than 100 (2003 est.)
noun: Slovene(s) Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12%
(2002 census) Catholic 57.8%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 2.4%,
unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)
Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002
census) definition: NA conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia parliamentary democratic republic
Ljubljana 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 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
adopted 23 December 1991
based on civil law system
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
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 (40 seats; this
is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may
propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions, and call
national referenda; members - representing social, economic, professional,
and local interests - are indirectly elected to five-year terms by an
electoral college) 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) With its small transition economy and population of approximately two
million, Slovenia is a model of economic success and stability for its
neighbors in the former Yugoslavia. The country, which joined the EU in
2004, has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and an
excellent central location. It enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher
than any 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. Slovenia plans to adopt
the euro by 2007 and has met the EU's Maastricht criteria for inflation.
Despite its economic success, Slovenia faces growing challenges. Much of
the economy remains in state hands and foreign direct investment (FDI) in
Slovenia is one of the lowest in the EU on a per capita basis. Taxes are
relatively high, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy
industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and
elsewhere. The current center-right government, elected in October 2004,
has pledged to accelerate privatization of a number of large state holdings
and is interested in increasing FDI in Slovenia. In late 2005, the
government's new Committee for Economic Reforms was elevated to
cabinet-level status. The Committee's program includes plans for lowering
the tax burden, privatizing state-controlled firms, improving the
flexibility of the labor market, and increasing the government's
efficiency. $42.26 billion (2005 est.)
$34.91 billion (2005 est.)
4% (2005 est.) $21,000 (2005 est.) agriculture: 2.8% 920,000 (2005 est.) agriculture: 6% 9.8% (2005 est.) lowest 10%: 3.9% 28.4 (1998)
2.4% (2005 est.) 24.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
revenues: $16.02 billion 29.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting;
electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools 2.9% (2005 est.) 13.23 billion kWh (2003)
12.47 billion kWh (2003)
5.811 billion kWh (2003)
5.975 billion kWh (2003)
11.05 bbl/day (2003 est.)
52,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
1.1 billion cu m (2003 est.)
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)
-$202 million (2005 est.)
$18.53 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Germany 18.1%, Italy 12.5%, Austria 11.4%, France 7.4%, Croatia 7.3%,
Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.8% (2004) $19.62 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and
lubricants, food
Germany 19.6%, Italy 18.2%, Austria 14.7%, France 10% (2004)
$8.805 billion (2005 est.)
$22.91 billion (30 September 2005 est.)
ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)
tolar (SIT)
calendar year
812,300 (2003) 1,739,100 (2003) general assessment: NA AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)
48 (2001) .si 59,090 (2005) 950,000 (2005) 14 (2005) total: 6 total: 8 gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2004)
total: 1,201 km total: 38,400 km registered in other countries: 25 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, The
Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 2,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1) (2005)
Koper
Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)
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 unratified and in dispute; as a member state
that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovenia must implement the
strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through
southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia
minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for
Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals |