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.
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
land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New
Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,382 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102
km, Italy 280 km
Coastline:
46.6 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
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,
building stone, hydropower, forests
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-Nitrogen Oxides, 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, Whaling signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
despite its small size, this
eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes
total: 41.4 years
male: 39.8 years female: 42.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.088% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
8.99 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.51 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.64 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 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: 0.64
male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.3 deaths/1,000
live births male: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.73
years male: 73.04 years female: 80.66 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (2008
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 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat
1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census)
Religions:
Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%,
Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or
unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)
Languages:
Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian
4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 99.7% male: 99.7%
female: 99.6%
Government
Slovenia
Country name:
conventional long form:
Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenija local short
form: Slovenija former: People's Republic of Slovenia,
Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Ljubljana
geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E time
difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March;
ends last Sunday in October
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: the Government
of Slovenia has reported 210 municipalities
Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Independence Day/Statehood Day,
25 June (1991)
Constitution:
adopted 23 December 1991
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (16
years of age, if employed)
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007) 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 elections: president
elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
election last held 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held in the
fall of 2012); 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 on 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly
elections to be held in October 2008) election results: Danilo
TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze
PETERLE 31.8%; Janez JANSA elected prime minister by National Assembly
vote - 57 to 27 in 2004
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists
of a National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members are directly
elected and 50 are elected on a proportional basis; note - the number of
directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each
election; the constitution mandates 1 seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian
and Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats;
members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve five-year
terms; note - this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative
powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decision,
and call national referenda) elections: National Assembly -
last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held 8 October 2008) 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 minority 1,
Italian minority 1
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:
Liberal Democracy of Slovenia
or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovenian
Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of
Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago
JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Bojan SROT]; Slovene Youth Party
or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly
ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor Golobic]
chief of mission:
Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR chancery: 2410 California Street N.W.,
Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 386-6601
FAX: [1] (202) 386-6633 consulate(s) general:
Cleveland, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maryruth COLEMAN
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing
address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US 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 in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on
the white and blue bands
Economy
Slovenia
Economy - overview:
Slovenia, which on 1 January
2007 became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is a
model of economic success and stability for the region. With the highest
per capita GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a
well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and
Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and the economy has
one of highest levels of state control in the EU. Structural reforms to
improve the business environment have allowed for somewhat greater foreign
participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower unemployment.
In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate
from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In December 2007,
Slovenia was invited to begin the accession process for joining the OECD.
Despite its economic success, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia
has lagged behind the region average, and taxes remain relatively high.
Furthermore, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy
industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and
elsewhere.
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum
products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military
electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood
products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
manufactured goods, machinery
and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Exports - partners:
Germany 20%, Italy 13%, Croatia
9.1%, Austria 8.8%, France 6.5%, Russia 4.4% (2006)
Imports:
$30.22 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport
equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food
Imports - partners:
Germany 19.8%, Italy 18.1%,
Austria 11.9%, France 5.9%, Croatia 4.7% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $484 million (2004-06)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.031 billion (30 September
2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$40.42 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$8.916 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$4.557 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$15.18 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
euro (EUR) note: on
1 January 2007, the euro became Slovenia's currency; both the tolar and
the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15 January 2007
Currency code:
SIT
Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.7345
(2007), tolars per US dollar - 190.85 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38
(2004), 207.11 (2003) note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its
currency on 1 January 2007
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications
Slovenia
Telephones - main lines in use:
837,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.82 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment:
well-developed telecommunications infrastructure domestic:
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 130 telephones
per 100 persons international: country code - 386
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0
(2006)
Radios:
805,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
31 (2006)
Televisions:
710,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.si
Internet hosts:
134,266 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)
Internet users:
1.251 million (2006)
Transportation
Slovenia
Airports:
14 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8 1,524 to
2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4
(2007)
Pipelines:
gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 1,229 km
standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified)
(2006)
Roadways:
total: 38,451 km
paved: 38,451 km (includes 483 km of expressways) (2004)
Merchant marine:
registered in other
countries: 26 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2,
Liberia 1, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Singapore 1, St Vincent and The
Grenadines 5) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Koper
Military
Slovenia
Military branches:
Slovenian Army (includes air
and naval forces)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary
military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 494,496
females age 16-49: 481,180 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 406,951
females age 16-49: 395,444 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 16-49: 10,516
females age 16-49: 9,934 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2005 est.)
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
unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to
an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms
part of the EU's external border, Slovenia has implemented the strict
Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through
southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia
Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for cocaine
and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor
chemicals
