| Background: |
In 1918 the
Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new
nation, 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. Historical ties to Western Europe, a
strong economy, and a stable democracy make Slovenia a
leading candidate for future membership in the EU and NATO. |
| Location: |
Southeastern
Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Austria and Croatia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
46 00 N, 15 00 E |
| Area: |
total:
20,253 sq km
land: 20,253 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than New Jersey |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
1,165 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 501
km, Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km |
| 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 mountain 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 |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
12%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 24%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 7% (1996 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
20 sq km (1993
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-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Population: |
1,930,132 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
16.09% (male 159,428; female 151,134)
15-64 years: 69.61% (male 681,333; female
662,170)
65 years and over: 14.3% (male 101,354; female
174,713) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.14% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
9.32 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.98 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
2.11 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
4.51 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 75.08 years
male: 71.2 years
female: 79.17 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.28 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.02% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
200 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Slovene 88%,
Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%, Hungarian
0.4%, other 5% (1991) |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic
68.8%, Uniate Catholic 2%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist
4.3%, other 22.9% |
| Languages: |
Slovenian 91%,
Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3% |
| Literacy: |
definition:
NA
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenija
local short form: Slovenija |
| Government
type: |
parliamentary
democratic republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
136
municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Bled, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Brda,
Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova-Tisina, Celje*, Cerklje na
Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem,
Crnomelj, Destrnik-Trnovska Vas, Divaca, Dobrepolje,
Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica,
Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grosuplje,
Hodos Salovci, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska
Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola, Jesenice, Jursinci, Kamnik,
Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Koper*,
Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko,
Lenart, Lendava, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer,
Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica,
Miren-Kostanjevica, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice,
Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*,
Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran, Pivka,
Podcetrtek, Podvelka-Ribnica, Postojna, Preddvor, Ptuj*,
Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi,
Radovljica, Ravne-Prevalje, Ribnica, Rogasevci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Semic, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej,
Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka,
Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske
Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveti Jurij, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic,
Turnisce, Velenje*, Velike Lasce, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje,
Vodice, Vojnik, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec,
Zavrc, Zelezniki, Ziri, 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 Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez
DRNOVSEK (since 15 October 2000);
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; election last held 24 November 1997
(next to be held NA 2002); 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 15 October 2000 (next to be
held NA October 2004)
election results: Milan KUCAN elected
president; percent of vote - Milan KUCAN 56.3%, Janez
PODOBNIK 18%; Janez DRNOVSEK elected prime minister; percent
of National Assembly vote - NA |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
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)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15
October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party -
LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD 12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSI 9%, SMS 4%, SNS
4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; seats by party - LDS 34, SDS 14,
ZLDS 11, SLS/SKD 9, NSI 8, SMS 4, SNS 4, DeSUS 4, other 2
note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is
an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may
propose laws and ask to review any National Assembly
decisions; in the election of NA November 1997, 40 members
were elected to represent local, professional, and
socioeconomic interests (next election to be held in the
fall of 2002) |
| 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 [Janko KUSAR];
Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman]; New
Slovenia or NSI [Andrej BAJUK, chairman]; Slovene National
Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC, chairman]; Slovene People's
Party or SLS (Slovenian People's Party or SLS and Slovenian
Christian Democrats or SKD merged in April 2000) [Franc
ZAGOZEN, chairman]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [leader NA];
Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA,
chairman]; United List of Social Democrats (former
Communists and allies) or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR, chairman] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT
(observer), BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU
(applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU,
WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Davorin KRACUN
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363
FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
consulate(s) general: New York
consulate(s): Cleveland |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Nancy ELY-RAPHEL
embassy: Presernova 31, SI-1000 Ljubljana
mailing address: P. O. Box 254, Presernova 31,
1000 Ljubljana; American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of
State, Washington, DC 20521-7140
telephone: [386] (01) 200-5500
FAX: [386] (01) 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
- overview: |
Although Slovenia
enjoys one of the highest GDPs per capita among the
transition economies of Central Europe, it needs to speed up
the privatization process and the dismantling of
restrictions on foreign investment. About 45% of the economy
remains in state hands, and the level of foreign direct
investment inflows as a percent of GDP is the lowest in the
region. Analysts are predicting between 4.0% and 4.2% growth
for 2001. Export growth is expected to slow in 2001 and 2002
as EU markets soften. Inflation rose from 6.1% to 8.9% in
2000 and remains a matter of concern. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $22.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $12,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
4%
industry: 35%
services: 61% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3.2%
highest 10%: 20.7% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
8.9% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture NA%,
industry NA%, services NA% |
| Unemployment
rate: |
7.1% (1997 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$8.11 billion
expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
| Industries: |
ferrous
metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and
rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics
(including military electronics), trucks, electric power
equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
6.2% (2000) |
| Electricity
- production: |
12.451 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
34.44%
hydro: 29.58%
nuclear: 35.98%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
10.024 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
2.2 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
645 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
potatoes, hops,
wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry |
| Exports: |
$8.9 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
manufactured
goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
| Exports
- partners: |
Germany 31%,
Italy 14%, Croatia 8%, Austria 7%, France 6% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$9.9 billion
(f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels
and lubricants, food |
| Imports
- partners: |
Germany 21%,
Italy 17%, France 11%, Austria 8%, Croatia 4%, Hungary,
Russia (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$6.2 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
ODA, $5 million
(1993) |
| Exchange
rates: |
tolars per US
dollar - 225.93 (January 2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77
(1999), 166.13 (1998), 159.69 (1997), 135.36 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
722,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
1 million (2000) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: NA |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 17, FM 160,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
48 (2001) |
| Televisions: |
710,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.si |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
11 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
460,000 (1999) |
| Railways: |
total:
1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (489 km
electrified) (1999) |
| Highways: |
total:
19,586 km
paved: 17,745 km (including 249 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 1,841 km (1998 est.) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 290 km;
natural gas 305 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Izola, Koper,
Piran |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Slovenian Army
(includes Air and Naval Forces) |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 523,336 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 416,237 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
14,513 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$370 million
(FY00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.7% (FY00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
progress with
Croatia on discussions of adjustments to land boundary, but
problems remain in defining maritime boundary in Gulf of
Piran; Austria has minor dispute with Slovenia over nuclear
power plants and post-World War II treatment of
German-speaking minorities |
| Illicit
drugs: |
minor transit
point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for
Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals |
|
