Slovenia

§1. Slovenia Introduction

Background:
  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.

§2. Slovenia Geography

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 km²
  land: 20,151 km²
  water: 122 km²

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: 8.53%
  permanent crops: 1.43%
  other: 90.04% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  20 km² (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

§3. Slovenia People

Population:
  2,010,347 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 13.8% (male 143,079/female 135,050)
  15-64 years: 70.5% (male 714,393/female 702,950)
  65 years and over: 15.7% (male 121,280/female 193,595) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.6 years
  male: 39 years
  female: 42.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.05% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.33 years
  male: 72.63 years
  female: 80.29 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.25 children born/woman (2006 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%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 2.4%,
  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%

§4. Slovenia Government

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 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

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
  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)
  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

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 (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)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held
    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
    and Italian minorities 1 each

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 [Karl ERJAVEC];
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN]; 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:
  ACCT (observer), 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, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

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: Cleveland, New York

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

§5. Slovenia Economy

Economy - overview:
  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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $42.26 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $34.91 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $21,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 36.9%
  services: 60.3% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  920,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 6%, industry 40%, services 55% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  9.8% (2005 est.)

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):
  2.4% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $16.02 billion
  expenditures: $16.73 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  29.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

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:
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  13.23 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  12.47 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  5.811 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  5.975 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  11.05 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  52,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.1 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.04 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-202 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $18.53 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Germany 18.3%, Italy 11.6%, Austria 11.5%, France 7.4%, Croatia 7.3%,
  Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $19.62 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Germany 19.9%, Italy 17%, Austria 14.9%, France 10.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $8.805 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $22.91 billion (30 September 2005 est.)

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

Currency (code):
  tolar (SIT)

Exchange rates:
  tolars per US dollar - 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25
  (2002), 242.75 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Slovenia Communications

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)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .si

Internet hosts:
  59,090 (2005)

Internet users:
  950,000 (2005)

§7. Slovenia Transportation

Airports:
  14 (2005)

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 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2005)

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

Railways:
  total: 1,201 km
  standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 38,400 km
  paved: 38,400 km (including 417 km of expressways) (2003)

Merchant marine:
  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)

Ports and terminals:
  Koper

§8. Slovenia Military

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 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 496,929 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 405,593 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 12,816 (2005 est.)

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

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

§9. Slovenia Transnational Issues

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; 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

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


<Factbook 2006>
