1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 20,296 km2 land area: 20,296 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey
Climate
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
Coastline
32 km
Environment
Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; heavy metals and toxic chemicals along coastal waters; near Koper, forest damage from air pollutants originating at metallurgical and chemical plants; subject to flooding and earthquakes
International disputes
dispute with Croatia over fishing rights in the Adriatic and over some border areas; the border issue is currently under negotiation; small minority in northern Italy seeks the return of parts of southwestern Slovenia
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
total 999 km, Austria 262 km, Croatia 455 km, Italy 199 km, Hungary 83 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 45% other: 23%
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Map references
Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver
Terrain
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
People and Society
Birth rate
11.93 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
9.6 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Slovene 91%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Muslim 1%, other 3%
Infant mortality rate
8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
786,036 by occupation: agriculture 2%, manufacturing and mining 46%
Languages
Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 7%, other 2%
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74 years male: 70.08 years female: 78.13 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
1,967,655 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
0.23% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 96% (including 2% Uniate), Muslim 1%, other 3%
Total fertility rate
1.68 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
60 provinces (pokajine, singular - pokajina) Ajdovscina, Brezice, Celje, Cerknica, Crnomelj, Dravograd, Gornja Radgona, Grosuplje, Hrastnik Lasko, Idrija, Ilirska Bistrica, Izola, Jesenice, Kamnik, Kocevje, Koper, Kranj, Krsko, Lenart, Lendava, Litija, Ljubljana-Bezigrad, Ljubljana-Center, Ljubljana-Moste-Polje, Ljubljana-Siska, Ljubljana-Vic-Rudnik, Ljutomer, Logatec, Maribor, Metlika, Mozirje, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ormoz Pesnica, Piran, Postojna, Ptuj, Radlje Ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne Na Koroskem, Ribnica, Ruse, Sentjur Pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skofja Loka, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje Pri Jelsah, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic, Velenje, Vrhnika, Zagorje Ob Savi, Zalec
Capital
Ljubljana
Chief of State
President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990)
Constitution
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991
Digraph
SI
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Ernest PETRIC chancery: (temporary) 1300 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 828-1650
Executive branch
president, prime minister, deputy prime ministers, cabinet
FAX
[38] (61) 301-401
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav in white against a blue background at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and around it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted triangle); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
Head of Government
Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992)
Independence
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, Constitutional Court
Legal system
based on civil law system
Legislative branch
bicameral National Assembly; consists of the State Assembly and the State Council; note - State Council will become operational after next election
Member of
CE, CEI, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IOM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenije local short form: Slovenija
National holiday
Statehood Day, 25 June
Other political or pressure groups
none
Political parties and leaders
Slovene Christian Democratics (SKD), Lozje PETERLE, chairman; Liberal Democratic (LDS), Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman; Social-Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDSS), Joze PUCNIK, chairman; Socialist Party of Slovenia (SSS), Viktor ZAKELJ, chairman; Greens of Slovenia (ZS), Dusan PLUT, chairman; National Democratic, Rajko PIRNAT, chairman; Democratic Peoples Party, Marjan PODOBNIK, chairman; Reformed Socialists (former Communist Party), Ciril RIBICIC, chairman; United List (former Communists and allies); Slovene National Party, leader NA; Democratic Party, Igor BAVCAR; Slovene People's Party (SLS), Ivan OMAN note: parties have changed as of the December 1992 elections
President
last held 6 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Milan KUCAN reelected by direct popular vote
State Assembly
last held 6 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (total 90) LDS 22, SKD 15, United List (former Communists and allies) 14, Slovene National Party 12, SN 10, Democratic Party 6, ZS 5, SDSS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1
State Council
will become operational after next election in 1996; in the election of 6 December 1992 40 members were elected to represent local and socio-economic interests
Suffrage
16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
Type
emerging democracy
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador E. Allen WENDT embassy: P.O. Box 254; Cankarjeva 11, 61000 Ljubljana mailing address: APO AE 09862 telephone: [38] (61) 301-427/472
Economy
Agriculture
dominated by stock breeding (sheep and cattle) and dairy farming; main crops - potatoes, hops, hemp, flax; an export surplus in these commodities; Slovenia must import many other agricultural products and has a negative overall trade balance in this sector
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
1 tolar (SIT) = 100 NA
Economic aid
NA
Electricity
2,900,000 kW capacity; 10,000 million kWh produced, 5,090 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
tolars (SIT) per US$1 - 112 (June 1993), 28 (January 1992)
Exports
$4.12 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, other manufactured goods 44%, chemicals 9%, food and live animals 4.6%, raw materials 3%, beverages and tobacco less than 1% partners: principally the other former Yugoslav republics, Austria, and Italy
External debt
$2.5 billion
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
NA
Imports
$4.679 billion (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactured goods 26.7%, chemicals 14.5%, raw materials 9.4%, fuels and lubricants 7%, food and live animals 6% partners: principally the other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, successor states of the former USSR, US, Hungary, Italy, and Austria
Industrial production
growth rate -1% per month (1991-92 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
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.7% (September 1992)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $21 billion (1991 est.)
National product per capita
$10,700 (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate
-10% (1991 est.)
Overview
Slovenia was by far the most prosperous of the former Yugoslav republics, with a per capita income more than twice the Yugoslav average, indeed not far below the levels in neighboring Austria and Italy. Because of its strong ties to Western Europe and the small scale of damage during its fight for independence from Yugoslavia, Slovenia has the brightest prospects among the former Yugoslav republics for economic recovery over the next few years. The dissolution of Yugoslavia, however, has led to severe short-term dislocations in production, employment, and trade ties. For example, overall industrial production fell 10% in 1991; particularly hard hit were the iron and steel, machine-building, chemical, and textile industries. Meanwhile, the continued fighting in other former Yugoslavian republics has led to further destruction of long-established trade channels and to an influx of tens of thousands of Croatian and Bosnian refugees. The key program for breaking up and privatizing major industrial firms was established in late 1992. Bright spots for encouraging Western investors are Slovenia's comparatively well-educated work force, its developed infrastructure, and its Western business attitudes, but instability in Croatia is a deterrent. Slovenia in absolute terms is a small economy, and a little Western investment would go a long way.
Unemployment rate
10% (April 1992)
Communications
Airports
total: 13 useable: 13 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 4
Highways
14,553 km total; 10,525 km paved, 4,028 km gravel
Inland waterways
NA
Merchant marine
22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,784 GRT/596,740 DWT; includes 15 bulk, 7 cargo; all under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines except for 1 bulk under Liberian flag
Pipelines
crude oil 290 km, natural gas 305 km
Ports
coastal - Koper
Railroads
1,200 km, 1.435 m gauge (1991)
Telecommunications
130,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 5 FM, 7 TV; 370,000 radios; 330,000 TVs
Military and Security
Branches
Slovene Defense Forces
Defense expenditures
13.5 billion tolars, 4.5% of GDP (1993); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 512,186; fit for military service 410,594; reach military age (19) annually 14,970 (1993 est.)