2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.3% (male 152,341; female 144,189) 15-64 years: 70% (male 687,939; female 666,194) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 105,837; female 179,177) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Airports

16 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

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

total

6

under 914 m

1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

5 (2002) Military Slovenia

Area

land

20,151 sq km

total

20,273 sq km

water

122 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Background

The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria until 1918 when 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 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. In December 2002, Slovenia received an invitation to join NATO, and it is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1 May 2004. In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and EU membership, Slovenes voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66% in favor of joining NATO. Geography Slovenia

Birth rate

9.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

revenues

$8.11 billion

Capital

Ljubljana

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

46.6 km

Constitution

adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form

Slovenia

local long form

Republika Slovenija

local short form

Slovenija

Currency

tolar (SIT)

Currency code

SIT

Death rate

10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$7.9 billion (2001)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Johnny YOUNG

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Davorin KRACUN

Disputes - international

parliamentarians are far from ratifying 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

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.4 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe. Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-3, and the budget deficit dropped from 3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.9% in 2003. Despite the economic slowdown in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3% growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment allow for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between government, business, and central bank policy are issues of concern in the run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the European Union.

Electricity - consumption

13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

35.2%

hydro

27.3%

nuclear

36.8%

other

0.7% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Triglav 2,864 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

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, Desertification, 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

Ethnic groups

Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%, Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991)

Exchange rates

tolars per US dollar - 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly

chief of state

President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)

election results

Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Anton ROP elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 63 to 24

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 6 December 2002 (next National Assembly elections to be held NA October 2004)

head of government

Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002)

Exports

$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Exports - partners

Germany 23.9%, Italy 12.7%, Austria 9.5%, Croatia 8%, France 7.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 667-4563

[386] (1) 200-5555

chancery

1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

consulate(s) general

New York and Cleveland

telephone

[1] (202) 667-5363

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Slovenia

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 Slovenia

GDP

purchasing power parity - $37.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.2%

industry

36.3%

services

60.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

46 07 N, 14 49 E

Geography - note

despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes People Slovenia

Government type

parliamentary democratic republic

Highways

paved

20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)

total

20,177 km

unpaved

20 km (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

280 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23% (1998)

lowest 10%

3.9%

Illicit drugs

minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$11.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners

Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Austria 11.3%, France 10.5% (2002)

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Industrial production growth rate

2.4% (2002)

Industries

ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Infant mortality rate

female

3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

5.53 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.42 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.4% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Internet country code

.si

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

11 (2000)

Internet users

600,000 (2001) Transportation Slovenia

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

857,400

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km

total

1,334 km

Land use

arable land

11.48%

other

85.84% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.68%

Languages

Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%

Legal system

based on civil law system

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)

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 13, ZLSD 11, SLS 10, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4, DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

elections

National Assembly - last held 15 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)

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 November 1997, 40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and socioeconomic interests

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.58 years (2003 est.)

male

71.65 years

total population

75.51 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

99.6% (2003 est.) Government Slovenia

male

99.7%

total population

99.7%

Location

Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

NA

Median age

female

40.2 years (2002)

male

37.1 years

total

38.6 years

Military branches

Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.7% (FY00) Transnational Issues Slovenia

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

520,037 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

413,453 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

13,704 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Nationality

adjective

Slovenian

noun

Slovene(s)

Natural gas - consumption

1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural hazards

flooding and earthquakes

Natural resources

lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests

Net migration rate

2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton ROUS]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Franc BUT]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Dominic CERNJAK]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

1,935,677 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.14% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Izola, Koper, Piran

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

805,000 (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2002)

total

1,201 km

Religions

Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Telephone system

domestic

100% digital (2000)

general assessment

NA

international

NA

Telephones - main lines in use

722,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations

48 (2001)

Televisions

710,000 (1997)

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

Total fertility rate

1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

11% (2002 est.)

Waterways

NA