2010 Edition

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; it joined the eurozone in 2007.

Area

land

20,151 sq km

total

20,273 sq km

water

122 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller 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

46.6 km

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-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

457 cu m/yr (2002)

total

0.9

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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km

total

1,086 km

Land use

arable land

8.53%

other

90.04% (2005)

permanent crops

1.43%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding; earthquakes

Natural resources

lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests

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 renewable water resources

32.1 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 139,880/female 131,826) 15-64 years: 69.9% (male 707,219/female 695,470) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 129,662/female 201,635) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

8.92 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

280 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

4.76 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Slovenian (official) 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%, Italian (official) Only in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside, Hungarian (official) Only in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside (2002 census)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.03 years (2010 est.)

male

73.45 years

total population

77.12 years

Literacy

definition: NA

female

99.6%

male

99.7%

total population

99.7%

Median age

female

43.7 years (2010 est.)

male

40.4 years

total

42.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Slovenian

noun

Slovene(s)

Net migration rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

2,003,136 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.142% (2010 est.)

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

18 years (2008)

male

16 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.066 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

48% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

210 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) including 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina) Ajdovscina, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, 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*, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Makole, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sevnica, Sezana, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Salovci, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sostanj, Store, 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, Zrece, Zuzemberk

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

46 03 N, 14 31 E

name

Ljubljana

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form

Slovenia

former

People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

local long form

Republika Slovenija

local short form

Slovenija

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Bradley FREDEN

embassy

Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana

FAX

[386] (1) 200-5555

mailing address

American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140

telephone

[386] (1) 200-5500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2410 California Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Roman KIRN

consulate(s) general

Cleveland, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 386-6633

telephone

[1] (202) 386-6601

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007)

election results

Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime minister by National Assembly vote

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held on 8 October 2012); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 21 September 2008 (next National Assembly elections to be held in 8 October 2012)

head of government

Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, derive from the medieval coat of arms of the Duchy of Carniola; 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) appears in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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)

Legal system

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of a 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) and the National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members 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 elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - SD 30.5%, SDS 29.3%, ZARES 9.4%, DeSUS 7.5%, SNS 5.5%, SLS+SMS 5.2%, LDS 5.2%, other 7.4%; seats by party - SD 29, SDS 28, ZARES 9, DeSUS 7, SNS 5, SLS+SMS 5, LDS 5, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1

elections

National Assembly - last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held on 8 October 2012)

National anthem

lyrics/music

France PRESEREN/Stanko PREMRL note: adopted 1989; the anthem was originally written in 1848; the full poem, whose seventh verse is used as the anthem, speaks of pan-Slavic nationalism

name

"Zdravljica" (A Toast)

National holiday

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New Slovenia or NSi [Ljudmila NOVAK (acting)]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Radovan ZERJAV]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor GOLOBIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]

other

Catholic Church

Suffrage

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

1.75% (31 December 2009) 3% (31 December 2008) note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.47% (31 December 2009 est.) 7.41% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$598 million (2010 est.) -$732.4 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$51.57 billion (30 June 2010) $54.61 billion (31 December 2008)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.4 (2008) 23.8 (2004)

Economy - overview

Slovenia became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has become 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. In 2009, the world recession caused the economy to contract - through falling exports and industrial production - by more than 8%, and unemployment to rise above 9%. Although growth resumed in 2010, the unemployment rate continued to rise, topping 10%.

Electricity - consumption

14.7 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports

7.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

6.218 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

13 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.77399 (2010), 0.72 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007)

Exports

$24.97 billion (2010 est.) $22.53 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Exports - partners

Germany 19.36%, Italy 11.31%, Croatia 7.75%, Austria 7.42%, France 7.35% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

2.4%

industry

31%

services

66.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$28,400 (2010 est.) $28,000 (2009 est.) $30,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2010 est.) -8.1% (2009 est.) 3.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$46.44 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$56.81 billion (2010 est.) $56.24 billion (2009 est.) $61.2 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.6% (2004)

Imports

$25.96 billion (2010 est.) $23.5 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Germany 16.46%, Italy 15.89%, Austria 11.81%, France 4.98%, Croatia 4.32% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2010 est.) 0.9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

930,000 (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

2.2%

industry

35%

services

62.8% (2009)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$11.77 billion (31 December 2009) $22.1 billion (31 December 2008) $28.96 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

1.05 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.05 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

60,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports

57,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - production

5 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

12.3% (2008)

Public debt

35.5% of GDP (2010 est.) 31.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA (31 December 2010 est.) $1.08 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$24.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $25.65 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$9.001 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $7.901 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$15.73 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $15.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$52.67 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $50.46 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$10.47 billion (31 December 2010 est) $10.33 billion (31 December 2009 est) note: the figure for 2006 represents the US dollar value of tolars in circulation prior to Slovenia joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Unemployment rate

10.6% (2010 est.) 9.2% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

public television broadcaster, Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV), operates a system of national and regional TV stations; 35 domestic commercial television stations operating nationally, regionally, and locally; about 60% of households are connected to multi-channel cable TV systems; public radio broadcaster operates 3 national and 4 regional stations; more than 75 regional and local commercial and non-commercial radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.si

Internet hosts

137,494 (2010)

Internet users

1.298 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons

general assessment

well-developed telecommunications infrastructure

international

country code - 386

Telephones - main lines in use

1.034 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.1 million (2009)

Airports

16 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2010)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries

25 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 5, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Koper

Railways

standard gauge

1,228 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2007)

total

1,228 km

Roadways

paved

38,873 km (includes 696 km of expressways) (2008)

total

38,873 km

Waterways

some transport on Drava River (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 483,488 females age 16-49: 470,325 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 397,440 females age 16-49: 385,505 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

9,610 (2010 est.)

male

9,979

Military branches

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

Military expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2010)

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 page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================