Slovenia Online Business Education. Administration. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Slovenia
Online Business Education. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Slovenia

Country Profile

Capital City: Ljubljana (pop. 267 000)

Other Cities: Maribor (110 668), Kranj (51 225), Celje (48 081), Koper (47 539).

Local Time: UTC +1h

Geography:
Location: Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia.
Area: 20 273 square kilometers (7 906 sq. mi.).
Terrain: Alps mountains rising to more than 2 800 meters (8 200 ft.) in the north, wide plateaus over 1000 meters (3 280 ft.) high in the southeast, Karst limestone region of caves in the south-southwest, hills in the east, and approximately 50 kilometers (39 mi.) of coastline on the Adriatic Sea.
Border countries: Austria, Croatia, Italy, Hungary

Climate: Mixture of continental, Alpine and Mediterranean climate, with cold winters and warm summers.

Government:
Type: Parliamentary democratic republic.
Independence: 25 June 1991, Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia.
Constitution: 23 December 1991.

People:
Nationality: Noun--Slovene(s). Adjective--Slovenian.
Population: 2 million.
Ethnic groups: Slovenes 83.06%, Croats 1.81%, Serbs 1.98%, Bosniaks 1.10%, Hungarians 0.32%, Montenegrins 0.14%, Macedonians 0.20%, Albanians 0.31%, Italians 0.11%, Roma 0.17%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 57.8%, refused to reply 15.7%, atheist 10.1%, Orthodox Christian 2.3%, Muslim 2.4%.
Languages: Slovene (official). Hungarian, Italian are spoken in the border regions, and German fluency is common near the Austrian border. Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian are spoken by a minority (6%). English is widely understood by business people and students.
Literacy: 99%

Business

Currency: Slovenian Tolar (SIT), fully convertible since September 1995.

Natural resources: Coal, mercury, timber.

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.

Exports partners: Germany 23.2%, Italy 13.2%, Croatia 9%, Austria 7.3%, France 5.7%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.2% (2003)

Imports partners: Germany 19.3%, Italy 18.3%, France 10%, Austria 8.6% (2003)

Internet Links

Official Sites of Slovenia

Predsednik Republike Slovenije

Government of the Republic of Slovenia

Predsednik Vlade

Drzavni zbor

E-uprava

Government Public Relations and Media Office

Ministrstvo za Zunanje Zadeve

Diplomatic Missions
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations

Embassy of Slovenia

List of Diplomatic Missions of and in Slovenia

Statistics
Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia

Weather
Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje

Maps
Map of Slovenia

Introduction

Slovenia

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. 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.

Geography Slovenia

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 sq km water: 122 sq km land: 20,151 sq km

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 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, forests

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 3% other: 86% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (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-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

Geography - note: despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country
controls some of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population: 1,932,917 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.7% (male 155,989; female 147,707) 15-64
years: 69.8% (male 684,354; female 663,884) 65 years and over: 14.5%
(male 103,790; female 177,193) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.14% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 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 total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 79.37 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.28 children born/woman (2002 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 (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, 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%

Government Slovenia

Country name: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Government
type: parliamentary democratic republic

Capital: Ljubljana

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 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% elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 24 November 1997 (next to be held in the fall of 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)

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 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 November 1997, 40 members were elected to represent
local, professional, and socioeconomic interests (next election to be
held in the fall of 2002) elections: National Assembly - last held 15
October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)

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 [Peter LEVIC]; 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, ICC, 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, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Davorin KRACUN FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York
and Cleveland telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 chancery: 1525 New Hampshire
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Johnny YOUNG 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] (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

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview: Although Slovenia enjoys a GDP per capita
substantially higher than that of the other transitioning 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. Despite the
global slowdown in 2001, the economy turned in an excellent record on
exports, which grew 5%. Inflation dropped slightly but at 8.4% remains
a matter of concern.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 35% services: 61%
(2001 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): 8.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 857,400

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (2001 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: 3.3% (2001)

Electricity - production: 12.816 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 34.93% hydro: 29.42%
other: 0.23% (2000) nuclear: 35.42%

Electricity - consumption: 10.619 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 700 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn,
grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports: $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

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

Exports - partners: Germany 27.2%, Italy 13.6%, Croatia 7.9%, Austria
7.5%, France 7.1% (2000)

Imports: $9.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)

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

Imports - partners: Germany 19.0%, Italy 17.4%, France 10.3%, Austria
8.2%, Croatia 4.4%, Hungary, Russia (2000)

Debt - external: $6.6 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $5 million (1993)

Currency: tolar (SIT)

Currency code: SIT

Exchange rates: tolars per US dollar - 251.40 (January 2002), 242.75
(2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998), 159.69 (1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Slovenia

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)

Radios: 805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 48 (2001)

Televisions: 710,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .si

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2000)

Internet users: 600,000 (2001)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways: total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (489
km electrified) (2001)

Highways: total: 19,586 km paved: 17,745 km (including 249 km of
expressways) unpaved: 1,841 km (1998 est.)

Waterways: NA

Pipelines: crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km

Ports and harbors: Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports: 14 (2001)

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 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to
1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military Slovenia

Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 521,881 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 414,878
(2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 14,513
(2002 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international: Slovenia and Croatia have not obtained
parliamentary ratification of 2001 land and marine boundary treaty, which
cedes villages on the Dragonja River and Sveta Gera (Trdinov Peak) to
Croatia, and most of Pirin Bay to Slovenia but restricts Slovenian access
to the open sea; 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

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

Slovenia News
Delo

Dnevnik

Morel

Slovenia News

Slovenska tiskovna agencija - STA

Vecer