Slovenia

In 1918 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 make Slovenia a candidate for future membership in the EU.

• 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

party to:

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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

0-14 years:

16% (male 162,932; female 154,513)

15-64 years:

69% (male 678,502; female 660,637)

65 years and over:

15% (male 98,739; female 172,270) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.57 male(s)/female

total population:

0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

total population:

74.86 years

male:

70.97 years

female:

78.97 years (2000 est.)

noun:

Slovene(s)

adjective:

Slovenian

conventional long form:

Republic of Slovenia

conventional short form:

Slovenia

local long form:

Republika Slovenije

local short form:

Slovenija

136 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (obcine mestne, singular - obcina mestna) 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

chief of state:

President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990)

head of government:

Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992)

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 24 November 1997 (next to be held NA 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 10 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 2000)

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 - 51%

• 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

• Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Joze GLOBACNIK];
• Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman];
• Slovene Christian Democrats or SKD [Lozje PETERLE, chairman];
• Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC, chairman];
• Slovene People's Party or SLS [Marjan PODOBNIK, chairman];
• Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA, chairman];
• United List (former Communists and allies) or ZLSD [Janez KOCIJANCIC, chairman]

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant)

chancery:

1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 667-5363

FAX:

[1] (202) 667-4563

consulate(s) general:

New York

consulate(s):

Cleveland

chief of mission:

Ambassador Nancy ELY-RAPHEL

embassy:

address NA, Ljubljana

mailing address:

P. O. Box 254, Prazakova 4, 1000 Ljubljana; American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140

telephone:

[386] (61) 301-427, 472, 485

FAX:

[386] (61) 301-401

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

lowest 10%:

4%

highest 10%:

24.5% (1993)

domestic:

70% digital; full digital switching scheduled for 2000

international:

NA

total:

1,201 km

standard gauge:

1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 489 km) (1999)

total:

19,586 km

paved:

17,745 km (including 249 km of expressways)

unpaved:

1,841 km (1998 est.)

• significant progress has been made with Croatia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic;
• Italy and Slovenia made progress in resolving bilateral issues