Slovenia
Republic of SloveniaRepublika Slovenija
parliamentary democratic republicIndependence 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Slovenia as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 20,273 sq km
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 mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
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
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2003 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(1991)
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.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 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 (2003 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democratic republic; President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002); Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly or Drzavni Zborpercent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Slovenia
- conventional short form:
- Slovenia
- local short form:
- Slovenija
- local long form:
- Republika Slovenija
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
- 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)
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
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
- 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 [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]
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
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, 1000 Ljubljana
- mailing address:
- American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, 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, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe.
41 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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.
Industries
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food
Exchange rates
tolars per US dollar - 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998)
Communications
8 fieldsTransportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Military
Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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
Illicit drugs
minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Slovenia.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/slovenia/2003.