Slovenia

Republic of SloveniaRepublika Slovenija

parliamentary republicIndependence 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Slovenia as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 124 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLjubljana, UTC+1
Position46 07 N, 14 49 E
Area20,273 sq km
LocationCentral Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Populationas each edition published it
2.01 million July 2006 est. · 1.96m in 1992
Population growth% a year
-0.05% 2006 est. · 0.23% in 1993
Median ageyears
40.6 years 2006 est. · 38.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
76.33 years 2006 est. · 74 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.25 children per woman 2006 est. · 1.68 in 1993
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
4.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 8.3 in 1993
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$21,500 2005 est. · $10,700 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
4% 2005 est. · -10% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 20,273 sq km

arable land 8.53%permanent crops 1.43%other 90.04% (2005)irrigated 30 sq km (2003)
Area
20,273sq km
land: 20,151 sq kmwater: 122 sq kmslightly smaller than New Jersey
Coastline
46.6km
Maritime claims: NA
Highest point
2,864m
Triglavlowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,382km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 280 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

46 07 N, 14 49 E

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

Natural resources

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

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-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note

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

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

121,280
65 and over15.7%
193,595
714,393
15-6470.5%
702,950
143,079
0-1413.8%
135,050
MaleFemale
Population
2,010,347
(July 2006 est.)growth rate: -0.05% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth
8.98Death
10.31Net migration
0.88

Male · female(2006 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years76.33
72.63 · 80.29Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births4.4
4.99 · 3.77
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99.7%
99.7% · 99.6%Median age years40.6
39 · 42.2
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: NA

Ethnic groups(2002 census)

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

Religions(2002 census)

Catholic 57.8%Orthodox 2.3%other Christian 0.9%Muslim 2.4%unaffiliated 3.5%other or unspecified 23%none 10.1% (2002 census)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.63 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.25 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Slovene(s)
adjective:
Slovenian

Languages

Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census)

Government

Parliamentary republic; President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002); Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November 2004)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

29.1%
SDS 29.1%LDS 22.8%ZLSD 10.2%NSi 9%SLS 6.8%SNS 6.3%DeSUS 4.1%other 11.7%National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held October 2008)

Legislaturepercent of vote

SDS 29.1%LDS 22.8%ZLSD 10.2%NSi 9%SLS 6.8%SNS 6.3%DeSUS 4.1%other 11.7%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form:
Slovenia
local long form:
Republika Slovenija
local short form:
Slovenija
former:
People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name:
Ljubljana
geographic coordinates:
46 03 N, 14 31 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution

adopted 23 December 1991

Suffrage

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

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
head of government:
Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November 2004)
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 (eligible for a second 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 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections to be held October 2008)
election results:
  • Janez DRNOVSEK elected president;
  • percent of vote - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%;
  • Janez JANSA elected prime minister;
  • National Assembly vote - 57 to 27

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consisting of a 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) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions, and call national referenda; members - representing social, economic, professional, and local interests - are indirectly elected to five-year terms by an electoral college)

elections:
National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held October 2008)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%, ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
  • seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

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 [Karl ERJAVEC];
  • Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN];
  • New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK];
  • Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA];
  • Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
  • Slovene People's Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK];
  • Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC];
  • Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR]

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR
chancery:
1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 667-5363
FAX:
[1] (202) 667-4563
consulate(s) general:
Cleveland, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON
embassy:
Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
mailing address:
American Embassy Ljubljana, US 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

With its small transition economy and population of approximately two million, Slovenia is a model of economic success and stability for its neighbors in the former Yugoslavia.

44 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$43.27billion
(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $35.21 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$21,500
(2005 est.)
Real growth rate
4%
(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 3.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)

agriculture 2.8%industry 36.9%services 60.3% (2005 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

19.9%
Germany
19.5%
12.7%
Italy
18.6%
8.1%
Austria
12%
9.4%
Croatia
4.2%
8.1%
France
7.2%
Exports $18.53 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)Imports $19.62 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues
$16.02 billionExpenditures
$16.73 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

Electricity production
14.02 billion (2003)Electricity consumption
12.52 billion (2003)Electricity exports
5.811 billion (2003)Electricity imports
5.975 billion (2003)

Economy - overview

With its small transition economy and population of approximately two million, Slovenia is a model of economic success and stability for its neighbors in the former Yugoslavia. The country, which joined the EU in 2004, has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and an excellent central location.

It enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than any of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. Slovenia plans to adopt the euro by 2007 and has met the EU's Maastricht criteria for inflation.

Despite its economic success, Slovenia faces growing challenges. Much of the economy remains in state hands and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia is one of the lowest in the EU on a per capita basis. Taxes are relatively high, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere.

The current center-right government, elected in October 2004, has pledged to accelerate privatization of a number of large state holdings and is interested in increasing FDI in Slovenia. In late 2005, the government's new Committee for Economic Reforms was elevated to cabinet-level status.

The Committee's program includes plans for lowering the tax burden, privatizing state-controlled firms, improving the flexibility of the labor market, and increasing the government's efficiency.

Labor force

920,000 (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
4.8%
industry:
39.1%
services:
56.1% (2004)

Unemployment rate

6.3% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

At-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers: 10% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.6%
highest 10%:
21.4% (1998)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Public debt

28.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

Oil - production

11.05 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

52,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.1 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports

963 million cu m (2002)

Current account balance

$-303 million (2005 est.)

Exports

$18.53 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports

$19.62 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.16 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$18.97 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$484 million in committed EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Currency (code)

tolar (SIT)

Exchange rates

tolars per US dollar - 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
1.759 million
(2005)
Internet users
61,735
(2006)
Fixed lines
816,400
(2005) · country code .si

Telephone system

general assessment:
NA
domestic:
100% digital (2000)
international:
country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Internet users

1.09 million (2005)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

1
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
2
914 to 1,523 m
2
1
under 914 m
4
Paved 6Unpaved 8

Networkskm

Roadways
38,400Railways
1,229
Roadways: paved: 38,400 km (including 477 km of expressways) (2003) · Railways: standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2005)

Airports

14 (2006)

Pipelines

gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2006)

Railways

total:
1,229 km
standard gauge:
1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways

total:
38,400 km
paved:
38,400 km (including 477 km of expressways) (2003)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 26 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1) (2006)

Military

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

6 fields

Military branches

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 17-49:
496,929
females age 17-49:
483,959 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 17-49:
405,593
females age 17-49:
397,167 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
12,816
females age 17-49:
12,178 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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;
  • as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovenia must implement 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

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Slovenia.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/slovenia/2006.