Slovenia

Republic of SloveniaRepublika Slovenija

parliamentary republicIndependence 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Slovenia as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 135 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 2008 est. · 1.96m in 1992
Population growth% a year
-0.088% 2008 est. · 0.23% in 1993
Median ageyears
41.4 years 2008 est. · 38.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
76.73 years 2008 est. · 74 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.27 children per woman 2008 est. · 1.68 in 1993
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
4.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 2008 est. · 8.3 in 1993
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$28,000 2007 est. · $10,700 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6.1% 2007 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

20 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
territorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
2,864m
Triglavlowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,086km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 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, building stone, hydropower, forests

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total:
0.9
per capita:
457 cu m/yr (2002)

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-Nitrogen Oxides, 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People

21 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)

127,313
65 and over16.3%
199,383
709,689
15-6470.1%
697,862
140,686
0-1413.6%
132,778
MaleFemale
Population
2,007,711
(July 2008 est.)growth rate: -0.088% (2008 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)

Birth
8.99Death
10.51Net migration
0.64

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2008 est.)76.73
73.04 · 80.66Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)4.3
4.87 · 3.69Literacy99.7%
99.7% · 99.6%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2008 est.)41.4
39.8 · 42.9School life expectancy years (2006)17
16 · 17
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%Muslim 2.4%Orthodox 2.3%other Christian 0.9%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:
0.64 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.27 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer 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)

Education expenditures

6% of GDP (2005)

Government

Parliamentary republic; President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007); Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

30.5%
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%National Assembly - last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held 8 October 2012)

Legislature, 90 seatsone dot, one seat

SD 29SDS 28ZARES 9DeSUS 7SNS 5SLS+SMS 5LDS 5Hungarian minority 1Italian minority 1

Percent of vote

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%

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: the Government of Slovenia has reported 210 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 Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007)
head of government:
Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008)
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 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held in the fall of 2012);
  • 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 on 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections to be held in October 2008)
election results:
  • Danilo TURK elected president;
  • percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%;
  • Janez JANSA elected prime minister by National Assembly vote - 57 to 27 in 2004

Legislative branch

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

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

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

  • Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL];
  • New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK];
  • Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA];
  • Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC];
  • Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
  • Slovene People's Party or SLS [Bojan SROT];
  • Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC];
  • Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD);
  • ZARES [Gregor Golobic]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Democratic Party of Slovenian Pensioners or DeSUS (protecting the rights of the older generation); Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]; other: Catholic Church

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, 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, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mariam MOZGAN
chancery:
2410 California Street N.W., Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 386-6601
FAX:
[1] (202) 386-6633
consulate(s) general:
Cleveland, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Yousif B. GHAFARI
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 in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands

Economy

Slovenia, which on 1 January 2007 became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is a model of economic success and stability for the region.

51 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$56.19billion
(2007 est.)official exchange rate: $46.08 billion (2007 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$28,000
(2007 est.)
Real growth rate
6.1%
(2007 est.)industrial production growth: 9.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)

agriculture 2.1%industry 34.4%services 63.5% (2007 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

18.7%
Germany
18.1%
12.5%
Italy
17.1%
7.5%
Austria
11.7%
8%
Croatia
4.6%
5.9%
France
5%
4.4%
Russia
Exports $27.06 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)Imports $29.39 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)(2007)

Budget

Revenues
$19.17 billionExpenditures
$19.04 billion (2007 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
14.13 billion (2007 est.)Electricity consumption
13.4 billion (2006 est.)Electricity exports
5.894 billion (2007 est.)Electricity imports
6.14 billion (2007 est.)

Economy - overview

Slovenia, which on 1 January 2007 became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro, is 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.

Labor force

925,000 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
2.5%
industry:
36%
services:
61.5% (2007)

Unemployment rate

7.7% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Investment (gross fixed)

28.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Public debt

23.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.82% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$9.347 billion

note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the Euro Area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 15 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU);

individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money

$12.69 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit

NA (31 December 2007)

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, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Oil - production

5 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption

54,310 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

4,535 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

59,110 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production

4 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.105 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.073 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance

-$2.181 billion (2007 est.)

Exports

$27.06 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports

$29.39 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$5.682 billion (30 September 2007 est.)

Debt - external

$40.42 billion (30 June 2007)

Currency (code)

euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 2007, the euro became Slovenia's currency; both the tolar and the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15 January 2007

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), tolars per US dollar - 190.85 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003) note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
1.928 million
(2007)
Internet users
75,984
(2008)
Fixed lines
857,100
(2007) · country code .si

Telephone system

general assessment:
well-developed telecommunications infrastructure
domestic:
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 140 telephones per 100 persons
international:
country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)

Internet users

1.3 million (2007)

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
38,562Railways
1,229
Roadways: paved: 38,562 km (includes 579 km of expressways) (2006) · Railways: standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2006)

Airports

14 (2007)

Pipelines

gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2007)

Railways

total:
1,229 km
standard gauge:
1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total:
38,562 km
paved:
38,562 km (includes 579 km of expressways) (2006)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 29 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 3, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2008)

Military

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

6 fields
Military expenditures
1.7%of GDP
(2005 est.)

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 (2007)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49:
494,496
females age 16-49:
481,180 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
406,951
females age 16-49:
395,444 (2008 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;
  • 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

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Slovenia.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/slovenia/2008.