Slovenia Population: 2,000,092
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| 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; it joined the eurozone in 2007. |
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| Geography | |
| Despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes | |
| Location: | south Central Europe, Julian Alps between Austria and Croatia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 46 07 N, 14 49 E |
| Area: | total: 20,273 sq km land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than New Jersey |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 1,086 km border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km |
| Coastline: | 46.6 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm |
| 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 |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m |
| Natural resources: | lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests |
| Land use: | arable land: 8.53% permanent crops: 1.43% other: 90.04% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 100 sq km (2008) |
| Natural hazards: | flooding; earthquakes |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 2,000,092 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 13.4% (male 138,604/female 130,337) 15-64 years: 69.8% (male 703,374/female 692,640) 65 years and over: 16.8% (male 132,069/female 203,068) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 42.4 years male: 40.7 years female: 44.1 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.163% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 8.85 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 10.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.066 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 4.17 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 77.3 years male: 73.64 years female: 81.2 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.3 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 100 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian |
| Ethnic groups: | Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census) |
| Religions: | 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) |
| Languages: | Slovenian (official) 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%, Italian (official, only in municipalities where Italian national communities reside, Hungarian (official, only in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside (2002 census) |
| Literacy: | definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2000 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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: | 200 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina) municipalities: Ajdovscina, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola/Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Makole, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sevnica, Sezana, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Salovci, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sostanj, Store, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk urban municipalities: Celje, Koper-Capodistria, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje |
| Independence: | 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) |
| Constitution: | adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000 |
| Legal system: | civil law system |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal |
| 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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held on 8 October 2012); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly election results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime minister by National Assembly vote |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament consists of a 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) and the National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members 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 elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held on 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: | Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Liberal Democracy of Slovenia or LDS [Katarina KRESAL]; New Slovenia or NSi [Ljudmila NOVAK (acting)]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Radovan ZERJAV]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD); ZARES [Gregor GOLOBIC] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC] other: Catholic Church |
| International organization participation: | Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Roman KIRN 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 Joseph A. MUSSOMELI 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 |
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| Economy | |
| Slovenia became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has become 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. In 2009, the world recession caused the economy to contract - through falling exports and industrial production - by more than 8%, and unemployment to rise above 9%. Although growth resumed in 2010, the unemployment rate continued to rise, topping 10%. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $56.58 billion (2010 est.) $55.91 billion (2009 est.) $60.85 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $47.85 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 1.2% (2010 est.) -8.1% (2009 est.) 3.7% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $28,200 (2010 est.) $27,900 (2009 est.) $30,300 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 2.4% industry: 31.3% services: 66.4% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: | 935,500 (2010 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 2.2% industry: 35% services: 62.8% (2009) |
| Unemployment rate: | 10.7% (2010 est.) 9.2% (2009 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 12.3% (2008) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.6% (2004) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 28.4 (2008) 23.8 (2004) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2010 est.) 0.9% (2009 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 23.1% of GDP (2010 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $19.62 billion expenditures: $22.14 billion (2010 est.) |
| Public debt: | 33% of GDP (2010 est.) 31.3% of GDP (2009 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, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 6.4% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 13 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 14.7 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 9.197 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 3.041 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 5 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 63,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 8,958 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 60,270 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 890 million cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 890 million cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$542.7 million (2010 est.) -$732.4 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $24.39 billion (2010 est.) $22.53 billion (2009 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
| Exports - partners: | Germany 19.2%, Italy 12.5%, Austria 7.4%, France 6.8%, Croatia 6.4%, Hungary 4.4% (2010) |
| Imports: | $25.68 billion (2010 est.) $23.5 billion (2009 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food |
| Imports - partners: | Germany 16.2%, Italy 15.5%, Austria 10.6%, France 4.8%, Croatia 4.6%, China 4.1% (2010) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $NA (31 December 2010 est.) $1.08 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $51.57 billion (30 June 2010) $54.61 billion (31 December 2008) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $15.02 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $15.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $7.603 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $7.901 billion (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $9.428 billion (31 December 2010) $11.77 billion (31 December 2009) $11.77 billion (31 December 2008) |
| Exchange rates: | euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.755 (2010) 0.7198 (2009) 0.6827 (2008) 0.7345 (2007) note: on 1 January 2007 Slovenia adopted the euro as legal tender |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 1.034 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 77 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 2.1 million (2009) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: well-developed telecommunications infrastructure domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 386 |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .si |
| Internet hosts: | 137,494 (2010) |
| Internet users: | 1.298 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 16 (2010) country comparison to the world: 143 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2010) |
| Pipelines: | gas 840 km; oil 5 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 1,228 km standard gauge: 1,228 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2009) |
| Roadways: | total: 38,925 km paved: 38,925 km (includes 658 km of expressways) (2009) |
| Waterways: | (there is some transport on the Drava River) (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 25 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Liberia 5, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Koper |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 477,592 females age 16-49: 464,301 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 392,075 females age 16-49: 380,077 (2010 est.) |
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