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.

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

46 07 N, 14 49 E

Europe

slightly smaller than New Jersey

46.6 km

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east

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

lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests

30 sq km (2003)

32.1 cu km (2005)

flooding; earthquakes

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

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

2,003,136 (July 2010 est.)

-0.142% (2010 est.)

8.92 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

280 (2007 est.)

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

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

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

6% of GDP (2005)

parliamentary republic

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

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

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)

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 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]

Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD (accession state), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, derive from the medieval coat of arms of the Duchy of Carniola; 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) appears in the upper hoist side of the flag centered on the white and blue bands

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 7%, and unemployment to rise above 9%.

$55.84 billion (2009 est.)

$60.24 billion (2008 est.)

$58.21 billion (2007 est.)

$50.13 billion (2009 est.)

-7.3% (2009 est.)

3.5% (2008 est.)

6.8% (2007 est.)

$27,900 (2009 est.)

$30,000 (2008 est.)

$29,000 (2007 est.)

914,000 (2009 est.)

9.4% (2009 est.)

6.7% (2008 est.)

12.3% (2008)

28.4 (2008)

23.8 (2004)

23.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

34% of GDP (2009 est.)

23% of GDP (2008 est.)

0.8% (2009 est.)

5.7% (2008 est.)

3% (31 December 2008)

5% (31 December 2007)

7.41% (31 December 2008)

6.82% (31 December 2007)

$NA (30 September 2009)

$9.347 billion (31 December 2006)

$NA (30 September 2009)

$12.69 billion (31 December 2006)

$46.4 billion (31 December 2009)

$45 billion (31 December 2008)

$28.1 billion (31 December 2009)

$22.1 billion (31 December 2008)

$28.96 billion (31 December 2007)

potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

-19% (2009 est.)

13 billion kWh (2009 est.)

14.7 billion kWh (2009 est.)

7.82 billion kWh (2008 est.)

6.218 billion kWh (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

56,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

57,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

1.05 billion cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

1.05 billion cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$117 million (2009 est.)

-$3.267 billion (2008 est.)

$24.3 billion (2009 est.)

$28.7 billion (2008 est.)

manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Germany 18.2%, Italy 11.4%, Croatia 8.1%, Austria 7.3%, France 5.5%, Russia 4.7% (2008)

$22.9 billion (2009 est.)

$32.4 billion (2008 est.)

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

Germany 17%, Italy 16.4%, Austria 11.1%, France 4.6%, Croatia 4.1% (2008)

$3.873 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$7.57 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$55 billion (31 August 2009)

$54.61 billion (31 December 2008)

$12.51 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$15.98 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$8.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$7.592 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007)

1.01 million (2008)

2.055 million (2008)

AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006)

31 (2006)

.si

88,567 (2009)

1.126 million (2008)

16 (2009)

gas 840 km; oil 11 km (2009)

some transport on Drava River (2008)

Koper

Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces)

17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2007)

1.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals