General information: In 1918, the Slovenes united with the Serbs and Croats, forming a new state, which since 1929 became known as Yugoslavia. After the Second World War, Slovenia turned into a republic within the renewed Yugoslavia – a power, albeit a communist one, but not controlled by Moscow. Dissatisfied with the rule of the Serbian majority, in 1991 Slovenia declared its independence. Historical ties with Western Europe make Slovenia a candidate for EU and NATO membership.
Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, east of the Alps, on the Adriatic coast, between Austria and Croatia.
Geographic coordinates: 46° 00′ N. latitude, 15° 00′ E
Reference map: Europe.
Area: total: 20,253 km2; land surface area: 20,253 km2; water surface area: 0 km2
Comparative area: Slightly smaller than New Jersey.
Land borders: total: 1,165 km; with neighboring states: with Austria 330 km, with Hungary 102 km, with Italy 232 km, with Croatia 501 km.
Coastline: 46.6 km.
Maritime claims: no data.
Climate: on the Mediterranean coast, on the hills and in the valleys in the east of the country, continental; summers are mild to hot, winters are cold.
Relief: a short coastal strip of the Adriatic Sea, an alpine region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mountains alternating with valleys, and numerous rivers in the east of the country.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m; highest point: Mount Triglav 2,864 m.
Natural resources: brown coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower.
Land use: arable land: 12%; cultivated land: 3%; pastures: 24%; forests and plantations: 54%; others: 7% (1996 est.).
Irrigated land: 20 km2 (1993 est.).
Natural Hazards: floods and earthquakes.
Actual environmental problems: water pollution in the Sava River by household and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; damage to forests near the city of Koper caused by air pollutant emissions from metallurgical and chemical industries and the resulting acid rain.
International environmental treaties: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution – Sulfur 1994, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Pollution, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands land; signed but not ratified: Air Pollution – Persistent Organic Pollutants, Kyoto Protocol.
Note to the section “Geography”:
Population
Population: 1,930,132 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: under 14: 16.09% (male 159,428; female 151,134); 15 to 64 years old: 69.61% (male 681,333; female 662,170); over 65: 14.3% (male 101,354; female 174,713) (2001 est.).
Population growth: 0.14% (2001 est.).
Birth rate: 9.32 newborns / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Mortality: 9.98 deaths / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Migration: 2.11 people /1000 people (2001 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male/female; under 15: 1.05 male/female; from 15 to 64 years old: 1.03 male/female; over 65: 0.58 male/female; for the general population: 0.95 male/female (2001 est.);
Child mortality: 4.51 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.).
Life expectancy: for the general population: 75.08 years; men: 71.2 years; women: 79.17 years (2001 est.).
General birth rate: 1.28 children/wives. (2001 est.).
Proportion of adults infected with HIV: 0.02% (1999 est.).
Number of people infected with HIV: 200 (1999 est.).
AIDS deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.).
Nationality: noun: Slovene; adjective: Slovenian.
Ethnic groups: Slovenes 88%, Croats 3%, Serbs 2%, Bosniaks 1%, Yugoslavs 0.6%, Hungarians 0.4%, other 5% (1991).
Believers: Catholics 68.8%, Uniates 2%, Lutherans 1%, Muslims 1%, atheists 4.3%, representatives of other religions 22.9%.
Language(s): Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%.
Literacy: definition: no data; for the general population: 99%; men: no data; women: no data.
Politics
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia;
conventional short form: Slovenia; local long form: Republika Slovenije local short form: Slovenija
State structure: democratic republic with a parliamentary form of government. See politicsezine.com to know more about Slovenia Political System.
Capital: Ljubljana.
Administrative division: 136 communities 11 urban communities: Aidovshchina, Beltinci, Bled, Bo-vech, Borovnica, Bohinj, Brda, Brežice, Brežovica, Belene*, Velika Laske, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vrhnika, Vuzhenica, Gorenya -Vash-Polyane, Gorishnitsa, Horni-Grad, Horni-Petrovci, Gornja-Radgona, Groshuple, De-strnik-Trnovska-Vash, Divacha, Dobrepole, Dob-rova-Khoryul-Polkhov-Hradec, Dol-pri-Ljubljana, Domzhal, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Jesenice, Zhavrch, Zalec, Zhelezniki, Zhiri, Zagorje-ob-Sava, Zrece, Ivanchna-Gorica, Ig, Isola, Ilir-ska-Bistritsa, Indriya, Kamnik, Canal, Kidriche-vo, Kobared, Kobile, Kozie, Komen, Koper*, Kochevje, Kran*, Kranjska Gora, Krenshovtsy, Krsko, Kuzma, Kungota, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava, Litiya, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Bulb, Luce, Ljubljana *, Ljubno, Lutomer, Maisperk, Ma-ribor*, Medvode, Mezhitsa, Mengesh, Metlika, Mi-ren-Kostanjevitsa, Mislinya, Mozhirye,Moravske Toplice, Moravce, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Nazarie, Nakto, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Ormoz, Osilnica, Peshnitsa, Pivka, Piran, Podvelka-Ribnica, Podcetrtek, Stay-na, Predvor, Ptuj*, Puconci, Ravne-Prevalje, Radenci, Radece, Radle-ob-Dravy, Radovljica, Ratse-Fram, Ribnica, Rogaska-Slatina, Rogatec, Rogashevtsi, Ruse, Sveti-Yury, Sevnitsa, Sezana, Semich, Sentil, Sentierney, Centur pri Celje, Senchur, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Slovenj Hradec*, Smartno ob Paki, Smarje pri Jelsakh, Sostan, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebne, Trzic, Turnische, Hodosh-Salovtsi, Khrastnik, Khrpele-Kozina, Tsankova-Tishina, Celje*, Tserkle-on-Gorensky, Tserknitsa, Tserkno, Crna-on-Ko-roskem, Chrnomel, Shkoflitsa, Škofja-Loka, Shkocyan, Shtarse, Shtore, Yursintsi.Osilnitsa, Peshnitsa, Pivka, Piran, Podwielka-Ribnica, Podtsertek, Wait a minute, Predvor, Ptuj*, Puconci, Ravne-Prevalje, Radenci, Radece, Radle-ob-Dravy, Radovljica, Ratse-Fram, Ribnica, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Rogashevtsi, Ruse, Sveti-Yury, Sevnica, Sezana, Semich, Sentil, Sentierney, Sentur-pri-Cele, Senchur, Slovenska-Bistritsa, Slovenske-Konji-tse, Sloven-Gradec*, Smartno-ob-Paki, Smarje-pri-Elsy, Sostan, Tolmin, Trbovle, Trebne, Trzhich, Turnishche, Khodosh-Salovtsi, Khrastnik, Khrpele-Kozina, Tsankova-Tishina, Celje*, Churchle-on-Gorensky, Churchnica, Cerkno, Crna-na-Ko -Roskem, Chrnomel, Shkoflitsa, Shkofja Loka, Shkocyan, Shtarse, Shtore, Yursintsi.Osilnitsa, Peshnitsa, Pivka, Piran, Podwielka-Ribnica, Podtsertek, Wait a minute, Predvor, Ptuj*, Puconci, Ravne-Prevalje, Radenci, Radece, Radle-ob-Dravy, Radovljica, Ratse-Fram, Ribnica, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Rogashevtsi, Ruse, Sveti-Yury, Sevnica, Sezana, Semich, Sentil, Sentierney, Sentur-pri-Cele, Senchur, Slovenska-Bistritsa, Slovenske-Konji-tse, Sloven-Gradec*, Smartno-ob-Paki, Smarje-pri-Elsy, Sostan, Tolmin, Trbovle, Trebne, Trzhich, Turnishche, Khodosh-Salovtsi, Khrastnik, Khrpele-Kozina, Tsankova-Tishina, Celje*, Churchle-on-Gorensky, Churchnica, Cerkno, Crna-na-Ko -Roskem, Chrnomel, Shkoflitsa, Shkofja Loka, Shkocyan, Shtarse, Shtore, Yursintsi.Sveti Yuriy, Sevnica, Sezana, Semich, Sentil, Sentierney, Sentyur-pri-Cele, Senchur, Slovenska Bystrica, Slovenske-Konji-ce, Sloven-Gradec*, Smartno-ob-Paki, Smarje-pri-Jelsy, Sostan, Tolmin, Trbovle, Trebne, Trzhich, Tournische, Hodosh-Salovtsi, Khrastnik, Khrpele-Kozina, Tsankova-Tishina, Celje*, Tserkle-on-Gorensky, Tserknica, Tserkno, Crna-on-Ko-roskem, Chrnomel, Shkoflitsa, Shkofja Loka, Shkocyan, Shtarse, Shtore, Yursintsi.Sveti Yuriy, Sevnica, Sezana, Semich, Sentil, Sentierney, Sentyur-pri-Cele, Senchur, Slovenska Bystrica, Slovenske-Konji-ce, Sloven-Gradec*, Smartno-ob-Paki, Smarje-pri-Jelsy, Sostan, Tolmin, Trbovle, Trebne, Trzhich, Tournische, Hodosh-Salovtsi, Khrastnik, Khrpele-Kozina, Tsankova-Tishina, Celje*, Tserkle-on-Gorensky, Tserknica, Tserkno, Crna-on-Ko-roskem, Chrnomel, Shkoflitsa, Shkofja Loka, Shkocyan, Shtarse, Shtore, Yursintsi.
Independence: from June 25, 1991 (until 1991 – as part of Yugoslavia).
National holiday: State Independence Day, June 25 (1991).
Constitution: adopted on December 23, 1991, entered into force on December 23, 1991.
Legal system: based on the civil law system.
Suffrage: from 18 years old; universal (from 16 years old for employees).
chief of state: President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 15 October 1992)
government: the Council of Ministers appointed by the Prime Minister and approved by the National Assembly; elections: the president is directly elected for a five-year term; elections last held 24 November 1997 (next to be held in 2002); after elections to the State Assembly, the president usually nominates the leader of the majority party or majority coalition for prime minister; the candidate is subject to approval by the National Assembly; elections last held 15 October 2000 (next to be held in October 2004); election results: Milan KUCAN elected president; percentage of votes – Milan KUCAN 56.3%, Janez PODOBNIK 18%; Janez DRNOVSEK appointed Prime Minister; percentage of votes in the National Assembly – no data.
Legislature: unicameral State Assembly (Drzavni Zbor) (90 seats, 40 members elected by direct election, 50 by proportional representation; note – the number of members of the chamber, directly elected and elected by proportional representation, changes with each election; members of the chamber are directly elected voting for 4 years); elections: last held 15 October 2000 (next to be held in October 2004); election results: distribution of votes by party – LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD 12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSI 9%, SMS 4%, SNS 4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; allocation of seats between parties – LDS 34, SDS 14, ZLSD 11, SLS/SKD 9, NSI 8, SMS 4, SNS 4, DeSUS 4, others 2; note: there is also a State Council (Drzavni Svet), being an advisory body with limited legislative powers; he can propose bills and demand revision of the decisions of the National Assembly; in the November 1997 elections, 40 members representing local, professional, socio-economic groups were elected (next elections to be held in autumn 2002).
Judiciary: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council; Constitutional Court, judges are elected for a term of 9 years by the National Assembly and appointed by the president.
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) (Janko KUSAR); Liberal Democracy (LDS) (Janes DRNOVSEK, Chairman); New Slovenia (NSI) (Andrej BAJUK, Chairman); Slovenian National Party (SNS) (Zmago JELINCIC, Chairman); Slovenian People’s Party (SLS) (formed by the April 2000 merger of the Slovenian People’s Party [SLS] and the Slovenian Christian Democrats [SKD]) (Franc ZAGOZEN, chairman); Slovenian Youth Party (SMS) (leader – no data); Social Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDS) (Janez JANSA, chairman); Joint List of Social Democrats (former communists and their allies) (ZLSD) (Borut PAHOR, chairman).
Political influence groups and their leaders:
Participation in international organizations: ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EARC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO.
Diplomatic representation in the USA: head of mission: Ambassador Davorin KRASUN (Davorin KRACUN); office: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036; phone: [1] (202) 667-5363; fax: [\] (202) 667-4563; consulates general: New York; Consulate: Cleveland.
US Diplomatic Mission: Head of Mission: Ambassador Nancy ELY-RAPHEL; embassy: Presernova 31, SI-1000 Ljubljana; mailing address: R. O. Box 254, Prazakova 4,1000 Ljubljana; American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140; phone: [386] (01) 200-5500; fax: [386] (01) 200-5555.
Flag Description: three equal-sized horizontal stripes of white (top), blue and red, with the seal of Slovenia (a shield with the image of Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia, is white on a blue background in the center; below the image of Triglav are two wavy blue lines symbolizing seas and rivers, above it – three six-pointed stars inside an inverted triangle – the composition is borrowed from the coat of arms of the counts of Celje – the great Slovenian dynasty of the late XIV-early XV centuries); the seal is located at the top of the side adjacent to the pole, over the white and blue stripes.
