Slovenia

Airports

total: 14 usable: 13 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2

Highways

total: 14,553 km paved: 10,525 km unpaved: gravel 4,028 km

Inland waterways

NA

Merchant marine

19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 309,502 GRT/521,997 DWT controlled by Slovenian owners, bulk 13, cargo 6 note: most under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; no ships remain under the Slovenian flag

Pipelines

crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km

Ports

coastal - Koper

Railroads

1,200 km, 1.435 m gauge (1991)

Telecommunications

130,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 5 FM, 7 TV; 370,000 radios; 330,000 TVs

Branches

Slovene Defense Forces

Defense expenditures

13.5 billion tolars, 4.5% of GDP (1993); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 513,885; fit for military service 411,619; reach military age (19) annually 15,157 (1994 est.)

Agriculture

accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by stock breeding (sheep and cattle) and dairy farming; main crops - potatoes, hops, hemp, flax; an export surplus in these commodities; Slovenia must import many other agricultural products and has a negative overall trade balance in this sector

Budget

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Currency

1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins

Economic aid

$NA

Electricity

capacity: 2,900,000 kW production: 10 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,090 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

tolars (SIT) per US$1 - 112 (June 1993), 28 (January 1992)

Exports

$5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, other manufactured goods 44%, chemicals 9%, food and live animals 4.6%, raw materials 3%, beverages and tobacco less than 1% (1992) partners: Germany 27%, Croatia 14%, Italy 13%, France 9% (1992)

External debt

$1.9 billion

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

NA

Imports

$5.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactured goods 26.7%, chemicals 14.5%, raw materials 9.4%, fuels and lubricants 7%, food and live animals 6% (1992) partners: Germany 23%, Croatia 14%, Italy 14%, France 8%, Austria 8% (1992)

Industrial production

growth rate -2.8% (1993); accounts for 30% of GDP

Industries

ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

22.9% (1993)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $15 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$7,600 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

0% (1993 est.)

Overview

Slovenia was by far the most prosperous of the former Yugoslav republics, with a per capita income more than twice the Yugoslav average, indeed not far below the levels in neighboring Austria and Italy. Because of its strong ties to Western Europe and the small scale of damage during its brief fight for independence from Yugoslavia, Slovenia has the brightest prospects among the former Yugoslav republics for economic recovery over the next few years. The dissolution of Yugoslavia, however, has led to severe short-term dislocations in production, employment, and trade ties. For example, overall industrial production has fallen 26% since 1990; particularly hard hit have been the iron and steel, machine-building, chemical, and textile industries. Meanwhile, the continued fighting in other former Yugoslav republics has led to further destruction of long-established trade channels and to an influx of tens of thousands of Croatian and Bosnian refugees. The key program for breaking up and privatizing major industrial firms was established in late 1992. Despite slow progress in privatization Slovenia has reasonable prospects for an upturn in 1994. Bright spots for encouraging Western investors are Slovenia's comparatively well-educated work force, its developed infrastructure, and its Western business attitudes, but instability in Croatia is a deterrent. Slovenia in absolute terms is a small economy, and a little Western investment would go a long way.

Unemployment rate

15.5% (1993)

Area

total area: 20,296 sq km land area: 20,296 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Jersey

Climate

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

Coastline

32 km

Environment

current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; heavy metals and toxic chemicals along coastal waters; forest damage near Koper from air pollution originating at metallurgical and chemical plants natural hazards: subject to flooding and earthquakes international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

International disputes

dispute with Croatia over fishing rights in the Adriatic and over some border areas; the border issue is currently under negotiation

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total 1,045 km, Austria 262 km, Croatia 501 km, Italy 199 km, Hungary 83 km

Land use

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 45% other: 23%

Location

Balkan State, Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia

Map references

Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

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

Terrain

a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east

Administrative divisions

60 provinces (pokajine, singular - pokajina) Ajdovscina, Brezice, Celje, Cerknica, Crnomelj, Dravograd, Gornja Radgona, Grosuplje, Hrastnik Lasko, Idrija, Ilirska Bistrica, Izola, Jesenice, Kamnik, Kocevje, Koper, Kranj, Krsko, Lenart, Lendava, Litija, Ljubljana-Bezigrad, Ljubljana-Center, Ljubljana-Moste-Polje, Ljubljana-Siska, Ljubljana-Vic-Rudnik, Ljutomer, Logatec, Maribor, Metlika, Mozirje, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ormoz, Pesnica, Piran, Postojna, Ptuj, Radlje Ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne Na Koroskem, Ribnica, Ruse, Sentjur Pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skofja Loka, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje Pri Jelsah, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trzic, Velenje, Vrhnika, Zagorje Ob Savi, Zalec

Capital

Ljubljana

Constitution

adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Digraph

SI

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ernest PETRIC chancery: 1525 New Hampshir Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20036 telephone: (202) 667-5363 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Milan KUCAN (since 22 April 1990); election last held 6 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Milan KUCAN reelected by direct popular vote head of government: Prime Minister Janez DRNOVSEK (since 14 May 1992); Deputy Prime Minister Lojze PETERLE (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers

FAX

[386] (61) 301-401

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav in white against a blue background at the center, beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and around it, there are three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted triangle); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, Constitutional Court

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly

Member of

CCC, CE, CEI, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenije local short form: Slovenija

National holiday

Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Other political or pressure groups

none

Political parties and leaders

Slovene Christian Democrats (SKD), Lozje PETERLE, chairman; Liberal Democratic (LDS), Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman; Social-Democratic Party of Slovenia (SDSS), Joze PUCNIK, chairman; Socialist Party of Slovenia (SSS), Viktor ZAKELJ, chairman; Greens of Slovenia (ZS), Dusan PLUT, chairman; National Democratic, Rajko PIRNAT, chairman; Democratic Peoples Party, Marjan PODOBNIK, chairman; Reformed Socialists (former Communist Party), Ciril RIBICIC, chairman; United List (former Communists and allies); Slovene National Party, leader NA; Democratic Party, Igor BAVCAR; Slovene People's Party (SLS), Ivan OMAN note: parties have changed as of the December 1992 elections

State Assembly

elections last held 6 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (total 90) LDS 22, SKD 15, United List (former Communists and allies) 14, Slovene National Party 12, SLS 10, Democratic Party 6, ZS 5, SDSS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1

State Council

will become operational after next election in 1996; in the election of 6 December 1992 40 members were elected to represent local and socioeconomic interests

Suffrage

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

Type

emerging democracy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador E. Allan WENDT embassy: P.O. Box 254, Prazakova 4, 61000 Ljubljana mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [386] (61) 301-427/472/485

Birth rate

11.81 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

9.5 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Slovene 91%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Muslim 1%, other 3%

Infant mortality rate

8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

786,036 by occupation: agriculture 2%, manufacturing and mining 46%

Languages

Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 7%, other 2%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.36 years male: 70.49 years female: 78.44 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

1,972,227 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.23% (1994 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 96% (including 2% Uniate), Muslim 1%, other 3%

Total fertility rate

1.67 children born/woman (1994 est.)