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.

Geographic coordinates: 46 07 N 14 49 E

Area
Rank: 155
Land: 20,151 km²
Water: 122 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries
Border countries: (4) Austria 330 km; Croatia 455 km; Hungary 102 km; Italy 199 km

Coastline: 46.6 km

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 highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources: lignite coal lead zinc building stone hydropower forests

Land use
Permanent crops: 1.33%
Other: 90.36% (2011)

Irrigated land: 76.04 km² (2010)

Total renewable water resources: 31.87 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: flooding; earthquakes

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

Population: 1,988,292 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 148
Growth rate: -0.23% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 215
Below poverty line: 13.5% (2012)

Nationality
Adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups: Slovene 83.1% Serb 2% Croat 1.8% Bosniak 1.1% other or unspecified 12% (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)

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)

Age structure
15-24 years: 10% (male 101,754/female 96,973)
25-54 years: 43.9% (male 441,079/female 432,476)
55-64 years: 14.8% (male 145,013/female 148,704)
65 years and over: 17.5% (male 142,954/female 212,821) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 21.1 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 25.7 %
Potential support ratio: 3.9 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 41.7 years
Female: 45.2 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.23% (2014 est.)
Rank: 215

Birth rate: 8.54 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 217

Death rate: 11.25 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 32

Net migration rate: 0.37 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 73

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.17% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: LJUBLJANA (capital) 273,000 (2011)

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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 28.8 (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 198
Male: 4.56 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.49 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 61
Male: 74.21 years
Female: 81.69 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 213

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.54 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 4.6 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 143
People living with hivaids: fewer than 1000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 145
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 151

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 28.6% (2008)
Rank: 33

Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 51

Literacy
Total population: 99.7%
Male: 99.7%
Female: 99.7% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 16 years
Female: 18 years (2012)

Country name
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
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 ob Scavnici 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: previous 1974 (preindependence); latest passed by legislature 23 December 1991; amended several times last in 2013 (2013)

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age 16 if employed; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Interim Prime Minister Alenka BRATUSEK (since 5 March 2014)
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 on 11 November and a run-off on 2 December 2012 (next to be held in 2017); 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: Borut PAHOR elected president in run-off election; percent of vote - Borut PAHOR 67.4% Danilo TURK 32.6%; on February 27 2013 a no-confidence vote in Parliament resulted in Alenka BRATUSEK becoming prime minister designate; on 20 March 2013 BRATUSEK became prime minister (Slovenia's first female prime minister) after her cabinet was approved

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; 88 members are elected on a proportional basis and 2 are elected by the Italian and Hungarian minorities through a majoritarian preferential system; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: National Assembly - last held on 4 December 2011 (next to be held in 2015)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PS 28.6% SDS 26.2% SD 10.5% LGV 8.4% DeSUS 7% SLS 6.9% NSi 4.8% other 7.6%; seats by party - PS 28 SDS 26 SD 10 LGV 8 DeSUS 6 SLS 6 NSi 4 Hungarian minority 1 Italian minority 1

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and vice president appointed by the National Assembly upon the proposal of the Minister of Justice based on the opinions of the Judicial Council an 11-member independent body elected by the National Assembly from proposals submitted by the president attorneys law universities and sitting judges; other Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly from candidates proposed by the Judicial Council; Supreme Court judge term NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Assembly from nominations by the president of the republic; Constitutional Court president selected from among their own for a 3-year term; other judges elected for single 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: county district regional and high courts; specialized labor-related and social courts; Court of Audit; Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Australia Group BIS CD CE CEI EAPC EBRD ECB EIB EMU ESA (cooperating state) EU FAO IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITU MIGA NATO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA Schengen Convention SELEC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 2,410 California Street N.W. Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 386-6,601
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 386-6,633
In the us consulate general: Cleveland New York
From the us embassy: Presernova 31 1000 Ljubljana
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana US Department of State 7,140 Ljubljana Place Washington DC 20,521-7,140
From the us telephone: [386] (1) 200-5,500
From the us FAX: [386] (1) 200-5,555

Flag description: 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

National symbols: Mount Triglav

National anthem
Lyrics and music: France PRESEREN/Stanko PREMRL

Economy overview: With excellent infrastructure a well-educated work force and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe Slovenia has one of the highest per capita GDPs in Central Europe. Slovenia became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has experienced one of the most stable political transitions in Central and Southeastern Europe. In March 2004 Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In 2007 Slovenia was invited to begin the process for joining the OECD; it became a member in 2012. However long-delayed privatizations particularly within Slovenia’s largely state-owned and increasingly indebted banking sector have fueled investor concerns since 2012 that the country would need EU-IMF financial assistance. In 2013 the European Commission granted Slovenia permission to begin recapitalizing ailing lenders and transferring their nonperforming assets into a “bad bank” established to restore bank balance sheets. Yield-seeking bond investors’ strong demand for Slovenian debt helped the government in 2013 to continue to finance itself independently on international markets. The government has embarked on a program of state asset sales intended to bolster investor confidence in the economy which in 2014 is poised to contract 1% its third-year of recession.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 93

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 206

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 55

Gross national saving:
Rank: 66

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 20.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 17.9%
Investment in inventories: -0.8%
Exports of goods and services: 78.1%
Imports of goods and services: -71.5%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 28.9%
Services: 68.3% (2013 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: -0.6% (2013 est.)
Rank: 171

Labor force: 913,400 (2013 est.)
Rank: 146
By occupation industry: 35%
By occupation services: 62.8% (2009)

Unemployment rate: 12% (2012 est.)
Rank: 130

Population below poverty line: 13.5% (2012)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 19.8% (2011)

Distribution of family income gini index: 23.8 (2005)
Rank: 140

Budget
Expenditures: $21.62 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 156

Taxes and other revenues: 41.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 32

Public debt: 54.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 37

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.7% (2012 est.)
Rank: 59

Central bank discount rate: 1.5% (31 December 2012)
Rank: 129

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.7% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 137

Stock of narrow money: $11.39 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 73

Stock of broad money: $24.88 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 77

Stock of domestic credit: $45.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 62

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 75

Current account balance: $1.486 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 35

Exports: $27.08 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 66
Commodities: manufactured goods machinery and transport equipment chemicals food
Partners: Germany 20% Italy 12% Austria 7.9% Croatia 6.2% France 4.8% Russia 4.6% (2012)

Imports: $28.39 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 68
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods chemicals fuels and lubricants food
Partners: Italy 16.5% Germany 16.3% Austria 10.4% Croatia 4.8% Hungary 4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $927.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 137

Debt external: $52.48 billion (31 December 2012)
Rank: 60

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $15.57 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 82

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $7.436 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 58

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 15.73 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 80
Consumption: 12.66 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 85
Exports: 8.363 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 23
Imports: 7.452 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 30
Installed generating capacity: 3.351 million kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 86
Generation sources fossil fuels: 36.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 172
Generation sources nuclear: 20.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 8
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 37.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 62
Generation sources other renewable sources: 5.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 42

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 305 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 115
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 180
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 119
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 186

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 193
Products consumption: 52,930 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 97
Products exports: 14,210 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 79
Products imports: 68,320 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 60

Natural gas
Production: 2 million m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 94
Consumption: 680 million m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 96
Exports: 1.181 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 44
Imports: 870 million m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 59
Proven reserves: NA m³ (1 January 2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 19.51 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 825,000 (8,012)
Main lines in use rank: 84
Mobile cellular: 2.246 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 141

Telephone system
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 150 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 386 (2011)

Broadcast media: public TV broadcaster Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV) operates a system of national and regional TV stations; 35 domestic commercial TV stations operating nationally regionally and locally; about 60% of households are connected to multi-channel cable TV; public radio broadcaster operates 3 national and 4 regional stations; more than 75 regional and local commercial and non-commercial radio stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .si
Hosts: 415,581 (2012)
Hosts rank: 54
Users: 1.298 million (2009)
Users rank: 92

Military expenditures:
Rank: 88

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2012)

Airports: 16 (2013)
Rank: 143
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways: 5 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 844 km; oil 5 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 84
Standard gauge: 1228 km 1.435-m gauge (503 km electrified) (2007)

Roadways
Rank: 91
Paved: 38,985 km (includes 769 km of expressways) (2012)

Waterways: (there is some transport on the Drava River) (2012)

Merchant marine
Rank: 90

Disputes international: since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s Croatia and Slovenia have each claimed sovereignty over Pirin Bay and four villages and Slovenia has objected to Croatia's claim of an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic Sea; in 2009 however Croatia and Slovenia signed a binding international arbitration agreement to define their disputed land and maritime borders which led to Slovenia lifting its objections to Croatia joining the EU; 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; Slovenia continues to impose a hard border Schengen regime with Croatia which joined the EU in 2013 but has not yet fulfilled Schengen requirements

Illicit drugs: minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe and for precursor chemicals