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.
Location:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the
Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Area:
20,273 sq km
Border countries:
Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102
km, Italy 280 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
Geography:
Despite its small size, this eastern Alpine
country controls some of Europe's major transit routes. 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
Population:
2,009,245
Nationality:
Slovene(s)
Ethnic groups:
Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak
1.1%, other or unspecified 12%
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 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other
or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census)
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
Ljubljana
Time zone:
GMT/UTC +01:00
National holiday:
Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June
(1991)
Currency:
Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on
1 January 2007
Communications:
Telephones – main lines in use: 816,400,
Internet users: 1.09 million
Transportation:
Airports: 14, Railways: 1,229 km, Roadways:
38,451 km, Ports and Terminals: Koper