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

Geographic Coordinates: 46 07 N, 14 49 E

Total Area: 20,273 sq km Rank: 154

Land Area: 20,151 sq km

Water Area: 122 sq km

Comparison: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land Boundaries: 1,086 km

Bordering Countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km

Coastline: 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

Lowest Point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

Highest Point: Triglav 2,864 m

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

Arable land: 8.53%

Permanent Crops: 1.43%

Other: 90.04% (2005)

Irrigated Land: 30 sq km (2003)

Renewable Water Resources: 32.1 cu km (2005)

Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 0.9

Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 457 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural Hazards: flooding; earthquakes

Environmental 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

Environmental Agreements: Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

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

Population: 2,005,692 (July 2010 est.) Rank: 145

0-14 years: 13.5% (male 139,880/female 131,826)

15-64 years: 69.9% (male 707,219/female 695,470)

65 years and over: 16.5% (male 129,662/female 201,635) (2010 est.)

Median Age: 40.4 years

Growth Rate: -0.113% (2010 est.) Rank: 214

Birth Rate: 8.97 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 211

Death Rate: 10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 52

Net Migration Rate: 0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 63

Urban Population: 48% of total population (2008)

Rate of Urbanization: -0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 206

Life Expectancy at Birth: 76.92 years Rank: 60

Fertility Rate: 1.29 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 210

HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.) Rank: 158

People living with HIV/AIDS: 280 (2007 est.) Rank: 154

HIV/AIDS Deaths: fewer than 100 (2007 est.) Rank: 131

Noun: Slovene(s)

Adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic Groups: Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Religion: 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)

Literacy: 99.7%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 17 years Male: 16 years Female: 17 years (2006)

Education expenditures: 6% of GDP (2005) Rank: 42

Conventional Long Form: Republic of Slovenia

Conventional Short Form: Slovenia

Local Long Form: Republika Slovenija

Local Short Form: Slovenija

Formerly: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

210 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) including 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina) Ajdovscina, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, 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, Koper-Capodistria*, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Makole, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, 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, Slovenj Gradec*, 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, 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, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk

Chief of State: President Danilo TURK (since 22 December 2007)

Head of Government: Prime Minister Borut PAHOR (since 7 November 2008)

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 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held on 8 October 2012); 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 last held on 21 September 2008 (next National Assembly elections to be held in 8 October 2012)

Election Results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Alojze PETERLE 31.8%; Borut PAHOR elected prime minister by National Assembly vote

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)

Elections: National Assembly - last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held on 8 October 2012)

Election Results: percent of vote by party - SD 30.5%, SDS 29.3%, ZARES 9.4%, DeSUS 7.5%, SNS 5.5%, SLS+SMS 5.2%, LDS 5.2%, other 7.4%; seats by party - SD 29, SDS 28, ZARES 9, DeSUS 7, SNS 5, SLS+SMS 5, LDS 5, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1

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)

Political Parties and Leaders: 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Slovenian Roma Association [Jozek Horvat MUC]

Other: Catholic Church

International Organization Participation: 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

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

GDP (purchasing power parity): $55.46 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 87

GDP - real growth rate: -7.8% (2009 est.) Rank: 205

GDP - per capita (PPP): $27,700 (2009 est.) Rank: 50

GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 2.5% Industry: 30.9% Services: 66.6% (2009 est.)

Labor Force: 945,000 (2009 est.) Rank: 143

Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 2.2% Industry: 35% Services: 62.8% (2009)

Unemployment Rate: 9.2% (2009 est.) Rank: 109

Population below poverty line: 12.3% (2008)