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Slovenia is a member of the European Union with a good credit rating from Moody's. It needs to worry about its export competitiveness.
Unlike some other former Communist countries, Slovenia transformed its economy without shock therapy. This worked better. The CIA Factbook writes that Slovenia,
is a model of economic success and stability for the region. With the highest per capita GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and the economy has one of highest levels of state control in the EU.
The Factbook adds:
In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank.
The country spends 6 percent of its GDP on education, and is listed with 30.1% of graduates from higher education in the 25-34 age group, compared to neighboring countries, Italy and Austria, with 18.9% each. A majority of Slovenes can speak Croatian, English and German.
Slovenia is 57.8 percent Catholic according to the 2002 Census. Affiliation with the Church is declining by 1 percent per year, according to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, Census of Population, Households and Housing, 2002.
According to the Eurobarometer Poll in 2005, 37% of Slovenian citizens claim that "they believe there is a god", 46% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 16% answered that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force."
Health care reflected in infant mortality ranks well above the United States. The role of private enterprise in public health care has been a divisive issue in past years. There is compulsory health insurance competing with private insurance, leaving virtually all Slovene citizens covered.
Slovenia's national football (soccer) team ranks 23rd in the world.
South of Austria, north of Croatia, west of Hungary, east of Italy, with 46.6 kilometers (29 miles) of coastline along the Gulf of Venice. Mountains and valleys. Equivalent to 142.4 by 142.4 kilometers (89 by 89 miles). Capital: Ljubljana.
The Slovenes were part of Austria until 1918. In 1929 they joined the Serbs and Croats in forming Yugoslavia. Slovenia was a republic within the new communist Yugoslavia after World War II. In 1991, with the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and dissatisfied with Serb majority domination, they established their independence after a 10-day war.
The Republic of Slovenia is a stable parliamentary democracy. It joined NATO and the European Union in 2004. It joined the European Union on 1 May 2004
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
2009: $27,900 (rate 50th, a little above New Zealand and the Czech Republic)
2008: $30,000
2007: $29,000
2009: -7.3%
2008: 3.5%
2007: 6.8%
2009: 9.4%
2008: 6.7%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
2004: Top ten percent of population, 24.6; bottom 10 percent, 3.4%
2009: 34% of GDP
2005:1.7%
Living in an urban area: 48% (2008). Only 2.2 percent are in agriculture in 2009. Slovenia must have a lot of little towns.
July 2009: 2.005 million. Growth rate: -0.113%
Density for 2005: 100 persons per square kilometer.
2009: More arriving than leaving. A gain of 0.52 persons per 1,000 population.
Infant
mortality (deaths before the age of one year per 1,000 live births)
2009: 4.25 (Behind 18 other countries. Better than the U.S. at 6.22)
2008: 4.3
2005: 4.45
Average
life expectancy at birth 2009: 76.92
2008: 76.73
2005: 76.14
Living with HIV/AIDS, ages 15 to 49: 0.1 percent. (2001)
Slovenes 92 percent, Croatians 1 percent, Serbs 0.5 percent.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2010 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.