Slovenia

Slovenia (Republic of), independent country in central Eastern Europe, bounded by the Adriatic Sea and Italy in the west, Austria in the north, Hungary in the northeast, and Croatia in the south. Its capital is Ljubljana.

Land and climate

This small country (7,819 sq mi; 20,251 sqkm) is mostly mountainous, with a narrow coastal strip. The largest part has a continental climate, with an alpine climate in the mountainous north and a Mediterranean climate along the coast.

People

The population consists of Slovenes (88%), with minorities of Croats, Serbs, and Muslims. The official language is Slovene. The majority is Roman Catholic (84%)

Economy

Industries currently include chemicals, textiles, and and active tourist trade. As a Yugoslav republic Slovenia used to be the most prosperous one. In the 1990s prosperity diminished, but the outlook is not unfavourable.

History

From the 13th century until the end of World War I Slovenia was ruled by Austria. In 1918, it became part of Yugoslavia. In recent years Slovenia sought increasing independence from Yugoslavia and finally declared its own sovereignty in 1991. After that, its foreign policy was focused on entry into the western organisations.

See also: Yugoslavia.