For much of the 20th century, Slovenia was part of the country of Yugoslavia. Slovenia declared its independence in 1991. The country is located in the far northwest of the Balkans, a region of southeastern Europe. The capital is Ljubljana. GeographySlovenia shares borders with four nations: Italy on the west, Austria on the north, Hungary on the northeast, and Croatia on the south and southeast. On the southwest Slovenia has a short but important coastline along the Gulf of Venice, which is part of the Adriatic Sea. Slovenia occupies a total area of 7,827 square miles (20,273 square kilometers). - Kranjska Gora, a resort town at the head of the Sava Dolinka valley, in the Julian Alps, Slovenia.
The country is mainly mountainous and wooded. There are deep, fertile valleys and numerous rivers. The northernmost parts of the country lie within the High Alps, which include the Karawanken and Julian mountain chains. The Karawanken Mountains stretch across the north, along Slovenia's border with Austria. The Julian Alps extend into the northwestern tip of Slovenia, near the Italian border. The Julian Alps contain Slovenia's highest peak, Triglav Mountain, at 9,396 feet (2,864 meters). Many Slovenes live in the region that extends south of the High Alps into the main river valleys. Slovenia's major rivers include the Sava and Drava. These rivers cut southeastward through Slovenia and eventually join the Danube River in Serbia. The south of Slovenia consists of broad plateaus. In the southwest is the Karst region, an area of deep limestone caves carved out by underground rivers. The coastal regions of Slovenia have a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters. Farther inland, the summers are warm to cool, and the winters can be quite cold. Plants and animalsSlovenia is heavily forested. Its diverse plant life varies by elevation. At the higher elevations are meadowlands and forests of evergreen trees such as junipers. At the central level are belts of evergreens mixed with birch and beech trees. There are also pastures and land good for farming. Lower down are thick patches of shrubs and small trees. The animals found in Slovenia include European brown bears, wolves, lynx, wild boars, deer, and chamois (small goatlike antelopes). The forests shelter many kinds of songbirds, as well as birds of prey. The country's fish include trout and grayling. People and cultureAbout 90 percent of the people are ethnic Slovenes, a Slavic group. Their language is also called Slovene. Although the Slovenes are ethnically Slavic, they are culturally closer to groups who live in the Alps of Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Most of the Slovenes are Roman Catholic. When Yugoslavia split apart, many people came to Slovenia from the other former Yugoslav republics, including some Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians. Slovenia also has small groups of Hungarians, Italians, Albanians, and Roma (or Gypsies). Some of these groups come from cultures with value systems, religions, and political traditions that are different from those of the Slovenes. The mixing of these diverse groups has posed a challenge. About half of the people of Slovenia live in cities. The largest cities are Ljubljana, Maribor, and Kranj. EconomySlovenia has been one of the more prosperous states of the Balkans. Its economy is based largely on manufacturing and foreign trade. The country has iron and steel plants and other heavy industries. Slovenia's other main industries produce electronics, cloth, chemicals, wood products, and motor vehicles. The financial service industries are also important. Farming makes up only a small part of the country's economy. HistoryIn the 6th century AD the ancestors of the Slovenes settled in the area of Slovenia, as well as in regions farther north. In the 7th century the area formed part of a Slavic kingdom. German and Austrian ruleFor much of its history, Slovenia was ruled by foreign powers. In 748 the Slavic kingdom became part of the empire of the Carolingian Franks. The country eventually came under German rule. The Germans did not allow the Slovenes much power or freedom. The Slovenes were made serfs, or peasants who had to farm the land for their lords. The Austrian Hapsburgs gained power over the Slovene lands beginning in the late 13th century. However, the Slovenes still did not have many rights. There were several peasant uprisings in the 15th and 16th centuries, but they were unsuccessful. Conditions for the Slovene peasants improved with reforms in the 18th century. Union with Serbs and CroatsAustrian rule over Slovenia ended as a result of World War I. At the end of the war, in 1918, Slovenia joined with several other South Slav groups to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. The country was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. In 1941, during World War II, Germany invaded Yugoslavia. Slovenia was then divided up between Germany, Italy, and Hungary. The Slovenes fiercely resisted the invading powers throughout the war. At the end of the war, in 1945, the republics of Yugoslavia, including Slovenia, were reunited. The Communist Party controlled both the government and the economy. The party's leader, Josip Broz Tito, led Yugoslavia from 1945 until he died in 1980. IndependenceAfter Tito's death, the Slovenes began to disagree with the Yugoslav leadership. In the 1980s Slovenia began allowing different political parties to form. In 1990 Slovenia held the first free, multiparty elections in Yugoslavia since before World War II. Later that year, the Slovenes voted to become an independent country. Slovenia broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991. The rest of Yugoslavia broke apart soon after that. Since independence, Slovenia has worked to strengthen its democracy and economy. It is one of the most prosperous nations in the Balkans. Population (2001 estimate), 1,991,000. |