|RNature and climate:|N A forested mountainous land with deep, fertile valleys between the Adriatic Sea and the Alps.
|RPeople:|N 91% Slovenians with small minorities of Italians and Hungarians.
|REconomy:|N Agriculture is extensive and effective and most important crops are wheat, maize, potatoes and fruits.
50% of the land is forested which is the base for an extensive industry.
Slovenia is rich on minerals, such as coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium and natural gas and have rich resources of hydroelectric power.
Manufacturing is well developed with steel and ironworks, as well as metalprocessing, machinetoolmanufacturing, electrotechnical and chemical plants.
Tourism is important.
|RHistory:|N In the 8th century Slovenia belonged to Bavaria, later to the Frankish realm and in the 9th century to the German Empire.
With the name Krain it came under the Habsburg dynasty in 1283 and became a part of Austria. After World War I, it, in 1918, became a part of the Yugoslavian kingdom and after World War II a part of the Republic of Yugoslavia.
When communism collapsed in Eastern Europe the Slovenian parliament proclaimed the independent republic Slovenia on June 25, 1991. The independence was suspended for negotiations with Yugoslavia under EU-supervision, but was accomplished October 8.
The new country was first recognized by Germany on December 23, 1991 and by EU on January 15, 1992.
