The Guinness Encyclopedia

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Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 4KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>43479</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>SLOVENIAOfficial name: Republika Slovenija (The Republic of Slovenia)Member of: UN, OSCEArea: 20256 km2 (7821 sq mi)Population: 1997000 (1993 est)Capital: Ljubljana 323000 (city 28900; 1991 census)Other major cities: Maribor 153000 (city 104000), Celj 41000, Kranj 36000 (1991 census)Languages: Slovene (91% as a first language; official), with Serb, Croat, Italian and Magyar minorities Religion: Roman Catholic (over 60%)GOVERNMENTThe 90-member National Assembly and a President ΓÇô who appoints a Prime Minister and Cabinet ΓÇô are directly elected by universal adult suffrage for four years. The Assembly comprises 38 members elected by single-member constituencies, 50 members elected nationally under a system of proportional representation and one member elected by each of the national minorities (Italian and Hungarian).GEOGRAPHYMost of Slovenia comprises mountains, including the Karawanken and Julian Alps in the northwest, which rise to Triglav at 2864 m (9396 ft), and the Dinaric Alps in the west. In the east, hill country adjoins the Drava valley; in the southwest, Slovenia has a very short Adriatic coastline. Climate: The south and west have a Mediterranean climate; the north and east are more continental. Rainfall is heavy in the mountains.ECONOMYWith a standard of living approaching that of West European countries, Slovenia was the most industrialized and economically developed part of Yugoslavia. Industries include iron and steel, textiles and coal mining. Agriculture specializes in livestock and fodder crops. Forestry is important. Privatization of agriculture and industry was completed by 1995. Slovenia has not suffered the severe economic decline that has characterized other former Yugoslav republics. Currency: Tolar.HISTORYThe Slovenes arrived in the west Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries. In the 9th century, the area was divided between several German rulers and only the Slovenes in the south (Carniola) resisted Germanization. Carniola became a Habsburg (Austrian) province in 1335 and, although it remained under Habsburg rule almost continuously until 1918, the Slovenes managed to preserve their national identity. Official encouragement of the Slovene language under Napoleonic French rule (1809ΓÇô14) gave impetus to a Slovene national revival in the 19th century. When the Habsburg Empire collapsed (1918), the Slovenes joined the Serbs, Croats and Montenegrins in the new state that was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. When Yugoslavia became a Communist federal state in 1945, the Slovene lands were reorganized as the republic of Slovenia. After the death of Yugoslav President Tito (1980), the federation faltered in nationalist crises. Slovenia, the wealthiest part of Yugoslavia, edged towards democracy. In free elections in 1990, nationalists gained a majority in the Slovene Assembly, which declared independence in June 1991. Following reverses in a short campaign, Yugoslav federal forces were withdrawn from Slovenia, whose independence gained international recognition in 1992. Slovenia has become an associate member of the EU/EC.</text> </content> <name>Slovenia</name> <script></script> </card>