British Virgin Islands (2002) | Slovenia (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina ) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse, Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: there may be 45 more municipalities |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 15.7% (male 155,989; female 147,707)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 684,354; female 663,884) 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 103,790; female 177,193) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 14 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2002) |
Area | total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada |
total: 20,273 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Background | First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. | The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy make Slovenia a leading candidate for future membership in the EU and NATO. |
Birth rate | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $8.11 billion
expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
Capital | Road Town | Ljubljana |
Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east |
Coastline | 80 km | 46.6 km |
Constitution | 1 June 1977 | adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | tolar (SIT) |
Death rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 10.07 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | $7.9 billion (2001) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: P. O. Box 254, Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana; American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Davorin KRACUN
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland |
Disputes - international | none | Slovenia and Croatia have not obtained parliamentary ratification of 2001 land and marine boundary treaty, which cedes villages on the Dragonja River and Sveta Gera (Trdinov Peak) to Croatia, and most of Pirin Bay to Slovenia but restricts Slovenian access to the open sea; Austria has minor dispute with Slovenia over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | ODA, $62 million (1993) (2000 est.) |
Economy - overview | The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. | Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe. Privatization of the economy proceded at an accelerated pace in 2002, and steps were taken to bring down the budget deficit from 2.9% of GDP in 2002 to 1.2% in 2003. Despite the economic slowdown in Europe in 2001-02, Slovenia maintained 3% growth. Internal structural reforms to improve the business environment, encouragement of direct foreign investment, and measures to curb inflation are needed to prepare the way for EU membership. |
Electricity - consumption | 39.1 million kWh (1999) | 10.619 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 2 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 700 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 42 million kWh (1999) | 12.816 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 35%
hydro: 29% nuclear: 35% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) | Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed | Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%, Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991) |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | tolars per US dollar - 251.40 (January 2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998), 159.69 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Anton ROP (since 11 December 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held 6 December 2002 (next National Assembly elections to be held NA October 2004) election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Anton ROP elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 63 to 24 |
Exports | $6.2 million | $10.3 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Germany 26.0%, Italy 12.4%, Croatia 8.6%, Austria 7.4%, France 6.7% (2001) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) | three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $36 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 36% services: 61% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | 3% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 46 07 N, 14 49 E |
Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes |
Highways | total: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 19,586 km
paved: 17,745 km (including 249 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,841 km (1998 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 23% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center | minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals |
Imports | $230 million (2000 est.) | $11.1 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
Imports - commodities | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food |
Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Germany 19.6%, Italy 18.0%, France 10.8%, Austria 8.5%, Croatia 4.0% (2001) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1985) | 2.4% (2002) |
Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools |
Infant mortality rate | 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2000) | 7.4% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) | ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 11 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 20 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president) |
Labor force | 4,911 (1980) | 857,400 |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 11.48%
permanent crops: 2.68% other: 85.84% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official) | Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3% |
Legal system | English law | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5 |
unicameral National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats, 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - LDS 36%, SDS 16%, ZLSD 12%, SLS/SKD 10%, NSi 9%, SMS 4%, SNS 4%, DeSUS 5%, other 4%; seats by party - LDS 34, SDS 14, ZLDS 11, SLS/SKD 9, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4, DeSUS 4, other 2 note: the National Council or Drzavni Svet is an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws and ask to review any National Assembly decisions; in the election of November 1997, 40 members were elected to represent local, professional, and socioeconomic interests (next election to be held in the fall of 2002) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 75.29 years
male: 71.42 years female: 79.37 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
NA |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | - | Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $370 million (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.7% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 521,881 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 414,878 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 19 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 14,513 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July | Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) |
Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian |
Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | flooding and earthquakes |
Natural resources | NEGL | lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests |
Net migration rate | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 290 km; natural gas 305 km |
Political parties and leaders | Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] | Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Janko KUSAR]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Janez DRNOVSEK, chairman]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK, chairman]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC, chairman]; Slovene People's Party or SLS (Slovenian People's Party or SLS and Slovenian Christian Democrats or SKD merged in April 2000) [Franc ZAGOZEN, chairman]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Peter LEVIC]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA, chairman]; United List of Social Democrats (former Communists and allies) or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR, chairman] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 21,272 (July 2002 est.) | 1,932,917 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.16% (2002 est.) | 0.14% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Road Town | Izola, Koper, Piran |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 9,000 (1997) | 805,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (489 km electrified) (2001) |
Religions | Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) | Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) |
Telephone system | general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda |
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000) international: NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (1996) | 722,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 1 million (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) | 48 (2001) |
Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east |
Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.28 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3% (1995) | 11% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | none | NA |