Montserrat (2004) | Slovenia (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter | 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: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 15.3% (male 152,341; female 144,189)
15-64 years: 70% (male 687,939; female 666,194) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 105,837; female 179,177) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products | potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 16 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 20,273 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Background | Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. | 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 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. In December 2002, Slovenia received an invitation to join NATO, and it is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1 May 2004. In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and EU membership, Slovenes voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66% in favor of joining NATO. |
Birth rate | 17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 9.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) |
revenues: $8.11 billion
expenditures: $8.32 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
Capital | Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat) | Ljubljana |
Climate | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation | Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east |
Coastline | 40 km | 46.6 km |
Constitution | present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 | adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | tolar (SIT) |
Death rate | 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) | $7.9 billion (2001) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, 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 | parliamentarians are far from ratifying the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia |
Economic aid - recipient | As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million. | ODA, $62 million (2000 est.) |
Economy - overview | Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. | 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 proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-3, and the budget deficit dropped from 3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.9% in 2003. Despite the economic slowdown in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3% growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment allow for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between government, business, and central bank policy are issues of concern in the run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the European Union. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.325 million kWh (2001) | 13.83 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 3 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 4.1 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 2.5 million kWh (2001) | 13.69 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 35.2%
hydro: 27.3% nuclear: 36.8% other: 0.7% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m |
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m |
Environment - current issues | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation | 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, white | Slovene 88%, Croat 3%, Serb 2%, Bosniak 1%, Yugoslav 0.6%, Hungarian 0.4%, other 5% (1991) |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | tolars per US dollar - 240.25 (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000), 181.77 (1999), 166.13 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004)
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister |
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 | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle | manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
Exports - partners | US, Antigua and Barbuda | Germany 23.9%, Italy 12.7%, Austria 9.5%, Croatia 8%, France 7.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.4% (2002) |
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 Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross | 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 - $29 million (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $37.06 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 36.3% services: 60.5% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -1% (2002 est.) | 3.2% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W | 46 07 N, 14 49 E |
Geography - note | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes | despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes |
Highways | total: 227 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003) |
total: 20,177 km
paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways) unpaved: 20 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food |
Imports - partners | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada | Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Austria 11.3%, France 10.5% (2002) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | 2.4% (2002) |
Industries | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances | ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.6% (2002 est.) | 7.4% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU | ABEDA, ACCT (observer), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, 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, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 11 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 20 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) | 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 | 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) | 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: 0% other: 80% (2001) |
arable land: 11.48%
permanent crops: 2.68% other: 85.84% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3% |
Legal system | English common law and statutory law | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council |
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 13, ZLSD 11, SLS 10, NSi 8, SMS 4, SNS 4, DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.53 years
male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 75.51 years
male: 71.65 years female: 79.58 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2003 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast 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 | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
NA |
Merchant marine | none | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force | 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: 520,037 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 413,453 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 19 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 13,704 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) |
Nationality | noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian |
Natural hazards | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) | flooding and earthquakes |
Natural resources | negligible | lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] | Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton ROUS]; Liberal Democratic or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Franc BUT]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Dominic CERNJAK]; Social Democratic Party of Slovenia or SDS [Janez JANSA]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 9,245
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.) |
1,935,677 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.03% (2004 est.) | 0.14% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay | Izola, Koper, Piran |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2002) |
Religions | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations | Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist 4.3%, other 22.9% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 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 (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000) international: NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 722,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 70 (1994) | 1 million (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 48 (2001) |
Terrain | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6% (1998 est.) | 11% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | - | NA |