Slovenia
Slovenia is situated at the crossroads of central Europe, the
Mediterranean, and the Balkans. The Alps--including the Julian Alps,
the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Karavanke chain, and the Pohorje
Massif--dominate northern Slovenia near Austria. Slovenia's Adriatic
coastline extends for approximately 48 kilometers (30 mi.) from
Italy to Croatia. The term "karst"--a limestone region of
underground rivers, gorges, and caves--originated in Slovenia's
Karst plateau between Ljubljana and the Italian border. On the
Pannonian plain to the east and northeast, toward the Croatian and
Hungarian borders, the landscape is essentially flat. However, the
majority of Slovenian terrain is hilly or mountainous, with around
90% of the surface 200 meters or more above sea level.
The majority of Slovenia's population is Slovene (over 83%).
Hungarians and Italians have the status of indigenous minorities
under the Slovenian constitution, which guarantees them seats in the
National Assembly. Most other minority groups, particularly those
from the former Yugoslavia, immigrated after World War II for
economic reasons. Slovenes are predominantly Roman Catholic, though
the country also has a small number of Protestants, Orthodox
Christians, Muslims, and Jews. Slovene is a Slavic language, written
in the Roman script. |
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Slovenia is today a vibrant democracy, but the roots of this
democracy go back deep in Slovene history. According to the 16th
century French political philosopher, Jean Bodin, Slovenes practiced
the unique custom of the Installation of the Dukes of Carinthia for
almost 1,000 years, until the late 14th century. According to some
scholars, Bodin's account of how Slovene farmers contractually
consented to be governed by the Duke influenced Thomas Jefferson's
drafting of the Declaration of Independence. From as early as the
9th century, Slovenia had fallen under foreign rulers, including
partial control by Bavarian dukes and the Republic of Venice. With
the exception of Napoleon's 4-year tutelage of parts of Slovenia and
Croatia--the "Illyrian Provinces"--Slovenia was part of the Habsburg
Empire from the 14th century until 1918. Nevertheless, Slovenia
resisted Germanizing influences and retained its unique Slavic
language and culture.
In 1918, Slovenia joined with other southern Slav states in forming
the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes as part of the peace plan
at the end of World War I. Renamed in 1929 under a Serbian monarch,
the Kingdom of Yugoslavia fell to the Axis powers during World War
II. Following communist partisan resistance to German, Hungarian,
and Italian occupation and elimination of rival resistance groups,
socialist Yugoslavia was born under the helm of Josip Broz Tito.
During the communist era, Slovenia became Yugoslavia's most
prosperous republic, at the forefront of Yugoslavia's unique version
of communism. Within a few years of Tito's death in 1980, Belgrade
initiated plans to further concentrate political and economic power
in its hands. Defying the politicians in Belgrade, Slovenia
underwent a flowering of democracy and an opening of its society in
cultural, civic, and economic realms to a degree almost
unprecedented in the communist world. In September 1989, the General
Assembly of the Yugoslav Republic of Slovenia adopted an amendment
to its constitution asserting Slovenia's right to secede from
Yugoslavia. On December 23, 1990, 88% of Slovenia's population voted
for independence in a referendum, and on June 25, 1991, the Republic
of Slovenia declared its independence. A nearly bloodless 10-day war
with Yugoslavia followed. Yugoslav forces withdrew after Slovenia
demonstrated stiff resistance to Belgrade.
As a young independent republic, Slovenia pursued economic
stabilization and further political openness, while emphasizing its
Western outlook and central European heritage. Reflecting its
success in these goals, Slovenia became a member both of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in
March and May, respectively, of 2004.
Today Slovenia is a stable democracy that is increasing its
international engagement. Slovenia is one of the top foreign
investors in the former Yugoslavia, and a charter World Trade
Organization (WTO) member. Members of the Slovenian Armed Forces are
participating in NATO, EU, and UN operations in Iraq, Afghanistan,
Bosnia, Kosovo, and elsewhere. Slovenia served as the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office in
2005, was the Chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Board of Governors in 2006-2007, and was the first of the ten 2004
EU newcomers to hold the EU's rotating presidency in the first half
of 2008. Though small in size, Slovenia enjoys a growing regional
profile and plays a role on the world stage that is out of
proportion to its size. |
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