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 Slovenia Country Profile
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 Slovenia at a Glance| Location: | Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia | | Climate: | Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east | | Terrain: | 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 | | Resources: | lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests | | Hazards: | flooding; earthquakes | | Population: | 2,005,692 (July 2009 est.) |
A Brief Profile of SloveniaThe Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named 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 by 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. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
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