Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Slovenia Today
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Now is the winter of Slovenia's discontent, a
country not used to hearing the 'dis' word much
since independence. But perhaps reaching full
maturity at 21 has forced it to put away childish
things and confront some less-than-attractive
realities. Take the economy... Slovenia was the
wealthiest republic of the former Yugoslavia;
with only 8% of the national population, the in-
dustrious Slovenes produced up to 20% of
Yugoslavia's GDP and exported more than a
quarter of its goods. And in 2007 Slovenia was
the first of the former communist countries of Eastern Europe to adopt the euro. Now it
faces the possibility of a 'Greek scenario' and may become yet another EU country to need
a bailout. The problems lie with the nation's banks (the government has already provided
1% of GDP to the biggest one, Nova Ljubljanska Banka), a lack of foreign investment and
a contracting economy that has seen growth fall from a dizzying 7% in 2007 to below noth-
ing now.
» Population: 2.05 million
» Area: 20,273 sq km (0.2% of Europe's total land
mass)
» GDP: US$49.6 billion
» GDP per capita: €18,675 (84% of EU average)
» GDP growth: -1.1%
» Inflation: 2.5%
» Unemployment: 9.1%
