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.
PEOPLE
The majority of Slovenia's population is Slovene (over 87%). 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.
ECONOMY
Slovenia enjoys prosperity and stability that are too often the exception in central and eastern Europe. Slovenia's economic success clearly illustrates the benefits of embracing liberal trade, following the rule of law, and rewarding enterprise.

Full country name: Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija)
Area: 20,256 sq km (7898 sq mi)
Population: 2 million
Capital city: Ljubljana (pop 330,000)
People: Slovenian 88%, Serbo-Croatian 7%
Language: Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, German, English, Italian
Religion: Roman Catholic (72%), atheist (4.3%), Eastern Orthodox Christian (2.4%), Muslim (1%), Protestant (1%)
Government: Parliamentary democratic republic
President: Janez Drnovsek
Prime Minister: Tone Rop
GDP: US$20 billion
GDP per head: US$10,300
Annual growth: 3.5%
Inflation: 8%
Major industries: Textiles, manufacturing, timber products, agriculture
Major trading partners: EU (esp. Germany, Croatia, Italy, France, Austria)
Member of the EU: No