Slovenia Croatia Bosnia and Herzegovina Yugoslavia Macedonia map (China and foreign comparison)

Author: Zhou Min, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-07-01
Features:
The flag of the Republic of Slovenia is a horizontal rectangle with a length-to-width ratio of 2:1. It consists of three parallel, equal horizontal rectangles, from top to bottom in white, blue, and red. The flag features the national coat of arms in the upper left corner. Slovenia declared independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 and officially adopted this flag in 1992.
The coat of arms is a shield emblem. The shield is blue, with three yellow six-pointed stars at the top and white and blue waves at the bottom. In the center are three white mountains, symbolizing the country's highest peak—Triglav, which stands at 2,864 meters above sea level.
Natural Geography: Located in central-southern Europe, Slovenia occupies the northwest tip of the Balkan Peninsula, situated between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea. It lies in the northwest of the former Yugoslavia, bordering Croatia to the east and south, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Italy to the west, and Austria and Hungary to the north. The country covers an area of 20,273 square kilometers, 52% of which is covered by dense forests. The coastline is 46.6 kilometers long. Triglav is the highest peak in Slovenia, standing at 2,864 meters. The most famous lake is Lake Bled. The climate is divided into mountain climate, continental climate, and Mediterranean climate. The average summer temperature is 21°C, and the average winter temperature is 0°C.
Population: 1.988 million (December 1999). The majority are Slovencians (87.9%), Hungarians (0.43%), Italians (0.16%), and other ethnic groups (11.6%). The official language is Slovene. The main religion is Catholicism.
Capital: Ljubljana, population: 272,000 (1995).
National Leaders: President Janez Drnovsek was elected in December 2002; Prime Minister Janez Jan?a was elected in November 2004.
Brief History: In the late 6th century, Slavs migrated to the area of present-day Slovenia. In the 7th century, Slovenia was part of the Samo feudal kingdom. In the 8th century, it was ruled by the Frankish Kingdom. Between 869 and 874, an independent Slovenian state was established in the Pannonian Plain. After that, Slovenia changed hands several times and was ruled by the Habsburg dynasty, the Ottoman Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In late 1918, Slovenia and other South Slavic peoples united to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. In 1941, fascist Germany, Italy, and France invaded Yugoslavia. In 1945, the South Slavic peoples of Yugoslavia won the anti-fascist war and declared the establishment of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia on November 29, 1945 (renamed the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1963), with Slovenia as one of its republics. In May 1990, Slovenia held its first multi-party election since World War II, and the Slovene Democratic Party came to power. On June 25, 1991, the Slovenian parliament passed a resolution declaring independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and establishing an independent sovereign state. Slovenia joined the United Nations on May 22, 1992.
Politics: The new constitution promulgated on December 23, 1991, stipulates that the president is elected directly by popular vote and serves a five-year term, with a maximum of two re-elections. The parliament is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly and the National Council. The National Assembly is the primary legislative body, composed of 90 members elected by direct vote through secret ballot and serving a four-year term. The National Council represents citizens and society, exercising supervisory power and veto rights, with 40 members serving a five-year term. The government is the executive branch of state power and serves a four-year term.