Slovenia occupies about 2% of central Europe of land area - and it's about the size of Israel or Wales. To the north is Austria and to the south Croatia. Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-04.

Area: 20,273 sq km

Population: 1.93 million

Capital: Ljubljana

People: 88% Slovenian, 3% Croat, 2% Serb

Language: Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, German, and English

Religion: 72% Roman Catholic, 4.3% atheist, 2.4% Eastern Orthodox Christian, 1% Muslim, 1% Protestant

Government: Parliamentary Democratic Republic

GDP: US$37.06 billion

Major Industries: Textiles, manufacturing, timber products, and agriculture

Major Trading Partners: EU (esp. Germany, Italy, France, Austria), and Croatia