Overview: Slovenia was by far the most prosperous of the former Yugoslav republics, with a per capita income more than twice the Yugoslav average, indeed not far below the levels in neighboring Austria and Italy. Because of its strong ties to Western Europe and the small scale of damage during its brief fight for independence from Yugoslavia, Slovenia has the brightest prospects among the former Yugoslav republics for economic recovery over the next few years. The dissolution of Yugoslavia, however, has led to severe short-term dislocations in production, employment, and trade ties. For example, overall industrial production has fallen 26% since 1990; particularly hard hit have been the iron and steel, machine-building, chemical, and textile industries. Meanwhile, the continued fighting in other former Yugoslav republics has led to further destruction of long-established trade channels and to an influx of tens of thousands of Croatian and Bosnian refugees. The key program for breaking up and privatizing major industrial firms was established in late 1992. Despite slow progress in privatization Slovenia has reasonable prospects for an upturn in 1994. Bright spots for encouraging Western investors are Slovenia's comparatively well-educated work force, its developed infrastructure, and its Western business attitudes, but instability in Croatia is a deterrent. Slovenia in absolute terms is a small economy, and a little Western investment would go a long way.

National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $15 billion (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: 0% (1993 est.)

National product per capita: $7,600 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22.9% (1993)

Unemployment rate: 15.5% (1993)

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports: $5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, other manufactured goods 44%, chemicals 9%, food and live animals 4.6%, raw materials 3%, beverages and tobacco less than 1% (1992)
partners: Germany 27%, Croatia 14%, Italy 13%, France 9% (1992)

Imports: $5.3 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactured goods 26.7%, chemicals 14.5%, raw materials 9.4%, fuels and lubricants 7%, food and live animals 6% (1992)
partners: Germany 23%, Croatia 14%, Italy 14%, France 8%, Austria 8% (1992)

External debt: $1.9 billion

Industrial production: growth rate -2.8% (1993); accounts for 30% of GDP

Electricity:
capacity: 2,900,000 kW
production: 10 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,090 kWh (1992)

Industries: ferrous metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminum reduction and rolled products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Agriculture: accounts for 5% of GDP; dominated by stock breeding (sheep and cattle) and dairy farming; main crops - potatoes, hops, hemp, flax; an export surplus in these commodities; Slovenia must import many other agricultural products and has a negative overall trade balance in this sector

Illicit drugs: NA

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 tolar (SlT) = 100 stotins
Exchange rates: tolars (SIT) per US$1 - 112 (June 1993), 28 (January 1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Slovenia on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Slovenia Economy 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Slovenia Economy 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.