Slovenia Country & Tourist Information

Location
Southern Central Europe.

Area
20,273 sq km (7,827 sq miles).

Population
2 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
98.6 per sq km.

Capital
Ljubljana.
Population: 265,881 (2002).

Government
Republic since 1991. Declared independence from now defunct state of Yugoslavia in 1991.
Head of State: President Janez Drnovsek since 2002.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Janez Jansa since 2004.
Recent history: Former leader of the center-left Liberal Democrats, Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek won the second round of presidential elections in December 2002. As president, he oversaw Slovenia’s entry into the EU and Nato in 2004. Janez Jansa, the leader of the center-right Slovenian Democratic Party, became prime minister in October 2004. The party forged a coalition with three other parties: New Slovenia and the People’s Party and the center-left Democratic Party of Pensioners. Mr Jansa’s campaign was based on a promise to cut the costs of state administration and press ahead with privatization in anticipation of joining the euro in 2007.

Language
Slovene, which is closely related to Croat and Czech. Most Slovenes speak German, Hungarian or Italian, with English as a second language.

Religion
Most of the population is Roman Catholic (75%), with small communities of other Christians including Eastern Orthodox; there are Muslim and Jewish minorities.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Telephone
Country code: 386. Calls can be made with magnetic phonecards, sold at post offices, newspaper kiosks and tobacco shops (website: www.telekom.si). For emergencies, dial 112 (ambulance service and fire brigade) or 113 (police).

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet
Internet cafes are available in cities.

Media
The media scene is diverse and free, and the constitution supports freedom of expression. About two-thirds of TV households are connected to cable or satellite.

Post
Reasonable internal service. Stamps can be bought at bookstalls. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1200. The post office at Cigaletova 5, Ljubljana is open 24 hours.

Press
The main dailies are Delo, Slovenske Novice and Dnevnik (in Ljubljana). Vecer is a Maribor-based daily. The state news agency, STA, produces material in English for international distribution on a daily basis. English-language publications include Ars Vivendi, Slovenia Weekly, Slovenian Business Report and Slovenija.

Radio
RTV Slovenia, the public broadcaster, operates national radio stations A1, Val 202 and Ars, regional services and a tourist station with news in English and German. Radio Hit and Radio City are commercial stations.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1-2 Jan New Year.
8 Feb Preseren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday).
9 Apr Easter Monday.
27 Apr Resistance Day.
1-2 May Labor Day Holiday.
27 May Pentecost.
25 Jun National Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
31 Oct Reformation Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Independence Day.

2008
1-2 Jan New Year.
8 Feb Preseren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday).
24 Mar Easter Monday.
27 Apr Resistance Day.
1-2 May Labor Day Holiday.
11 May Pentecost.
25 Jun National Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
31 Oct Reformation Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Independence Day. 

Contact Information:

Slovenian Tourist Office in the UK
South Marlands, Itching Field, Horsham, West Sussex, R13 0NN, UK
Tel: (0870) 225 5305.
Website: www.slovenia.info

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the UK
10 Little College Street, London SW1P 3SH, UK
Tel: (020) 7222 5400.
Website: www.mzz.gov.si
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1200 (consular section; for appointments in person).

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the USA
1525 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 667 5363.
Website: www.embassy.org/slovenia

Slovenian Tourist Office in the USA
2929 East Commercial Boulevard, Suite 201, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 Tel: (954) 491 0112.
Website: www.slovenia.info


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