
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 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties
to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have
assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. In December
2002, Slovenia received an invitation to join NATO, and it is scheduled
to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1004.
In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and EU membership, Slovenes
voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66% in favor of joining
NATO.. LOCATION:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering
the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia LOCATION: Mediterranean climate on the coast,
continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in
the plateaus and valleys to the east BORDERS:
Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km,
Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km