Page last updated on February 11, 2013
Economy - overview:
Slovenia became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has experienced one of the most stable political and economic transitions in Central and Southeastern Europe. With the highest per capita GDP in Central Europe, Slovenia has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe. Privatization has lagged since 2002, and the economy has one of highest levels of state control in the EU. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for somewhat greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In 2007, Slovenia was invited to begin the process for joining the OECD; it became a member in 2012. Despite its economic success, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia has lagged behind the region average, and taxes remain relatively high. Furthermore, the labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere. In 2009, the global recession caused the economy to contract - through falling exports and industrial production - by 8%, and unemployment to rise. Although growth resumed in 2010, it dipped into negative territory in 2012 and the unemployment rate continued to rise, exceeding 12% in 2012.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$57.93 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$59.25 billion (2011 est.)
$58.89 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$45.42 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
-2.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
0.6% (2011 est.)
1.2% (2010 est.)
[see also:
GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita:
$28,600 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
$29,300 (2011 est.)
$29,200 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP - per capita country ranks ]
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
27.6%
services:
69.7% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
932,300 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
35%
services:
62.8% (2009)
Unemployment rate:
12.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
11.8% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
12.3% (2008)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%:
24.6% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.4 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 119
23.8 (2004)
[see also:
Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
Investment (gross fixed):
16.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
[see also: Investment (gross fixed) country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: $20.5 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures:
$22.59 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
45.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Public debt:
53.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
46.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
note:
defined by the EU's Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and loans; general government sector comprises the subsectors: central government, state government, local government, and social security funds
[see also:
Public debt country ranks ]
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
1.8% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Central bank discount rate:
1.5% (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 124
1.75% (31 December 2011)
note:
this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
[see also:
Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.2% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
5.82% (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
Stock of narrow money:
$16.03 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
$16.12 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
note:
see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
[see also:
Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
Stock of broad money:
$26.52 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$25.62 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of broad money country ranks ]
Stock of domestic credit:
$49.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
$48.54 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$6.326 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 74
$9.428 billion (31 December 2010)
$11.77 billion (31 December 2009)
[see also:
Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry
Industries:
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools
Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Current account balance:
$297.6 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
