Slovenia: Introduction

Slovenia is a country in Central Europe bordering the Adriatic Sea. Neighboring countries include Austria, Croatia, Hungary, and Italy. Despite its small size, Slovenia controls some of Europe's major transit routes. The Alps dominate northern Slovenia, and numerous rivers lie in the east. The government system is a parliamentary republic; the chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Slovenia has a mixed economic system in which the state is considerably involved in centralized planning, but there is private sector freedom. Slovenia is a member of the European Union (EU).