three six-sided stars arranged in an inverted
triangle which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje,
the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th
centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the flag
centered in the white and blue bands

@Slovenia:Economy

Economy-overview: Today, Slovenia exhibits the highest per capita GDP
of all the transition economies of the region, fairly moderate
inflation, and a comfortable level of international reserves. However,
GDP has posted slower growth since reaching a zenith of 5.5% in 1994.
Growth declined to 3.5% in 1995 and 3.2% in 1996 and in 1997. Exports
in 1997 benefited from economic recovery abroad-especially of
Slovenia's main trading partners of the EU, which take 70% of Slovene
exports. This export-led trend is predicted to continue, with an
expected GDP growth rate of 3.8% for 1998. Slovenia received an
invitation in 1997 to begin accession negotiations with the EU-a
further reflection of Slovenia's sound economic footing. Slovenia must
press on with privatization, enterprise restructuring, institution
reform, and liberalization of financial markets, thereby creating
conditions conducive to foreign investment, and maintaining a stable
tolar.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$19.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3.25% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$10,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 33%
services: 62% (1996)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 9.7% (1996)

Labor force:
total: 857,400
by occupation: services 62%, industry 36%, agriculture 2% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 7.1% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.48 billion
expenditures: $8.53 billion, including capital expenditures of $455
million (1996 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1996)

Electricity-capacity: 2.524 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 11.615 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 5,759 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn,
grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry

Exports:
total value: $8.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: manufactured goods 50.7%