Slovenia from 1991 until today
Statehood Day 2024
Last year, 5.9% more people lived in Slovenia than at independence. The educational structure is better, employment is rising, and unemployment is falling. Inflation is slowly easing. Imports exceed exports. The number of tourist arrivals is increasing.
The number of residents is increasing, the structure is changing
At the beginning of 2023, Slovenia had 2,116,972 residents, 117,027 or 5.9% more than at independence in 1991. During this period, the age and sex structure changed, as did the ratio between Slovenian citizens and foreign citizens.
The share of young people (0–14 years) among all residents was 20.6% in 1991, and 15.0% last year. The reverse was the case with those aged 65+: in 1991, the share was 10.8%, and last year 21.4%. Since independence, the number of men has increased by 9.6% and the number of women by 2.3%. The number of men grew mainly on account of foreign nationals; last year there were slightly fewer than 190,000 of them in Slovenia (120,162 men and 69,634 women). The largest share of them (46.1%) came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Kosovo (14.2%) and Serbia (9.3%).
The educational structure is improving
In 2013, 19.4% of the population had tertiary education. Last year the share was 25.9%. The situation was the opposite as regards the share of residents who had completed basic education or less: it was 27.3% in 2013, and 21.7% in 2023. In all these years, the share of residents who attained upper secondary education was between 52.3% and 53.3%.
Education is a very important factor in the lives of individuals, as the education of parents has a considerable influence on the financial position of their children in adulthood. The share of persons aged 25–59 who were severely materially and socially deprived in 2023 was higher among those whose parents had a lower level of education in their youth (when the persons were about 14 years old). Similar differences were also observed in the share of persons below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold and persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion, except that they were even more related to the mother's education. Among persons whose at least one parent had completed more than upper secondary school, the share at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 11%, while among those whose both parents had basic education or less it was 15%.
The highest number of persons in employment so far
In March 2024, there were 944,300 persons in employment, which is the highest number since we started to monitor register-based data on employment. There were slightly more than 842,300 persons in paid employment and slightly fewer than 102,000 self-employed persons. About 144,200 foreign citizens were among the persons in employment, representing 15.6% of the total number (excluding farmers). They came from 150 different countries. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina represented almost half of foreign citizens in employment.
In the first quarter of this year, the job vacancy rate (i.e. the share of job vacancies in total number of job vacancies and occupied posts) at the level of all activities was 2.5% or 0.4 of a percentage point lower than in the same period last year. The job vacancy rate was the highest in accommodation and food service activities (5.6%), followed by construction with a tenth of a percentage point lower rate. The highest rate was recorded in the second quarter of 2022, when it was 2.7%.
Men's earnings higher than women's
In 2022, average monthly net earnings of women were 5.1% lower than those of men. A tenth of persons in paid employment received on average less than EUR 830, while 1% received more than EUR 4,042 net per month.
Among men, those with completed education in the field of mathematics and statistics earned the most (EUR 2,249 net), and among women those with completed education in the field of law (EUR 1,889 net). More than EUR 2,000 net was earned in the public sector by those with completed veterinary education, and in the private sector by those with completed inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, and those with completed education in mathematics and statistics.
Last year, inflation was 4,2 %
In the history of Slovenia, inflation was the highest at independence, 247.1%, and there were even two years when deflation was recorded (in 2015 −0.5% and in 2020 −1.1%). Last year, inflation stood at 4.2%, which was 6.1 percentage points less than the year before.
In April this year, annual inflation was 3%. The prices in the group restaurants and hotels grew the most (by 7.3%), while only the prices in the group communications fell (by 1.1%).
GDP almost 6 times as high as at the time of independence
Last year, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita at current prices amounted to EUR 29,753 and was 5.8-times as high as at the time of Slovenia's independence, when it was EUR 5,131. Since the first years after independence, the GDP fell the most in real terms at the beginning of the great economic crisis in 2009 (−7.5%) and in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic (−4.2%). The highest growth was recorded in 2021 (8.2%) and 2007 (7.0%). Last year it grew by 1.6%. General government sector debt amounted to 69.2% of GDP in 2023. It was the lowest in 1995 (18.2%) and the highest in 2015 (82.5%).
The value of imports higher than the value of exports
According to provisional data, last year the value of imports to Slovenia was 3.5% higher than the value of exports from Slovenia. Slovenia imported EUR 57.1 billion of goods, and exported EUR 55.1 billion of goods. Imports of goods from Switzerland reached the highest value (16.4% of the total value of imports), followed by China (13.0%) and Germany (12.2%). Slovenia's most important trade partners in exports were Switzerland with 27.3% of total exports, followed by Germany (13.5%) and Italy (13.5%). Last year, the value of Slovenia’s imports from China was almost 30-times higher than the value of Slovenia’s exports to China.
The most important imports and exports were chemicals and related products (they accounted for 38.7% of total imports and 39.6% of total exports), followed by machinery and transport equipment (23.2% of total imports and 26.6% of total exports) and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (12.6% of total imports and 14.2% of total exports).
4.3-times as many tourist arrivals as in 1991
Last year, Slovenia was visited by 6.2 million tourists. They generated 16.1 million overnight stays. This was four times as many arrivals and three times as many overnight stays as in 1991. Last year, 28.4% of all overnight stays were generated by domestic tourists, and 71.6% by foreign tourists. The largest share of foreign tourists (16.4%) came from Germany, followed by Italy (9.3%) and Austria (8.5%). The largest share of overnight stays (31.1%) was generated in mountain resorts, followed by health (spa) resorts (19.6%) and seaside resorts (19.1%).
47% of energy imported
The total amount of domestic energy sources last year amounted to 3.3 million toe (= 138 PJ), which is 5% more than the year before. With domestic energy sources, Slovenia met 53% of its energy demand. The rest of the energy was imported. Petroleum products were entirely imported. Total primary energy supply of Slovenia was 6.0 million toe (= 249 PJ), which is 7% less than a year earlier. Petroleum products dominated the structure of energy supply in 2023 as well. Their share was 33.1%, followed by nuclear energy, which contributed 24.0%.
At the beginning of 2023, Slovenia had 2,116,972 residents, 117,027 or 5.9% more than at independence in 1991. During this period, the age and sex structure changed, as did the ratio between Slovenian citizens and foreign citizens.
The share of young people (0–14 years) among all residents was 20.6% in 1991, and 15.0% last year. The reverse was the case with those aged 65+: in 1991, the share was 10.8%, and last year 21.4%. Since independence, the number of men has increased by 9.6% and the number of women by 2.3%. The number of men grew mainly on account of foreign nationals; last year there were slightly fewer than 190,000 of them in Slovenia (120,162 men and 69,634 women). The largest share of them (46.1%) came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Kosovo (14.2%) and Serbia (9.3%).
The educational structure is improving
In 2013, 19.4% of the population had tertiary education. Last year the share was 25.9%. The situation was the opposite as regards the share of residents who had completed basic education or less: it was 27.3% in 2013, and 21.7% in 2023. In all these years, the share of residents who attained upper secondary education was between 52.3% and 53.3%.
Education is a very important factor in the lives of individuals, as the education of parents has a considerable influence on the financial position of their children in adulthood. The share of persons aged 25–59 who were severely materially and socially deprived in 2023 was higher among those whose parents had a lower level of education in their youth (when the persons were about 14 years old). Similar differences were also observed in the share of persons below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold and persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion, except that they were even more related to the mother's education. Among persons whose at least one parent had completed more than upper secondary school, the share at risk of poverty or social exclusion was 11%, while among those whose both parents had basic education or less it was 15%.
The highest number of persons in employment so far
In March 2024, there were 944,300 persons in employment, which is the highest number since we started to monitor register-based data on employment. There were slightly more than 842,300 persons in paid employment and slightly fewer than 102,000 self-employed persons. About 144,200 foreign citizens were among the persons in employment, representing 15.6% of the total number (excluding farmers). They came from 150 different countries. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina represented almost half of foreign citizens in employment.
In the first quarter of this year, the job vacancy rate (i.e. the share of job vacancies in total number of job vacancies and occupied posts) at the level of all activities was 2.5% or 0.4 of a percentage point lower than in the same period last year. The job vacancy rate was the highest in accommodation and food service activities (5.6%), followed by construction with a tenth of a percentage point lower rate. The highest rate was recorded in the second quarter of 2022, when it was 2.7%.
Men's earnings higher than women's
In 2022, average monthly net earnings of women were 5.1% lower than those of men. A tenth of persons in paid employment received on average less than EUR 830, while 1% received more than EUR 4,042 net per month.
Among men, those with completed education in the field of mathematics and statistics earned the most (EUR 2,249 net), and among women those with completed education in the field of law (EUR 1,889 net). More than EUR 2,000 net was earned in the public sector by those with completed veterinary education, and in the private sector by those with completed inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, and those with completed education in mathematics and statistics.
Last year, inflation was 4,2 %
In the history of Slovenia, inflation was the highest at independence, 247.1%, and there were even two years when deflation was recorded (in 2015 −0.5% and in 2020 −1.1%). Last year, inflation stood at 4.2%, which was 6.1 percentage points less than the year before.
In April this year, annual inflation was 3%. The prices in the group restaurants and hotels grew the most (by 7.3%), while only the prices in the group communications fell (by 1.1%).
GDP almost 6 times as high as at the time of independence
Last year, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita at current prices amounted to EUR 29,753 and was 5.8-times as high as at the time of Slovenia's independence, when it was EUR 5,131. Since the first years after independence, the GDP fell the most in real terms at the beginning of the great economic crisis in 2009 (−7.5%) and in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic (−4.2%). The highest growth was recorded in 2021 (8.2%) and 2007 (7.0%). Last year it grew by 1.6%. General government sector debt amounted to 69.2% of GDP in 2023. It was the lowest in 1995 (18.2%) and the highest in 2015 (82.5%).
The value of imports higher than the value of exports
According to provisional data, last year the value of imports to Slovenia was 3.5% higher than the value of exports from Slovenia. Slovenia imported EUR 57.1 billion of goods, and exported EUR 55.1 billion of goods. Imports of goods from Switzerland reached the highest value (16.4% of the total value of imports), followed by China (13.0%) and Germany (12.2%). Slovenia's most important trade partners in exports were Switzerland with 27.3% of total exports, followed by Germany (13.5%) and Italy (13.5%). Last year, the value of Slovenia’s imports from China was almost 30-times higher than the value of Slovenia’s exports to China.
The most important imports and exports were chemicals and related products (they accounted for 38.7% of total imports and 39.6% of total exports), followed by machinery and transport equipment (23.2% of total imports and 26.6% of total exports) and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (12.6% of total imports and 14.2% of total exports).
4.3-times as many tourist arrivals as in 1991
Last year, Slovenia was visited by 6.2 million tourists. They generated 16.1 million overnight stays. This was four times as many arrivals and three times as many overnight stays as in 1991. Last year, 28.4% of all overnight stays were generated by domestic tourists, and 71.6% by foreign tourists. The largest share of foreign tourists (16.4%) came from Germany, followed by Italy (9.3%) and Austria (8.5%). The largest share of overnight stays (31.1%) was generated in mountain resorts, followed by health (spa) resorts (19.6%) and seaside resorts (19.1%).
47% of energy imported
The total amount of domestic energy sources last year amounted to 3.3 million toe (= 138 PJ), which is 5% more than the year before. With domestic energy sources, Slovenia met 53% of its energy demand. The rest of the energy was imported. Petroleum products were entirely imported. Total primary energy supply of Slovenia was 6.0 million toe (= 249 PJ), which is 7% less than a year earlier. Petroleum products dominated the structure of energy supply in 2023 as well. Their share was 33.1%, followed by nuclear energy, which contributed 24.0%.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
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