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The territory of Slovenia was
already inhabited in the Bronze and Iron Age.
Illyrians and Celts who migrated to this area in 3rd century BC were subjects of
the Roman Empire. In that period the first cities on this territory were
established (Poetovio, Celeia, Emona). At the end of 6th century the Slavs,
ancestors of the present day Slovenians, settled in this territory. In order to
defend themselves from the Avars and Bavarians they united around 620 AD into
the Slav Principality of Karantania. In 745, they accepted the rule of the
Frankish emperor and the Christian religion.
From 10th century onwards, counties and regions were formed and became the
independent provinces of Kranjska, Štajerska, Koroška and Goriška in 13th
century. During 14th and 15th centuries all the provinces were subject to the
Habsburg rule.
The 15th and 16th centuries were marked by constant wars, the worsening of the
economic situation, and Turkish raids. This has led to peasant uprisings in
1515, 1573, 1635 and 1713. In the 16th century during the Reformation the first
Slovene book was printed.
During 17th and 18th centuries the territory of Slovenia underwent various
social and economical changes under the rule of Maria Theresa and Joseph II. For
a brief period of time between 1809 and 1813 the rule of the Habsburgs was
interrupted when Napoleon established the Illyrian Provinces and made Ljubljana
their capital.
During the spring of nations in 1848 the increase of national political
tendencies and the fight for the equal position of the Slovene language in the
Habsburg Empire strengthened national consciousness.
After the WWI the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was established. It had
its seat in Zagreb (Croatia) and a Slovene, Anton Korošec, was the president of
the provisional parliament. The state had no legitimate status and was
surrounded by expansionist neighbours (Italy, Austria and Hungary) so it took
shelter under the Serbian crown to form the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
On April 6, 1941 Slovenia was occupied by German, Italian and Hungarian armies
and its territory was divided among them. In the years 1941 to 1945 Slovenian
partisans fought against the invaders under the leadership of the Communist
Party. After the war a new state was created: The Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, which consisted of six independent republics. Among these Slovenia
was the best developed economically, and it also harboured a lively cultural
development.
After 1988, a political as well as an economic crisis brought about changes to
the Slovene constitution, which led to the plebiscite in December 1990 when a
huge majority of citizens(90%) voted in favour of independence. On 25 June 1991
Slovenia declared its independence, which was followed by a ten-day war, a
failed attempt by the Yugoslav army to prevent the separation of Slovenia from
the former state.
The country was formally recognised by the European Community in January 1992
and admitted to the United Nations in May 1992.
In April 2003 Slovenia signed EU Accession Treaty in Athens (a full member since
May 2004) and joined NATO in March 2004.
ABOUT SLOVENIA
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