Location:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 20,273 sq km
land:
20,151 sq km
water:
122 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,086 km
border countries:
Austria 330 km, Croatia 455 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 199 km
Coastline:
46.6 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
Terrain:
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point:
Triglav 2,864 m
Natural resources:
lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests
Land use:
arable land: 8.53%
permanent crops:
1.43%
other:
90.04% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
32.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.9
per capita:
457 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
flooding; earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes
