Page last updated on January 31, 2014

Location: south Central Europe, Julian Alps between Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 20,273 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 155
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
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
46.6 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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
More Climate Details

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
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:
lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests

Land use:
arable land: 8.31%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 1.33%
other: 90.36% (2011)

Irrigated land:
76.04 sq km (2010)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
31.87 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.94 cu km/yr (18%/82%/0%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 462.9 cu m/yr (2009)

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