Geography of Slovenia
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: 1,382 km border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 280 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, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests |
Land use: | arable land: 8.53% permanent crops: 1.43% other: 90.04% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 30 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | flooding and 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-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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 |