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
water: 122 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
Hungary 102 km
Coastline:
46.6 km
Maritime claims:
NA
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: 11.48%
permanent crops: 2.68%
other: 85.84% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)
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-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some
of Europe's major transit routes