Slovenia Geography Profile 2012

Slovenia Geography Profile

Slovenia is situated in Central Europe and covers an area of 20,273 km2 (that's half the size of Switzerland). It has borders with Italy (280 km), Austria (318 km), Croatia (670 km) and Hungary (102 km).

Relief

Four major European geographic regions meet in Slovenia: the Alps, the Dinaric area, the Pannonian plain and the Mediterranean.

The coastline is only 46.6 km long, but there is 26,000 kilometres of rivers and streams, some 7,500 springs of drinking water, including several hundred of first class therapeutic mineral springs.

Landscape

Forests cover half the territory, as much as 10,124 km2; Slovenia is the third most forested country in Europe, right after Finland and Sweden. Remnants of primeval forests are still to be found, the largest in the Koevje area. Bears, which can no longer be found north of this region, still live in these forests and it also is possible to encounter a wolf or a lynx.

Grassland covers 5593 km2 of the country and fields and gardens 2471 km2. There are also 363 km2 of orchards and 216 km2 of vineyards.

Climate

Most of Slovenia has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. The average temperatures are -2°C in January and 21°C in July. The average rainfall is 1000 mm for the coast, up to 3500 mm for the Alps, 800mm for south east and 1400 mm for central Slovenia.

Biodiversity

Slovenia is home to more than 50,000 animal species and 3,000 plant species.

Environmental protection

Approximately 8% of the Slovenia's territory is specially protected; the largest area with such a regime is the Triglav National Park with a surface area of 848 km2. The Škocjan Caves were entered on the world heritage list at UNESCO in 1986, and the Seovlje saltpans and Cerknica Lake are included on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.