Page last updated on February 28, 2018

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 ]
land: 20,151 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 122 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 155

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,211 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (4): Austria 299 km, Croatia 600 km, Hungary 94 km, Italy 218 km

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

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]

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 southwestern coastal strip of Karst topography on the Adriatic; an alpine mountain region lies adjacent to Italy and Austria in the north; mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east

Elevation:
mean elevation: 492 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

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

Land use:
agricultural land: 22.8% arable land 8.4%; permanent crops 1.3%; permanent pasture 13.1%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 62.3%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 14.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
60 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations; pockets in the mountainous northwest exhibit less density than elsewhere

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 from urban air pollution 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