Slovenia
A mountainous, forested country in Central Europe with a short Adriatic coastline.
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, and Croatia to the south and southeast; its southwestern boundary consists of a 46.6-kilometre (29.0 mi) coastline on the Adriatic Sea. The country is mostly mountainous and forested, covering 20,271 square kilometres (7,827 sq mi), with a population of approximately 2.1 million people. Slovene is the official language. Slovenia has a predominantly temperate continental climate, with the exception of the Slovene Littoral and the Julian Alps. Ljubljana, the capital and largest city, is geographically situated near the centre of the country.
- Capital
- Ljubljana
- Region
- Central Europe
- Languages
- Slovene
- Currency
- Euro
- Continent
- Europe
- Official Language
- Slovene
- Government Type
- Parliamentary Republic
Lore & Background
The region has a long history of settlement. The Proto-Illyrian tribes settled the area during the Early Bronze Age, while the Slavic tribes arrived in the 5th century AD. The present day territory has been part of many different states, including the Roman Empire, the Carolingian Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Republic of Venice, the Habsburg Empire, Napoleonic France, the Austrian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in December 1918; in 1929, the Kingdom became known as Yugoslavia. Modern Slovenia was formed in June 1991, when the country declared independence from Yugoslavia, and after the brief Ten-Day War became an independent sovereign state.
In Their Own Story
The morning mist clings to the emerald surface of Lake Bled as the first light hits the church spire standing on the tiny island. A local boatman, known as a 'pletna' rower, glides silently across the water, his rhythmic strokes breaking the silence that has hung over these mountains since Roman times. On the shore, the stone walls of Bled Castle watch over the valley, a silent witness to centuries of shifting borders and enduring traditions. Here, the air smells of pine needles and sea salt, a unique blend that defines this small country where three distinct worlds converge.
Reader's Guide
Slovenia is a developed country, with a high-income economy characterized by a mixture of both traditional industries, such as manufacturing and agriculture, and modern sectors, such as information technology and financial services. The economy is highly dependent on foreign trade. Slovenia is a member of the Council of Europe, the European Union, the United Nations, NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and other associations in the global community.
Did You Know?
- The name Slovenia etymologically means 'land of the Slavs'.
- A pierced cave bear bone found in Divje Babe cave is possibly the oldest musical instrument discovered in the world.
- The Ljubljana Marshes Wooden Wheel is the oldest wooden wheel in the world.
- The Battle of the Frigidus took place in the Vipava Valley in 394.
More in European Nations & Regions
Elsewhere in the World Atlas universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record