II.

Land and Resources

Slovenia is mountainous, much like Austria to the north and northern Italy to the west, and has heavily forested regions. The eastern third of the republic lies within the Karst, a barren limestone plateau broken by depressions and ridges. The highest point in the country, Mount Triglav, rises 2,863 m (9,393 ft) and forms part of the Julian Alps in the north-western region of the republic.

A.

Rivers and Lakes

The Mura, Drava, and Sava rivers flow through the forested north-eastern region of the republic. A 47 km (29 mi) stretch of coastline along the Adriatic Sea serves as the country’s south-western border.

B.

Climate

Towns along the coast enjoy a warm Mediterranean climate, while those in the mountains to the north often have harsh winters and rainy summers. The plateaux to the east, where Ljubljana is situated, have a more moderate continental climate, with warm to hot summers and cold winters.

C.

Natural Resources

Two national symbols, the linden, or lime tree, and the chamois, thrive throughout the republic. Brown coal, or lignite, is the most abundant natural resource in Slovenia (production 2003; 4.85 million tonnes); other resources include lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, and silver, as well as natural gas and oil.

D.

Environmental Concerns

In 1995, 53 per cent of Slovenia's total land area was forested. Air pollution from central European industry and acid rain have caused damage to the forests, however, with a quarter of the country's trees suffering moderate to severe defoliation. Factories in Slovenia have contributed to high levels of sulphur dioxide and dust in the air in the country's larger cities, and much of the ground and surface water is contaminated. The Sava River, for example, is polluted with domestic and industrial waste, and Slovenia's short stretch of coastal waters is polluted with heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Slovenia has a long history of wildlife conservation, however.

Triglav National Park, in north-western Slovenia, was established in 1924 to preserve the alpine wilderness around Mount Triglav. The park is home to diverse populations of birds and small mammals, and several mammal species that vanished from the ecosystem, such as ibex and marmots, have been successfully reintroduced. In all, 5.7 per cent (1997) of the country's total land area has been designated protected. The government has ratified international environmental agreements on air pollution, biodiversity, climate change, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, marine dumping, nuclear test ban, ozone layer protection, ship pollution, and wetlands.