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Location:
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Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia
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Geographic coordinates:
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46 07 N, 14 49 E
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 20,273 sq km
water: 122 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than New Jersey
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km, Hungary 102 km
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Coastline:
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46.6 km
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Maritime claims:
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NA
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Climate:
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Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east
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Terrain:
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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
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m
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Natural resources:
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lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests
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Land use:
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arable land: 11.48%
permanent crops: 2.68%
other: 85.84% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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20 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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flooding and earthquakes
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes
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