Slovenia

62.8% —or about 1,264,000 hectares—of Slovenia is forested. Of this, 9.4% —or roughly 119,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Slovenia gained an average of 5,100 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual reforestation rate of 0.43%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 6.0% to 0.40% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Slovenia gained 6.4% of its forest cover, or around 76,000 hectares. Slovenia lost 56,000 hectares—1—of its primary forest cover during that time. Deforestation rates of primary cover have increased 88.9% since the close of the 1990s. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Slovenia gained 6.2% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Slovenia has some 484 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.2% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.3% are threatened. Slovenia is home to at least 3200 species of vascular plants, of which 0.7% are endemic. 14.4% of Slovenia is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

Slovenia pictures

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

Slovenia: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 2,014,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 1,264,000 Percent Forest Cover 62.76% Primary Forest Cover (ha) 119,000 Primary Forest, % total forest 9.41% Primary Forest, % total land 5.91% Other wooded land (ha) 44,000 Slovenia : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 0% Subtropical (% forest area) 12% Temperate (% forest area) 88% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 0% Slovenia: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) 119,000 9.4% Modified natural (ha | %) 1,107,000 87.6% Semi-natural (ha | %) 38,000 3.0% Production plantation (ha | %) - 0.0% Production plantation (ha | %) - 0.0% Slovenia: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 1,188,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 1,239,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 1,264,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 5,100 0.43% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 5,000 0.40% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 76,000 6.40% Change in rate (%) -6.00% PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) 63,000 Primary 2000 (ha) 95,000 Primary 2005 (ha) 119,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 3,200 5.08% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 4,800 5.05% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 56,000 88.89% Change in rate (%) -0.53% OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) 44,000 Other 2000 (ha) 44,000 Other 2005 (ha) 44,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) - Other 2000 (ha) - Other 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) 1,232,000 Other 2000 (ha) 1,283,000 Other 2005 (ha) 1,308,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 5,100 0.41% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 5,000 0.39% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 76,000 6.17% Change in rate (%) -5.86% Slovenia: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) 119,000 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 119,000 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 5.91% Slovenia: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) 27.7% Private (%) 72.3% Other (%) 0.0% Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) 4.5% Private (%) 95.0% Other (%) 0.0% Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) 54.3% Protection (%) 12.7% Conservation (%) 6.7% Social Services (%) 13.9% Multiple Services (%) 12.3% None of Unknown (%) 0.0% Slovenia: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) 0.00% Insects (ha) 0.00% Diseases (ha) 0.00% Other (ha) 0.08% Slovenia: Protected areas 2 Protected areas Biosphere reserves, 2005 Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 2 World Heritage sites, 2004 1 Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land 14.4% Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land 8.28% Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 6.18% Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 0.00% Slovenia: Biodiversity - Wildlife Amphibians total species 18 endemic species 0 threatened species 2 Birds total species 350 endemic species 1 threatened species 7 Mammals total species 87 endemic species 0 threatened species 7 Reptiles total species 29 endemic species 0 threatened species 0 Wildlife diversity total species 484 endemic species 1 threatened species 16 Slovenia: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 71.70% Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 92.20% Number of Native tree species Native tree species 73 Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered 0 Endangered 0 Vulnerable 0 Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total 3200 Number endemic 22 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 0 Slovenia: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) 229 Below-ground biomass (M t) 65 Dead wood (M t) 48 Total (M t) 342 Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) 115 Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) 32 Carbon in dead wood (M t) 24 Carbon in litter (M t) - Soil carbon (M t) 89 Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 6,122 2000-2005 4,532 Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 4 2000-2005 2.5 Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) 2,622 Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) 531 Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) 3,153 Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) 1 Plant products 2005 Food (t) 550 Fodder (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) - Ornamental plants (t) 1,200 Exudates (t) - Other plant products (t) - Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) 20,000 Wild honey and bee-wax (t) 2,300 Bush meat (t) 1,000 Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) $93,947,000 Wood fuel (US$) $9,660,000 Non-wood forest products (US$) $41,870,000 Total value (US$) $145,477,000 Total value ($USD/ha) $115 Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed 3,000 Slovenia : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 259 Imports 1 Exports 60 Consumption 200 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 2,003 Imports 423 Exports 301 Consumption 2,125 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 446 Imports 187 Exports 368 Consumption 265 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 481 Imports 183 Exports 209 Consumption 455 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 153 Imports 168 Exports 27 Consumption 294 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 494 Imports 228 Exports 441 Consumption 281 Slovenia: Environment Environment - current issues 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 Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Natural hazards flooding and earthquakes Slovenia: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 8.6% permanent crops: 1.49% other: 89.91% (2001) Natural resources lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower, forests Slovenia: Economy Economy - overview: Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-05. Despite lackluster performance in Europe in 2001-05, Slovenia maintained moderate growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are still needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between government, business, and central bank policy were issues of concern in the run-up to Slovenia's 1 May 2004 accession to the European Union. In mid-2004 Slovenia agreed to adopt the euro by 2007 and, therefore, must keep its debt levels, budget deficits, interest rates, and inflation levels within the EU's Maastrict criteria. GDP - per capita $20,900 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 3.8% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 2.8%, industry: 36.9%, services: 60.3% (2005 est.) Industries ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools Economic aid - recipient ODA, $62 million (2000 est.) Debt - external $20.57 billion (30 June 2005 est.) Population below poverty line (%) NA Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 6%, industry 40%, services 55% (2002) Slovenia: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 2,011,070 Population growth rate (%) (2005) -0.03% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 99.8 Percent rural (2003) 49.2% Median age (years) total: 40.23 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 1.24 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census) [an error occurred while processing this directive] Slovenia: Infrastructure Telephones - main lines in use 812,300 (2003) Telephones - mobile cellular 1,739,100 (2003) Roadways (km) total: 20,250 km paved: 20,250 km (including 456 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2002) Slovenia: Health Life expectancy at birth (years) total population: 76.14 years male: 72.42 years female: 80.1 years (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) less than 0.1% (2001 est.) Slovenia : References & Data Sources  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com