Slovenia was the richest sub-republic in Yugoslavia, and clearly has the transition from communism to democracy and capitalism well. Today, the country has the highest standard of living in Eastern and Central Europe.
Key figures and facts
- Capital: Ljubljana
- Ethnic groups: Slovenes 83.1%, Serbs 2%, Croats 1.8%, Bosnian 1.1%, second or unspecified 12% (2002)
- Language: Slovenian (official) 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%, Italian and Hungarian are official languages in some municipalities where Italians and Hungarians live (2002)
- Religion: Catholics 57.8%, Muslims 2.4%, Orthodox Christians 2.3%, other Christians 0.9%, no affiliation 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002)
- Population: 2 081 260 (2018)
- Control Form: Republic
- Area: 20 270 km2
- Currency: euro
- GNP per capita: 32 723 PPP $
- National Day: June 25th
Population of Slovenia
The population of Slovenia is 2,102,678 (2020). The number of inhabitants increased by 0.01 per cent from 2019 to 2020. Life expectancy at birth is 84.4 for women and 78.5 for men (2020). The birth and death rates are 8.7 and 10.3 per 1000 inhabitants respectively. The birth rate is 1.59 children per woman (2020).
The largest city is the capital Ljubljana with 292 988 inhabitants. With suburbs, the population is 537,712 (2019). Maribor is the country’s second largest city with 94 642 inhabitants (2018).
Population of Slovenia by Year (Historical)
| Year | Population | Annual Growth Rate | Population Density | Global Rank |
| 2020 | 2,078,827 | 0.010% | 103.2243 | 149 |
| 2019 | 2,078,543 | 0.040% | 103.2102 | 149 |
| 2018 | 2,077,726 | 0.070% | 103.1697 | 149 |
| 2017 | 2,076,283 | 0.100% | 103.0980 | 148 |
| 2016 | 2,074,099 | 0.140% | 102.9896 | 148 |
| 2015 | 2,071,088 | 0.270% | 102.8401 | 147 |
| 2010 | 2,043,226 | 0.480% | 101.4566 | 145 |
| 2005 | 1,994,865 | 0.070% | 99.0554 | 145 |
| 2000 | 1,987,606 | -0.030% | 98.6950 | 145 |
| 1995 | 1,991,020 | -0.150% | 98.8645 | 142 |
| 1990 | 2,006,294 | 0.620% | 99.6229 | 141 |
| 1985 | 1,945,019 | 1.160% | 96.5804 | 138 |
| 1980 | 1,835,720 | 1.050% | 91.1535 | 136 |
| 1975 | 1,742,512 | 0.860% | 86.5255 | 135 |
| 1970 | 1,669,470 | 0.490% | 82.8988 | 134 |
| 1965 | 1,629,322 | 0.530% | 80.9053 | 131 |
| 1960 | 1,586,526 | 0.770% | 78.7804 | 128 |
| 1955 | 1,527,094 | 0.720% | 75.8294 | 124 |
| 1950 | 1,472,982 | 0.000% | 73.1427 | 120 |
Major Cities in Slovenia by Population
| Rank | City | Population |
| 1 | Ljubljana | 272,109 |
| 2 | Maribor | 95,060 |
| 3 | Celje | 37,409 |
| 4 | Kranj | 36,763 |
| 5 | Velenje | 25,345 |
| 6 | Koper | 24,885 |
| 7 | Novo Mesto | 23,230 |
| 8 | Ptuj | 18,053 |
| 9 | Trbovlje | 15,052 |
| 10 | Kamnik | 13,533 |
| 11 | Jesenice | 13,329 |
| 12 | Nova Gorica | 13,067 |
| 13 | Domzale | 12,295 |
| 14 | Skofja Loka | 11,858 |
| 15 | Murska Sobota | 11,503 |
| 16 | Izola | 11,112 |
| 17 | Postojna | 9,072 |
| 18 | Logatec | 8,831 |
| 19 | Kocevje | 8,561 |
| 20 | Vrhnika | 8,302 |
| 21 | Slovenj Gradec | 7,408 |
| 22 | Slovenska Bistrica | 7,343 |
| 23 | Grosuplje | 6,987 |
| 24 | Krsko | 6,986 |
| 25 | Ravne na Koroskem | 6,868 |
| 26 | Ajdovscina | 6,545 |
| 27 | Brezice | 6,462 |
| 28 | Litija | 6,356 |
| 29 | Zagorje ob Savi | 6,328 |
| 30 | Menges | 6,001 |
| 31 | Idrija | 5,844 |
| 32 | Radovljica | 5,829 |
| 33 | Lucija | 5,761 |
| 34 | Crnomelj | 5,665 |
| 35 | Hrastnik | 5,510 |
| 36 | Sezana | 5,420 |
| 37 | Bled | 5,070 |
| 38 | Medvode | 5,067 |
| 39 | Rogaska Slatina | 5,000 |
| 40 | Zalec | 4,832 |
| 41 | Slovenske Konjice | 4,758 |
| 42 | Sentjur | 4,651 |
| 43 | Sevnica | 4,549 |
| 44 | Prevalje | 4,532 |
| 45 | Ilirska Bistrica | 4,442 |
| 46 | Ruse | 4,392 |
| 47 | Piran | 4,081 |
| 48 | Cerknica | 3,817 |
| 49 | Trzic | 3,754 |
| 50 | Miklavz na Dravskem Polju | 3,743 |
| 51 | Trzin | 3,733 |
| 52 | Sempeter pri Gorici | 3,649 |
| 53 | Ribnica | 3,493 |
| 54 | Ziri | 3,477 |
| 55 | Tolmin | 3,423 |
| 56 | Trebnje | 3,366 |
| 57 | Ljutomer | 3,349 |
| 58 | Lasko | 3,345 |
| 59 | Dravograd | 3,178 |
| 60 | Ankaran | 3,167 |
| 61 | Metlika | 3,162 |
| 62 | Mezica | 3,143 |
| 63 | Gornja Radgona | 3,048 |
| 64 | Sencur | 3,041 |
| 65 | Lendava | 3,018 |
| 66 | Zelezniki | 2,964 |
| 67 | Lenart v Slov. Goricah | 2,895 |
| 68 | Zrece | 2,824 |
| 69 | Sostanj | 2,769 |
| 70 | Brezovica pri Ljubljani | 2,751 |
| 71 | Radlje ob Dravi | 2,700 |
| 72 | Spodnje Hoce | 2,444 |
| 73 | Race | 2,418 |
| 74 | Crna na Koroskem | 2,298 |
| 75 | Beltinci | 2,283 |
| 76 | Polzela | 2,269 |
| 77 | Muta | 2,189 |
| 78 | Vojnik | 2,181 |
| 79 | Ig | 2,151 |
| 80 | Skofljica | 2,098 |
| 81 | Radenci | 2,090 |
| 82 | Ormoz | 2,063 |
| 83 | Radece | 2,057 |
| 84 | Borovnica | 2,051 |
| 85 | Pivka | 1,977 |
| 86 | Mozirje | 1,974 |
| 87 | Semic | 1,889 |
| 88 | Straza | 1,885 |
| 89 | Ivancna Gorica | 1,877 |
| 90 | Lovrenc na Pohorju | 1,866 |
| 91 | Mislinja | 1,834 |
| 92 | Store | 1,826 |
| 93 | Sentilj v Slov. Goricah | 1,715 |
| 94 | Bohinjska Bistrica | 1,688 |
| 95 | Smarje pri Jelsah | 1,668 |
| 96 | Vipava | 1,660 |
| 97 | Naklo | 1,605 |
| 98 | Prebold | 1,598 |
| 99 | Odranci | 1,582 |
| 100 | Log pri Brezovici | 1,523 |
| 101 | Bovec | 1,520 |
| 102 | Cerklje na Gorenjskem | 1,497 |
| 103 | Cerkno | 1,485 |
| 104 | Vodice | 1,478 |
| 105 | Vuzenica | 1,469 |
| 106 | Rogatec | 1,447 |
| 107 | Turnisce | 1,398 |
| 108 | Miren | 1,349 |
| 109 | Smartno pri Litiji | 1,333 |
| 110 | Kranjska Gora | 1,328 |
| 111 | Spodnji Duplek | 1,318 |
| 112 | Sentjernej | 1,312 |
| 113 | Mirna | 1,287 |
| 114 | Divaca | 1,246 |
| 115 | Oplotnica | 1,241 |
| 116 | Horjul | 1,218 |
| 117 | Selnica ob Dravi | 1,186 |
| 118 | Kanal | 1,158 |
| 119 | Dornava | 1,156 |
| 120 | Kidricevo | 1,142 |
| 121 | Gorenja Vas | 1,081 |
| 122 | Crensovci | 1,067 |
| 123 | Poljcane | 1,042 |
| 124 | Sredisce ob Dravi | 1,013 |
| 125 | Kobarid | 1,010 |
| 126 | Ljubno ob Savinji | 993 |
| 127 | Zuzemberk | 942 |
| 128 | Gornji Grad | 937 |
| 129 | Mirna Pec | 879 |
| 130 | Dobrovnik | 861 |
| 131 | Benedikt | 844 |
| 132 | Dobrova | 832 |
| 133 | Velika Polana | 818 |
| 134 | Pesnica pri Mariboru | 802 |
| 135 | Moravce | 792 |
| 136 | Verzej | 792 |
| 137 | Komenda | 770 |
| 138 | Nazarje | 761 |
| 139 | Vitanje | 754 |
| 140 | Preddvor | 726 |
| 141 | Sodrazica | 721 |
| 142 | Starse | 692 |
| 143 | Dolenjske Toplice | 686 |
| 144 | Gorisnica | 677 |
| 145 | Vransko | 667 |
| 146 | Volcja Draga | 632 |
| 147 | Moravske Toplice | 624 |
| 148 | Sv. Trojica v Slov. Goricah | 619 |
| 149 | Velike Lasce | 618 |
| 150 | Kostanjevica na Krki | 584 |
| 151 | Grad | 575 |
| 152 | Kozje | 558 |
| 153 | Komen | 539 |
| 154 | Smartno ob Paki | 531 |
| 155 | Puconci | 527 |
| 156 | Majsperk | 526 |
| 157 | Mokronog | 526 |
| 158 | Kobilje | 507 |
| 159 | Zirovnica | 490 |
| 160 | Videm | 466 |
| 161 | Zgornje Jezersko | 457 |
| 162 | Dobrna | 437 |
| 163 | Kozina | 433 |
| 164 | Leskova Dolina | 428 |
| 165 | Zgornja Kungota | 424 |
| 166 | Apace | 417 |
| 167 | Podcetrtek | 417 |
| 168 | Zgornje Gorje | 389 |
| 169 | Krizevci pri Ljutomeru | 379 |
| 170 | Recica ob Savinji | 378 |
| 171 | Videm pri Ptuju | 360 |
| 172 | Markovci | 351 |
| 173 | Cankova | 335 |
| 174 | Ribnica na Pohorju | 332 |
| 175 | Cirkulane | 323 |
| 176 | Salovci | 315 |
| 177 | Gornji Petrovci | 308 |
| 178 | Lukovica pri Domzalah | 308 |
| 179 | Luce | 302 |
| 180 | Tabor | 295 |
| 181 | Tisina | 293 |
| 182 | Zetale | 281 |
| 183 | Podlehnik | 277 |
| 184 | Jurovski Dol | 274 |
| 185 | Braslovce | 272 |
| 186 | Kuzma | 264 |
| 187 | Hrib-Loski Potok | 262 |
| 188 | Dobrovo | 257 |
| 189 | Trnovska Vas | 256 |
| 190 | Podvelka | 232 |
| 191 | Sentrupert | 218 |
| 192 | Vitomarci | 218 |
| 193 | Smarjeta | 215 |
| 194 | Jursinci | 203 |
| 195 | Nova Vas | 188 |
| 196 | Sveti Tomaz | 173 |
| 197 | Bistrica ob Sotli | 161 |
| 198 | Spodnja Hajdina | 146 |
| 199 | Rogasovci | 143 |
| 200 | Razkrizje | 141 |
| 201 | Makole | 139 |
| 202 | Skocjan | 135 |
| 203 | Dol pri Ljubljani | 130 |
| 204 | Hodos | 117 |
| 205 | Solcava | 103 |
| 206 | Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici | 93 |
| 207 | Destrnik | 61 |
| 208 | Sv. Ana v Slov. Goricah | 44 |
| 209 | Cerkvenjak | 24 |
| 210 | Dobje pri Planini | 5 |
Composition of the population
The population is more uniform than in any of the other republics of former Yugoslavia: 83.1 percent are Slovenes, 2.0 percent are Serbs, 1.8 percent are Croats and 1.1 percent are Bosnians. Otherwise there are minorities of Italians and Hungarians.
Religion
57.8 percent of the population are Roman Catholic Christians, 2.4 percent are Muslims, 2.2 percent are Orthodox Christians, and 0.9 percent are Protestants.
Language
The official language is Slovenian, which is the mother tongue of 91.1 percent of the population. 4.5 percent of the population uses Croatian. Other linguistic minorities are Italian and Hungarian speakers.