People
- The first day at school. Photo: Robert Balen
Alongside the majority population of Slovenian ethnic origin, in the border areas there live Hungarian and Italian minority communities. Slovenia's constitution provides all rights for them. Various other ethnic groups, mainly from the Western Balkans, also have permanent or temporary residence in Slovenia.
Slovenians would describe themselves as hard-working, diligent and active people, individualists who speak foreign languages well. They are proud of their culture and language.
Slovenians are well educated and open to difference. Many Slovenians travel, but seldom change residence. Like other modern European societies, however, they face an ageing population and low birth rate.
According to the 2002 Census, Slovenia has a population of 1,964,036. This shows an increase of 2.6% since the 1991 Census, the result of immigration from abroad and legalisation on the residence of former Yugoslav citizens who were living in Slovenia during the 1991 Census.
Slovenes represent approximately 83% of population (2002 census); there are also national minority communities of Italians and Hungarians. They are considered indigenous minorities, and their rights are protected under the Constitution, each having a representative in the National Assembly. Other ethnic groups include Croats, Serbs, Bosnians, Macedonians, Montenegrins and Albanians that came to Slovenia after the World War II as economic immigrants. The status and special rights of Roma communities living in Slovenia (0.17%) are determined by statute.
Statistics
Inhabitants 2.055.527 (1 April 2012)
Population density: 101.1 inhabitants per square kilometre
Urbanization: Approximately one third of the population live in towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants, the rest live in nearly six thousand smaller towns and villages
Nationalities (2002 census): Slovenian 83%; Italian 0,1%; Hungarian 0,3%; Croat 1,8%; Serbian 2,0%; Muslim (including Bosniacs) 1,6%; others 2,2%; unknown: 8,9%
Births on average 1,5 children per woman (2010)
Life expectancy: 76.30 for men and 82.65 for women (2010)
Religions: According to the 2002 census the most of population (58 %) are Catholics
More content
Population: Slovenia has a population of two million people. Similarly to other modern societies, the country has been facing demographic issues, such as ageing, and low birth rate. Read more »
Religion: Along with the guaranteed right to preserve national identity, Slovenes have a right to their own religious beliefs. Under the Slovenian Constitution, state and religion are separate. Read more »
Feature
Roma Culture Month – Romano Chon in Roma - Enraptured Slovenia (April 2009). Read more »
Population Census 2002 results
The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia provides more data on population, standards of living, social security and health care, activity and lifestyle.
Typical Slovene
Can you imagine living in a country with a population of no more than two million? Can you imagine that the entire population of this country, which has contributed many important and esteemed innovations into the world treasury of knowledge, could only just fill the suburbs of a world city?
This is the reason Slovenes often joke that everybody knows everybody in this country, this is the reason we like to sing songs and the reason we are such extremists and individualists ... Allow us to introduce the typical Slovene.