Nowadays, Demographics of Slovenia has become a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide spectrum of people around the world. With the advancement of technology and globalization, Demographics of Slovenia has acquired increasing importance in different areas of society. From politics to science, Demographics of Slovenia has demonstrated its impact and influence in significant ways. In this article, we will explore the various facets and dimensions of Demographics of Slovenia, analyzing its importance and relevance in the contemporary world. Additionally, we will examine its impact on different sectors and its potential to transform the future.
Slovenia is among the European countries with the most pronounced ageing of population, ascribable to a low birth rate and increasing life expectancy. Almost all Slovenian inhabitants older than 64 are retired, with no significant difference between the genders. The working-age group is diminishing in spite of immigration. The proposal to raise the retirement age from the current 57 for women and 58 for men was rejected in a referendum in 2011. Also the difference among the genders regarding life expectancy is still significant. In 2007, it was 74.6 years for men and 81.8 years for women. In addition, in 2009, the suicide rate in Slovenia was 22 per 100,000 persons per year, which places Slovenia among the highest ranked European countries in this regard.
Population
Census date
Population
Population density (per km2)
1857
1,101,854
54.4
1869
1,128,768
55.7
1880
1,182,223
58.3
1890
1,234,056
60.9
1900
1,268,055
62.5
1910
1,321,098
65.2
1921
1,304,800
64.4
1931
1,397,650
68.9
1948
1,439,800
71.0
1953
1,504,427
74.2
1961
1,591,523
78.5
1971
1,727,137
85.2
1981
1,891,864
93.3
1991
1,913,355
94.4
2002
1,964,036
96.9
2011
2,050,189
101.1
2021
2,108,977
104.0
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Vital statistics
Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
Average population (Q4, 2008 onwards)
Live births
Deaths
Natural change
Crude birth rate (per 1000)
Crude death rate (per 1000)
Natural change (per 1000)
Crude mirgration rate (per 1000)
Total fertility rate
Female fertile population (15–49 years)
1950
1,466,881
35,156
17,335
17,821
24.0
11.8
12.1
3.01
408,581
1951
1,480,245
34,020
18,497
15,523
23.0
12.5
10.5
-1.5
2.90
404,031
1952
1,493,550
33,444
15,617
17,827
22.4
10.5
11.9
-3.1
2.86
399,484
1953
1,508,428
33,754
14,948
18,806
22.4
9.9
12.5
-2.6
2.86
394,935
1954
1,521,485
31,828
14,897
16,931
20.9
9.8
11.1
-2.6
2.64
399,380
1955
1,533,998
32,096
15,109
16,987
20.9
9.8
11.1
-2.9
2.61
403,825
1956
1,545,591
31,466
16,351
15,115
20.4
10.6
9.8
-2.3
2.52
408,271
1957
1,556,521
30,086
14,545
15,541
19.3
9.3
10.0
-3.0
2.41
405,284
1958
1,566,979
28,283
14,082
14,201
18.0
9.0
9.1
-2.4
2.22
409,354
1959
1,576,204
28,432
15,357
13,075
18.0
9.7
8.3
-2.5
2.23
409,202
1960
1,580,145
27,825
15,145
12,680
17.6
9.6
8.0
-5.5
2.20
405,210
1961
1,595,450
28,955
14,013
14,942
18.1
8.8
9.4
0.2
2.33
401,219
1962
1,604,980
29,035
15,866
13,169
18.1
9.9
8.2
-2.3
2.28
410,687
1963
1,614,414
29,174
15,102
14,072
18.1
9.4
8.7
-2.9
2.27
410,442
1964
1,630,553
29,184
16,729
12,455
17.9
10.3
7.6
2.3
2.30
404,812
1965
1,650,413
30,587
15,987
14,600
18.5
9.7
8.8
3.2
2.43
413,598
1966
1,669,606
30,941
15,248
15,693
18.5
9.1
9.4
2.1
2.47
421,820
1967
1,690,939
29,824
16,353
13,471
17.6
9.7
8.0
4.7
2.37
431,579
1968
1,703,708
28,580
17,446
11,134
16.8
10.2
6.5
1.0
2.25
444,518
1969
1,714,022
27,883
18,564
9,319
16.3
10.8
5.4
0.6
2.18
447,334
1970
1,726,513
27,432
17,354
10,078
15.9
10.1
5.8
1.4
2.11
448,739
1971
1,738,101
28,278
17,425
10,853
16.3
10.0
6.2
0.4
2.17
451,193
1972
1,751,506
28,713
18,153
10,560
16.4
10.4
6.0
1.6
2.16
447,843
1973
1,766,125
29,548
17,614
11,934
16.7
10.0
6.8
1.5
2.21
453,882
1974
1,782,470
28,625
17,206
11,419
16.1
9.7
6.4
2.8
2.12
454,814
1975
1,800,022
29,786
18,180
11,606
16.5
10.1
6.4
3.3
2.18
460,560
1976
1,819,276
30,339
18,157
12,182
16.7
10.0
6.7
3.9
2.19
458,903
1977
1,839,358
29,904
17,633
12,271
16.3
9.6
6.7
4.3
2.16
457,783
1978
1,862,620
30,354
18,357
11,997
16.3
9.9
6.4
6.1
2.20
452,406
1979
1,882,304
30,604
18,148
12,456
16.3
9.6
6.6
3.9
2.19
459,736
1980
1,901,208
29,902
18,820
11,082
15.7
9.9
5.8
4.2
2.11
467,064
1981
1,917,469
29,220
18,733
10,487
15.2
9.8
5.5
3.0
1.97
476,888
1982
1,924,877
28,894
19,647
9,247
15.0
10.2
4.8
-1.0
1.93
481,591
1983
1,933,104
27,200
20,703
6,497
14.1
10.7
3.4
0.9
1.81
483,848
1984
1,942,802
26,274
20,214
6,060
13.5
10.4
3.1
1.9
1.75
485,852
1985
1,973,151
25,933
19,854
6,079
13.1
10.1
3.1
12.5
1.72
488,181
1986
1,980,718
25,570
19,499
6,071
12.9
9.8
3.1
0.8
1.67
496,670
1987
1,989,462
25,592
19,837
5,755
12.9
10.0
2.9
1.5
1.65
505,330
1988
1,999,988
25,209
19,126
6,083
12.6
9.6
'3.0
2.2'
1.63
507,570
1989
1,999,404
23,447
18,669
4,778
11.7
9.3
2.4
-2.7
1.53
508,739
1990
1,998,090
22,368
18,555
3,813
11.2
9.3
1.9
-2.6
1.46
510,180
1991
2,001,768
21,583
19,324
2,259
10.8
9.7
1.1
0.7
1.42
511,850
1992
1,995,832
19,982
19,333
649
10.0
9.7
0.3
-3.3
1.33
512,188
1993
1,990,623
19,793
20,012
−219
9.9
10.1
−0.1
-2.5
1.33
511,701
1994
1,988,850
19,463
19,359
104
9.8
9.7
0.1
-0.9
1.32
512,918
1995
1,987,505
18,980
18,968
12
9.5
9.5
0.0
-0.7
1.29
515,495
1996
1,991,169
18,788
18,620
168
9.4
9.4
0.1
1.8
1.28
516,639
1997
1,986,848
18,165
18,928
−763
9.1
9.5
−0.4
-1.8
1.25
516,407
1998
1,982,603
17,856
19,039
−1,183
9.0
9.6
−0.6
-1.5
1.23
516,296
1999
1,985,557
17,533
18,885
−1,352
8.8
9.5
−0.7
2.2
1.21
516,261
2000
1,990,272
18,180
18,588
−408
9.1
9.3
−0.2
2.6
1.26
515,258
2001
1,992,035
17,477
18,508
−1,031
8.8
9.3
−0.5
1.4
1.21
512,358
2002
1,995,718
17,501
18,701
−1,200
8.8
9.4
−0.6
2.5
1.21
510,692
2003
1,996,773
17,321
19,451
−2,130
8.7
9.7
−1.1
1.6
1.21
507,713
2004
1,997,004
17,961
18,523
−562
9.0
9.3
−0.3
0.4
1.25
504,530
2005
2,001,114
18,157
18,825
−668
9.1
9.4
−0.3
2.4
1.26
500,449
2006
2,008,516
18,932
18,180
752
9.4
9.1
0.4
3.3
1.32
496,853
2007
2,019,406
19,823
18,584
1,239
9.8
9.2
0.6
4.8
1.39
491,536
2008
2,027,496
21,817
18,308
3,509
10.8
9.1
1.7
2.3
1.54
486,506
2009
2,045,901
21,856
18,750
3,106
10.7
9.2
1.5
7.5
1.54
483,680
2010
2,048,951
22,343
18,609
3,734
10.9
9.1
1.8
-0.3
1.58
479,815
2011
2,054,741
21,947
18,699
3,248
10.7
9.1
1.6
1.2
1.57
474,646
2012
2,058,123
21,938
19,257
2,681
10.7
9.4
1.3
0.3
1.59
469,442
2013
2,060,663
21,111
19,334
1,777
10.3
9.4
0.9
0.4
1.55
463,138
2014
2,062,731
21,165
18,886
2,279
10.3
9.2
1.1
-0.1
1.58
456,811
2015
2,064,632
20,641
19,834
807
10.0
9.6
0.4
0.5
1.58
450,224
2016
2,065,879
20,345
19,689
656
9.9
9.5
0.3
0.3
1.59
443,390
2017
2,065,890
20,241
20,509
−268
9.8
9.9
−0.1
0.1
1.62
436,478
2018
2,076,595
19,585
20,485
−900
9.5
9.9
−0.4
5.6
1.61
430,225
2019
2,094,060
19,328
20,588
−1,260
9.3
9.9
−0.6
9.0
1.61
428,255
2020
2,111,461
18,767
24,016
−5,249
8.9
11.4
−2.5
10.8
1.60
426,155
2021
2,108,708
18,984
23,261
−4,277
9.0
11.0
−2.0
0.7
1.64
425,310
2022
2,110,547
17,627
22,492
−4,865
8.4
10.7
−2.3
3.2
1.55
423,301
2023p
2,123,103
16,871
21,465
−4,696
7.9
10.1
−2.2
8.2
423.982
Current vital statistics
Period
Live births
Deaths
Natural increase
January - February 2023
2,687
3,983
−1,296
January - February 2024
2,665
4,102
−1,437
Difference
-22 (-0.82%)
+119 (+2.99%)
-141
Structure of the population
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 01.I.2021) (Fully register based census.):
The majority of Slovenia's population are ethnic Slovenes (83.06%). Hungarians and Istrian Italians have the status of indigenous minorities under the Constitution of Slovenia, which guarantees them seats in the National Assembly. Most other minority groups, particularly those from other parts of the former Yugoslavia (except for one part of autochthonous community of Serbs and Croats), relocated after World War II for economic reasons.
Around 12.4% of the inhabitants of Slovenia were born abroad.
According to data from 2008, there were around 100,000 non-EU citizens living in Slovenia, or around 5% of the overall population of the country. The highest number came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by immigrants from Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia (which has since joined the EU itself) and Kosovo. In April 2019, there were 143,192 foreign citizens living in Slovenia, representing 6.87% of Slovenia's population. The number of people migrating to Slovenia has been steadily rising from 1995; and the rate of immigration itself has been increasing year-on-year, reaching its peak in 2016. Since Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, the yearly inflow of immigrants has doubled by 2006 and tripled by 2009. In 2007, Slovenia was one of the countries with the fastest growth of net migration rate in the European Union.
Population of Slovenia by ethnic group, 1948–20021
Traditionally, Slovenes are predominantly Roman Catholic. Before World War II, 97% of Slovenes declared as Roman Catholics, around 2.5% were Lutheran, and only around 0.5% belonged to other denominations. Catholicism was an important feature of both social and political life in pre-communist Slovenia. After 1945, the country underwent a process of gradual but steady secularization. After a decade of severe persecution of religions, the communist regime adopted a policy of relative tolerance towards the churches, but limited their social functioning. After 1990, the Roman Catholic Church regained some of its former influence, but Slovenia remains a largely secularized society. According to the 2002 census, 57.8% of the population is Roman Catholic. As elsewhere in Europe, affiliation with Roman Catholicism is dropping: in 1991, 71.6% were self-declared Catholics, which means a drop of more than 1% annually. The vast majority of Slovenian Catholics belong to the Latin Church. A small number of Eastern Catholics live in the White Carniola region.
Despite a relatively small number of Protestants (less than 1% in 2002), the Protestant legacy is important because of its historical significance, since the bases of Slovene standard language and Slovene literature were established by the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Nowadays, a significant Lutheran minority lives in the easternmost region of Prekmurje, where they represent around a fifth of the population and are headed by a bishop with the seat in Murska Sobota.
Besides these two Christian denominations, a small Jewish community has also been historically present. Despite the losses suffered during the Holocaust, Judaism still numbers a few hundred adherents, mostly living in Ljubljana, site of the sole remaining active synagogue in the country.
In the 2002, around 10% of Slovenes declared themselves as atheists, another 10% professed no specific denomination, and around 16% decided not to answer the question about their religious affiliation. According to the Eurobarometer Poll 2005, 37% of Slovenian citizens responded that "they believe there is a god", whereas 46% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 16% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force".
According to the published data from the 2002 Slovenian census, out of a total of 47,488 Muslims (2.4% of the total population) 2,804 Muslims (5.90% of the total Muslims in Slovenia) declared themselves as ethnic Slovenian Muslims.
The official language in Slovenia is Slovene, which is a member of the South Slavic language group. In 2002, Slovene was the native language of around 88% of Slovenia's population according to the census, with more than 92% of the Slovenian population speaking it in their home environment. This places Slovenia among the most homogeneous countries in the EU in terms of the share of speakers of predominant mother tongue. Slovene is sometimes characterized as the most diverse Slavic language in terms of dialects, with different degrees of mutual intelligibility.[citation needed] Accounts of the number of dialects range from as few as seven dialects, often considered dialect groups or dialect bases that are further subdivided into as many as 50 dialects. Other sources characterize the number of dialects as nine or eight.
urban population: 50% of total population (2012 est.)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2010-2015 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15–64 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.66 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate
4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2010)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:
80 years
male:
77 years
female:
83 years (2013 est)
^Medvešek, Mojca (2007). "Kdo so priseljenci z območja nekdanje Jugoslavije" [Who Are the Immigrants from the Area of Former Yugoslavia] (PDF). Razprave in Gradivo (in Slovenian). No. 53–54. Institute for Ethnic Studies. p. 34.
^Šabec, Ksenija (2009). Poročilo: Italijanska narodna skupnost v Slovenski Istri [Report: The Italian National Community in the Slovenian Istria] (PDF) (in Slovenian). Center for Cultural and Religious Studies, University of Ljubljana. p. 7. Archived from the original(PDF) on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
^Gajšek, Nina (2004). Pravice romske skupnosti v Republiki Sloveniji [Rights of the Roma Community in the Republic of Slovenia] (PDF) (in Slovenian). Faculty of Social Science, University of Ljubljana.
^McDonald, Gordon C. 1979. Yugoslavia: A Country Study. Washington, DC: American University, p. 93
^Greenberg, Marc L. 2009. "Slovene." In Keith Brown & Sarah Ogilvie (eds.), Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World, pp. 981–984. Oxford: Elsevier, p. 981.
^Brown, E. K. & Anne Anderson. 2006. Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics: Sca-Spe. Oxford: Elsevier, p. 424
^Sussex, Roland, & Paul V. Cubberley. 2006. The Slavic languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 502.
^Sławski, Franciszek. 1962. Zarys dialektologii południowosłowiańskiej. Warsaw: PAN.
^Priestly, Tom M. S. 1993. "On 'Drift' in Indo-European Gender Systems.' Journal of Indo-European Studies 11: 339–363.