The Longest Rivers in Slovenia

Officially known as the Republic of Slovenia, Slovenia is a nation that is located in the southern side of Central Europe. Like most other countries in the world, the nation has a number of water bodies such as rivers and lakes. Within its borders, the country has 59 major rivers that have a combined length of about 16,770 miles (26,989 kilometers). The region covered Slovenia is primarily divided into two main parts namely the Black Sea basin (81% of the total area) and the Adriatic Sea basin (19%). These two parts are further divided depending on the central river such as the Drava River basin and the Mura River basin. The longest river in Slovenia is River Sava with a length of about 219 kilometers while River Drava is a distant second with a much smaller length of 144 kilometers. The other two major rivers in Slovenia are rivers Savinja and Mura with lengths of around 100 kilometers and 98 kilometers respectively.

Longest Rivers In Slovenia

Sava River

This river begins flowing at its source at a place known as the Zelenci Pools, which is close to Kranjska Gora, Slovenia at an elevation of around 2,733 feet. Eventually, it drains into the Black Sea at a height of about 223 feet. Some of the major tributaries of the Sava River include the Kokra, the Savinja, the Ljubljanica, the Kamnik Bistrica, and other rivers. The largest tributary of the Sava River is the Drina, which has a length of about 346 kilometers.

Drava River

Also called the Drave, this river starts flowing at Toblach, South Tyrol, Italy at a height of around 4,760 feet. Eventually, just like the Sava above, it drains into the Black Sea. This river flows through a number of cities in Europe such as Spittal an der Drau, Maribor, Ferlach, Lienz, and others. Some of its major tributaries include the Gurk and the Lavant. In the world, this river is one of the busiest in terms of production of hydroelectricity with almost 100% of its potential being exploited.

Savinja River

Also draining into the Black Sea, the Savinja River starts its course at Rinka Falls, Slovenia, which has an elevation of around 4,300 feet. The Savinja has two major tributaries namely the Klobaša and the Jušef. Other tributaries include the Ljubnica, the Paka, the Ložnica, etc.

Mura River

Also called the Mur, this river starts flowing in Hohe Tauern, Muhr, Austria at a height of about 6,227 before draining into the Black Sea. Aside from Slovenia and Austria, it also flows in Croatia and Hungary. Some of its tributaries include the Ščavnica, the Trnava, and others.

The Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea Drainage Basins

All the above-mentioned rivers drain into the Black Sea. However, a few rivers in Slovenia end up in the Mediterranean Sea as well. These rivers include Soča River, Vipava River, Idrijca River, Dragonja River, and others.