Osrednjeslovenska regija, Slovenia

The Pilot Region Osrednjeslovenska regija is the central, most densely populated (238 per square kilometre) statistical region of Slovenia, largest in terms of population (ca. 550.000) and second-largest in terms of size (234 km²). The capital city of Ljubljana is found in this region. In 2020, about a quarter (26 %) of Slovenia’s population lived in 25 municipalities. On average, people in this region are the youngest (42 years) and population growth is the fastest. Compared to the rest of Slovenia, it has a favourable age and educational structure, the highest net earnings of people employed in the country (9 % above the national average) and attracts a large amount of migrant labour. The region generates over a third of the national GDP and houses a third of all enterprises. On the other hand, it has the second lowest number of passenger cars per 1000 people.

The region is quite heterogeneous in terms of economic and demographic characteristics; on the one hand, there are areas of intensive urbanisation, increasing concentration and daily labour migration, while on the other, there are areas marked by depopulation. The urbanised areas serve as centres of growth and innovation, while also providing many of the more rural areas with basic services; conversely, the utilised agricultural area is the lowest in the country but is considered important for the supply of food through short chains to urban areas.

Despite the relatively high level of urbanisation, the region is characterised by a relatively large amount of green infrastructure, with numerous Natura 2000 areas and nationally important landscapes (e.g. the Ljubljansko Barje Landscape park, Planinsko polje, Velika planina, Volčji potok, Šmarna gora), which offer ample opportunity for tourist and recreational activities (ibid.).