Municipality of Idrija
Municipality of Idrija
Občina Idrija | |
|---|---|
Location of the Municipality of Idrija in Slovenia | |
| Coordinates: 46°00′N 14°01′E / 46.000°N 14.017°E | |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Tomaž Vencelj (Independent) |
| Area | |
• Total | 293.7 km2 (113.4 sq mi) |
| Population (2002) | |
• Total | 11,990 |
| • Density | 41/km2 (110/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02 (CEST) |
| Website | www |
The Municipality of Idrija (pronounced [ˈiːdrija]; Slovene: Občina Idrija) is a municipality in the Gorizia region of western Slovenia. Located in the traditional region of the Slovenian Littoral and in the Gorizia Statistical Region, the municipality covers 293.7 km2 of mostly forested terrain at the meeting point of the Dinaric and Alpine mountain chains. The municipality's economy was historically dominated by its mercury mine from 1490 until its closure in 1977, but has since diversified through companies specializing in automotive components and climate systems, while more recently developing tourism initiatives based on its UNESCO-recognized mining heritage and the Idrija Geopark established in 2013. In addition to the municipal seat of Idrija, the municipality includes 37 other settlements and had a population of 11,990 as of 2002.