O PROJEKTU | ABOUT THE PROJECT

Slovenska obala med geografijo, politiko in metodologijo: moja kritična analiza dolžine obale
Avtor: Boštjan Burger
Datum: Avgust 2006

1. Uvod
Kot geograf, ki se že desetletja ukvarjam z interpretacijo slovenskega prostora, sem se odločil, da izmerim dolžino slovenske obale z metodologijo, ki presega zgolj geodetske številke. Slovenija ima dostop do Jadranskega morja, a njena obala je kratka - po uradnih podatkih meri 46,6 km. Moja meritev, izvedena dvakrat (leta 2004 in 2006), pa je pokazala dolžino 43.157 metrov. Ta razlika ni zgolj tehnična - odpira vprašanja o tem, kaj obala sploh pomeni.

2. Zakaj geografija?
Geografija ni le znanost o zemljevidih. Je znanost o prostoru, ki vključuje fizične, družbene, kulturne in ekološke dimenzije. Kot geograf ne merim le razdalj - interpretiram prostor. Moja naloga je razumeti, kako ljudje doživljajo kraj, kako se prostor spreminja in kako ga lahko predstavimo na način, ki je smiseln, ne le natančen.

3. Zgodovina meritev slovenske obale
Obalna linija Slovenije se je skozi zgodovino spreminjala. Koper je bil nekoč otok, Škocjanski zatok je bil morski zaliv, danes pa je največje braktično močvirje v Sloveniji. Urbanizacija, industrija in solinarstvo so preoblikovali naravno obalo. Prve sistematične meritve segajo v čas jožefinske kartografije, kasneje pa so bile nadgrajene z geodetskimi metodami in digitalnimi modeli.

4. Moja meritev: funkcionalna obala
Leta 2004 in ponovno leta 2006 sem opravil GPS meritev slovenske obale. Meritev je potekala med Zalivom svetega Jerneja pri Lazaretu in desnim bregom reke Dragonje. Upošteval sem zgornjo plimsko črto in vse naravne krivine obale. Izključil pa sem:

• grajene pomole in doki (npr. Luka Koper)
• braktična močvirja  (npr. Škocjanski zatok)
• soline v Strunjanu in Sečovljah

Meritev sem izvedel z dvema natančnima GPS sprejemnikoma, da bi zmanjšal možnost napake. Rezultat: 43.157 metrov. To je dolžina obale, ki jo lahko razumemo kot naravno, dostopno in funkcionalno.

5. Uradna dolžina: politična in geodetska logika
Uradna dolžina slovenske obale znaša 46,6 km. Vključuje vse naravne krivine, mokrišča, lagune in grajene strukture. Ta širša definicija ima politično težo:

• utrjuje status pomorske države
• omogoča širše pravice na morju (UNCLOS)
• krepi simbolno prisotnost Slovenije v Jadranu

A kot geograf menim, da moramo razlikovati med pravno-teritorialno obalo in geografsko-funkcionalno obalo.

6. Kaj obala ni
Mokrišča, soline in lagune niso klasična obala. Nimajo neposrednega stika z odprtim morjem, pogosto so zaprta za javnost in služijo ekološkim ali gospodarskim funkcijam. V moji meritvi jih zato ne vključujem. Obala je prostor, kjer se kopno sreča z morjem - naravno, dostopno, zaznavno.

7. Metodologije merjenja obal
Merjenje obal je zahtevno, saj je obala fraktalna struktura. Bolj natančno kot jo merimo, daljša postane. Po svetu se uporabljajo različne metode:

• zgodovinske: ročni in mehanski globinomeri
• sodobne: ultrazvočni echosounderji, GPS, lidar, satelitska fotogrametrija
• fraktalna analiza: za razčlenjene obale (npr. Norveška, Kanada)

Moja metoda temelji na GPS sledenju zgornje plimske črte, brez umetnih struktur.

8. Primerjava z drugimi državami

Slovenija ima drugo najkrajšo obalo med pomorskimi državami nekdanje Jugoslavije, a njen pomen je strateški - za dostop do morja, pristaniške dejavnosti in pomorski status.

9. Zaključek
Moja meritev slovenske obale ni v nasprotju z uradno - je dopolnilo. Je geografski pogled na prostor, ki upošteva naravne krivine, a izloča mokrišča, soline in lagune. Dolžina obale ni  številka - je vprašanje, kako razumemo prostor.
Geografija kot znanost nas uči, da prostor ni le površina, temveč družbeni, ekološki in politični konstrukt. V času podnebnih sprememb in degradacije obal je morda čas, da se vprašamo:
Ali je dolžina obale res pomembnejša od njene kakovosti, dostopnosti in naravnosti?

The Slovenian Coast: A Geographical, Political, and Methodological Reflection on Its Length
Author: Boštjan Burger
Date: August 2006

1. Introduction
As a geographer who has spent decades interpreting the Slovenian landscape, I decided to measure the length of Slovenia’s coastline using a methodology that goes beyond mere geodetic figures. Slovenia has access to the Adriatic Sea, but its coastline is short - officially measured at 46.6 km. My own measurement, conducted twice (in 2004 and 2006), resulted in a length of 43,157 meters. This discrepancy is not just technical - it raises deeper questions about what we consider a coastline to be.

2. Why Geography?
Geography is not just the science of maps. It is the science of space, encompassing physical, social, cultural, and ecological dimensions. As a geographer, I don’t just measure distances - I interpret space. My task is to understand how people experience place, how landscapes evolve, and how we can represent them meaningfully, not just precisely.

3. History of Coastline Measurements in Slovenia
Slovenia’s coastline has changed over time. Koper was once an island, the Škocjan Inlet was a marine bay, and today it’s a lagoon. Urbanization, industry, and salt production have reshaped the natural shoreline. The first systematic measurements date back to the Josephine cartography (1764–1787), later refined during the Illyrian Provinces and modernized through geodetic and digital methods.

4. My Measurement: A Functional Coastline
In 2004 and again in 2006, I conducted a GPS-based measurement of Slovenia’s coastline, from the Bay of St. Jerome near Lazaret to the right bank of the Dragonja River. I followed the upper tidal line and included all natural curves of the coast. I excluded:

• Constructed piers and docks (e.g., Port of Koper)
• Brackish lagoons (e.g., Škocjan Inlet)
• Salt pans in Strunjan and Sečovlje

The measurement was performed using two high-precision GPS receivers to ensure accuracy. The result: 43,157 meters. This is the length of a coastline that can be understood as natural, accessible, and functional.

5. The Official Length: Geodetic and Political Logic
The official length of Slovenia’s coastline is 46.6 km. This includes all natural curves, wetlands, lagoons, and artificial structures. This broader definition carries political weight:

• It reinforces Slovenia’s status as a maritime state
• It enables broader territorial and economic rights under UNCLOS
• It strengthens symbolic presence in the Adriatic

As a geographer, I believe we must distinguish between the legal-territorial coastline and the geographical-functional coastline.

6. What Is Not Coastline
Wetlands, salt pans, and lagoons are not classic coastline. They lack direct contact with open sea, are often closed to the public, and serve ecological or industrial functions. In my measurement, I excluded them. A coastline is where land meets sea - naturally, accessibly, and visibly.

7. Methods of Measuring Coastlines Worldwide
Measuring coastlines is complex, as they are fractal structures - the more precisely you measure, the longer they become. Globally, the following methods are used:

• Historical: manual and mechanical depth sounders
• Modern: ultrasonic echosounders, GPS, lidar, satellite photogrammetry
• Fractal analysis: used for highly indented coasts (e.g., Norway, Canada)

My method is based on GPS tracking of the upper tidal line, excluding artificial features.

8. Comparison with Other Countries

Slovenia has the second shortest coastline among the former Yugoslav maritime states, but its strategic importance - for sea access, port activity, and maritime identity - remains significant.

9. Conclusion
My measurement of Slovenia’s coastline does not oppose the official figure - it complements it. It offers a geographical perspective that includes natural curves but excludes wetlands, salt pans, and lagoons. Coastline length is not just a number - it’s a question of how we understand space.
Geography teaches us that space is not just surface - it is a social, ecological, and political construct. In an era of climate change and coastal degradation, perhaps it’s time to ask:
Is the length of a coastline more important than its quality, accessibility, and natural integrity?