The Obalno-kraška statistical region, which covers 1,043 square kilometres, is among the smallest regions in Slovenia in terms of area. In 2022, 5.6% of the population of Slovenia lived here. A similar share was recorded in Goriška and Pomurska. The mean age of the population was 45.3 years, the third highest at the regional level. There were more women than men in the population; the only other such regions were Pomurska and Osrednjeslovenska. Obalno-kraška recorded the lowest number of live births per 1,000 population (7.0). The region recorded a natural decrease (-3.5). The total net migration was the fifth highest in this region (7.2 per 1,000 population). The mean age of first-time mothers was the second highest, namely 30.3 years, 0.7 years more than the national average. Obalno-kraška had the lowest share of third-born or higher-order children, at 13.7%. The region had the highest share of divorced population, at 8.7%, which was 3.2 percentage points higher than in the Koroška region, which had the lowest share. The Obalno-kraška region stood out for the highest share of foreign citizens among the population (13.7%) and for the highest number of immigrants from abroad per 1,000 population (23.5). The share of children aged 1–5 included in kindergartens was the lowest among regions, at 76.2%. The share of the population (25–64 years) with tertiary education was the same as in Goriška, at 32.3%, just below the average for Slovenia (32.7%). The region had the second lowest number of students per 1,000 population (29) after Pomurska (28). Both regions also had the fewest graduates per 1,000 population (6).
In 2022, the employment rate in Obalno-kraška was 68.4%, 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the national average. At 5.6%, the LFS unemployment rate was among the highest at the regional level. The LFS unemployment rate was higher only in Posavska (5.8%). Average monthly net earnings in the region (EUR 1,289) were about EUR 30 below the national average. GDP per capita was the second highest in the country (EUR 26,074). The region recorded the third lowest disposable income per capita, EUR 14,691 or 3.3% below the national average. The region had about 15,300 enterprises; on average, each employed 3.1 people, which was the lowest average in the country.
Obalno-kraška recorded the highest at-risk-of-poverty rate (24.8%), 12.7 percentage points higher than the national average and 8.9 percentage points higher than in the second-placed Pomurska. The region also had the highest share of people at risk of social exclusion, at 25.6%, 12.3 percentage points higher than the national average. It also stood out for having the highest very low work intensity rate. Of persons aged 0–64, 7.3% were living in households where the adults (aged 18–64) worked less than 20% of their total work potential (expressed in months).
It was the most popular region for domestic tourists. Of all arrivals and overnight stays by domestic tourists in the country, a quarter (24.5%) of arrivals and 28% of overnight stays were generated in this region. As regards the number of passenger cars per 1,000 population (593), the region ranked fourth. On average a passenger car in this region was 11.4 years old, which is more than the national average. In the region 544 kilograms of municipal waste per capita was generated or 48 kilograms per capita more than on average in Slovenia. 62.6% of municipal waste was collected separately, which was the lowest share among regions.
