Slovenija

On the sunny side of the Alps

Prepared by Irena Šterman

Lake Bled

Piran

Sečovlje Salt Fields

• Slovenia lies in the heart of Europe, where the Alps meet the Mediterranean and the Pannonian Plain meets the Karst.

• Our small green country measures 20,273 km2 in area and has a population of two million, of whom the vast majority are ethnic Slovenes.

• The Italian and Hungarian ethnic communities have protected minority status, despite their small size.

• People hailing from the other former Yugoslav republics make up a significant minority, albeit less than 10% of the total population.

• Slovenia is independent country since 1991.

Triglav – 2864 m

• The majority of people live in towns and cities, but a significant number live in the countryside.

• Agriculture accounts for only a small proportion of the workforce, while the majority work in services and manufacturing.

• Slovenia's currency, the tolar, was replaced by the euro on 1 January 2007. The euro is the single European currency and is currently used by 15 other member states of the European Union as well as Slovenia.

1 euro 20 cents

10 cents 5 centov

Some interesting facts about SloveniaDo you know…

• that Slovenia is among the most biologically diverse countries in the world? Slovenia accounts for less than 0.004% of the Earth's surface but is home to more than 1% of all living creatures and 2% of terrestrial creatures. A total of 24,000 animal species.

• that Slovenia is the third most forested country in Europe? Almost 60% of its territory is covered by forest.

Encijan

Lake Bohinj

• that over one third of Slovenia's territory is protected and included in the Europe-wide Natura 2000 network, which protects biodiversity?

• that Slovenia has one of the largest brown bear populations in Europe? Between 500 and 700 bears, it is believed.

• that Slovenia is one of the richest countries in Europe in terms of water? It has almost 27,000 kilometres of rivers, streams and other watercourses. It also has numerous thermal and mineral springs and many subterranean waters.

Brown bear

Prekmurje- Stork

• that Maribor, Slovenia's second-largest city, is home to the oldest vine in the world? Although it is over four hundred years old, its Žametna Črnina grapes still produce 25 litres of wine every year.

• that the geographical and climatic variety and diversity of Slovenia mean that in a single day you can pick autumn fruits in the morning, bathe in the Adriatic in the afternoon, and go night skiing in the evening?

Slovenian Coast

• that Slovenia's Karst Palteau has given its name to karst landcapes and karst phenomena all over the world? It was in the Karst that experts first explained numerous karst features such as underground caves, ponors…

• That Slovenia has the tallest cliff on the Adriatic coast? In the Strunjan Peninsula, an almast vertical flusch wall rises upo from the sea to a height on 80 metres.

StrunjanCliff

Postojna Cave - Karst

Anguinus in Postojna Cave

Cerknica Lake

Notranjska

• Slovenija has an exceptional number of top athletes, and a wealth of cultural creativity.

• Our athletes got four medailles at Summer Olimpian games in London: one gold, one silver and two bronze

• Maribor is also European Cultural Capital of 2012

Maribor

Flute from Divje babe, 60.000 - 50.000 B.C is the oldest on the World