Geography

• 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. In recent decades, the proportion of forest has been increasing, since every year we plant over 1,200,000 trees.
• that over one third of Slovenia’s territory is protected and included in the Europe-wide Natura 2000 network, which protects biodiversity?
• 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.
• 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?
• that Slovenia’s Karst Plateau has given its name to karst landscapes and karst phenomena all over the world? It was in the Karst that experts first explained numerous karst features such as underground caves, dolines and ponors.
• that Slovenia has the tallest cliff on the Adriatic coast? In the Strunjan Peninsula, an almost vertical flysch wall rises up from the sea to a height of 80 metres.
• that Lake Cerknica is an intermittent lake? In spring and autumn, when the lake fills with water, its surface area can reach as much as 38 km2, making it the largest lake in Slovenia, while in summer it is significantly smaller, because its water is drained away by numerous swallowholes.
• that Vilenica cave near Lokev is the oldest show cave in Europe? Tourists have been visiting it since 1633. Every year the Vilenica international literary prize is awarded in the cave’s ‘Ballroom’.
• Slovenia has over 7,000 kilometres of mountain hiking trails, along which there are 165 mountain huts and bivouacs?
• that 216 km² of Slovenia is covered by vineyards?

Authors (from left to right): Dean Dubokovič, Aleš Zalar, Arne Hodalič – Postojnska-jama d.d.