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You might be forgiven for mistaking certain parts of Slovenia for Bavaria. Or Hungary. Or even Italy… This small country is packed with a bit of everything that is `typically’ European. Whether it’s the towering Alps, whether it’s rock-solid medieval castles, narrow cobbled streets or elegant wines, Slovenia has it. Not many would expect much of a country with a communist past. Most, in fact, would imagine that a newly-independent nation, just a decade old as a democracy, would be plagued with troubles- economic, social, and international.

It therefore comes as a pleasant surprise to discover that Slovenia is affluent, vibrant, very Westernised-and yet with a wealth of tradition and culture all its own. And, as if that isn’t enough, the country has excellent ski resorts, national parks, underground caves, limestone caverns and beaches. Slovenia has still not been really `discovered’ by too many people. Every year, the number of tourists arriving goes up; but it’s still quiet enough, still inexpensive enough, to be among the most value-for-money vacations you’re likely to have in Europe.

The biggest ski jump – Planica is located in Slovenia. Visitors to this ski jump have witnessed over 60 world records in ski jumps.

Historically Speaking

The area known today as Slovenia has been continuously occupied by Slavic peoples since the 5th century. Politically, the region has known many masters, including the Bavarians, the Franks and the Holy Roman Empire.

Sometime during the 14th century, Slovenia came under the rule of the Habsburgs, and became a part of Austria-Hungary. Although ruled by Austria-Hungary, the Slovenes’ sympathies were with the rest of the Slavic races- most notably the Croats and Serbs. With the end of the First World War, in 1918, from the debris of the disintegrating Austro-Hungarian empire, arose a new country, that of the `Kingdom of the Croats, Serbs and Slovenes’- Yugoslavia.

During World War II, the Nazis occupied Slovenia and split it up to distribute between Italy, Germany and Hungary. The end of the war brought in a communist government, headed by Josip Broz Tito (who was himself part Slovenian), and in 1945 Slovenia was declared a constituent republic of the Yugoslav Federation.

Over the 1960s and 70s, a nationalist movement started to build up in Slovenia, but remained low-key enough to warrant little repression from the Yugoslav government. Repression, in the form of military action, came about only in 1991, when the Slovenians declared themselves an independent state. The military confrontation was short-lived, and Slovenia emerged as a free country by the end of 1991. It has been a decade since independence, and there’s a lot to show for it. Slovenia is a prosperous, Westernised country, with a successful democratic government and few political and international disputes to come in the way of its progress.

Slovenia was admitted to the United Nations in the year 1992 and the country also became a member of the European Union in the year 2004.

Habitat

Nestling along the Adriatic coast, with the `boot’ of Italy lying across the sea and the Alps towering all around, Slovenia is one of Central Europe’s smallest countries. It’s only about half the size of Switzerland, a compact piece of highland and river basin, forests and mountain lakes. Slovenia lies surrounded by Italy to the west; Austria to the north, Hungary and Croatia to the south and east. Most of the Slovenian countryside, especially in the north, consists of alpine terrain; the southern regions too are tableland, composed mainly of limestone and locally known as Karst. A number of streams and rivers, such as the Sava and the Drava, drain the area.

Despite the fact that Slovenia is one of the most heavily industrialised countries in Central Europe, it has managed to preserve much of its original habitat. Slovenia, with about half of its territory still covered by forest, is the third most wooded country in Europe. Important local trees include spruce, larch, beech and pine. About 50,000 species of animal life are found in Slovenia, of which bears, chamois, marmots, golden eagles, wolves and deer are among the most prominent.