Slovenia, peace and prosperity

Facts and figures
. Official name: Republic of Slovenia
. Capital: Ljubljana (300,000 inhabitants)
. Major cities: Maribor (103,512 habitants), Celje (39,000), Kranj (36,808), Velenje (27,142), Koper (24,746)
. Surface area: 20,273 km2
. Language: Slovenian (Slavic)
. Currency: the tolar - SIT (1 euro = 233 SIT)
. Population: 2 million inhabitants, 90% of which are Slovenes; the Italian community (5,000 people) of the littoral and the Hungarian community (9,000 people) of the northeast, are considered autochthonous minorities; their status and rights are inscribed in the Slovenian constitution
. Principal religious groups: the majority is Roman Catholic, but there are also 30 other religious communities
. Population density: 98 inhabitants/km2
. Population growth rate: 1.3%
. Life expectancy: 74.7 years
. Urbanisation: 51.8%
. Climate: alpine, Mediterranean and continental. In Ljubljana, it is often over 35 °C in summer and -15 °C in winter
. National holiday: 25 June (when independence was proclaimed)

Geography
Slovenia is a small country (less than half the size of Switzerland), which has an advantageous geographic location in Central Europe where the Alps, the Pannonian Basin and the Mediterranean meet. Located between the Balkans, Central Europe and Western Europe, by which it is influenced, Slovenia borders Croatia to the south, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east and Italy to the west. It has access to the Adriatic Sea through 40 kilometres of coastline between Italy and Croatia.
Slovenia’s catchment basin, with the exception of the Soca Valley on the Italian border and coastal watercourses, drains into the Danube and the Black Sea. The two principal rivers crossing Slovenia are the Drava (which comes from Austria and rapidly flows across northeastern Slovenia, Maribor and Ptuj) and the Sava (who source lies at the foot of Mount Triglav in the Julian Alps and flows just north of Ljubljana towards Zagreb).
Forests cover half of the country’s surface area (10,124 km2). In Europe, only Finland and Sweden have more forests. Many of the hills are covered with vineyards.
There are many mountains in Slovenia. Only the northeast, where the Pannonian Basin begins, is flat. Between Ljubljana and Austria are the Julijske Alpe (Julian Alps) where the country’s highest peak, Mount Triglav (three peaks) at 2,864 m, is found – it is home to the national park of the same name – and the Kamnisko-Sawinejske Alpe to the east. On the Croatian side is a limestone plateau that has given its name to this type of relief: the Kras, which has the most imposing subterranean galleries in Europe. The rest of the country is hilly.
Slovenia is home to a great biodiversity. Forests cover half the country and are home to a large number of animal species, such as bears (over 500 in this small country, but they are not a problem), wolves, lynx, birds of prey and, of course, big game in abundance (it is not unusual to come across chamois and ibexes during hikes in Triglav National Park).

System of government
When it adopted its new constitution on 23 December 1991, Slovenia became a democratic state founded on the principle of sharing power between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.
- Executive power: the president of the republic is elected by universal suffrage for a five-year mandate that may be renewed once. His role is above all that of a moral authority, and he is the head of the armed forces. The government, made up of a prime minister and ministers, is responsible to the State Assembly. It is elected by the assembly members during a vote of the party with the most seats in the State Assembly. The current government, confirmed by the State Assembly, was formed on the basis of an accord between the following parties: Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS), the United List (ZLSD), the Slovene People’s Party and the Slovene Christian Democrats (SLS+ SKD) and the Democratic Party of Retired Slovenians (DeSUS)
- Legislative power: the State Assembly comprises 90 members elected by direct and proportional universal suffrage for a four-year mandate. It has extensive powers. Two seats are reserved for the Italian and Hungarian minorities. The State Council (40 members) has a consultative function
- Judicial power: judges, who are appointed for life, are responsible for realising judicial power. The courts are divided into neighbourhood and district courts. Then come the appeal courts and, at the summit of the judicial system, the Supreme Court
- Administrative power: Slovenia’s administrative organisation is flexible. The state plays the leading role and the municipality is on a lower level

Holidays
. 1 and 2 January: New Year
. 8 February: Culture Day
. 21 April: Easter Monday
. 1 and 2 May: Labour Day
. 8 May: Victory of 1945
. 25 June: National Holiday
. 15 August: Assumption
. 31 October: Reformation Day
. 1 November: All Saints Day
. 25 December: Christmas
. 26 December: Independence Day

Slovenian participation in the principal international organisations
. Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA)
. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
. United Nations (UN)
. World Trade Organisation (WTO)
. World Health Organisation (WHO)
. International Labour Organisation (ILO)
. UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
. Observer, Organisation Mondiale de la Francophonie

Historical landmarks
. Sixth century: establishment of the first independent Slovenian principality (Carantania – Karantanija)
. From the 12th century to 1918, the Slovenians were governed by the Hapsburgs, except from 1809 to 1813, when they were part of the French Empire
. After 1918, Slovenia became a part of the Yugoslav kingdom
. In 1941, the fight for freedom began, preparing the ground for a Slovenian state
. From 1945 to 1991, Slovenia was part of Communist Yugoslavia
. On 15 January 1992, the European Union officially recognised Slovenia
. On 25 June 1991, Slovenia proclaimed its independence
. Slovenia, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of its independence in 2001, is one of the newest European states
Slovenia’s UNESCO World Heritage site
. 1988: Skocjan Caves

Helpful hints
. How to get there
With Adria Airways, which has daily flights. On Wednesday and Friday, there are two flights a day between Paris and Ljubljana (T: 01 47 42 95 00 – F: 01 47 42 00 67)
. Formalities
EU nationals don’t need a visa for visits of less than 90 days. They must, however, be carrying a valid identity card for visits of less than 30 days and a valid passport for visits of less than 90 days. For visits of over three months, they must apply for a residence permit from the Slovenian embassy in their country of residence
. Telephoning Slovenia
Dial + 386 (county code), then 1 for Ljubljana, followed by the number of the person you are ringing
. Where to eat in Ljubljana
. At Tadej Presnikar’s restaurant, Pr’skelet, you can enjoy local hospitality and the flavours of local cuisine. Try the forest mushrooms (T: 012527799). At Zlata Ribica, located on the banks of the Ljubljana, for the grilled meats and fresh fish (T: 012410690)
. Where to have a drink in Ljubljana
Breg 2. The owner, who runs a haulage company during the day, serves a variety of very good Slovenian wines in her tastefully decorated art gallery in the evenings (T: 014220033)
. Where to stay in Slovenia
- Hotel Lev, Ljubljana. Located in the heart of the business district and five minutes from the old city, this first class hotel has counted Agatha Christie, Orson Welles, Kirk Douglas, Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles amongst its clients (T: 014332155)
- Park Hotel, Bled, on the lakeshore (T: (04) 5793000)
- Grand Hotel Palace, Portoroz. A four-star spa hotel with a panoramic view of the Bay of Piran (T: (05) 6961020)
. Don’t miss
The intermittent lake of Cerknica, a curiosity that is unique in Europe. In winter, the lake is used for fishing and skating. In spring and summer, it disappears and becomes a wheat field

Contacts
In France
. Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Paris
28 rue Bois-le-Vent
75016 Paris
T: 01 44 96 50 60 – F: 01 45 24 67 05
In Slovenia (Ljubljana)
. Embassy of France
T: 014790400 – F: 014790410
. Mission Economique de France
T: 01479 04 50
. Institut Français Charles Nodier
T: 012000514 – F: 012000512