Facts about Slovenia

Situated at a cultural crossroads, Slovenia has always been a place of high artistic achievements. Arts and culture have had a special position in the history of the Slovenian nation and have compensated for the lack of its own state and political institutions in the past. A rich cultural life and far-reaching institutions, organisations, and cultural societies are comparable to the most developed European countries.

The national coat-of-arms of Slovenia contains a shield in the middle of which, on a blue background, is a symbolic representation of highest mountain Triglav in white. Under this symbol there are two undulating blue lines which represent the Adriatic sea and rivers while above it are located three golden six-pointed stars forming a downward-pointing triangle.

Slovenia is a Central Europe country of 2 million people, bordering the Adriatic sea and eastern Alps. Is situated at the borders of Croatia, Italy, Austria and Hungary. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy and stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded both NATO and EU in the spring of 2004.

Language: The official language of Slovenia is Slovene. Italian and Hungarian are also spoken in some communities.

Currency: The Euro (EUR) is the official currency, which is divided into 100 cents. Banks offer the best exchange rates for cash and travelers cheques. Banking hours are 8am to 12.30pm, and 2pm to 6pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays. Numerous bureaux de change are open outside banking hours throughout the country. ATMs are readily available in major cities. Credit cards are widely accepted by hotels, restaurants and shops.

Slovenia is the most prosperous country in Central and Eastern Europe. Its 2 million people speak Slovenian, which in addition to singular and plural has the dual, a special grammatical form which is a linguistic rarity. Slovenian is also the language of one of the oldest documents written in any Slavic tongue, the Freising Manuscripts, from the tenth century. Part of the Slovenian nation lives in the neighboring countries: Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast and Croatia to the east and southeast.

The famous Lipizzaner horses originate from Lipica in Slovenia. The stud farm was established in 1580.Ptuj, Slovenia's oldest town, has the status of a museum town. The town was built on Roman foundations next to an old crossing over the River Drava. The Secovlje Saltworks in Piran Bay dating back [at least] to the thirteenth century still use traditional methods to produce salt. Slovenia lies at the heart of Europe, where the Alps and the Mediterranean meet the Pannonian plains and the mysterious Karst. To the north is Austria; to the east, Hungary; to the south, Croatia; and to the west, Italy.

Slovenia boasts, in spite of its small geographical size, exceptional geographical diversity. One of the more memorable contrasts in the Slovenian landscape is the proximity of the Alpine and Mediterranean worlds, each offering the visitor a whole palette of regional characteristics. The Slovenian coast is certainly one of the more attractive parts, especially during summer.

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