TOP 100 Facts about Slovenia

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Increasingly, travellers from around the world are choosing Slovenia as a destination. We are constantly asked how well we know Slovenia, especially among those who live and work in one of the world’s most beautiful countries. Here are 100 fascinating facts about our beautiful country, which has a rich cultural and historical heritage. You’ll find everything from significant milestones for the Slovenian nation to breath-taking facts about Slovenian nature, which always inspires domestic and foreign tourists alike.

  1. There are 2,108,732 people living in Slovenia.
  2. In Slovenia we have the so-called proteus (aquatic salamander) or in Slovenian translation ‘človeška ribica’, which lives in Postojna Cave. 
  3. The second biggest city in Slovenia is Maribor. 
  4. The population of the capital city of Slovenia  is  293,822.
  5. The oldest city of Slovenia is Ptuj. 
  6. Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia.
  7. The most common Slovene name for a man is Franc and Marija for a woman.
  8. The oldest vineyard is from Slovenia, which grows in Maribor. 
  9. Slovenians are an active nation. Around 60 % of the population work out at least 3 hours per week.
  10. An average Slovene eats around 123 kg of wheat products, 111 kg of vegetables, 93 kg of meat, 88 kg of fruit, 67 kg of potatoes, 11 kg of eggs, 5kg of rice and 1kg of honey per year. 
  11. Thirty years ago, Marija and Andrej Štremfelj became the first married couple to climb Mount Everest. 
  1. An average Slovene throws out around 68 kg of food per year. 
  2. For the first time in the history of Slovenia there are more males than females living in our country. 
  3. Triglav is the highest mountain peak, not only in Slovenia, but also in the whole Balkan region. It measures at 2864 metres.  
  4. An average Slovene makes around 495 kg of waste every year. 
  5. The most common name for babies is either Luka for a boy or Ema for a girl. 
  6. There are around 90,000 beekeepers in Slovenia. 
  7. More than half of the country is covered with forests, making Slovenia one of the greenest countries in the world. 
  8. Slovenia has one of the 10 tallest populations on the planet. A typical male measures at around 1.80 metres.
  9. A remarkable 53.6 percent of Slovenian land is protected.  
  10. Slovenians love their wine, they are the sixth biggest consumers of wine per capita. 
  11. The average age of Slovenia’s residents is 43.5 years old. 
  12. Škocjan Caves has one of the largest underground canyons in the world. 
  1. The most visited attraction is the Postojna Cave, which is also the biggest and the longest cave system in the world. 
  2. Slovenia has many vineyards. It is claimed that there is a vineyard for every 70 people in the country. 
  3. There is only 46.6 kilometres of coastline in Slovenia.
  4. Slovenia has the oldest wheel. The so-called Ljubljana Marshes Wheel dates back at least 5150 years. 
  5. Slovenia has been a member of the European Union since May 1 2004 and a member of NATO since 7 April 2004. 
  6. Slovenia is a democratic republic founded on the principle of the separation of powers into legislative, executive, and judicial power.
  7. Slovenia extends over an area of 20,273 square kilometres.
  8. Slovenia has 212 municipalities. 
  9. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic; Slovenia also has 40 other officially registered religious communities.
  10. Slovenia is famous for its own patented brand of beautiful white horses called Lippizaner.
  1. The name of the country’s capital city, Ljubljana, translates as ‘the loved one’.
  2. Slovenia has the highest number of caves (more than 10,000!) in the world.
  3. Slovenia is the only country in the world that has the word love in its name. 
  4. Slovenia has around 27,000 km of rivers and streams. 
  5. Lake Cerknica is the largest intermittent lake in Europe. 
  6. Slovenia hosts the most vertical race in the world ‘The Red Bull 400’, which is (only) 400 metres long. 
  7. Slovenia is a very interesting and diverse country as it is the only one in Europe that combines the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pannonian Plain and the Karst.
  8. Slovenia is the country with the largest number of tractors per person. 
red yellow and white tractor on grass field during daytime
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
  1. Slovenia covers less than 0.004% of the Earth’s surface.
  2. There are more than 900 brown bears living in the forests.
  3. There are 46 different dialects in Slovenia.
  4. There are about 450,000 Slovenes living abroad.
  5. The Linden tree is an important national symbol which represents love, friendship, and loyalty in Slovenia.
  6. There are 24,000 animal species in Slovenia.
  7. The Slovene swimmer Martin Strel was the first man to successfully swim the Amazon River.
  8. In 1995, archaeologists dug up the Divje Babe Flute (a flute made from the femur of a bear), it is believed to be 55,000 years old.
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  1. Slovenia was once a monarchy, the first free election in Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia) was held in 1925.
  2. The first country to recognise Slovenia as a country was Croatia. Incidentally, the first country to recognise Croatia itself as a country was Slovenia.
  3. Hayracks are a unique cultural symbol of Slovenia and give the country its nickname of the Land of Hayracks.
  4. Sečovlje Salina Nature Park is the biggest wetland on the Slovenian coastline. 
  5. Vrtiglavica, a karst shaft in Slovenia, features the longest straight vertical drop in the world (603 metres) and one of the tallest underground waterfalls.
  6. A whopping 216 square kilometres of Slovenia are covered in vineyards.
  7. In the early and mid 20th century, the spaces of Ljubljana Castle were transformed into apartments for socially disadvantaged citizens.
  8. Slovenia has three climate zones.
  9. The longest stone arch railroad bridge is located in Slovenia. It’s called the Solkan Bridge and it’s 220 meters long.
  10. You can pay to spend the night in a prison cell in Ljubljana. Celica Hostel is a former political prison where you can sleep.
  1. The oldest pharmacy in Europe is located in Olimje. 
  2. Strunjan Peninsula cliff is the highest cliff on the Adriatic coast, which rises up from the sea to a height of 80 meters.
  3. Triglav National Park is one of the oldest National Parks in Europe. 
  4. Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, was born in Slovenia.
  5. Sečovlje salt pans are more than 700 years old.
  6. Slovenia has the second largest ski-flying hill in the world.
  7. Slovenia is one of the most sustainable countries in the world.
  8. Slovenian natural resources are lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, and forests.
  9. One of the best chefs in the world is Slovenian, Ana Roš from Hiša Franko.
ANA ROS_Mario Kučera
  1. Slovenia became the first 2004 European Union entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has experienced one of the most stable political and economic transitions in Central and Southeastern Europe. 
  2. Davo Karničar was the first man to ski down Mount Everest. He was also the first man in the world to ski the highest peaks of all seven continents. 
  3. Slovenia is home to 260 waterfalls. 
  4. There are around 500 castles in Slovenia, which means there is approximately one castle per 25 kilometres.
  5. Slovenia is one of the countries with the largest number of religious monuments and buildings in Europe. There are around 3000 chapels, churches and religious monuments.
  6.  The first Slovenian book was written in 1550.
  7. Every year Slovenians plant over 1,000,000 trees.
  8. Slovenia is one of the safest countries in the world. 
  9. Slovenia is also a country with above-average biodiversity and an absolute champion in terms of the number of animal and plant species per square kilometre: it is home to 1 percent of all known species and more than 2 percent of all terrestrial species. 
  10. In 2021, Slovenia became the European Region of Gastronomy.
  11. The most famous wedding place in Slovenia is the island in Lake Bled. Tradition says that the groom must carry his bride up the 99 steps to ensure a long and happy marriage.
  12. The Freising manuscripts are the first Latin-script continuous text in a Slavic language and ‘the oldest document in Slovene’. They were created between 972 and 1039, most likely before 1000.
  1. Slovenia is home to as many as 3,119 native plant species.
  2. Slovenia has lots of quirky food festivals including the Salt Makers’ Festival, Cabbage Festival, Chestnut Sunday and Bean Day to name a few.
  3. Benka Pulko, who travelled all continents and drove over 180,000 kilometres (111,847 miles) in 2000 days, is the holder of the Guinness Record for the longest solo motorcycle ride ever undertaken by a woman.
  4. The canteen in the coal mine in Velenje is the lowest-lying dining room in Europe, which is located 160 metres (525 feet) below the surface.
  5. Some scenes from the film Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian were filmed in the Soca Valley in Slovenia.
  6. Slovenia is the homeland of leading beekeepers and also home of the Carniolan honey bee. 
  7. Ljubljana Castle is over 900 years old. 
  8. Lipica Stud Farm is one of the oldest stud farms in the world. It dates back more than 400 years. 
  9. Slovenia received the translation of the Bible in 1584.
  1. Ivana Kobilica was the most prominent Slovene female painter. 
  2. Slovenia has more than 10,000 kilometres of marked hiking trails. 
  3. The most famous Slovenian philosopher is Slavoj Žižek. 
  4. The Slovenian flag was raised for the first time on April 7 1848 in Ljubljana in response to the German flag which was raised on the top of Ljubljana Castle.
  5. The national anthem of Slovenia was written by the 19th-century Slovene poet France Prešeren. 
  6. Rogaška Slatina is a health resort with over 400 years of tradition. 
  7. There are around 175 mountain huts in Slovenia where you can spend a night in the mountains. 
  8. The Juliana Trail is the longest in Slovenia, it is a 270-kilometre-long circular long-distance trail. 
  9. The River Soča is one of the most beautiful rivers in Europe. 
  10. The traditional Slovenian dish for special occasions and holidays is potica. 
  11. The famous Kranjska sausage is one of the most internationally recognisable Slovenian specialities, it is also a protected agricultural product that has travelled to space with Sunita Williams, an astronaut of Slovenian descent.
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