Geography
The Republic of Slovenia is bordered by Austria, Hungary, Italy, Croatia and the Adriatic Sea.

Ljubljana is the capital. Maribor is the second city followed by Kranj. Koper, Slovenia's only seaport, is an important port for both Slovenia and neighbouring Austria.

Slovenia's terrain consists of mountains, hills, plateaux, karst limestone regions and a strip of Adriatic coastline. Slovenia's major rivers include the Drava, Sava and Mura.

Most of Slovenia has a Continental climate (warm summers and cold winters) with Mediterranean weather along the Adriatic coast.

Environment
Slovenia's landscape is varied. There are lakes, rivers, waterfalls, mountains and limestone caves. Forests cover a signifcant percentage of the country.

Triglav National Park is one of Europe's largest parks and Strunjan Landscape Park is a protected coastal area.

Lake Cerknica, the Secovlje salt pans and Skocjan Caves are on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. Skocjan Caves are also on the World Heritage List as well as part of Slovenia's UNESCO Karst Biosphere Reserve.

Slovenia has many species of birds and animals. Wildlife includes deer, chamois and lynx.

Architecture
Slovenia has a number of buildings of historical and architectural interest. Examples are Bled Castle, Predjama Castle, Ptuj Castle and the medieval towns of Izola, Koper and Piran. Many buildings, like those in Ptuj, are protected national monuments.

Ljubljana Castle, built on a hill, has a commanding view of the surrounding area. Its strategic position has meant that the site has been occupied since prehistoric times. The present castle dates back to the fifteenth century and has seen the town below expand to become the capital city of Slovenia.

In the twentieth century Ljubljana was enhanced by the designs of the architect Joze Plecnik (1872-1957). Plecnik was influenced by classical architecture developing his own style, fusing traditional architecture with contemporary design.

Today Slovenia has many fine modern structures, design and technology benefiting from government support.

Population
Slovenia's population was estimated at 2.108 million in 2021.

Languages
The language of Slovenia is Slovene.

Religion
A significant percentage of the people are Roman Catholic. Other religions in Slovenia include Orthodox, other Christian churches and Islam.

Food
Slovenian cuisine has been greatly influenced by the surrounding countries, such as Austria and Italy. Main meals often consist of soup and a meat or fish dish accompanied by salad and bread.

Milk and cheese, especially cottage cheese, are traditional to the Slovene diet.

Espresso coffe and herbal and iced teas are popular. Fruit juices are produced locally. Alcoholic drinks include wine, beer (pivo) and plum brandy (Slivovka).

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