Geography of Slovenia

GEOG SLOV ISBN 978-961-06-0293-4

The Geography of Slovenia textbook is designed as a compendium. An introductory presentation of Slovenia’s geographical position and its influence on the country’s historical development is followed by five chapters presenting the basic physical geographical features of the country: karst, hydrography, climate, soil, and vegetation. The physical geographical section is rounded out with a chapter on natural disasters. The second section of the textbook focuses on social geographical topics.

Seven chapters present: the ethnic structure of the population, international migrations, cities and urbanization, the economy, agriculture, tourism, and transport. The final

Geografija_Slovenije_naslovka_FINAL.indd 1

chapters address the sustainable and regional development of Slovenia.

The textbook’s main goal is to offer a concise and coherent source of the basic information on the geographical features of Slovenia to students, while also providing additional sources for a more indepth research of the selected topics. This is reflected in the outline of the chapters. The introductory section gives a brief presentation on the chapter topic. This is followed by subchapters containing an overview of the central topic.

Some chapters dedicate the final section to a more exhaustive presentation of a selected area or specific topic. Every chapter concludes with three

vignettes. The first is called Comprehension and contains questions that allow the student/reader to verify their understanding of the subject material and to critically reflect on the topic. The second, called Exploration tip, presents different activities that gives the student an in-depth look into a selected topic or issue. The final vignette contains additional study literature in English that will help the student/reader to further educate themselves on the presented topic.

Even though the textbook is primarily intended for foreign exchange students at the Department of Geography, its usefulness far exceeds that sphere.

BOŠTJAN ROGELJ (ED.): GEOGRAPHY OF SLOVENIA

9 789610 602934

BOŠTJAN ROGELJ (ED.)

GEOGRAPHY OF SLOVENIA Oddelek za geografijo Ljubljana 2020

12.2.2020 13:20:09

Boštjan Rogelj (ed.)

GEOGRAPHY OF SLOVENIA

Ljubljana 2020

GEOGRAPHY OF SLOVENIA Tip publikacije/Type of publication: Univerzitetni učbenik/University textbook Avtorji/Authors: Boštjan Rogelj, Dejan Cigale, Simon Kušar, Drago Natek, Darko Ogrin, Matej Ogrin, Irma Potočnik Slavič, Dejan Rebernik, Blaž Repe, Uroš Stepišnik, Tajan Trobec, Katja Vintar Mally Recenzenta/Reviewers: Jernej Zupančič, Marko Krevs Kartografinji/Cartographers: Tina Šabec, Ana Seifert Barba Avtorji fotografij/Photos by: Dejan Cigale, Darko Ogrin, Drago Natek, Uroš Stepišnik Prevod in lektoriranje/Translation and proofreading: Živa Malovrh Tiran Slike na naslovnici/Cover photos by: Boštjan Rogelj, Darko Ogrin Tehnično urejanje/Technical Editor: Jure Preglau Prelom/Layout: Irena Hvala © Univerza v Ljubljani, Filozofska fakulteta, 2020/University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, 2020 Vse pravice pridržane./All rights reserved.

Založila/Published by: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani (Ljubljana University Press, Faculty of Arts) Izdal/Issued by: Oddelek za geografijo/Department of Geography Za založbo/For the publisher: Roman Kuhar, dekan Filozofske fakultete/Roman Kuhar, the dean of the Faculty of Arts Vodja Uredništva visokošolskih in drugih učbenikov/Head, Editorial department – Textbooks: Janica Kalin Tisk/Printed by: Birografika Bori, d. o. o.

Prvi natis/First edition Ljubljana, 2020 Naklada/Print run: 300 izvodov Cena/Price: 29,90 EUR

CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana 913(497.4)(075.8) GEOGRAPHY of Slovenia / [avtorji Boštjan Rogelj ... et al.] ; Boštjan Rogelj (ed.) ; [kartografinji Tina Vrabič, Ana Seifert Barba ; avtorji fotografij Dejan Cigale ... [et al.] ; prevod Živa Malovrh Tiran]. - 1. natis. - Ljubljana : Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2020 ISBN 978-961-06-0293-4 1. Rogelj, Boštjan, 1976COBISS.SI-ID 303937280

Contents

Contents

Foreword...........................................................................................................................................................7 Boštjan Rogelj 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................9 Karel Natek 2 Geography of Karst............................................................................................................................. 21 Uroš Stepišnik 3 Climatic Diversity and Changeability......................................................................................... 43 Darko Ogrin, Matej Ogrin 4 Hydrogeographical Characteristics............................................................................................. 59 Tajan Trobec, Darko Ogrin 5 Soils........................................................................................................................................................... 73 Blaž Repe 6 Natural Vegetation.............................................................................................................................. 89 Blaž Repe 7 Natural Disasters.................................................................................................................................. 99 Karel Natek 8 The Ethnic Composition and Minority Politics......................................................................113 Boštjan Rogelj 9 International Migrations.................................................................................................................125 Boštjan Rogelj 10 Cities and Urbanization..................................................................................................................137 Dejan Rebernik 11 Economic Development and Structure....................................................................................153 Simon Kušar 12 Agriculture: the Geography of a Mosaic..................................................................................167 Irma Potočnik Slavič 13 Tourism Development.....................................................................................................................181 Dejan Cigale 14 Transport System...............................................................................................................................199 Matej Ogrin 15 Regional Development...................................................................................................................211 Simon Kušar 16 Sustainable Development.............................................................................................................225 Katja Vintar Mally List of Figures.............................................................................................................................................235 List of Tables...............................................................................................................................................239 References...................................................................................................................................................241

3

Contents English translations of toponyms (geographical names) used in the textbook.

Adriatic Sea Alpine landscapes/regions Alpine-Dinaric barrier Alps Apače Field Bay of Koper Bay of Piran Brkini Hills Canal Valley Carinthia Carniola Celje Basin County of Gorizia Dinaric Mountains Dinaric-Karstic landscapes/regions Drava-Ptuj Field Dry Carniola Golovec Hill Gorica Hills Goričko Hills Gorizia Gorjanci Hills Gulf of Trieste Idrija-Cerkno Hills Illyrian Provinces Inner Carniola Isonzo River Valley/Soča Valley Istria Javorniki Hills Julian Alps Kamnik–Savinja Alps Karavanke Karst Klagenfurt Krško-Brežice Field Littoral Ljubljana Basin Ljubljana Botanic Garden Ljubljana Moor Lower Carniola

Jadransko morje, Jadran Alpske pokrajine Alpsko-dinarska pregrada Alpe Apaško polje Koprski zaliv Piranski zaliv Brkini Kanalska dolina Koroška* Kranjska* Celjska kotlina Goriška* Dinarsko gorovje Dinarsko-kraške pokrajine Dravsko-Ptujsko polje Suha krajina* Golovec Goriška brda Goričko Gorica Gorjanci Tržaški zaliv Idrijsko-Cerkljansko hribovje Ilirske province Notranjska* Dolina Soče Istra Javorniki Julijske Alpe Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe Karavanke Kras Celovec Krško-Brežiško polje Primorska Ljubljanska kotlina Ljubljanski botanični vrt Ljubljansko barje Dolenjska*

5

Geography of Slovenia Lower Savinja Valley Lower Styria Mediterranean Mediterranen Sea Mura Field Pannonian Plain Pohorje Mountains/Pohorje Massif Polhov Gradec Hills Postojna Gap Prealpine Hills Prealpine landscapes/regions Rába Valley/Vendvidék Resia Valley Sava Hills Savinja Valley Sečovlje Saltworks Škocjan Caves Škocjanski Zatok Brackish Lagoon Škofja Loka Hills Slovenian Hills Slovenian Istria Styria Submediterranean landscapes/regions Subpannonian landscapes/regions Szentgotthárd Trieste Triglav Lakes Valley Triglav National Park Upper Carniola Vipava Valley White Carniola winegrowing region Podravje winegrowing region Posavje winegrowing region Primorje *name for historical region

6

Spodnja Savinjska dolina Spodnja Štajerska, Štajerska Sredozemlje Sredozemsko morje Mursko polje Panonska nižina Pohorje Polhograjsko hribovje Postojnska vrata Predalpsko hribovje Predalpske pokrajine Porabje Rezija Posavsko hribovje Savinjska dolina Sečoveljske soline Škocjanske jame Škocjanski zatok Škofjeloško hribovje Slovenske gorice Slovenska Istra Štajerska* Obsredozemske pokrajine Obpanonske pokrajine Monošter Trst Dolina Triglavskih jezer Triglavski narodni park Gorenjska* Vipavska dolina Bela krajina Vinorodna dežela Podravje Vinorodna dežela Posavje Vinorodna dežela Primorje

Foreword

Foreword

The Department of Geography of the University of Ljubljana has collaborated in various bilateral and multilateral student exchange programs for over a decade. These include the Erasmus program of the European Union for student exchange (EuRopean Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) and the CEEPUS regional exchange program (Central European Exchange Program for University Studies). Over the past decade, both programs have hosted almost 200 students from thirty-six European universities and the number continues to rise.

As part of their study program, the exchange students are required to select a few study courses at the Department of Geography. The Geography of Slovenia is one of the most commonly selected courses. The course’s popularity is no coincidence: it enables students to familiarize themselves with the key geographical features of their host country. They learn about Slovenia’s natural and social characteristics and how they shape the landscape and the past, present, and future development of the country.

At first, the teaching process was done through individual consultations. As the number of exchange students grew, the need arose for the lectures to be presented in English. Associates at the Department organized the first series of lectures on the geographical features of Slovenia in English in the 2017/2018 academic year. The lectures were well-received among the students, so it was decided that they will continue. At the same time, the subject was included into the university’s selection of courses that are taught in English.

The lecturers realized that one of the key problems the foreign students face when trying to do an in-depth study of the geographical features of Slovenia is the lack of adequate literature in English. While there are several comprehensive textbooks and publications on the geography of Slovenia in Slovenian, there is no suitable university-level literature in English.

Compiling the necessary textbook covering the lecture topics therefore seemed to be the next logical step.

The textbook is designed as a compendium in which individual authors present those aspects of the geography of Slovenia that are their areas of research and study. It should be mentioned here that the textbook does not offer a completely comprehensive overview of all the geographical features of Slovenia. It contains sixteen chapters. An introductory presentation of Slovenia’s geographical position and its influence on the country’s historical development is followed by five chapters presenting the basic physical geographical features of the country: karst, climate, hydrography, soil, and vegetation. The physical geographical section is rounded out with a chapter on natural disasters. The second section of the textbook focuses on social geographical topics. Seven chapters present: the ethnic structure of the population, international migrations, cities and urbanization, the economy, agriculture, tourism, and transport. The final chapters address the regional and sustainable development of Slovenia.

The textbook’s main goal is to offer students a concise and coherent source of the basic information on the geographical features of Slovenia, while also providing additional sources for a more in-depth research of the selected topics. This is reflected in the outline of the chapters. The introductory section gives a brief presentation on the chapter topic. This is followed by subchapters containing an overview of the central topic. Some chapters dedicate the final section to a more exhaustive presentation of a selected area or specific topic. Every chapter concludes with three vignettes. The first is called Knowledge Review and contains questions that allow the student/reader to verify their understanding of the subject material and to critically reflect on the topic. The second, called Exploration tip, presents different activities (field work, day trips, exhibitions, visiting institutions …) that give the student an in-depth look into a selected topic or issue. The final vignette contains Study literature in English and Slovenian that will help the student/reader to further educate themselves on the presented topic.

7

Geography of Slovenia Even though the textbook is primarily intended for foreign students at the Department of Geography, its usefulness far exceeds that sphere. Slovenian geography students can use it as the initial source for the course Geography of Slovenia and as additional literature on Slovenia in other subjects. Last but not least, the wider foreign and domestic public can use it to discover the geographical features of Slovenia.

The publication of this textbook would not be possible without the assistance of a number of individuals and institutions. We would like to thank reviewers Dr. Jernej Zupančič and Dr. Marko Krevs for going over the materials and offering useful advice and tips. The rich cartographical material livening up the textbook would not be possible without the diligent work of cartographers Ana Seifert Barba and Tina Šabec. Special thanks also goes to translator Živa Malovrh Tiran. We would like to thank the Ljubljana University Press of the Faculty of Arts for the financial and technical support. The leadership of the Faculty of Arts headed by Dean Dr. Roman Kuhar deserves a special tribute for recognizing the significance of lectures in English in the internationalization of the study program. The faculty offered its organizational and financial support both to the course and the textbook Geography of Slovenia.

The authors are aware that preparing such an extensive study material can result in various errors and flaws, for which we apologise to the readers in advance. We appreciate any notes, alerts, and suggestions, which will be taken into consideration for any reprints.

Boštjan Rogelj

8

Introduction

1 Introduction Karel Natek

Even a visitor briefly passing by Slovenia can recognize its two key features: the exceptional diversity of Slovenian landscapes and the country’s location on a distinct geographical ‘draft’. The reason for both lies in its position on the intersection of four major European landscapes: the Alps, the Dinaric Mountains, the Pannonian Basin, and the Mediterranean. In the wider geographical sense, this contact area is located in the southern part of Central Europe, merging with the northernmost part of the Mediterranean and converging with Southeastern Europe to the southeast.

The area identifies with the Central European geographical and cultural space not only because of its proximity, but also because of its centuries-long political association with the largest Central European state entity – the Holy Roman Empire and later the Habsburg Monarchy.

This juncture of four dominant landscapes has resulted in an interesting blend of each of their characteristics, creating an intricate mosaic of tiny landscapes with their own specific natural and socio-geographical features over a relatively small area. For centuries, the locals have striven to survive in this not particularly favourable environment, producing a certain level of harmony between the natural potentials and limitations and people’s needs, all of which has created a unique cultural landscape. The area reflects not only the history of the Slovenian nation, but also the influences of its immediate and even distant environment: until recently, various political entities converged here, each trying to claim the area in some way.

Slovenia is primarily an Alpine country, with as much as 40% of its territory classified as Alpine. Of this, 11% are true Alpine mountains and 29% are Prealpine regions with predominant hills and interspersed river valleys. Only Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein boast larger shares of Alpine landscapes. The high mountains of the Southern Limestone Alps are mostly made of limestone and dolomite with steep slopes and jagged peaks stemming from the intense tectonic activities and Pleistocene glaciation. Like other Alpine areas, this part of Slovenia has also developed and preserved distinct management methods (e.g. high mountain pastures) and many other common landscape features of Alpine areas, e.g. the settlement (mountain farms), land use, ethnological and other cultural heritage.

In the political sense, Slovenia historically belonged to Alpine state entities for centuries as well. The first independent political entity of our forefathers was Carantania (7th and 8th century) with its capital in Zollfeld in today’s Carinthia, Austria. The Duchy of Bavaria, which subjugated the Carantanians for a period (743–796), was also a distinctly Alpine country. It was followed by a few centuries of Frankish rule. The Habsburgs also stemmed from the Alpine region, owning their Hereditary Lands (1278–1918), and ruling as Holy Roman (1273–1291, 1298‒1308, and 1438–1806) and Austrian emperors (1804–1918). Although their seat of power had already been moved to Vienna in the 13th century, to the eastern edge of the Alps, the allegiance to their state entities left an indelible Central European or Alpine mark on the Slovenian territory.

The medieval German colonization managed to oust Slovenian peoples from most of the Eastern Alps, but the close economic and cultural ties within the Alpine area were preserved even during a time when Slovenia politically belonged to Southeastern Europe.

The most densely populated and economically most important part of the Alpine region is the Ljubljana Basin. Its central location within the Slovenian ethnic area and its position on the intersection of two important European transport corridors (from Western to Southeastern Europe and from Eastern Europe to the Mediterranean) were the key geopolitical factors why our nation’s capital is in this specific basin. During the centuries of Habsburg rule, Slovenians lived in several so-called Hereditary lands (Carniola, Styria, Carinthia, County of Gorizia, Trieste), which had their centres outside the Slovenian territory and were minorities everywhere

9

A

D

R

R

S

T

Škocjan Caves

KI

NI Slavnik H I L LS 1028

BR

Vremščica 1027

Re ka

n

Lake Cerknica

Krim 1107 Kr ka

Ko lp a

O Z J A K

HI LL S

LA

C AN

ka Kr

a Kolp

Boč 978

ja Dravin

BOHOR

S ILL I H Trdinov vrh 1178

je Basin CELJE

Rogla 1517

Sav a

Sotla

LS H I L

av PTUJ a Fi -Pt el d uj

Dr

S L O V E N

H A LO Z E

MARIBOR

P O H O R J E

K

NOVO MESTO

G

a nž Ri

KE

Figure 1.1: Physical-geographical map of Slovenia.

V. Snežnik 1796

D R Y

S AVA

Cel

VELENJE

Kum S A 1220 VA H I L L S

Sava

MENINA

S ALP

Uršlja gora 1699

Meža

C A R N I O L A

n a M o oLJUBLJANA r ica

ljan Ljub

blja Lju

Postojna Cave

HRUŠICA

ka Piv

SLOVENIAN ISTRIA

A S RO

Dra gon ja

K

Vipava

KI G Čaven O Z D 1185

Sora

EC RAD

G HOV POL HILLS

HILLS

I IK RN S O L V L JA HI

KOPER

Gulf of Trieste

Trstelj 643

NOVA GORICA

TRNOVS

IDRIJ ACERKN O HILLS

ja

Drava

I K - S AV I N J A

Grintovec 2558

BLO ČE I

T IA A E S

Id rij ca

bl

KAMN

Lju

KRANJ

Sa va

ča Ba Š K O F J A L O K A

Rodica 1966

NO KO K VS

IC

2244

Lake Krn Bohinj

Stol 2236

K A R A V A N K E

Lake Bled

S A L P

Triglav 2864

NA

a

Soč

GORICA HILLS

Soča

Soča

J U L I A N

Mangart 2679

sin

B

a Ba

CE

ja vin Sa

ŠI

ja

AN J

in isl M

KO Z JA NSKO

RJ

a av Dr

GO

10 Mu ra

MURSKA SOBOTA

K RI Č O

Le da va

Drava

Cartography: Boštjan Rogelj, Ana Seifert Barba Source: GURS, 2018.

Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, UL.

0

700

1400

2100

2864

Elevation (m)

Border

Cave

Mountain peak

Major city

Lake

River

Physical map

Ščav nica

G I L L S

H a N Pesnic

O

a ur M

A

NI

I

WHITE CAR

O

Geography of Slovenia

Sotla

Tolmin

Piran Izola

Koper

Bled

Jesenice

Sežana Divača

Vipava

Ajdovščina

Idirja

Cerkno

Bohinjska Bistrica

Kranjska Gora

Nova Gorica

Bovec

I t a l y

Cerknica

Ljubljana

Domžale

Kamnik

Kočevje

Žužemberk

Sevnica

Celje

Črnomelj

Metlika

Novo mesto

Zagorje ob Savi Trbovlje Hrastnik

Velenje

Ravne na Koroškem Slovenj Gradec

Krško

Lendava

Cartography: Ana Seifert Barba Source: GURS, 2018.

Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, UL.

Main and regional roads

C r o a t i a

Brežice

Ormož

Ljutomer

Murska Sobota

Motorways and expressways

Railway

Settlements

Gornja Radgona

Ptuj

Rogaška Slatina

Slovenska Bistrica

Maribor

Figure 1.2: Major settlements and transport routes in Slovenia.

Ilirska Bistrica

Postojna

Škofja Loka

Kranj

A u s t r i a

Hungary

Introduction

11

Geography of Slovenia (except in Carniola with its capital Ljubljana). During the period of political awakening of the Slovenian nation in the 19th century, the United Slovenia Political Programme voiced the increasing demands to unify all Slovenians in one country with the capital city of Ljubljana. This was not realized in its entirety, but Slovenia’s independence (1991) secured Ljubljana as the country’s undisputed capital city.

To the east, Slovenia opens into the extensive Pannonian Basin, even though only with a few inlets of lowlands along the Mura, Drava and Krka rivers. About a third of Slovenia belongs to that entity. These are mostly low-lying, heavily dissected hills in softer Tertiary rocks, interspersed with wide valleys along Danube tributaries. Through these valleys, the Pannonian climatic and cultural influences extend towards the heartland of the Alpine region. Despite the relatively small altitude differences, there is a stark contrast between the hilly landscapes, distinct for their vineyards and dispersed settlement, and broader valleys along the country’s largest rivers with valuable agricultural land, dense settlements, and prominent urban centres (Maribor, Murska Sobota, Ptuj, Celje, Novo mesto).

Slovenia opens towards the east, allowing the easiest route from Eastern Europe to the Mediterranean over the Alpine-Dinaric barrier. These two geographical factors had already determined the main path of nomadic peoples from Eastern European and Eurasian steppes towards the Mediterranean in the distant past and later, the spreading of political and cultural influence of the Roman Empire in the opposite direction. During the Migration Period, Germanic tribes took this route westward (Visigoths and Ostrogoths, Lombards), followed by the Avars and Slavs in the 6th and 7th centuries and finally the Hungarians in the 9th century. The latter gradually settled in the western part of the Pannonian Basin, integrating with the previous Slavic inhabitants and engaging in the Central European political and cultural life. The northeasternmost region of Slovenia (Prekmurje) continuously belonged to their various states until 1919, which further contributed to the cultural diversity of the Slovenian nation and landscape.

Mediterranean landscapes account for the smallest share of Slovenia (8%); however, its natural and socio-geographical influences are significantly more important than this small percentage or its only 47 km of coastline would indicate at first. While only a few kilometre-wide belt in the immediate hinterlands of the coastline is distinctly Mediterranean, the natural (e.g. climatic) and socio-geographical influences (settlement, land use, way of life) penetrate much further inland, all the way to the Dinaric karst plateaus and along the valley of the Soča River straight into the heart of the Julian Alps. The Mediterranean nature of Slovenia has been further enhanced through the millennia-long cultural ties, ever since the Roman Empire started spreading to the East. In 181 BC, the Romans established the Aquileia colony, from where they gradually subjugated the Celtic peoples settled in the area of present-day Slovenia. After the incorporation of the Kingdom of Noricum (around 10 BC), a large portion of present-day Slovenia fell directly under Roman rule for four centuries. After the tumultuous Migration Period (3rd to 6th century), Aquileia became the seat of a powerful patriarchy (557) and, together with Salzburg, served as the starting point for the Christianization of our ancestors who settled here in the 6th to 8th centuries and were incorporated into the Central European cultural circle.

From the 13th to the 18th century, the Republic of Venice exerted a decisive influence on the Mediterranean. While directly controlling only the coastal towns and their surroundings, the cultural influence of Venice permeated deep inland for centuries. The ultimate expansion of Italy as the Mediterranean political entity deep onto the Slovenian territory (1920–1943) was only a short-lived episode, a consequence of the global superpowers’ political chess moves during the World Wars.

One quarter of Slovenia’s territory is part of the Dinaric Mountains, which meet the Alps here and spread for almost 1000 km along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea towards the southeast into the heartland of the Balkan Peninsula. Much of the mountain range is made of limestone and dolomite, resulting in the prevalence of karst relief with the typical karst features and a fragmentary river network. Settlement is limited to the edges of poljes and to lower karst plateaus 12

Introduction with extensive forests elsewhere. In terms of the natural geographical characteristics, this area of Slovenia resembles other Dinaric landscapes. However, in the socio-geographical sense, it does not express the typical ‘Balkan’ features that have been moulded in this part of Europe over the five centuries of Ottoman rule. To the contrary, Slovenia was one of Europe’s ramparts against the spreading of the Ottoman Empire into Central Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.

5b

5a 5b

5b 5a

2b

1b

2a 5a

1a

1b 1a

1b

2b

1b 5a

2b

2b

Physiographic regions 1. Alpine a. Alpine mountains and karstic plateaus

2a

5b

2a

b. Alpine valleys and basins 2. Prealpine regions

4a

a. Prealpine hills 3a

b. Prealpine valleys and basins 3. Dinaric regions

4a

3b

5a

b. Dinaric karst valleys and corrosion plains

3b 4b

4a

4. Mediterranean regions

3a

3a

4a

a. Dinaric karst plateaus and hills

a. Karstic plateaus, hills and valleys

3a 3b

a. Flysch hills and valleys 5. Pannonian regions a. Panonian plains b. Pannonian low hills Cartography: Ana Seifert Barba Source: GURS, 2018.

Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, UL.

Figure 1.3: Physiographic regions of Slovenia (Source: Ogrin, D., Plut, D., 2009).

A certain migration wave did spill over from these lands, caused by the Ottomans’ advances to the northwest, but the political and cultural ties between the Slovenian territory and Southeastern Europe remained very slight, up until the Slovenians, Croatians, and Serbs (from the territories of the former Austria-Hungary) unified into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1 Dec 1918). This occurred largely out of fear for Italy’s and Germany’s expansionist tendencies regarding the areas of the collapsed Austria-Hungary, which the small and war-weary Slovenia would not have been able to withstand.

This event shifted Slovenia’s political centre for the first time from Central to Southeastern Europe. This continued after World War II, when Slovenia became a part of communist Yugoslavia with a completely new social order and values. This change quickly drew it away from its historical ties with the Central European cultural and economic area.

Slovenia fared very well in a remarkable historical situation during the late 1980s, when the socialist model was failing and both the federative Yugoslavia and the entire communist block were rapidly disintegrating. Based on the independence plebiscite (23 Dec 1990), when 88.2% of the voters supported an independent country, the Slovenian parliament declared the independent Republic of Slovenia on 25 June 1991. The Yugoslav army tried to overrule this with a military occupation the following day, but was ultimately defeated in the Ten-Day War and had to withdraw from Slovenia after a three-month ceasefire (by 25 Oct 1991).

After gaining independence, Slovenia’s political inclusion into the global community was relatively fast, in part owning to the fact that it had managed to retain relatively solid economic,

13

GEOG SLOV ISBN 978-961-06-0293-4

The Geography of Slovenia textbook is designed as a compendium. An introductory presentation of Slovenia’s geographical position and its influence on the country’s historical development is followed by five chapters presenting the basic physical geographical features of the country: karst, hydrography, climate, soil, and vegetation. The physical geographical section is rounded out with a chapter on natural disasters. The second section of the textbook focuses on social geographical topics.

Seven chapters present: the ethnic structure of the population, international migrations, cities and urbanization, the economy, agriculture, tourism, and transport. The final

Geografija_Slovenije_naslovka_FINAL.indd 1

chapters address the sustainable and regional development of Slovenia.

The textbook’s main goal is to offer a concise and coherent source of the basic information on the geographical features of Slovenia to students, while also providing additional sources for a more indepth research of the selected topics. This is reflected in the outline of the chapters. The introductory section gives a brief presentation on the chapter topic. This is followed by subchapters containing an overview of the central topic.

Some chapters dedicate the final section to a more exhaustive presentation of a selected area or specific topic. Every chapter concludes with three

vignettes. The first is called Comprehension and contains questions that allow the student/reader to verify their understanding of the subject material and to critically reflect on the topic. The second, called Exploration tip, presents different activities that gives the student an in-depth look into a selected topic or issue. The final vignette contains additional study literature in English that will help the student/reader to further educate themselves on the presented topic.

Even though the textbook is primarily intended for foreign exchange students at the Department of Geography, its usefulness far exceeds that sphere.

BOŠTJAN ROGELJ (ED.): GEOGRAPHY OF SLOVENIA

9 789610 602934

BOŠTJAN ROGELJ (ED.)

GEOGRAPHY OF SLOVENIA Oddelek za geografijo Ljubljana 2020

12.2.2020 13:20:09