- the climatic and geographical diversity and variety of Slovenia mean that you can ski in the morning, pick autumn fruits in the afternoon and have a night swimming in the Adriatic sea, all in a single day?
- although Slovenia’s surface covers less than 0.004% of the Earth’s surface and its inhabitants represent only 0.033% of the world population, 1% of all known species and more than 2% of continental species are found in Slovenia? Such great biodiversity in such a small area makes Slovenia one of the richest natural areas not only in Europe but in the entire world.
- Slovenia has one of the largest brown bear populations in Europe?
- the oldest vine in the world grows in Slovenia? The Old Vine in Maribor is over 400 years old and it still bears up to 55 kilos of red grapes each year from which wine is produced.
- Slovenia has lots of quirky food festivals like the Cabbage Festival, Bean Day, Salt Makers’ Festival, Chestnut Sunday, etc?
- Slovenian secondary school graduates hold the Guinness world record in the largest number of people dancing quadrille at the same time?
- the Guinness world record for the longest solo motorcycle ride ever undertaken by a woman is held by Benka Pulko, a Slovenian world traveller who travelled to 7 continents on her motorcycle in 2000 days, riding a total of 180,000 km?
- the most successful Slovenian band is Ansambel Bratov Avsenik (The Avsenik Brothers), having sold 31 million records and holding the world record in longest uninterrupted musical performance – playing for over 300 consecutive evenings? The Avsenik Brothers are among the most played European composers.
- the Slovenian Philharmonic, established in 1701 as Academia Philharmonicorum, is one of the oldest European music institutions? Its honorary members included many famous composers, such as Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms; furthermore, Gustav Mahler conducted the orchestra here in 1881 and 1882.
- the oldest brass band in the world is from Slovenia? It comes from the town of Idrija and is mentioned by Janez Vajkard Valvasor in his work Slava Vojvodine Kranjske in 1686.
- a part of the movie The Chronicles of Narnia (Prince Caspian) was filmed in our stunning Soca Valley?
- the world-famous Lipica stud farm, established in 1580 and known for its almost aristocratic Lipizzaner horses, is located in Slovenia? The main characteristics of the fully-grown Lipizzaner horse are its white colour and an incredible ability to learn.
- Slovenia is a country of numerous caves? The largest cave in Slovenia is Postojna Cave, with its 20 km of tunnels; the deepest is ?ehi 2 Cave, which is 1502 m deep; and the steepest is Vrtoglavica Cave, with the deepest single vertical drop in the world (643 m). Owing to its natural beauty, the Škocjan Caves made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- karst phenomena across the world are named after the Slovenian Kras plateau? The Kras plateau, which overlooks the surrounding area, has all the features of a karst landscape: caves, sinkholes, swallow holes, etc. This was also one of the first settled areas in Slovenia.
- Slovenia has the highest cliff in the Adriatic? On the Strunjan peninsula, there is a steep, almost precipitous cliff that is 80 m high.
- in Vienna in 1783, Slovenian mathematician Baron Jurij Vega published a book of logarithm tables calculated to seven decimal places, which were at that time the best and most extensive logarithm tables? All his books of logarithm tables were translated into all major languages and used worldwide until electronic calculators prevailed.
- during World War I, an important front line – the Isonzo Front – was located in Slovenia? Along the Isonzo Front the Italian troops fought multinational troops from Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans (Austro-Hungarian allies).
- Slovenia is a ski nation? Inhabitants of the Bloke plateau long ago invented their own model of skis. Slovenia hosts annual alpine ski world cup competitions: The Golden Fox women’s slalom, the men’s slalom in Kranjska Gora and the ski flying competition in Planica.
- the first Slovenian book, Katekizem (Catechism), was written in 1550? It was written during the Protestant Reformation by Slovenian Protestant priest Primož Trubar, who is considered the pioneer of the Slovenian literary language.
- Slovenian alpinists Andrej and Marija Štremfelj are the first married couple to have conquered Mount Everest? They climbed the world’s highest peak on 7 October 1990.
- Slovenian marathon swimmer Martin Strel swam the entire Mississippi? He swam the record 3,797 km in 68 days.
(combined sources)