Slovenia Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Southern Central Europe.

Language

Slovene, which is closely related to Croat and Czech. Most Slovenes speak German, Hungarian or Italian, with English as a second language.

Area

20,273 sq km (7,827 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Population

2, 051,511 (official estimate 2009).

Population Density

99.6 per sq km.

Capital City

Ljubljana. Population: 280,000 (official estimate 2009).

Government

Republic since 1991. Declared independence from now defunct state of Yugoslavia in 1991.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Borut Phaor since 2008.

Head of State

President Danilo Türk since 2007.

Religion

Most of the population is Roman Catholic (75%), with small communities of other Christians including Eastern Orthodox; there are Muslim and Jewish minorities.

Recent History

Slovenia joined the EU and NATO in 2004, aligning itself even more firmly with Western European countries. Borut Pahor, leader of the left-leaning Social Democrat party was elected Prime Minister on 7 November 2008. Danilo Turk has been the President since 22 December 2007, for a five-year term. The infrastructure is excellent and the level of education is very high. It has struggled to gain foreign investment since the global financial crisis, losing manufacturing business to India and China. Its labor market has been described as ‘inflexible', nevertheless, it has the highest capita GDP in Central Europe.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +386. Calls can be made with magnetic phonecards, sold at post offices, newspaper kiosks and tobacco shops. For emergencies, dial 112 (ambulance service and fire brigade) or 113 (police).

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.

Internet

Internet cafés are available in cities.

Media

The media scene is diverse and free, and the constitution supports freedom of expression. About two-thirds of TV households are connected to cable or satellite. English-language publications include Ars Vivendi, Slovenia Weekly, Slovenian Business Report and Slovenija.

Post

Reasonable internal service. Stamps can be bought at bookstalls. The post office at Cigaletova 5, Ljubljana is open 24 hours.Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1200.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Independence Day

2011
1 Jan - 2 Jan New Year
8 Feb Preseren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday)
25 Apr Easter Monday
27 Apr Resistance Day
1 May Labor Day Holiday
12 Jun Pentecost
25 Jun National Day
15 Aug Assumption
17 Aug Slovenians Incorporated into the Mother Nation
15 Sep Restoration Day
31 Oct Reformation Day
1 Nov All Saints’ Day
23 Nov Rudolph Maister Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Independence Day

2012
1 Jan - 2 Jan New Year
8 Feb Preseren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday)
9 Apr Easter Monday
27 Apr Resistance Day
1 May Labor Day Holiday
27 May Pentecost
25 Jun National Day
15 Aug Assumption
17 Aug Slovenians Incorporated into the Mother Nation
15 Sep Restoration Day
31 Oct Reformation Day
1 Nov All Saints’ Day
23 Nov Rudolph Maister Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Independence Day

Contact Information

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the UK

10 Little College Street, London SW1P 3SH, UK
Tel: (020) 7222 5400.
Website: www.mzz.gov.si
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1200 (consular section; for appointments in person).

Slovenian Tourist Office in the UK

New Barn Farm, Tadlow Road, Royston, Herts SG8 0EP, UK
Website: www.slovenia-tourism.si

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the USA

1525 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 667 5363.
Website: www.embassy.org/slovenia

Slovenian Tourist Office in the USA

2929 East Commercial Boulevard, Suite 201, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308, USA
Tel: (954) 491 0112.
Website: www.slovenia.info