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Ljubljana
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Geographical Location and Natural Conditions

The city of Ljubljana is geographical situated central in Slovenia, between the Alps and the Mediterranean on the Ljubljanica River. It is bounded by Ljubljansko Barje in the South, woods of Golovec/ Ljubljana Castle Hill in South - East, Tivoli in the West and agricultural land in the North.
The capital of Slovenia is also called the "Ljubljana gates" on the route from central Europe to the Danube region and Italy - Adrian ports.

The average height is around 298 m above sea level; the hilltop castle has around 366 m.
On the globe the city can be found on geographic latitude with 46°03'20'' and geographic longitude with 14°30'30''.

Climate and Vegetation

The Central European climate, mutually influenced by the warm Adriatic Sea and the cool Alpine mountain range, dominate the average weather in Ljubljana regions.
The coldest month with temperature around -2°C is January and the ordinary temperatures around 20°C are in July. The average year temperature is 9.7°C.

The maximum quantity of rainfall estimated in summer and in autumn; the annual altitude of rainfall counts 1364 mm.
Variety and heterogeneity are the very characteristics of city landscape.

There are three main typical landscape units:

• Hilly land - hills with forests coming to the city centre - they represent the most important present recreation areas and emphasised green wedges of the city.
• Agricultural land in the North, with the river Sava landscape with high potentials for recreation, as well as vulnerable habitats along the river.
• The marshland in the South with the Ljubljanica River flowing to the city centre. This is an area with high (national and international) importance for biodiversity, and high potential for recreation.

General Data

Historical Background

First settlers (pile dwellers and Celts) came in this region more than 5000 years ago. At the time of the Roman hegemony, a roman city, called Emona, was founded. The city flourished until it was destroyed by the Huns. It was resurrected on the foot of the castle hill by the Slavs in the 6^th century.
Ljubljana was mentioned the first time in a written source from 1144 as Luwigana. Medieval Ljubljana became an important trading and ecclesiastical centre. Many of the Romanesque and Gothic buildings were destroyed by an earthquake at the beginning of the 16^th century, and during the 17^th and 18^th centuries the remainder were pulled down or rebuilt in the Baroque style.
While the Renaissance brought improvements to the fortifications, the Baroque was the most powerful influence on the development of the town.

The 19^th century saw the gradual urbanisation of the area between the old walled town Rožnik Hill. The city enjoyed its greatest urban renewal and expansion after the powerful earth quake at the end of the 19^th century. The government took advantage of the disaster in order to plan further development of the city. They decided the engaged Max Fabiani, a famous Viennese architect of Slovenian descent, to plan the development. Thirty years after Fabiani, the architect Jože Plečnik made an urban plan for Ljubljana. The city grew rapidly between the two world wars, but after the World War II development became even more intensive and Ljubljana became the Capital of Slovenia, one of the six federal states of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Finally, in 1991 Ljubljana became the capital of independent Republic of Slovenia.

Economy

Ljubljana currently represents the most important location for economic activities in Slovenia and generates 34% of the country's GDP, 27% of its exports rate and 40% of its import rate.

It is an important political, economical, cultural and educational centre. In the University of Ljubljana 44.000 students are registered. In the city are additionally 3 academies (696 students), 4 high schools (5468 students) and 41 scientific and research institutes.

Most of the employees work in the tertiary sector, dominated by trade. The unemployment rate is around 4%.