Slovenia History

History at the Crossroads: A Brief History of Slovenia

With a location at the junction of Central Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Balkans, Slovenia has spent its history at the crossroads of these cultures and people. Although Slovenia was already settled during the Paleolithic Age, Celtic migrants arrived in the area around 300 BC and brought with them innovations such as the horse-drawn cart and the potter’s wheel. The area of present-day Slovenia also witnessed the migration and passage many other ethnic groups.

From Roman Times to a Slovenian National Awakening

The 2nd century BC saw the arrival of the Romans and the eventual absorption of the region into Rome under Emperor Augustus. During the Roman era, Emona (present-day Ljubljana) was settled by legionaries and became an important center of commerce and trade. Present-day Slovenia consituted portions of the Roman provinces of Itallia, Dalmatia, Pannonia, and Noricum.

Following the Romans came Ostrogoths in the 5th century, soon followed by Lombards. The arrival of Slovenians can be traced to the 6th century as Slav tribes from the east settled in present-day Slovenia to become the dominant cultural and ethnic group of the region. The people of modern-day Slovenia, with a population of about 2 million, are 83 percent ethnic Slovenes who speak Slovenian and are descended from these tribes. Through the Middle Ages the Slovenes underwent a succession of outside rulers—Frankish, Magyars, Germans, Habsburgs, and Ottomans.

The latter part of the 19th century saw a national awakening among Slovenians, sparked by a new sense of patriotism and national pride, and calling for the reunification of Slovenians.

The Emergence of Yugoslavia

With the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, Slovenia united with Slavic neighbors to the south in what they thought would be loose federation of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenians. Instead it evolved into the centralized country of Yugoslavia, soon invaded by Hitler, then re-emerging as communist Yugoslavia under Tito.

Slovenia was the most prosperous region in Yugoslavia. By 1980, 60 percent of all Yugoslav industry was centered in tiny Slovenia, which had only 8 percent of Yugoslavia’s population and 8 percent of its territory. During the 1980s younger Slovenians pushed for reforms, freedoms, and greater autonomy. Slovenia’s first multi-party elections were held in 1990, allowing non-Communist parties to gain control and establish a market economy with a liberal democratic political system. In that election 88 percent of Slovenes voted for independence from Yugoslavia. Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991.  

Modern-day Slovenia

Slovenia has quickly become one of the great post-Communist success stories of Europe. It has a smoothly functioning parliamentary system with a coalition government and can-do spirit intent on being an equal partner in a new Europe. Of the 13 nations that have joined the European Union since 2004, Slovenia, with a higher-than-average per capita GDP, was the only country to enter as a net donor. It was also the first of the 13 new EU countries to join the Euro currency zone. Slovenia is well-connected by rail, road, sea, and air with trade partners in Europe.

Tourism in Slovenia

Slovenia has long been off the well-trodden tourist trail, while other former Eastern Bloc countries such as Croatia and Czech Republic have been inundated with tourists. But all that is changing quickly. Recent initiatives and promotional campaigns by the Slovenian Tourist Board have been highly successful in introducing Slovenia to a worldwide tourism market as the green, active, safe, vibrant and beautiful destination it is.