The Republic of Slovenia covers an area of good 20,000 km2, which in terms of Europe as a whole is relatively small central European region, lies at the cross-roads of important geological, geographic and cultural entireties.

The largest part of Slovenia, almost two-third of the country, is made up of the Alpine and Pre-Alpine worlds, characteristic of central Europe.

The east and the north-east parts of Slovenia encompass the Pannonian and Sub-Pannonian geographic area. The Pannonian Basin has always been known as part of Central Europe.

The south and the south-east parts of Slovenia consist of the Karst region, which stretches along the north Adriatic and links to the Croatian Dinaric mountain range to the south-east. This part of Slovenia can be considered to be geologically connected with south-east Europe.