Slovenske gorice with an area of 1017 km² is the largest hilly region of Slovenia

Slovenia

Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...

, a smaller part is located in the Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

n province of Styria. It is situated in the northeastern part of the country and comprises the Western Slovene Hills and the Eastern Slovene Hills (also named Prlekija

Prlekija

Prlekija is a region in northeastern Slovenia between the Drava and Mura rivers. It comprises the eastern part of the Slovenian Hills , stretching from the border with Austria to the border with Croatia. It is part of the traditional province of Lower Styria. Together with the traditional province...

). The region is known for its vineyards and wines. The central town and municipality is Lenart

Lenart

For the Lenart Elementary School, see Lenart Regional Gifted Center.For the computer virus known as Lenart, see AntiCMOS.Lenart is a small town and municipality in northeastern Slovenia. The municipality of Lenart has just over 11,000 inhabitants and the town itself has around 4,000. It is...

. The municipality lies at approximately 46°38'N 15°35'EG.

The Slovenske gorice area consists of Tertiary

Tertiary

The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...

 hills, for the most part lower than 400 meters in elevation, and one of the most individualized landscapes of Slovenia. There are a multitude of low ridges and hills traversed by numerous river valleys, which extend from the northwest towards southeast almost linearly. They border the Mura River to the east, the Drava

Drava

Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...

 River to the west, Croatia

Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

 to the south, and the Gamlitz River in Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

 (Sln. Gomilica) to the north. The climate is subpannonian with a marked thermal change. The average annual precipitation is 1000 mm.

In 1991, Slovenske gorice had 92,320 inhabitants, but this number is gradually falling. Larger serried settlements have formed only along Velka Creek, Globovnica Creek, and James Creek (Jakobski potok). Elsewhere farms are densely disposed in long strips along the hill ridges.

The region has been included in the European Natura 2000

Natura 2000

Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...

 network. It is the only nesting region for the European roller

European Roller

The European Roller, Coracias garrulus, is the only member of the roller family of birds to breed in Europe. Its overall range extends into the Middle East and Central Asia and Morocco....

 (Coracias garrulus) in Slovenia. The green woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

The European Green Woodpecker is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. There are four subspecies and it occurs in most parts of Europe and in western Asia...

 (Picus viridis), the hoopoe

Hoopoe

The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes...

 (Upupa epops), the common redstart

Common Redstart

The Common Redstart , or often simply Redstart, is a small passerine bird in the redstart genus Phoenicurus...

 (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), the turtle dove

Turtle Dove

The European Turtle Dove , also known as Turtle Dove, is a member of the bird family Columbidae, which includes the doves and pigeons.-Distribution & Status:...

 (Streptopelia turtur), the red-backed shrike

Red-backed Shrike

The Red-backed Shrike is a carnivorous passerine bird and member of the shrike family Laniidae.English common names include 'Wariangle' and 'worrier'.-Description:...

 (Lanius collurio), and the yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

The Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It is common in all sorts of open areas with some scrub or trees and form small flocks in winter....

(Emberiza citrenella) nest there as well.

External links

• Map of Slovenske gorice. Geopedia.si