PODRAVSKA - Geography and history
Slovenia's second city
Ranking fifth among the Slovenian regions by its size and second in terms of population, Podravska is situated between the Austrian border in the north and the Croatian border in the south-east. Its centre, Maribor, was established on the banks of the Drava river where its narrow valley opens up and the river enters the extensive Drava plain.
The region consists of two geographically very different parts. The larger eastern section comprises hills on the western edge of the Pannonian Plain (among them especially the Slovenske gorice hills between the Drava and Mura rivers and the steep Haloze hills along the Croatian border), and the densely populated Drava and Ptuj plains along the Drava river. The western part of the region, geographically belonging to sub-alpine mountains, is entirely different, consisting of the heavily forested and sparsely populated Pohorje and Kozjak ranges, broken up by numerous watercourses and separated from each other by the narrow Drava valley.
Historically, the region was part of Styria, a hereditary Habsburg possession centred on Graz (Austria), from the beginning of 14th century until the end of World War I. The present border between Austria and Slovenia was drawn up following the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918.
Podravska is characterised by its accessibility from all sides since it lies on the main traffic route between the former Habsburg capital, Vienna, and the port of Trieste on the Adriatic coast, which was declared an imperial free port in 1719 by Emperor Charles VI. Its role was further reinforced by the construction of the Southern Railway in the middle of the 19th century. As a consequence, Maribor took over the role of the regional centre previously held by the ancient town of Ptuj situated further along the Drava river. The motorway connection between Vienna and Trieste, which is to be completed by the end of 2004, follows the old trade route.
The region is divided among 34 municipalities, ranging from the city municipality of Maribor, the second largest municipality in Slovenia in terms of population, to smaller rural municipalities in hilly areas lacking more distinctive local centres since they were established only in 1994.
Eternally second with severe economic problems
For decades, Maribor has been "condemned" to forever being in second position in the country. Moreover, centralisation even reinforced Ljubljana's prime position after Slovenia gained its independence. In the socialist period, Maribor was a markedly industrial town when compared to Ljubljana, while during the process of ownership transformation and opening up to the world market several large companies that were established after World War II went bankrupt. This caused above average unemployment and social problems in the town itself. In addition, its smaller population and decreasing purchasing power, in comparison with Ljubljana, also contributed to the fact that the first, large-scale, direct foreign investment in the service sector, i.e. trade and banking, avoided Maribor and concentrated on Ljubljana.
To date, Maribor's weak position as a regional capital for the entire north-eastern part of Slovenia has not improved despite the transfer of certain state administration and governmental functions (such as the National Post Administration and the Ministry of Small Enterprises and Tourism) to Maribor. One of Maribor's advantageous points is its successful university providing a substantial share of highly educated graduates for Maribor and neighbouring regions.
Among the advantages of the region, successful specialisation of agriculture in fruit and wine growing in several hilly areas is worth mentioning. In other areas, the unfavourable land ownership structure (such as occurs in Haloze in the southern part of the region) has accelerated the abandonment of agriculture, depopulation and the decline in cultural facilities.
Apart from being the region's most important source of drinking water, the plains are also characterised by their dense population, industry and intensive agriculture. Therefore, one of the essential problems of the region is also the increasing groundwater pollution in gravel sediments on the Drava and Ptuj plains.
Sub-alpine forests and wine-growing hills
Podravska covers 2 170 km2 (10.7% of the national territory) and is composed of two entirely different parts: the plains and hills in the eastern part, and forested mountains in the west. The hilly area can be divided into the low Slovenske gorice hills between the Drava and Mura rivers, and the much more dissected and steeper Haloze hills along the Croatian border in the south-east.
The climate is moderately continental with the average annual temperature of 10.7(C and monthly temperatures between 0.4(C (January) and 20.8(C (July). The average annual precipitation is 1 040 mm, respectively between 1 230 mm and 880 mm, falling mostly in June and July.
In the west, Podravska extends into the Pohorje and Kozjak mountains to the south and north of the Drava river, an area built of metamorphic and igneous rocks and covered with vast coniferous and deciduous forests. Villages are scattered over wide ridges, reaching an altitude of approximately 900 m, while the narrow valleys are mostly uninhabited.
The central part of the region comprises densely settled and intensively cultivated plains along the Drava river. The three main plains are the Drava Plain between Maribor and Ptuj, the Ptuj Plain between Ptuj and Ormoz and the Središce Plain on the same side of the river downstream from Ormoz. The plains are characterised by numerous roadside villages, some of them several kilometers long. Along the edges of the plains are situated the towns of Maribor (population 101 000), Ptuj (19 500), Slovenska Bistrica (7 000) and Ormoz (2 300). Only Ruše in the Drava valley (4 700) and Lenart v Slovenskih goricah (2 600) are not located on the plains.
The region has no ore or fossil fuel deposits. Its most important natural resources are the fertile soil, water and forest. Agricultural use of land is dominant on the Ptuj and Središce plains.The Drava river is the most important hydroelectric power source in Slovenia. Three hydroelectric plants are located on the Drava in this region, while the Drava Plain boasts the second most abundant aquifer in Slovenia, the main source of drinking water for most of the region. On the plains, there are several gravel and clay pits for the local building materials industry, while in Cezlak (the Pohorje massif) there is quarry mining decorative stone.
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