> Which of the following countries isn't landlocked?Considering Central African Republic, Mongolia, Slovenia, and Austria, theanswer is: Slovenia. Image credit: Encyclopedia BritannicaWith shores on the Adriatic Sea, Sloveniashares borders with Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. In the 20th century,Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia, but gained independence and adopted ademocratic constitution in 1991. The country has since become a member of theEuropean Union and NATO.Nowhere else in the world will you find a country that mixes all three of thelargest ethnolinguistic groups of Europe: the Slavs, Germanic, and the Latin. Asa result, the country is home to colorful culture and architecture, in additionto the splendor of the Alps which define the landscape of the region. Beyond itsimpressive natural beauty (caves, extensive forests and sweeping mountainranges), the fault lines along which the nation is situated create a plethora ofthermal springs. Talk about a perfect vacation!Photo credit: Mlenny/Getty Images.Slovenia has quite a success story innavigating the relationship between environment and economy. In fact, the EUanointed Slovenia's capital as the greenest capital in Europe after achieving 96out of 100 sustainability indicators. Slovenia has become one of the fastestdeveloping nations in Europe and generally enjoys a high level of stability,relative to other nations. Slovenia is a powerhouse in electronics and equipment production, producingeverything from aircrafts to exhaust pipes to refrigerators. Interestingly,Slovenia has the most tractors per capita in the world (jealous?).Moreover: Slovenia has a rich and extensive wine culture, with an estimated onevineyard per 70 people in the country. They also have the world's oldest,fruit-producing vine at about 440 years old (that's a vine that survivedcenturies of war!).Another fascinating national pastime: beekeeping. Specifically, the nativeCarniolan Honey Bee is cultivated so extensively that there is about onebeekeeper per 200 people in the country. Honey flavored foods and oddities canbe found all over the country. Chris Leadbeater of The Telegraph explains: > “Indeed, beekeeping is a prime part of the identity of a country that needs allthe distinguishing characteristics it can grasp. It is, beyond its capital, asemi-forested realm, and bees thrive within it. It even has a distinct strain ofthe insect – Carniolan bees, which are valued for their non-aggressive natureand team ethic.”What's better than that? Learn more about Slovenia below.