O razvoju fizične geografije v Sloveniji in njenih sodobnih izzivih

The paper presents the development of physical geography in Slovenia as part of the complex geographical science, the topmost result of which have been the regional-geographical monographs on Slovenia. The author sees a challenge for the future development of physical geography in Slovenia in the competition of several, stronger and better equipped institutes with similar fields of work. According to the author's experience, only quantitative evaluation of the selected landscape phenomena can ensure the standard role, that is the only remaining role, of geography in local spatial sciences. Although public interest gives priority to human geography, physical geography, too, is granted an important role in view of the fact that the number of enrolled students of geography has been 2-3 times greater in the past few years in the extended network of high-school institutions.