The Loski Potok Commune
The Loski Potok commune embraces the areas of Loski Potok and the
Draga valley. It lies on the 
triple
border among the regions of Dolenjska, Notranjska and Gorski Kotar.The
Debeli vrh is the highest peak with 1255 m above sea-level height. Most
settlements lie at the height between 700 and 900 m. The lowest place is
the hamlet of Crni Potok on the Cabranka with 500 m above sea-level. The
commune borders on the communes of Kocevje, Ribnica, Loska dolina and the
commune of Cabar in the Republic of Croatia. It is one of the demographically
threatened areas. It has underdeveloped industries and therefore the chances
for young people to get employment are poor.
The commune is among the most rarely populated areas in Slovenia. There is a larger concentration of inhabitants only around the centre of Loski Potok. The per capita income of the people here is relatively very small and represents 63 % of the average Slovene income.
Geographical position of Loski Potok and its natural characteristics
Area of the commune: 135 sq km which is 0,7 % of the area of the state
Population : 2149 which is 0,1 % of Slovene population
Population density : 16 people per sq km
Number of hamlets : 17 (746 house numbers) with an average of less than three people living in one house
Latitude : 54 degrees 40 minutes North
Longitude : 14 degrees 36 minutes East
There are 1641 inhabitants living in the area of Loski Potok, that is 30 inhabitants per sq km.
Loski Potok lies in the South of Slovenia between the regions of Notranjska and Dolenjska. It comprises six villages. These are: Hrib, Retje, Mali Log, Srednja vas, Segova vas and Travnik. It has also got three settlements, namely Matevljek, Dednjek and Bela Voda. In the South it borders on Croatia, in the West on Loska dolina and in the North-East on Sodrazica and the valley of Ribnica. It is a part of the karst region. Water has transformed the limestone landscape into the typical karst formations: sinkholes, precipices, valleys in the form of the letter "u" called "uvala" as well as "polje" and intermittent lakes.
According to the oral tradition, the first people to settle here in Loski Potok were the herdsmen from the Loz valley. They were attracted by the valleys on either side of the Tabor hill. They cleared the woods on the plateau for the pastures and hayharverst meadows.
The "uvala" valley of Retje is among the most beautiful of Slovenia.
Retje, the biggest village of Loski Potok, is situated at the border of the "uvala". At the bottom of the "uvala" there are fields, lying to the left and to the right along the road.
At the time of hard rain, in autumn and spring, many water-springs open up : Spodgojnsca, Susica, Kriznica and Celevsca and the "uvala" turns into a lake. If the flood is extensive, the Retje village becomes a peninsula. The Retje "uvala" is surrounded by hills overgrown wiht coniferous trees. As far as the eye can reach you can see woods, so we can boast with clean air.
In Travnik there are two percolating streams: the Meznarjev sudenec and the Malensca.
After heavy rain they overflow the banks and flood a vast part of the valley. Sometimes the water reaches very close to the houses. It changes the valley into a lake.
The cultivable land is scarce. Despite that agriculture, mainly cattle-breeding, has developed to a certain extent, but nowadays it is of little economic importance.
