Croatia

Location: Croatia is located in southeast European, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea
Surface area: 56,538 km2
Length of coastline: 1778 km
Islands: 1185
Population: 4.8 million
Capital city: Zagreb, approximately 1 million citizens
Official language: Croatian
Currency: Kuna (HRK)

General information: Croatia is a parliamentary democracy, which culturally and historically belongs to central European cultural circles. It is geographically divided into ten regions. The climate is mainly continental in the northwest part of the country, the climate is Mediterranean in the coastal regions, and the climate is alpine in the mountainous regions.

From the numerous economic branches (metal works, wood industry, leather industry, paper industry, food manufacturing industry, chemical and pharmaceutical industry etc.), the most important branches are tourism and shipbuilding. Croatia has well developed road, air and train connections within the country and abroad. Croatia is a country not only rich in cultural values; it is a country with unique, natural and breathtaking phenomena: Plitvice Lakes, Kornati islands, Brijuni archipelago, Velebit mountains, and the largest peninsula on the Adriatic, Istria, to name but a few. Croatia has 8 national parks and 10 nature parks, and ecologically speaking, Croatia is the cleanest country in the Mediterranean area.

In short, this is a country of rich culture which knows how to connect its tradition to modern lifestyles and invites you to become acquainted with it. Croatia is a real haven for tourists, yachtsmen, sports fishermen and nature explorers, as well as gourmands who will be impressed by the rich cuisine.

Culture and history: from the 9th to 12th centuries, Croatia was an independent principality and kingdom (the first Croatian king, King Tomislav, was crowned in 925). The first early-Croatian churches and written findings date back to that period. From the 12th century to 1990, Croatia was under many different rulers, one of which was the Habsburg Monarchy which left a deep trace in the culture and daily lives of the continental parts of the country. Many say that the capital city Zagreb is a “little Vienna” and in fact, shares a great deal in common with Vienna from an architectural standpoint.

Zagreb is surrounded by many medieval fortress and castles, of which the most important are Trakoscan and Veliki Tabor. On the coast, the Romans, Italians and the French have left their mark; cities on the coast are rich in monuments from Roman times (Pula Arena, Diocletian's Palace in Split...) and from Renaissance times (Dubrovnik, Sibenik, Trogir...). Even under foreign rule, Croatia as a special territorial unit had its own administration and maintained its own culture and spirit through many centuries.

Croatia is also the cradle of well-known artists and scientists who were active in the Middle Ages, in the Renaissance period, and in more recent times. A long cultural tradition is represented in numerous sites and works by Croatian architects, sculptors, writers and famous individuals from different areas of science, such as: Nikola Tesla, Rudjer Boskovic, Juraj Dalmatinac, Ivan Mestrovic, Julije Klovic, Marin Drzic and many others. The most significant Croatian sites have been included on UNESCO's list: the Dubrovnik Old Town, Sibenik Cathedral, Trogir Old Town, the Euphrasian Basilica in Porec, Diocletian’s Palace in Split and the Plitvice Lakes.