Croatia: geography and tourist attractions

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Croatia (Republika Hrvatska) is a Balkan nation born from the division of Yugoslavia. The country borders to the north with Hungary, to the north-west with Slovenia, to the east with Serbia, to the south with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, to the west it overlooks the Adriatic Sea. The capital is Zagreb, located in the north-central area of the country. Other cities include Rijeka (Fiume) and Pula (Pola) in Istria, Split (Spalato) and Dubrovnik (Ragusa) in Dalmatia, Osijek in Baranja.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF CROATIA

The shape of Croatia is very particular, the country is made up of two areas, the coastal strip with Dalmatia and Istria, and the flat inland area extending towards the Danube, these two areas are connected by a narrow strip of land wedged between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. The territory of Croatia extends from the plain of Pannonia and from the banks of the Danube towards the east, up to the borders of the Alps towards the west, the center of the country is characterized by the Dinara mountain massif (1,831 meters).

The coastal area of the country is also extensive, occupying the entire Dalmatian strip along the Adriatic Sea where there are 1,185 islands, of which only 50 are inhabited. Most of the Istrian peninsula is part of Croatia. In Istria there is also an indigenous minority of Italian language and culture, about 30,000 people. The main rivers of Croatia are the Drava and Sava.

TOURISM IN CROATIA

Croatia is famous from a tourist point of view for its coast full of islands and interesting historical cities. The capital Zagreb feels Austrian influence in its historic center. In both Istria and Dalmatia the Venetian influence is clearly evident in the historical architecture, language and food. The Croatian coast is an important seaside destination.

Tourists can combine a seaside holiday with a visit to important ancient cities such as Split and Pula where there are well-preserved Roman remains. Jewels of medieval architecture along the Dalmatian coast are Ragusa (Dubrovnik), Trogir (Traù), Sibenik (Sibenico) and Ston (Stagno). In Istria there are interesting Venetian-style settlements such as Rovinj (Rovigno), Vrsar (Orsera) and Poerc (Parenzo). In the interior of Dalmatia lies the spectacular Plitvice National Park with lakes and waterfalls.

When to go to Croatia. What to visit.

Area: 56,594 km²
Population: 4,460,000 mostly Croats; there are also Serbian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Bosnian and Italian ethnic minorities.
Capital: Zagreb (Zagreb)
Languages: Official language is Croatian. In Istria some municipalities are bilingual (Croatian-Italian). Knowledge of Italian is vast both in Istria and along the Dalmatian coasts.
Religion: Predominantly Christian Catholic with minorities of Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
Currency: Kuna
Time zone: Central European Time (CET).

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