Croatia

Information and Tourism

The Republic of Croatia is located within Central Europe, lying to the south of both Hungary and Slovenia, and to the west of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. The Adriatic Sea borders the western side of the mainland and has become home to some popular beach resorts, whilst being close to a myriad of small Croatian islands, such as Bol, Cres, Hvar and Mljet.

The Croatia of today began its life more than 1,200 years ago, although the country only actually became an independent sovereign state as recently as 1991. There are three main categorised parts of Croatia - the Lowland, Littoral and Mountainish areas. These are further divided into the regions of Dalmatia (Central, Southern and Northern), Hrvatsko Zagorje, Istria, Kvarner, Slavonia and Zagreb.


Zagreb is the capital city and comes with a charming Upper Town and Lower Town, an endless supply of coffee shops, lots of museums, a choice of theatres and many seasonal attractions, with the nearby Jarun Lake being appealing in the summer and Mount Medvednica drawing the winter skiing crowds.

Away from Zagreb, Croatia comes with many further destinations to please tourists. The best of these include the islands around Porec, the Krka National Park, the Makarska Riveriera, the Plitvice Lakes, the medieval towns of Cavtat and Korcula, and the cities of Dubrovnik, Osijek, Pula, Rijeka, Varazdin, Zadar and Split - where the epic Diocletian's Palace dominates virtually everything.

	WORLD GUIDES TO CROATIA
	World Guide to Dubrovnik, Croatia A walled Croatian city located within Southern Dalmatia, Dubrovnik enjoys a coastal setting next to the Adriatic Sea. Dubrovnik is often referred to as the 'Pearl of the Adriatic' and also boasts a series of beaches, such as Banje and Sveti Jakov.
	World Guide to Osijek, Croatia Situated in Eastern Croatia and within the Slavonia region, the university city of Osijek suffered greatly at the hands of war in the 1990s. Today, Osijek has enjoyed much restoration and regeneration, with its waterfront promenade being a highlight.
	World Guide to Rijeka, Croatia Rijeka lies next to the Gulf of Kvarner, on the far northern shore of Croatia, where it is relatively close to the border with Slovenia. Commercial shipping is now a mainstay of Rijeka, although tourism is certainly apparent here.
	World Guide to Split, Croatia Based within Central Dalmatia, the city of Split has led a long life, with its famous Diocletian's Palace dating all the way back to the 4th century. Many of Split's principal attractions reside within the grounds of the palace.
	World Guide to Zadar, Croatia Zadar is a Croatian favourite, with an ancient core boasting some Roman remains and medieval walls, while a daily market, a series of Adriatic beaches and a trendy seafront promenade (the Riva) all add to the overall appeal.
	World Guide to Zagreb, Croatia The proud Croatian capital, Zagreb is a leading tourist destination, with a characterful medieval heart and distinctive Austro-Hungarian buildings. The Upper Town (Gornji Grad) holds much interest for sightseeing visitors.

Croatia Information and Fast Facts

• Country: Republic of Croatia (Republika Hrvatska)
• Population: approximately 4.6 million
• Capital city: Zagreb (population 850,000)
• Language: Croatian, English and German are also spoken to some extent
• Main exports: building materials, confectionary, fruit, jewellery, leatherwear, machinery, pharmaceutical goods, textiles and toys
• Ethnicity: mainly Croat, also Serb, remainder Bosniak, Czech, Hungarian, Roma and Slovene
• Area: 21,835 square miles / 56,550 square kilometres
• Currency: Kuna (HRK)
• Time zone: CET (UTC+1) / summertime CEST (UTC+2)
• Country dialling code: +385
• Religion: mainly Roman Catholic, small percentage Orthodox and Islam

Map of Croatia