Some basic information about Croatia:
According to astronauts, viewing the European continent from space, the Adriatic Sea is the most exquisite shade of blue. One described it as ‘the deepest blue’. It is from this observation that we have taken our name.
In the west of Croatia lies the scenic and rugged Dalmatian coast overlooking the deep blue Adriatic and it is here that we are developing our ecologically sound and environmentally friendly properties.
Official name: Republika Hrvatska (Republic of Croatia)
Type of state: Parliamentary democratic republic
Head of state: President
Head of government: Prime minister
Time zone: CET
Land area: 55.538 km2 (world ranking 124), 35% forest and woodland, 57% arable land and permanent pasture
Expanse: N–S 400 km, W–E 450 km
Land boundaries: 2.028 km (Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Yugoslavia 266 km, Slovenia 501 km)
Coast: Croatia’s Adriatic coast extends over 1.778 kilometres; 1.185 islands of which 67 are inhabited. The largest islands are Krk and Cres.
Capital: Zagreb with ca. 870.000 inhabitants is the economic, cultural and scientific centre of the country.
National languages: Croatian, in areas with strong ethnic minorities, Serbian, Italian, and Hungarian are also official languages.
State religion: none
Currency: 1 Kuna = 100 lipa / 1 Euro is equivalent to 7.38 Kuna (as at 3/2007)
Population: The Republic of Croatia has a population of 4.480.000 (as at 2001)
Ethnic makeup of the population: Croats 78.1%; Serbs 12.1%; Muslims 0.9%; Hungarians 0.5%; Slovenes 0.5%; other 7.9%
Religion: Catholic 72.1%; Orthodox 14.1%; Muslim 1.3%; other 12.5%
Main cities: Zagreb 868.000 inhabitants; Split 201.000 inhabitants; Rijeka 168.000 inhabitants.
International registration: HR
National holiday: 30. May (Republic day)
World cultural heritage sites: The historic town of Dubrovnik as well as some of the islands nearby; the historic town and palace of the Emperor Diocletian in Split; National park of the Plitvice Lakes; the Basilica of Euphrasius and the historic town centre of Porec.
Geography: The country is shaped like a boomerang and is divided into three regions. The long rocky Dalmatian coastline and the Dinaric Alps are foothills of the Italian and Austrian Alps. Two further mountain ridges, the Velebit and the Kapela mountains run parallel to the Dinaric Alps. A rise of the sea level flooded the valleys at the Dalmatian coast and produced the typical coastline with its countless, steep and exciting islands and the rocky peninsulas with their many bays. Inland, north of the Adriatic coastline, is a karst area, which consists of a limestone landscape with bizarre caves and glacial basins, which were formed by erosion. Fells and the fertile Sava plain form the central southern part of Croatia around the capital Zagreb.
Flora and Fauna: Plants of the Mediterranean region determine the vegetation in Dalmatia. In particular, cedars, pine trees, agaves, cypresses and olive trees can be found. In Slavonia, oak tree forests are widespread, whereas beeches and coniferous trees dominate the higher regions.
Special creatures of the animal kingdom are brown bears, wolves and chamois, who live in remote or protected areas of the Dinaric Mountains. Peregrine falcons nest in the steep cliffs of the Kornati Islands and the goose vultures and golden eagles in the Paklenicqa gorge of the inshore North-Dalmatian Velebit Mountains.
Culture: Due to its varied history, the culture of the Croatian Region has been marked by many influences. Northern Italy has influenced Istria and Dalmatia. In Zagreb and other cities of Northern Croatia, you can still clearly see the legacy of the imperial and dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. Slavonia is a typical East-Central European developed and cultivated section, which amongst other features also has a small Germany minority of Danube-Swabian origin. In the Northeast, you can feel Hungarian influences, and at the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina a definite South-Slavian atmosphere.
Source: www.erdkunde-online.de and Croatian Centre for Tourism
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