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Croatia Travel Guide
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Introduction
Croatia is a medium-size European country; in its position both Central European and
Mediterranean, as well as Pannonian-Adriatic. Its constitutional tradition dates back to
the medieval duchy (AD 791-924) and kingdom (AD 925-1102) all to the
contemporary Republic of Croatia, proclaimed on 25th June, 1991.
Following the model of modern European states, Croatia is, pursuant to its Constitution
(1990), defined as a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state. The
government is based on the division into the legislative, executive and judiciary powers.
It is applied in the parliamentary form in the variant of a semi-presidential system.
The flag of the Republic of Croatia is a red-white-blue tricolour with the historic Croatian
chequered coat of arms (25 red and white fields) and a stylized crown with five smaller
shields featuring coats of arms (the oldest Croatian coat of arms, the coats of arms of
the Dubrovnik Republic, Dalmatia, Istria and Slavonia). The tricolour principle of the flag
of the Croats came into being after the revolutionary 1848 when the old, mainly
heraldic features, were abandoned.
The area of Croatia comprises the mainland part, covering an area of 56,538 sq km (65
%), the coastal sea - comprising the interior and territorial sea, covering an area of
31,139 sq km (35 %), which totals in 87,677 sq km. The total length of the mainland border of the Republic of Croatia is 2,028 km. It
borders with Serbia in the north-east (241 km), Hungary in the north (329 km),
Slovenia in the north-west (501 km), with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the total length of
the lower part of the crescent (932 km), with Montenegro in the extreme south (25
km), and with Italy and Slovenia on the sea (approximately 930 km).The sea border of the Republic of Croatia is approximated to 930 km, and the sea area
included into the territory of the Republic of Croatia accounts for about 33,200 sq km.
In terms of natural features, the area of the Republic of Croatia is divided into the
lowland basin between the Sava and Drava rivers, the mountainous-karst region and
the littoral part. Croatia is distinguished
by a specific littoral form. From the estuary of the Dragonja river to Cape Oštro on the
Prevlaka Peninsula the coastline attains 1,778 m in length, displaying a high indentation
index. There are 1,775 offshore islands and rocks.
The 45th parallel of the northern latitude runs through Croatia, which means that
Croatia is half-way to the North Pole and the Equator. Much of Croatia exhibits
moderate continental climate, while mountain climate is found in higher mountains
(Velebit, Risnjak, Snježnik). The littoral and hinterland south of the island of Rab have
the Mediterranean climate. The region of the northern Adriatic (Istria, the Kvarner
Littoral and islands) displays also features of moderate continental climate.
Croatia has several mineral springs (Jamnieka Kiselica near Pisarovina, Lipik) and even
more thermal mineral springs, most of them found in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje
(Tuheljske, Krapinske, Sutinske, Varaždinske Toplice, all of them spas), in northern
Croatia (Lipik, Daruvar, Bizovac), and those in the littoral belt (Split, Istarske Toplice
near Livade). All these spas are now specialized health resorts.
The name of the Adriatic Sea dates back to the ancient times. The geographers of the
ancient Greece named it after the town of Adria at the estuary of the Po river, which
must have been an important harbour at the time. The Adriatic Sea is in fact a large gulf
of the central Mediterranean region, separated from the whole by the Apennine
peninsula. The Adriatic is a warm
sea with its temperature in the deepest layers never falling below 11 °C. During the
summer the sea temperature on the surface is between 22 and 25 °C, which is of great
importance for tourism. The average salinity is 38 ‰. The sea currents along the
Croatian coast flow slower than along the Italian part of the Adriatic coast because of a
great number of islands.
There are 718 offshore islands, 389 rocks (with their tops above the sea
level) and 78 reefs (with their tops above the sea level). These rocks and reefs have a
permanent population of 129. About 50 islands are permanently inhabited. The islands
of Koreula, Krk, Brae and Hvar have the largest population.
There are 746 protected objects in the Republic of Croatia, 321 of which are physical
objects with a total area of 440,146 hectares, accounting for 7.8 % of the total area of
Croatia. They include two strict reserves, seven national parks, six nature parks, and 690 special reserves. Under protection are also 23 park-forests, 28 landscapes, 72 nature
monuments and 114 horticultural monuments.
The ethnic structure of the population of the Republic of Croatia exhibits both a high and
a stable homogeneity. The majority are Croats (3,736,356 or 78.1 %). Other
population include ethnic groups or minorities accounting for a low proportion: Serb
(581,663), Muslim (43,469), Slovenian (22,376), Italian (21,303), Czech (13,087),
Slovakian (5,606), Ruthenians (3,253). The rights of all minority groups are
regulated by a special constitutional law; all ethnic groups are entitled to cultural
autonomy and are represented in the Diet (Sabor) as well as in other governmental
bodies. The majority of the population of the Republic of Croatia are Roman Catholic
(76.6 %), followed by 11.1 % Orthodox, while other religions account for 12.3 %.
Top Things to See and Do
Villages of Hrvatsko Zagorje, Trakoscan, Varazdin, Zagreb, Plitvice lakes, Brijuni, Istrian villages, Pula, , Rovinj, , Opatija, , Rijeka, , Bjelolasica, Velebit, Zadar, Šibenik, Krka, Kornati islands, Trogir, Kastela, Split, Hvar, Brac, Korcula, Dubrovnik
Neighboring countries:
Slovenia,
Serbia,
Montenegro,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Hungary,
Italy
Who is coming?
Hey, folks. This Nbrazilian, spanish bloke living in London (check out my profile). As i've got business in Rijeka i jet off to the country every other week. So, if you feel bore out of your a$$, don't hesitate contacting me. Let's have some fun together in this AWESOME country. See you soon.
Nei Dantas
Nbrazilian
Please welcome and invite to your place the following HC members in their travelling adventure
Bonjour,
We are two french guys currently hitch hiking to croatia, probably there next week. We are very simple and equip to be independant, a place for a tent is enough, if we have the nice peoples to have a drink and a talk with.
Thanks to everybody, and Enjoy summer (for those who have one ...)
clementbraud
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Want more guests!
-dbrener
Hospitality Club Meetings Write down any Meeting/Gathering plan here
Edited by: tomtirapani on 01.05.2011 NBRAZILIAN on 12.08.2007 clementbraud on 09.08.2007 tomtirapani on 27.03.2007 mattija on 09.10.2006 maplefanta on 25.05.2006 ssamec on 10.05.2006 medenica on 20.04.2006 medenica on 27.01.2006 shime on 29.11.2005 shime on 12.10.2005 shime on 21.09.2005 shime on 19.09.2005 jelenah on 13.09.2005 shime on 09.09.2005 vistasdiversas on 02.08.2005 nordlicht2005 on 24.07.2005 vistasdiversas on 08.07.2005 dbrener on 05.12.2004
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