This is Croatia

Once in Croatia, please make yourself at home. In our country you are not a foreigner, but a guest whom we regard as a friend of our country and our people. We will respond in the same manner. The Republic of Croatia is a young democratic European state – the Croatian parliament declared independence in 1991 (having previously broken off all state and legal ties with the former Yugoslavia). On 15 January 1992, the member states of the European Union recognised Croatia as an independent state, and the country was admitted to the UN on 22 May 1992. This is a country of European refinement and history. Even though Croatia is a new state, its people have participated in much of the history of the Old Continent. We would like to extend a warm welcome and wish you a pleasant stay in Croatia.

Geographical position: Croatia stretches from the foot of the Alps in the north-west and the Panonian Plain in the east, over the mountain range of Dinara in its central region, to the Adriatic Coast in the south

Mainland surface area: 56,542 km2

Area of territorial waters: 31,067 km2

Population: 4,400,000 citizens

System of government: Croatia is a multiparty parliamentary republic

Capital: Zagreb (the economic, traffic, cultural and academic centre of the country)

Composition of nationalities: 90% of the polulation are Croats, the largest minorities are Serbs, Bosnians, Albanians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Italians and Czechs

Religious persuasions: 88% of population is of the Roman Catholic faith, and of the remaider the most numerous are Orthodox Christians and Muslims

Official language: Croatian, Latin script

Climate: In the interior of the country the predominant climate is moderate continental, in the mountainous part of the country it is a pre-mountain and mountain climate, while the littoral regions of Croatia enjoy pleasant Mediterranean conditions (an average 2,600 hours of insolation per year). Average temperature in continental parts in January is 0-2°C, and in August it is 19-23°C. Average temperature in the Littoral in January is 6-11°C, and in August it is between 21 and 27°C. In winter average sea temperature in January is 12°C, and in August about 25°C

Lenght of the coastline with islands: 5,835 km

Number of islands, rocks and reefs: 1,185, and 67 of them inhabited (the largest islands are Krk and Cres)

Highest peak: Dinara 1,831 m/asl