Croatia

Where is Croatia located?

Croatia extends from the furthest eastern edges of the Alps in the northwest to the Pannonia Plains and the Danube in the east. Its central region is covered by the Dinara mountains while the southern part ends at the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

How large is Croatia?

The land area is 56,542 km2, and the surface of the sea territory is 31,067 km2. The coastline is 5835 km long, out of which 4058 km is the coastline of islands, rocks and reefs.

How many islands does Croatia have?

Croatia has 1185 islands, rocks and reefs. The largest islands are Krk and Cres, and only 50 islands are inhabited.

What kind of climate does Croatia have?

There are two climate zones in Croatia:

1. A moderate continental climate (partly mountain) that prevails in the interior with average temperatures of 0-2°C in January and 19-23°C in August;
2. A Mediterranean climate that prevails in the areas along the Adriatic coast (there are many sunny days, dry and hot summers and mild, wet winters) and average temperatures from 6-11°C in January and 21-27°C in August. The temperature of the sea in winter is 12°C and in summer about 25°C.

What currency is used in Croatia?

The currency in Croatia is the Croatian kuna (HRK 1 = 100 Lipa). Currencies of foreign countries can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, post offices, travel agencies or hotels. Credit card payment is possible in places that have been designated for this, and the money can be withdrawn at ATMs across the country.

What is the connectivity in Croatia?

Croatia has eight airports that are located in all major commercial and tourist centres; Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, Osijek and the islands of Krk and Brač.

In addition to natural attractions, Croatia is rich with cultural and historical monuments from all periods. This is because of stormy historical events and the intertwining of different cultures over the centuries in this region, which really makes Croatia a unique country in the Adriatic.

The area of the Adriatic has always served as the closest and most efficient way for trading and maritime affairs between the East and Europe and very early on began to develop centres of civilization in this region. One of the first civilization centres in this region is the town of Trogir.

The entire coastline is characterized by influences of the Mediterranean culture and numerous monuments from ancient and Roman times while the continental part of Croatia is characterized by Central European cultural influence and stands out with its old cities, forts and castles of the Middle Ages and rich Baroque architecture.

Three Croatian urban units and three monumental complexes have the status of World Heritage, which was awarded by UNESCO. These monuments are; Diocletian's Palace in Split, the cities of Dubrovnik and Trogir, Euphrasius Basilica in Poreč, St. Jakov in Šibenik and the old city field on Hvar. A part of the UNESCO World Heritage is also Plitvice Lakes National Park as a natural resource. In addition to material goods, seven traditional intangible heritages of Croatian culture are also protected.

Croatia has eight national parks: Paklenica, Risnjak, Plitvice Lakes-also UNESCO World Heritage, North Velebit, Brijuni, Kornati, Krka and Mljet;

eleven parks of nature: Biokovo, Kopački rit, Lonjsko polje, Medvednica, Papuk, Telašćica, Velebit, Vransko lake, Učka, Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje and Lastovo Islands,

two strict reservations: Hajduk and Rožan kukovi, Bijele and Samarske rocks

and one geo-park: Papuk.

Some areas of nature in Croatia, due to their exceptional biological and landscape diversity, also enjoy international legal protection. Plitvice Lakes National Park is inscribed on the List of World Heritage of UNESCO.

In the Ramsar List of the Convention on Wetlands, as internationally valuable wetlands, included also are parks of nature Kopački rit and Lonjsko Polje, ornithological reserve Ribnjaci and the lower Neretva.