MEET CROATIA

General and geographical data

Surface: 56.542 km²
Surface of the territorial sea: 31.067 km²
Population: 4.381.352 inhabitants
Capital: Zagreb, 770.058 inhabitants
Coastline: 5.835 km, 4.058 km being the coastline of islands, cliffs and reefs
Number of islands, cliffs and reefs: 1.185; the largest islands are Krk and Cres; there are 67 inhabited islands 
Highest peak: Dinara 1.831 m above the sea-level
Climate: 

• in the interior: moderate continental climate with hot and dry summers and cold and humid winters

• mountainous regions: fresh summer and sharp winters with a large amount of snow 

• coastal regions: Mediterranean climate with hot and very dry summers, and mild but humid winters

• average temperature in January:
  the interior -1 to 3° C; mountains -5 to 0° C; coast 5 to 10°C

• average temperature in August:
  the interior 22 to 26° C; mountains 15 to 20°C; coast 26 to 30°C

Composition of population: the majority of the population are Croats; national minorities are Serbs, Slovenes, Hungarians, Bosniaks, Italians, Czechs and others 
Religions: the majority of the population are Roman Catholics, and in addition there are a number of those of Orthodox faith, as well as Muslims and Christians of other denominations
Official language and alphabet: Croatian language and Latin alphabet

Croatia abounds with cultural-historical monuments from all periods, thanks to stormy historical events and the intertwining of influences of different cultures. Influences of the Mediterranean culture, numerous monuments from Antiquity, the Roman period and early Middle Ages, Romanesque sacral heritage, and a series of preserved Mediterranean urban complexes characterize its seaside. Continental Croatia is part of the middle European cultural circle and its prominent because of numerous prehistoric finds of world importance, old towns, fortress and castles of the Middle Ages and cultural monuments and architecture of the baroque period.

BELEC - the church of St. Mary of the Snow, from 17th and 18th centuries, with valuable baroque artifacts
DUBROVNIK - one of the best-preserved medieval fortified cities on the Mediterranean; built mainly from the 13th to the 16th century; completely preserved city walls with towers, Rector's palace, the Cathedral, Sponza Palace, the Franciscan Monastery and Lovrijenac fortress; the old town is the part of UNESCO's World Heritage List
DJAKOVO - monumental cathedral of the bishop J. J. Strossmayer from the 19th century
HLEBINE - village near Koprivnica, a cradle of Croatian naive art 
HVAR - preserved historical complex from the 15th century, encircled by walls; Hvar Theater from 1612. is the oldest city theatre in Europe
KNIN - medieval fortress above the city; surroundings are the richest architectural finds of the early Middle Ages in Croatia
KRAPINA - paleontological site, Husnjakovo, one of the most significant finds of Neanderthal Man in the world
LEPOGLAVA - the spacious Paulist monastery complex with the Church of St Mary, where the first college in Croatia was founded
MARIJA BISTRICA - the main Croatian pilgrimage center with the votive Church of St Mary
MOTOVUN - picturesque medieval town-museum on top of the hill
NIN - old Croatian churches of St Kriz and St Nikola from the 11th century
OSIJEK - historical urban center, Tvrdja, with a series of valuable buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries
OSOR on island of Cres- historical little town where there are many buildings from the classic and medieval period and well preserved medieval walls
OTAVICE near Drnis, town in the region of Dalmatinska zagora (Dalmatian Hinterland) - mausoleum of the Mestrovic family 
PAG - well-preserved urban complex of a planned city, built in the15th century
POREC - historical urban complex; Euphrasius' Basilica from the 6th century, one of the most important early Byzantium monuments on the  Mediterranean, inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List
PULA - Roman amphitheatre from the 1st century, the third largest in the world; the Roman Golden Gate
RIJEKA - a castle on Trsat and the sanctuary of St Mary of Loretta
ROVINJ - historical urban complex with the Cathedral of St Euphemia from the18th century
SOLIN - archeological area with remains of the large roman town of Salona and a number of early Christian monuments
SPLIT - historical city center with the Antique Diokletian's Palace, one of the most important preserved late Roman historical monuments and a part of  UNESCO's World Heritage List; the Cathedral of Saint Dujmo, the old Croatian church of St Trinity and other significant locations
SIBENIK - historical urban complex with the famed Renaissance Cathedral of St Jacob, the work of famous sculptors Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Fiorentinac, and a number of palaces and churches, a part of UNESCO's World Heritage 
TRAKOSCAN - a Romanesque castle above the Trakoscan Lake
TROGIR - historical town on a small island; a Cathedral from the 13th century, with the famous portal of the master Radovan; the town is inscribe into the UNESCO World Heritage List
VARAZDIN - well preserved baroque urban complex; a number of valuable palaces, churches and monasteries; monumental Old town; city cemetery from the 19th century with its unique horticulture 
VELIKI TABOR in Hrvatsko zagorje - the best preserved Renaissance fortress in Croatia from the 16th century
VUKOVAR - prehistoric archeological find, Vucedol, one of the most significant Neolithic finds in Europe; Eltz castle was hardly damaged during Serbian aggression on Vukovar in 1991.
ZADAR - historical urban complex with well-preserved walls; several antique and early medieval monuments, including a Roman forum and the unique pre-Romanesque circular church of St Donat from the 9th century
ZAGREB - historical urban complex of the medieval Upper Town and Kaptol; planned Lower Town from the second half of the 19th century, with a series of parks in the shape of horseshoe; the Zagreb Cathedral is the most prominent in the country

DUBROVNIK - Archaeological Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Maritime Museum, Treasury of the Cathedral, Marin Drzic House 
CAKOVEC - Medjimurje Country Museum
GOSPIC - Country Museum of Lika, in the nearby Smiljan is the biographical collection of Nikola Tesla in his birthplace   
HLEBINE - Gallery of Naive Art, Museum Collection of Ivan Generalic 
KARLOVAC - Karlovac Country Museum
KLANJEC - Gallery of the sculptor Antun Augustincic
KRAPINA - Museum of Evolution located next to the site of Neanderthal Man; the birthplace of Ljudevit Gaj 
KUMROVEC - The Old Village - the unique Ethno-museum with original village houses including the native house of  Josip Broz-Tito 
MAKARSKA - Malacological Museum (collection of shells) 
OSIJEK - Museum of Slavonia, Gallery of Art 
PAZIN - Ethnographical Museum of Istria, Pazin Country Museum
PULA - Archeological Museum of Istria, Historical Museum of Istria 
SPLIT - Museum of Old Croatian Archeological Monuments, Archeological Museum of Split, Gallery of the sculptor Ivan Mestrovic  
TRAKOSCAN - Castle-Museum Trakoscan where with a huge collection of old weapons 
VARAZDIN - Town Museum in the Old Town- Historical Section and Entomological Section (collection of insects)
ZADAR - Archeological Museum, National Museum, Maritime Museum, the Permanent Exhibition of Sacral Art
ZAGREB - Archeological Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Croatian Museum of Naive Art, Modern Gallery, Museum of the City of Zagreb, Mimara Museum, Museum for Arts and Crafts, Natural History Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Strossmayer's Gallery of Old Masters, Technical Museum

DUBROVNIK - Dubrovnik Summer Festival - theatrical and musical performances (July-August)
DJAKOVO - Djakovo Embroideries - festival of Slavonian folklore (July)
GROZNJAN - in central Istria - Groznjan Music Evenings (July-August)
DJURDJEVAC - Picokijada - folklore festival (June)
KRK - Krk Summer Festival - concerts of classical musicians (July-August)
OSOR - island of Cres, Osor Music Evenings (July-August)
SINJ - Sinjska Alka (Sinj Tilting at the Ring) competitions of chivalry (August)
SPLIT - Split Summer - theatrical and musical performances (July-August)
SIBENIK - International Children's Festival (June-July)
VARAZDIN - Varazdin Baroque Evenings (September-October)
VINKOVCI - Vinkovci Autumn Festival (September)
ZAGREB - Zagreb Summer Festival (July-August), International Festival of Experimental Theatres (June-July), International Folklore Festival (July), Biennial Festival of Contemporary Music (April), International Puppet Festival (August-September), World Festival of Animated Films (June)
CRIKVENICA, DUBROVNIK, LASTOVO, NOVI VINODOLSKI, RIJEKA, SAMOBOR, SENJ - Carnival (January-February; Novi Vinodolski and Senj, also in July and August)

BOSKOVIC, RUDJER (1711-1787.) the physicist, mathematician and astronomer; one of the most recognized scientist of his time, predecessor of modern physics, founder of dynamic atomistic
BROZ-TITO, JOSIP (1892-1980.) politician and statesman; organizer of the antifascist rebellion in Yugoslavia during the World War II
DRZIC, MARIN (1508-1567.) writer; chronicler of Dubrovnik Republic, one of the greatest comedians of the Renaissance (predecessor of Moliere)  
GENERALIC, IVAN (1914-1992.) naive painter; founder of the world renowned Hlebine painting school 
GETALDIC, MARIN GHETALDUS (1566-1606.) mathematician; he used algebra in geometric; pioneer in making of conic lenses    
GUNDULIC, IVAN (1589-1638.) writer; famous for his epic "Osman" where he celebrated a freedom-loving spirit of Dubrovnik Republic
KLOVIC, JULIJE (1498-1578.) painter; the greatest European miniaturist of his time, he painted for the Roman Pope and for the Medici family in Florence 
KRLEZA, MIROSLAV (1893-1981.) the greatest modern Croatian writer and also one of the most significant Middle European writers of the first half of the 20th century; founder of Croatian lexicography
LISINSKI, VATROSLAV (1819-1854.) composer; he wrote the first Croatian opera "Love and Malice" in 1846
LUPIS, IVAN (1813-1875.) nautical officer from Rijeka; inventor of the torpedo, which was manufactured for the first time in Whitehead's factory in Rijeka in 1866
MARIN (4th century) stonecutter from the island of Rab; founded Republic of San Marino, the first republic in Europe  
MESTROVIC, IVAN (1883-1962.) famous Croatian sculptor; he created monumental sculptures with national thematic; he worked in the USA where he made his best known sculpture is "Indians" in Chicago
PENKALA, SLAVOLJUB (1871-1922.) inventor of the mechanical pencil and fountain pen in 1906 and of the first Croatian two-seater plane
POLO, MARCO (1254-1324.) Venetian adventurer and explorer; meritorious for his explorations of China; according to tradition, born on Korcula island
PRELOG, VLADIMIR (1906-1998.) chemist; he worked in Switzerland, in 1975 he won a Nobel price for chemistry
RADIC, STJEPAN (1871-1928.) politician; founder of the Croatian Peasant Party, he was democrat leader and champion of Croatian liberation; he was assassinated at the Assembly of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
RUZICKA, LAVOSLAV (1887-1976.) chemist, he worked in Switzerland, in 1939 he won a Nobel price for chemistry
SCHWARTZ, DAVID (1852-1897.) constructor of air ship with a metal frame; Ferdinand Zeppelin bought out his work and, based on them, built the aircraft which bears his name
STARCEVIC, ANTE (1823-1896.) politician, founder of the Croatian Party of Rights, advocated the policy of complete independence of Croatia; named "the father of the nation"
STEPINAC, ALOJZIJE (1898-1960.) archbishop from Zagreb, cardinal and  theologian; publicly condemned fascist persecution during the World War II; after establishing of the Communist rule, was imprisoned. He died in confinement. Beatified in 1998.
TESLA, NIKOLA (1856-1943.) physicist; he worked in USA; one of the greatest scientist in the fields of electrical engineering; he projected the first hydroelectric power station at Niagara Falls using alternating current; laid the groundwork for the making of radar equipment; the measuring unit for magnetic induction (Tesla - T) was named after him
TUDJMAN, FRANJO (1922-1999.) politician and historian, he participated in antifascist movement. He came into conflict with Communist regime because he represented Croatian national interests. He founded Croatian Democratic Party (HDZ), which won the first multiparty elections in 1990, he was the first president of independent Croatian state
VRANCIC, FAUST (1551-1617.) inventor, philosopher and lexicographer; he anticipated a number of technical inventions, the parachute, among others
VUCETIC, IVAN (1858-1925.) one of the inventors of dactyloscopy, the method for identifying persons by their fingerprints