Geographical position:
Croatia is situated between edges of the eastern Alps on its north-west and the Pannonian plain and the river Dunav on its east. The mountain range of Dinara covers its central part, while its southern part ends on the coast of the Adriatic sea.
Area:
Dry land has an area of 56,542 km², while the territorial waters have an area of 31,067 km².
Population:
Croatia has a population of 4,437,460 ; ethnic structure: the Croatian make up the majority of the population, ethnic minorities are the Serbs, the Slovenes, the Hungarians, the Bosnians, the Italians, the Czech and others.
Capital:
Zagreb, with its population of 779,145, represents the economic, traffic, cultural and academic centre of the country.
Length of coastline:
5835 km, 4058 km of it is the coast of islands, rocks and reefs.
Number of islands, rocks and reefs:
1185; Krk and Cres are the largest islands, 50 islands are inhabited.
The highest peak:
Dinara (1831m)
System of government:
Croatia is a multi-party parliamentary republic.
Climate:
There are two climatic zones in Croatia: temperate continental climate (partially mountainous) in the inland, while the climate in the area along the Adriatic coast is a pleasant Mediterranean climate characterized by many sunny days, hot and dry summer and mild and rainy winter. The average temperatures in the inland are: 0ºC to 2ºC in January and 19ºC to 23ºC in August; the average temperatures in the littoral are: 6ºC to 11ºC in January and 21ºC to 27ºC in August. The sea temperature is 12ºC in winter and 25ºC in summer.
Money:
Kuna is the currency unit (1 kuna is 100 lipa). Currencies can be changed in banks, exchange offices, post offices, travel agencies, hotels. It is possible to pay by credit cards or to use a cash dispenser.
There are 8 airports in Croatia located in every important economic and tourist centre of the country: Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, Osijek, Krk and Brač. As an economic, traffic, cultural and academic centre of the country, Zagreb is connected to Split with a recently built highway. Split is the main traffic centre of Dalmatia and during season it is very well connected with all Dalmatian islands by ferry.
There are 8 national parks in Croatia: Paklenica, Risnjak, Plitvička jezera, sjeverni Velebit, Brijuni, Kornati, Krka and Mljet.
Due to tumultuous and eventful history and interweaving of different cultures, Croatia also abounds in cultural and historical monuments from several different periods. Its coast is characterized by the influence of the Mediterranean culture and by many ancient monuments from the Greek and Roman period.
The inland of Croatia is a part of the central European circle. It is remarkable for its old towns, fortresses and castles from the late Middle Ages and its Baroque architecture. Three urban units and two monumental complexes are included in the register of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Those are the Diocletian’s palace in Split, the towns of Dubrovnik and Trogir, the basilica of St. Eufrazije in Poreč and St. Jacob’s cathedral in Šibenik.
The national park Plitvička jezera is also included in the register of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.