Croatia: general information


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General information about Croatia, including all the things to know before leaving for a trip or a holiday in this state of the Balkan peninsula.


Croatia in a nutshell

  • Capital: Zagreb
  • Area in sq km: 56,538
  • Population: 4,679.OOO (first half of 2001)
  • Religion: Catholic with Sunni Orthodox and Islamic minorities.

Where is it

croatia flag Croatia is located on the Balkan Peninsula and is bordered by Slovenia to the north west, Hungary to the north east, Serbia and Montenegro to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south, and to the west is bathed by the Adriatic Sea.

Flat in the northern part, widely cultivated, in the south it has a karst morphology.


The coast is bordered by many islands, and in this area, tourist activity for beach holidays in Croatia is very developed.

Besides Zagreb other important cities are Split, Pula, Zadar, Rijeka, Sibenik, Dubrovnik.

Hydrography

The most important rivers in Croatia are the Drava and the Sava, tributaries of the Danube, which for a stretch marks the border with the Serbian region of Vojvodina.


The Mura, a tributary of the Drava, and the Kupa tributary of the Sava also flow into Croatia. In the Plitvice Nation Park (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO) there are 16 lakes fed by 2 rivers and underground sources, connected to each other by waterfalls, which flow into the Korana river.

Climate

Inside the country, the climate is moderate continental, the coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate.

Islands

The islands, proceeding from north to south, are Krk, Rab, Hvar, Brac, Korcula, Mljet and many others with ideal characteristics to have a good holiday, relaxing surrounded by nature and, if boat enthusiasts, sailing in the beautiful waters of the sea along the coast between a bay, a gulf or a romantic inlet where you can relax and sunbathe for a classic and unforgettable tan.


Beaches

Among the best in the world, Croatia's beaches benefit from clean sea and unspoiled nature.

There are fine sandy beaches, such as Paradise beach near Lopar on the island of Rab, and pebble beaches, such as Baska, the main holiday resort in the south of the island of Krk.

Recommended readings
  • Istria: what to see in the largest Adriatic peninsula
  • Meleda (Croatia): what to see on the island
  • Korcula (Croatia): what to see on the island of Dalmatia
  • Makarska (Croatia): what to see on the Riviera
  • Bol, Supetar and Sutivan (Croatia): what to see on the island of Brac

Population

Croatia is inhabited mostly by Croats and minorities of Serbs, by Bosnian citizens of Muslim, Hungarian and Italian faith.

Time zone

It is the same as the Italian one at any time of the year.

Spoken language

The official language of Croatia is Croatian. Some Serbian minorities also speak Serbian, Hungarian and Italian in Istria. English and German are also known.

Economy

Croatia joined the European Union on 1st July 2013.

When to go

The best time to go to Croatia is from April to October.

Necessary documents

To enter Croatia you need an identity card valid for expatriation or a valid passport.

A tourist visa is not required for Italian citizens.


The green card is no longer mandatory, but it is advisable to obtain it from your insurance companies.

Phone

To call in Croatia you must make the prefix 00385 followed by the district number without the 0 and the desired number.

Electricity

The electric current in Croatia is 220 volts, with a majority of German type outlets.

Currency

The official currency of Croatia is the Kuna, in circulation since 1994. A Kuna is divided into 100 lipe.

Motorway tolls can be paid in euros, and the rest is given in Kune.

It is possible to make cash withdrawals at ATMs.


How to get

Car
From Italy you can reach Croatia by car via Trieste or Tarvisio or by bus, with departures from Naples, Rome, Florence, Bologna, Mestre and destination Zagreb, Rijeka, Zara, Sibenik, Split.

plane
The main airports in Croatia are Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, while the smaller airports are Pula, Zadar, Rijeka, island of Krk, to reach which you need to travel via Zagreb.

Departures take place from Rome, but in summer charter flights are made that connect smaller airports such as those of Ancona or the island of Brac.

Sea
There are ferry services that depart from Ancona, Pescara, Bari with arrival in Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rijeka.

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