Republic of Croatia
Location: 45 10 N, 15 30 E in Southeastern Europe.
Bordered by Slovenia to the Northwest, Hungary to the Northeast, Bosnia-Herzegovina to the South/East, Yugoslavia (both Serbia and Montenegro) to the East, and the Adriatic Sea to the West.
Capital: Zagreb
Size: 56,538 sq km
(slightly smaller than West Virginia)
| State: | The Republic of Croatia
is an independent state which seceded from Yugoslavia in 1991. Four years of war with
Serb-dominated Yugoslavia followed. Prior to the formation of Yugoslavia, much of Croatia was controlled or influenced by Italy, Austria, Hungary, or Germany. Among the different regions are Istria along the northern coastline, Dalmatia along the central coastline, and Slavonia in the eastern interior. Croatia includes over 1,000 islands.
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| Population: | 4,282,216
(2000 estimate)
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| Ethnic groups: | (1991
Government statistics, rounded) Croats (78%), Serbs (12%), "Yugoslavs" (2%),
Muslims (.9%), Hungarians (.5%), Slovenes (.5%), Italians (.5%), Others (5%)
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| Religion: | (1991
Government statistics, rounded) Roman Catholic (77%), Orthodox (11%), Islam (1%),
Protestant (1%), Atheist (4%), Other (7%) |
| Access to Waterways: | The
Adriatic Sea covers over 1778 km of Croatia's western coastline and separates the country
from Italy. The Adriatic moves south into the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean. The Danube and the Sava are the major river systems which connect Croatia to Hungary, Bosnia, and Serbia.
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| Climate: | Varies from
Mediterranean climate along coastline (dry, hot summers and mild winters) to cold
winters/hot summers inland. Earthquakes common.
|
| Natural resources: | Oil, some coal,
bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt,
hydropower.
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| Industries and Agriculture: | Before
it seceded in 1991, Croatia had been one of the most prosperous of the Yugoslav republics.
The major industries were chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated
metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products,
construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and
beverages. The major crops were wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, alfalfa,
clover, olives, citrus, grapes, vegetables; livestock, dairy products. The lengthy coastline with beautiful beaches and medieval cities created the largest tourist industry in all of then-Yugoslavia, catering to visitors from both western and eastern Europe. As with other former communist countries adapting to capitalist economies, Yugoslavia faced economic problems in all of the republics in the late 1980s/early 1990s. As a result of war and the resulting infrastructure damage, refugee/displaced populations, political corruption, and loss of international trade, Croatia's economy suffered greatly in the 1990s. With the 1999 death of Franjo Tudjman and the election of new political leaders, Croatia is re-establishing international ties and working to rebuild its industries and economy. Textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels, and tourism are currently Croatia's major exports. Croatia's major trading partners are Italy, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Slovenia.
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| Currency: | Croatian
Kuna (HRK 1 = 100 Lipa).
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| More Information on Selected Croatian Cities: | Zagreb, Osijek, Vukovar |
Facts from CIA Worldbook and Croatian Tourist Service.