Croatia

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{{Infobox Country or territory|native_name = Republika Hrvatska|local_name = Hrvatska|conventional_long_name = Republic of Croatia|common_name = Croatia|image_flag = Flag_of_Croatia.svg|image_coat = Croatian_Coat_of_Arms.svg|image_map = Europe_location_CRO.png|map_caption = |national_anthem = Lijepa naša domovinoOur beautiful homeland]Italian language in Istria ]|latd=45| latm=48| latNS=N| longd=16| longm=0| longEW=E|largest_city = capital|government_type = Parliamentary republic|leader_name1 = [Stjepan Mesić|leader_name2 = [Ivo Sanader|established_date2 = [March 4 852 [879|established_date4 = [925|established_date5 = [1102 [1527|established_date7 = [October 29 1918 (co-creator)|established_date8 = [December 1 1918 [1991-->|percent_water = 0.2|population_estimate = 4,493,312|population_estimate_year = 2007|population_estimate_rank = 115th|population_census = 4,437,460|population_census_year = 2001|population_density_km2 = 81|population_density_sq_mi = 208 |currency_code = HRK|time_zone = Central European Time|utc_offset = +1|time_zone_DST = Central European Summer Time|utc_offset_DST = +2|demonym = Croat(s)
Croatian(s)]|calling_code = 385|ISO_3166-1_alpha2 = HR|ISO_3166-1_alpha3 = CRO|ISO_3166-1_num =|vehicle_code = HR|alt_sport_code = CRO|aircraft_code = 9A|footnote1 = Also Italian language in Istria and languages of other national minorities (Serbian language, Hungarian language, Czech language, Slovak language, etc.) in residential municipalities of the national minorities.-->Croatia () (), officially the Republic of Croatia (Republika Hrvatska ), is a country at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Central Europe, and the Balkans. Its capital city is Zagreb. Croatia borders with Slovenia and Hungary to the north, Serbia to the northeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the east, Montenegro to the far southeast, and the Adriatic Sea to the south. Croatia is a Accession of Croatia to the European Union for EU member states of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

History

The Croats settled in the Balkans in the early 7th century and formed two principalities: Dalmatia and Pannonia. The establishment of the Trpimirović dynasty ca 850 brought strengthening to the Dalmatian Croat Duchy, which together with the Pannonian principality became a Kingdom in 925 under King Tomislav.

In 1102, Croatia entered into a personal union with the Hungarian Kingdom. After the 1526 Battle of Mohács the "reliquiae reliquiarum" (remnants of the remnants) of Croatia became a part of the Habsburg Monarchy in 1527.

It was part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, from 1918-1929, and Kingdom of Yugoslavia, from 1929-1941.

In 1941-1945 an Axis known as the Independent State of Croatia was set up, and after the victory of the Allies of WWII, Croatia became a republic within SFRY.

In 1991 Croatia declared independence and a Croatian War of Independence was fought by the Croatian government against the Serb-led Yugoslav People's Army, Serbian paramilitary forces and rebel Serbs. Later the war mutated into a conflict between independent Croatia and the rebel Serbs, with the support of Serbia proper. The war came to an end with signing of the Dayton Agreement in 1995.

Geography Croatia is located in Southern Europe. Its shape resembles that of a crescent or a horseshoe, which flanks its neighbours Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. To the north lie Slovenia and Hungary; Italy lies across the Adriatic Sea. Its mainland territory is split in two non-contiguous parts by the short coastline of Bosnia and Herzegovina around Neum.

Its terrain is diverse, including:

plains, lakes and rolling hills in the continental north and northeast (Central Croatia and Slavonia, part of the Pannonian Basin);
densely wooded mountains in Lika and Gorski Kotar, part of the Dinaric Alps;
rocky coastlines on the Adriatic Sea (Istria, Northern Seacoast and Dalmatia).

The country is famous for its many List of national parks of Croatia.Croatia has a mixture of climates. In the north and east it is continental climate, Mediterranean climate along the coast and a semi-highland and highland climate in the south-central region. Offshore Croatia consists of over one thousand islands varying in size.

National Geographic Adventure Magazine named Croatia as Destination of the Year in 2006.Jon Bowermaster, Destination of the Year: Exploring the New Croatia

Politics Since the adoption of the 1990 Constitution of Croatia, Croatia has been a democracy republic. Between 1990 and 2000 it had a semi-presidential system, and since 2000 it has a parliamentary system.

The Presidents of Croatia (Predsjednik) is the head of state, directly elected to a five-year term and is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of two terms. In addition to being the commander in chief of the armed forces, the president has the procedural duty of appointing the Prime minister with the consent of the Parliament, and has some influence on foreign policy. His official residence is Predsjednički dvori.

The Croatian Parliament (Sabor) is a unicameral legislative body (a second chamber, the "House of Counties", which was set up by the Constitution of 1990, was abolished in 2001http://www.sabor.hr/default.asp?jezik=2). The number of the Sabor's members can vary from 100 to 160; they are all elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. The plenary sessions of the Sabor take place from January 15 to July 15, and from September 15 to December 15.

The Croatian Government (Vlada) is headed by the Prime ministers of Croatia who has two deputy prime ministers and fourteen ministers in charge of particular sectors of activity. The Executive (government) is responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of the republic. Government's official residence is at Banski dvori.

Croatia has a three-tiered judicial system, consisting of the Croatian Supreme Court, County Court, and municipal courts. The Croatian Constitutional Court rules on matters regarding the Constitution of Croatia.

Counties , a UNESCO World Heritage Site.'s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site., 30 km downriver from the Plitvice Lakes.Croatia is divided into twenty-one counties (županija) and the capital Zagreb's city district (in italics below):

{] name || Native name | 1 || Zagreb county || Zagrebačka | 2 || Krapina-Zagorje county || Krapinsko-zagorska | 3 || Sisak-Moslavina county || Sisačko-moslavačka | 4 || Karlovac county || Karlovačka | 5 || Varaždin county || Varaždinska | 6 || Koprivnica-Križevci county || Koprivničko-križevačka | 7 || Bjelovar-Bilogora county || Bjelovarsko-bilogorska | 8 || Primorje-Gorski Kotar county || Primorsko-goranska | 9 || Lika-Senj county || Ličko-senjska | 10 || Virovitica-Podravina county || Virovitičko-podravska | 11 || Požega-Slavonia county || Požeško-slavonska | 12 || Brod-Posavina county || Brodsko-posavska | 13 || Zadar county || Zadarska | 14 || Osijek-Baranja county || Osječko-baranjska | 15 || Šibenik-Knin county || Šibensko-kninska | 16 || Vukovar-Srijem county || Vukovarsko-srijemska | 17 || Split-Dalmatia county || Splitsko-dalmatinska | 18 || Istria county || Istarska | 19 || Dubrovnik-Neretva county || Dubrovačko-neretvanska | 20 || Međimurje county || Međimurska | 21 || Zagreb || Grad Zagreb |}

Economy

The Croatian economy has a stable functioning market economy according to EU reports and is the most advanced economy of South-Eastern Europe (Greece excluded).The Croatian preliminary 2007 GDP data states that the Croatian GDP is USD 68,208 billion, or just over USD 15,355 per capita (real income), putting Croatia ahead of the EU member-states Romania, Bulgaria , Poland and Latvia."Grey" economy of about 2 bln $ is still not includeed in GDP calculation like in other EU country states.

The economy is service-based, with the service sector accounting for 67% of the total GDP. The industrial sector is dominated by shipbuilding, followed by food processing and chemical industry. Industry makes up 27% of Croatia’s total economic output. Agriculture makes up 6%. Tourism is a notable source of income during the summer. With over 10,0 million foreign tourists in 2006 generating a revenue of EUR 7 billion, Croatia is ranked as the 18th most popular tourist destination in the world. In 2006 Croatia exported goods in value of USD 10.4 billion (FOB) (19.7 billion including service exports).

Unemployment was 11.9% in 2006. Of particular concern is the heavily backlogged judiciary system, combined with inefficient public administration, especially issues of land ownership and corruption.

The country has been preparing for membership in the European Union, its most important international trade. In February 2005, the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union officially came into force.

In the first quarter of 2007, Croatian economy rose by 7.1%, in second quarter 6.6% so the annual growth rate which was expected to be around 4.7% has now been revised to 6.5% or more. Analysists believe that the Croatian economy, after modest growth of around 4.5% so far, is finally entering a period of faster and stronger economic prosperity.

Demographics , St. Donatus' Church, a pre-Romanesque church from the ninth centuryThe population of Croatia has been stagnating over the last decade. The 1991–1995 war in Croatia had previously displaced large parts of the population and increased emigration. Most Serbs fled the country in the last stage of the war. Some Croats who also fled the country during the war are returning. The natural growth rate is minute or negative (less than ± 1%), as the demographic transition has been completed half a century ago. Average life expectancy is approximately 75 years, and the literacy rate is 98.5%.

Croatia is inhabited mostly by Croats (89.9%). There are around twenty minorities, Serbs of Croatia being the largest one (4.5%) and others having less than 0.5% each. The predominant religion is Roman Catholic Church (87.8%), with some Eastern Orthodox (4.4%) and Sunni Muslim (1.3%) minorities.

The official and common language, Croatian language, is a South Slavic language, using the Latin alphabet. Less than 5% of the population cites other languages as their mother tongues.

Culture , the Roman amphitheatre in Pula.Croatian culture is based on a Culture of Croatia#History during which the country has attained many monuments and cities, which gave birth to a number of Culture of Croatia#People. The country includes Culture of Croatia#Places. Among a list of List of Croatians that came from Croatia are three Nobel prize winners, and numerous inventors. Some of the world's first fountain pens came from Croatia.

Croatia also has a place in the history of clothing as the origin of the necktie (cravat). The country has a long Culture of Croatia#Arts and literature and Music of Croatia. Of particular interest is the diverse nature of Croatian cuisine.

See also

References

Agičić et al., Povijest i zemljopis Hrvatske, priručnik za hrvatske manjinske škole (History and Geography of Croatia, a handbook for Croatian minority schools), Biblioteka Geographica Croatica, 292 pages, Zagreb:2000 (ISBN 953-6235-40-4)

Notes Further reading

Ivo Banac, The National Question in Yugoslavia: Origins, History, Politics Cornell University Press, 1984.
Mirjana Kasapovic (ur.), Hrvatska politika 1990.-2000. Zagreb: Hrvatska politologija 2001.
Pavol Demes and Joerg Forbrig (eds.), Reclaiming Democracy: Civil Society and Electoral Change in Central and Eastern Europe. German Marshall Fund, 2007. ISBN 978-80-969639-0-4
Sharon Fisher, Political Change in Post-Communist Slovakia and Croatia: From Nationalist to Europeanist. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006 ISBN 1 4039 7286 9

External links

Website of the Croatian Government
Basic facts, website of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Croatian National Tourist Board @ croatia.hr
General information about Croatia @ www.hr
Croatia Map - Interactive Croatia Travel Guide
United Nations Development Programme: Croatia
State Institute for Nature Protection - Croatia

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