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Croatia

Croatia, located just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, has a rich history and culture. It was, prior to WWI, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and then a state of the former Yugoslavia - which became an independent communist state under Marshal Tito after WWII - before winning its independence in 1991. Since independence, foreign policy and public debate has focussed on EU accession, and it is now expected that Croatia will formally join the European Union in 2011 or early 2012.

Croatia covers a land area of 56,691 square kilometres and has a population of about 4.4 million people. Over 90% of the population is Croat (the majority of whom are Roman Catholics), but there are also Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian and Italian minorities. The main population centres are Zagreb, the capital (with a population of just under 800,000), Osijek in the northwest, and the ports of Rijeka, and Split in the south. The official language is Croatian, which is written in the Latin script.

Croatia's 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 national parks, historic cities and culture. It also possesses one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, with over a thousand islands, crystal clear turquoise waters, and a rich culture with strong Roman/Italian influences evident in the architecture and cuisine - particularly along the Dalmatian coast.

Unsurprisingly Croatia, with its typically Mediterranean climate, has always been a unique and extremely popular tourist destination and this sector alone accounts now for 25% of the country's GDP. With all the natural beauty, sophistication and cultural heritage of its neighbouring Italy, and with continued government backing, the tourist sector looks set for strong growth in Croatia's foreseeable future.