HISTORY OF CROATIA: In recorded history, the area known as Croatia today was inhabited by the Illyrians and since the 4th century BC colonized by the Celts and Greeks. The forefathers Croatia's current Slav population settled in this region in the 7th century. The first native Croatian ruler was Duke Branimir.By 1526, almost the whole of Croatia was under the Ottoman Empire. |
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By the 1700s, the Ottoman Empire was driven out of Hungary and Croatia, and Austria brought the empire under its control. With the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, its areas in eastern Adriatic became a bone of contention between France and Austria. The Habsburgs of Austria eventually got them and by 1815 Dalmatia and Istria became part of the empire. By mid 19th century Croatian romantic nationalism emerged to counter Germanization and Magyarization.
Shortly before the end of the WWI in 1918, the Croatian Parliament severed relations with Austria-Hungary as the Allied armies defeated the Habsburgs. | The People's Council joined Serbia and Montenegro in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes shortly thereafter.
The Axis occupation of Yugoslavia in 1941 allowed the Croatian radical right Ustaše party to come into power, forming the so-called "Independent State of Croatia", led by Ante Pavelic. The puppet regime enacted racial laws, formed eight concentration camps and started a campaign to exterminate Serbs, Jews and Roma. The anti-fascist partisan movement emerged early in 1941, under the command of the Communist party, led by Josip Broz Tito, as in other parts of Yugoslavia.
Croatia became part of the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia in 1945 under President Tito. In 1980, after Tito's death, political, ethnic and economic difficulties started to mount and the federal government began to crumble. The emergence of Slobodan Miloševic in Serbia and many other events provoked a very negative reaction in Croatia, followed by a rise in nationalism and active dissent.
In 1990, the first free elections were held. A nationalist movement called the Croatian Democratic Union won, led by Franjo Tudman. HDZ's intentions were to secure more independence for Croatia, contrary to the wishes of ethnic Serbs in the republic. This led to complete estrangement between the two nationalities and sectarian violence.
The Croatian government declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 but the Yugoslav People's Army tried to forcefully maintain the status quo. Subsequent UN-sponsored ceasefires followed, and the warring parties mostly entrenched. Armed conflict in Croatia remained intermittent and mostly on a small scale until 1995. In early August, Croatia started Operation Storm and quickly took most of Krajina, causing a mass exodus of the Serbian population. A few months later, the war ended upon the negotiation of the Dayton Agreement.
President Tudman died in late 1999 and the country underwent many liberal reforms beginning in 2000. An economic recovery as well as healing of many war wounds ensued and the country proceeded to become a member of several important regional and international organizations. The country is currently in process of joining the European Union.
GEOGRAPHY OF CROATIA
LOCATION: Croatia is located in southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia.
CLIMATE: Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; the coastal areas have mild winters and dry summers.
Croatia can be divided into three major natural parts:
The Pannonian and Peri-Pannonian area comprises lowland and hilly parts of eastern and northwestern Croatia.
The Adriatic Area includes the narrow coastal belt separated from the hinterland by high mountains. This is predominantly a Karst area with very dry summers.
The Croatian Adriatic coast is one of the most indented in the world: It has 1246 islands and islets with a total coastline of 4, 058 km, the total length of the mainland coast being 1777 km.
CUISINE OF CROATIA
Typical Croatian food is normally extension of peasant food, which is easy to prepare yet delicious. As anywhere else in the world, in Croatia too, neighboring countries has influenced its cuisine. So while people from the Croatia's Adriatic areas eat food very similar to Italian cuisine, in northern Croatia dishes are similar to those of central Europe or Austro-Hungarian. The favourite meals on all occasions include spit-roasted lamb and suckling pig, grilled fish, calamari, barbecue dishes like raznjici, cevapcici and mixed grill - prosciutto and sheep's cheese, or smoked ham and cottage cheese with sour cream, fish stew, and venison.
CULTURE OF CROATIA
LANGUAGE: The modern Croatian language was born thanks to the union of more than nine hundred years of literature written in a mixture of Croatian Church Slavonic and vernacular language.
MUSIC: Croatian folk music is a mishmash of different styles, each distinct in its own way. Violinists or tambura players and a Croatian mandolin accompany Kolo, a lively Slavic dance. |
RELIGION: Majority of the Croats is Roman Catholic, while Serbs follow the Eastern Orthodox Church. Thoroughly suppressed during Yugoslavia's Communist period, Roman Catholicism is now making a comeback, with most churches strongly attended every Sunday.
ARCHITECTURE: The country's best Roman architectural remains are in Split and Pula. Don't miss Diocletian's Palace in Split and the amphitheatre in Pula. Architecturally attractive are towns of Dubrovnik, Korcula, Trogir, Sibenik and Zadar.
TRAVEL TIPS:
When To Visit: The best time visit Croatia is during the warmer months. The climate of the country is mediterranean as well as continental.
Avoid any discussion of the ethnic war or politics.
Communication: If you are planning to send emails to your near and dear ones about your trip to Croatia, check your keyboards first because they are slightly different here. The Y and Z have switched positions, so watch what you type. If you are at a restaurant the standard tipping is about 10% of the total bill. Tipping is accepted for restaurants, bars and taxis.
Air: Croatia's national airline is Croatia Airlines (website: www.croatiaairlines.hr), which flies directly from London Heathrow to Zagreb daily. Other airlines serving Croatia include Aeroflot, British Airways Air France, Fly Bosnia, KLM, LOT, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airways and Swiss.
International airports: Zagreb is 17km (10 miles) southeast of the city.
Sea: Passenger and car ferry services run to Italy.
Rail: Direct trains run from Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovenia and Switzerland. Express services run from Zagreb to major cities including Berlin, Budapest, Munich, Venice and Vienna.
Road: There are routes from all neighbouring countries. The National Autoclub of the Republic of Croatia (website: www.hak.hr) can provide information.
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