Croatia is a country located in Southeastern Europe, on the Adriatic Sea. It is bordered by Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia has a population of over 4 million people and its capital city is Zagreb. Croatia’s landscape is mostly coastal plains with some rolling hills and mountains in the interior, making it great for outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, and camping. The climate in Croatia is Mediterranean with hot summers and mild winters. Croatia has a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire and is known for its culture, architecture, food and wine. The country offers many attractions such as beautiful beaches along the Adriatic Sea coast plus stunning national parks like Plitvice Lakes National Park where visitors can marvel at cascading waterfalls surrounded by lush forests. Croatia also has numerous medieval cities that are worth exploring such as Dubrovnik which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. See countryaah.com for other countries that start with letter C.
Population
The dominant population group is Croats. Part of the Serbian people’s group, which was previously the second largest, was forced to leave the country following Croatia’s recapture of Slavonia and Krajina.
The population density in Croatia is 72 residents per km 2, and the largest population concentration is in a band from the Zagreb area and north. The most important cities are Zagreb (694,000 residents, 2012), Split (175,700) and Rijeka (144,300).
Language
In Croatia, kaykavian, čakavian and štokavian dialects are spoken by the South Slavic language, formerly called Serbo-Croatian or Croatian Serbian and today sometimes Central South Slavic. Serbo Croatian has four main dialects: kaykavian, čakavian, štokavian and torlakic.
According to thesciencetutor, the official language is Croatian, which, like the Serbian, Montenegrin and Bosnian standard languages, is based on štokavian dialects. Languages recognized as regional or minority languages according to the Council of Europe’s language statute are Italian, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Russian (Rutinian), Czech, Slovak and Serbian. Croatian is also recognized as a regional or minority language in Serbia, Hungary and Romania, is one of the three official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina and may be used officially in Montenegro.
Religion
The Roman Catholics have historically been in the clear majority. On their side, however, there have been minorities of Orthodox, especially in the province of Slavonia, and elements of Protestants.
In the 11th century, the church in Croatia was tied to the papacy, following impulses from both Rome and Constantinople during the 8th century. The celibacy of the priests was carried out and the previously used Slavic liturgy was suppressed in favor of Latin worship. During the 19th century, Bishop JJ Strossmayer (1815-1905) played a crucial role in the Croatian Catholic identity. He participated in the First Vatican Council in 1870 as a leading opponent against the idea of papal infallibility.
Some Roman Catholic leaders supported the fascist regime in Croatia during World War II, which contributed to the tension with the later Yugoslav government and its anti-religious policies under Tito. The Roman Catholic Church is led by an archbishop in Zagreb.
Zagreb
Zagreb, (ty. Agram, young. Zágráb), capital and largest city in Croatia; 688,000 residents (2011). The city is located on the river Sava and is an important traffic hub; the international Pleso airport is 17 km SE of the city center. Zagreb is the country’s leading industrial city. machinery, chemical and electronic products and textiles and food are manufactured. In addition to the city’s university, founded in 1669, there are other higher education institutions as well as several museums, galleries, libraries, theaters and concert halls. The city hosts several annual international fairs, which take place in the suburb of Novi Zagreb.
The Square of the Republic (Trg republic) is the center of the capital, starting from the 5 km long business street Ilica. From the northern part of the street a stairway leads to the upper district. North of the square is the district of Kaptol, while the so-called lower district constitutes the area south of the square and extends down to the railway station area. Near the Republic Square are among others. the archbishop’s residence, the market square Dolac on the flat roof of a market hall, the Catherine church with its baroque facade, the St. Mark’s church and many prestigious Baroque-style houses. The neo-Gothic cathedral with two 105 m high towers is Zagreb’s landmark; its oldest parts are from 1200-t. The city is the seat of both a Roman Catholic and a Serbian Orthodox archbishop.
The city originated from 1000-t. around the fortified seat of the local archbishop and a nearby royal fortress. Zagreb belongs to the part of Croatia that was never conquered by the Ottomans. It grew in the 1800’s. to a significant commercial and university town and recovered fairly quickly on a powerful earthquake in 1880, which included damaged the cathedral. The growth of the actual metropolis and industrial center took place in the 1900’s.
