Geographic position
Croatia extends from the easterly edges of the Alps in the northwest, through the Pannonian lowlands, to the banks of the Danube in the east. Its central region is covered by the Dinara mountain range, while the southern region ends on the Adriatic coast.
Surface area
The mainland covers an area of 56,594 km2. Its territorial waters cover a surface area of 31,067 km2.
Population
Croatia has 4,437,460 inhabitants.
Demographics
The majority of the population are Croats, with the largest minorities being Serbs, Bosnians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Italians and Albanians.
System of government
Croatia is a multi-party parliamentary republic.
Capital
With 779,145 inhabitants, Zagreb is the economic, transport, cultural and academic centre of the country.
Length of the coastline
6,278 km, of which 4,398 km is made up of island coastlines, solitary rocks and reefs.
Number of islands, solitary rocks and reefs
1,244. The largest islands are Krk and Cres. There are 50 inhabited islands.
Highest peak
Dinara, 1,831 m above sea level.
Climate
The prevailing climate in the country’s continental interior is moderately warm and rainy. Areas of high altitude, while Croatia’s highest peaks, have a mountain climate which includes snowfall. The areas along the Adriatic coast have a pleasantly mild Mediterranean climate with a large number of sunny days, summers are hot and dry and winters are mild and wet. Average temperatures in the continental interior are: January -2 to 0 oC, with somewhat lower temperatures at the highest altitudes; August approximately 20 oC, with around 12 oC at the highest altitudes. Average temperatures in the Littoral (Adriatic Coast) are: January – 5 to 9 oC, August – 22 to 25 oC. The sea temperature in winter is 12 oC and approximately 25 oC in summer.
Currency
The official currency in Croatia is the kuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa). Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, post offices and in the majority of tourist information offices, hotels and campsites.
Credit cards (Eurocard / Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners) are accepted in almost all hotels, marinas, restaurants, shops and cash machines.
Power supply: 220 V, 50 Hz
Our UK guests should note that power outlets in Croatia are the Continental two-pin type and that a socket adapter is therefore required.
Water
Tap water is potable in all parts of Croatia.
The telephone code
for Croatia is +385.
Travel documents
A valid passport or some other identification document recognised by international agreement; for certain countries a personal identity card is sufficient (i.e. a document which testifies to the identity and citizenship of the bearer).
Information: Diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Croatia abroad or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Croatia. (Tel: +385 1 4569 964,
e-mail: stranci@mvpei.hr;
www.mvpei.hr)
Customs regulations
www.carina.hr
Pets
Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Rural Development – Administration for Veterinary Medicine (Tel. +385 1 6109 749; +385 1 6106 703 and +385 1 6106 669; web: www.mps.hr)
Health services
There are hospitals and clinics located in all the larger towns and cities, while smaller centres have dispensaries and pharmacies.
Foreign visitors who are covered by health insurance in their own country are not obliged to pay for emergency medical services during a private stay in the Republic of Croatia if a convention on Social Security has been signed between Croatia and the visitors’ country of origin, i.e. if they have in their possession a certificate stipulated by such a convention confirming their right to health care. Health care (including transport) is used for emergency cases in the manner and according to regulations valid for Croatian citizens covered by Social Security, with identical participation in health care costs (participation and administrative charges). Persons coming from countries with which no such convention has been signed personally bear the costs of health services rendered.
For further information, please contact the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance. (Tel: +385 1 4806 333, web: www.hzzo-net.hr).
Public holidays
1 January - New Year’s Day
6 January – Epiphany
Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
1 May - Labour Day
Corpus Christi
22 June - Anti-Fascist Resistance Day
25 June - Statehood Day
5 August - Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day
15 August - Assumption Day
8 October - Independence Day
1 November - All Saints’ Day
25-26 December - Christmas Holidays
Shops and public services working hours
During the tourist season, most shops are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on weekdays, and many of them are also open during the weekend.
Public services and business offices generally work from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Post and telecommunications
Post offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, in smaller centres from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Some offices work a split shift. In most towns and tourist centres, duty post offices are open on Saturdays and Sundays. Phone cards are used in all public telephones and may be purchased from post offices and from newspaper and tobacco kiosks. International calls may be made directly from any public telephone.
Web: www.posta.hr
Environmental protection:
The protection of biodiversity is in compliance with valid EU regulations. With regards to swimming, the waters of the Croatian Adriatic Sea are of a high quality according to EU criteria.
In the event of extraordinary environmental pollution on land, please phone 112. For additional information on the environment please contact the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Spatial Planning and Construction on:
Telephone: +385 1 3782 413,
web: mzopu.hr
In the event of an accident, phone 112 for help!
This number can be reached any time, day or night, regardless of where you are in the Republic of Croatia or in the European Union.
Calls to this number are free of charge.
Calls can be made through all operators and all telephone devices by dialling 112.
In the event of an accident the 112 Centre can be contacted in any one of the following foreign languages:
- English
- German
- Italian
- Hungarian
- Slovakian
CALL 112!
If you need:
- Emergency medical assistance
- The assistance of fire fighters
- The assistance of the police
- The assistance of the Mountain Rescue Service
- The assistance of other emergency services and operative search and rescue forces
Important telephone numbers:
Ambulance: 94
Fire Brigade: 93
Police: 92
Roadside vehicle assistance: 987
(When calling from abroad or by mobile phone, call +385 1 987)
National Centre for Search and Rescue at Sea: 9155.
Unique National number for all emergency situations: 112
General information: 981
Information on local and intercity numbers: 988
Information on international numbers: 902
Weather forecast and road conditions: 060 520 520
Croatian Automobile Club (HAK): +385 1 46 40 800,
Web: www.hak.hr,
E-mail: info@hak.hr
Radio news in foreign languages during the tourist season
Croatian Radio broadcasts programmes in foreign languages designed for tourists in Croatia on several frequencies.
A daily programme is broadcast at 8:05 pm on channel one, in English, for the duration of around 10 min.
During the summer season, Channel two of the Croatian Radio (98,5 Mhz – northwestern Croatia and the Dubrovnik Littoral; 105,3 Mhz – Istria; 96,1 Mhz – Split; 98,9 Mhz – the Makarska Littoral; 93,3 Mhz – Gorski kotar) will broadcast, in addition to regular news and reports from HAK (the Croatian Automobile Club) in Croatian, foreign news, traffic information, and other important information in English, German and Italian.
During the summer period, news and reports on the condition of the roads will also be broadcast, every hour on the hour, directly from the studios of: the Third Channel of Austrian Radio, RAI Uno, British Virgin Radio, Radio Prague and the International Station of Croatian Radio – “Voice of Croatia”.
During the summer, Radio Prague reporters broadcast news for their nationals staying in Croatia via the following regional radio stations: Radio Split, Radio Dubrovnik and Radio Rijeka.
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