Progetto Erasmus+ka1 “APRIAMO LE MENTI A APPROCCI INNOVATIVI IN EUROPA Progetto Erasmus+ka1 “APRIAMO LE MENTI A APPROCCI INNOVATIVI IN EUROPA!” CODICE ATTIVITA’: 2018-1-IT02-KA101-046921 CROATIA PRESENTATION

Croatia is a country in the southern Europe

CROATIA Croatia is a medium-size European country. Its position is both central European and Mediterranean, as well as Pannonian-Adriatic. The 45th parallel of the northern latitude runs through Croatia, wich means that Croatia is half way to the North Pole and the Equator.

CROATIA Its constitutional tradition dates back to the mediaeval duchy (8th century). Republic of Croatia is proclaimed on 25th of June 1991. It is our Statehood Day. Croatia is defined as a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state.

CROATIAN NATIONAL FLAG Croatian National flag is a red-white-blue tricolor with the historic Croatian chequered coat of arms (25 red and white fields) and stylized crown with five smaller shields featuring coats of arms. The red-white chequered coat of arms on a shield has been the symbol of Croatian statehood ever since the early times. The beginnings of the coat of arms date back to the 11th century – from the period of the Croatian kings.

CROATIAN ANTHEM The Croatian anthem Lijepa naša (Our Beautiful Homeland) is written in 1835. (Antun Mihanović ) and set to music in 1846. (Josip Runjanin). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjqgLZ7fZY4&feature=related

Croatian kuna The official Croatian currency is Croatian kuna –HRK (1 HRK = 100 Lipa). Croatia has a population of 4,7 miliona people.

The capital is Zagreb. Zagreb is also the biggest city (1,5 million of people). It borders with Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Monontenegro and with Italy and Slovenia on the sea (930 km).

Croatian islands Croatia has a many islands (around 1000) and beach (Jadranko more – Adriatic sea). The Adriatic sea is a small and relatively shallow sea. Croatia has 33000 km of the Adriatic. There are 718 offshore islands, 389 rocks and 78 reefs. The biggest islands are Krk, Cres, Brač and Hvar. The island of Korčula, Krk, Brač and Hvar have the largest population.

Temperature Much of Croatia exhibits moderate continental climate, while mountain climate is found in higher mountains (Velebit,…). Islands have the Mediterranean climate. The mean temperature in January ranges mostly from 0°C to -2°C in the continetal part, while in the islands have a temperature from 2°C to 9°C. Temperature in July in the continental part of Croatia is 22°C.

Regions in Croatia The versatile climate under the variety of vegetation. It’s divided into the Pannonian part of Croatia, Gorski kotar-Lika (Region of mountains) and region of Hrvatsko primorje (Croatian coastal part). Around 36% of the total area is forested. The highest mounts are Dinara, Kamešnica, Biokovo and Velebit, and the biggest rivers are Sava, Drava, Danube and Krka.

Croatian spa Croatia has several mineral springs (Jamnička Kiselica, Lipik, …) and even more thermal mineral springs, most of them found in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje (Tuheljske, …), in northern Croatia (Lipik, Daruvar, …) , and those in the littoral belt (Split, …). All these spas are now health resorts.

Ethnic structure of the Croatian The ethinc structure of the population of the Republic of Croatia exhibits both high and stable homogeneity. The majority are Croats (78%). Other populations include ethnic groups: Serb (14%), Muslim, Slovenian, Italian, Czech, Slovakian, Albanian, Gypsy, etc.

Croatian diocese The majority of the population of the Republic of Croatia are Roman Catholic (76,6%), while other religions account for 12,3% (other Christian sects, Muslim, atheist,…). Today the Catholic church in the area of the Republic of Croatia is territorially divided into 12 (arch)bishoprics forming three metropolitan provinces. The Bjelovarsko-Krizevacka metropolitan is the youngest (arch)bishopric.

Tourism in Croatia Tourism in Croatia has a tradition of over 150 years. Its begginnings are linked with health resorts and tourism (Daruvar 1818.) The region of Hrvatsko Primorje is the most developed tourist region accounting for as many as 93% of the income from tourism.

National holidays of Republic Croatia are 1st of January (New Year’s Day) 6th of January (Epiphani) Easter and Easter Monday 1st of May (Labour Day) 22nd of June (Day of Antifascist Victory) 25th of June (Statehood Day) 5th of August (Homeland Thanks giving Day) 15th of August (the Assumption) 8th of October (Independence Day) 1st of Novembar (All Saint Day) 25th and 26th of December (Christmas holidays)

Souvenirs of Republic Croatia Regarding the souvenirs, some of the regions have their specific offer, often of a highquality craftsmanship (Šestine’s umbrellas, ’’penkala’’ pens, proteceted models and casts of works of art) or artistitc lever (lacework-Hvar,...). Supreme quality wines can also be bought.

The Croatian language The Croatian language is the standard and offical language in the Republic of Croatia as well as the language of the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is spoken by around 5,5 million people on a more or less compact area of Croatia, western Vojvodina, parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Boka Kotorska, as well as by 1,5 to 2 million Croats worldwide: the Croatian enclaves in Austria (region Burgenland), Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Italy (region Molise), diaspora in western Europe, in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zeland, South America and South Africa. The Croatian language is divided into three dialects: the kajkavian (spoken in north-western Croatia), chakavian (spoken in south-western Croatia) and štokavian (spoken east of the above mentioned two dialects). The present standard and literacy language is based on the new štokavian dialects of the jekavian speech variant and written in Latin script. The Baška Tablet is one of the eariliest monuments written in the Croatian language (AD 1100).

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