Split-Dalmatia County

Croatian County
name =Splitsko-dalmatinska Županija
image_coat_of_arms =Split-Dalmatia seal.gif
image_coat_of_arms_size =100px
Coat_of_arms_



image_flag_size =200px
Flag_

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capital =Split
area =4.534 km²
population =463,676
date-population =2001
density =102.27 /km²
latd =
latm =
longd =
longm =
code =021
iso =HR-17
zupan =Ante Sanader (HDZ)
site =http://www.dalmacija.hr
notes =

Split-Dalmatia County ("Splitsko-dalmatinska županija") is the central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. Its center is Split. Population of the county is 463,676 (2001). Land area is 4534 km².

Physically, county is divided into three main parts: elevated hinterland ("Dalmatinska zagora") with numerous karst fields; narrow coastal strip with high population density; and the islands. Parts of the Dinaric Alps, including Dinara itself form the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina while Kozjak, Mosor and Biokovo mountains separate the coastal strip from the hinterland.

The most important economic activity is tourism. Manufacturing and agriculture are in decline.

The county is linked to the rest of Croatia by the newly built four-lane Split-Zadar-Karlovac-Zagreb highway and the Lika railway. Split-Kaštela international airport is used mostly by tourist charter flights in the summer. There is also a smaller paved airfield on the island of Brač.

In the hinterland, larger towns are Sinj (pop. 11,500 town, 25,373 with villages), Imotski (4,350) and Vrgorac (2,200).
Besides the largest city, Split (189,000 city proper, 240,000 including Kaštela and Solin), towns on the coast are Trogir (11,000), Omiš (6,500) and Makarska (13,400).
On the islands, settlements are smaller due to high emigration, but mostly urban in character. Among them are Supetar (3,000) on the island of Brač, Hvar (3,700) and Stari Grad (1,900) on Hvar and Vis (1,800) and Komiža (1,500) on Vis.

Population

According to the 2001 census, Split-Dalmatia County has population of 463,676. Croats make up an absolute majority with 96.30% of the population. [http://www.dzs.hr/Eng/censuses/Census2001/Popis/E01_02_02/E01_02_02.html]

History

The name "Dalmatia" comes from an Illyrian tribe called the Dalmatae who inhabited in the area of the eastern Adriatic coast in the 1st millennium BC. It was part of the Illyrian kingdom between the 4th century BC until the Illyrian Wars in the 220s BC and 168 BC when the Roman Republic established its protectorate south of the river Neretva. Dalmatia as geographical name was in usage probably from the second half of the 2nd century BC for the area in the eastern Adriatic coast between Krka and Neretva rivers. [S. Čače, "Ime Dalmacije u 2. i 1. st. Prije Krista"] [Radovi Filozofskog "Fakulteta u Zadru", godište 40 za 2001. Zadar, 2003, pages 29,45.] It was slowly incorporated into Roman possessions until the province of Illyricum was formally established c. 32-27 BC.

Dalmatia became part of the Roman province of Illyricum. In 9 AD the Dalmatians raised the final of a series of revolts [Charles George Herbermann, "The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference" (1913) ] together with the Pannonians, but it was finally crushed, and in 10 AD, Illyricum was split into two provinces, Pannonia and Dalmatia which spread into larger area inland to cover all of the Dinaric Alps and most of the eastern Adriatic coast. [M.Zaninović, "Ilirsko pleme Delmati", pages 58, 83-84.] Dalmatia was the birthplace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who constructed Diocletian's Palace in the core of what is now present day Split. [ [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17691 C. Michael Hogan, "Diocletian's Palace", The Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham, Oct 6, 2007] ]

Administrative division

Split-Dalmatia County is divided:

* City of Split (county seat)
* Town of Hvar
* Town of Imotski
* Town of Kaštela
* Town of Komiža
* Town of Makarska
* Town of Omiš
* Town of Sinj
* Town of Solin
* Town of Stari Grad
* Town of Supetar
* Town of Trogir
* Town of Vis
* Town of Vrgorac
* Town of Vrlika
* Municipality of Baška Voda
* Municipality of Bol
* Municipality of Cista Provo
* Municipality of Dicmo
* Municipality of Brela
* Municipality of Dugi Rat
* Municipality of Dugopolje
* Municipality of Gradac
* Municipality of Hrvace
* Municipality of Jelsa
* Municipality of Klis
* Municipality of Lećevica
* Municipality of Lokvičići
* Municipality of Lovreć
* Municipality of Marina
* Municipality of Milna
* Municipality of Muć
* Municipality of Nerežišća
* Municipality of Okrug
* Municipality of Otok
* Municipality of Podbablje
* Municipality of Podgora
* Municipality of Podstrana
* Municipality of Postira
* Municipality of Prgomet
* Municipality of Primorski Dolac
* Municipality of Proložac
* Municipality of Pučišća
* Municipality of Runovići
* Municipality of Seget
* Municipality of Selca
* Municipality of Sućuraj
* Municipality of Sutivan
* Municipality of Šestanovac
* Municipality of Šolta
* Municipality of Trilj
* Municipality of Tučepi
* Municipality of Zadvarje
* Municipality of Zagvozd
* Municipality of Zmijavci

County government

Current Župan (prefect): Ante Sanader (HDZ)

The county assembly is composed of 51 representatives, organized as follows:

* Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) 16
* Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) 11
* Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) 5
* Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) 4
* Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HČSP) 4
* Croatian Democratic Republican Party (HDRS) 3
* Croatian People's Party (HNS) 2
* Croatian True Renaissance (HIP) 2
* Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) 2
* Croatian Dalmatian Home (HDD) 1
* Party of Croatian Renaissance (SHP) 1

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.dalmacija.hr County web site (not English)]
* [http://www.dalmatia.info Dalmatia] .iNFO - Dalmatia travel portal
* [http://www.split.info Split Dalmatia] County tourist guide in English