Tourism in Croatia

A portion of the Walls of Dubrovnik that have protected a maritime city-state of Dubrovnik - one of Croatia's most popular tourist destinations.

A castle in the old town of Varaždin in the northern part of the country.

Tourism in Croatia is a well-developed industry. Many tourists visit to experience the country's extensive coastline and well-preserved coastal Renaissance towns. In 2005, Croatia had 10 million tourist visitors,^[1] and in 2008 11.26 million tourists.^[2]

The interior of the country, with the exception of the capital Zagreb, the erstwhile Baroque capital Varaždin and a plethora of medieval castles, has fewer tourist attractions. Eight areas in the country have been designated national parks, and the landscape in these areas is afforded extra protection from development. Several companies run flotillas of yachts along different stretches of the coastline, which is also popular with divers.

The country is currently being advertised under the motto The Mediterranean As It Once Was.

Lonely Planet named Croatia as the top pick destination for 2005,^[3] while National Geographic Adventure Magazine named Croatia as Destination of the Year in 2006.^[4]

Tourist regions

The Croatian Tourist Board has divided Croatia into eight distinct tourist regions:

Istria

The amphitheater in Pula.

The peninsula of Istria has the many notable interests. Its west coast has several historical towns dating from Roman times, such as the city of Umag, which hosts the yearly Croatia Open ATP tennis tournament on clay courts.^[5] The city of Poreč is famous for the UNESCO-protected Euphrasian Basilica, which includes the renown 6th century mosaics depicting old-style Byzantine art.^[6] Furthermore, the city plan still shows the ancient Roman Castrum structure. The main streets are Decumanus and Cardo Maximus, still preserved in their original forms. Marafor is a Roman square with two temples attached. One of them, erected in the 1st century AD, is dedicated to the Roman god Neptune.^[7] A few houses from the Romanesque period have been preserved and beautiful Venetian Gothic palaces can be seen here. Originally a Gothic Franciscan church built in the 13th century, the 'Dieta Istriana' hall was remodeled in the Baroque style in the 18th century.

The region's largest city Pula has one of the best preserved Amphitheaters in the world, which is still in use for festivals and events. It is surrounded by large hotel complexes, resorts, camps and sports facilities. A short boat ride away is Brijuni national park visited by numerous world leaders since it was the summer residence of Josip Broz Tito.^[8] Roman villas and temples still lie buried among farm fields and along the shoreline of the dozens of surrounding fishing and farming villages. The coastal waters offer beaches, fishing, wreck dives to ancient Roman galleys and World War I warships, cliff diving, and sailing to unspoiled coves and islands large and small.^[9] Pula is the end point of the EuroVelo 9 cycle route that runs from Gdańsk on the Baltic Sea through Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.

Coastal view of Rovinj.

The town of Rovinj contains well-indented coastal areas with a number of small bays hidden within dense vegetation, open to naturists. Although the beaches are not specified as naturist, many people choose to enjoy the sea and the sun in this way with a reserved toleration of other swimmers.^[10]

The interior is quieter, very green and wooded, with dozens of tiny stone towns perched on hills, such as Motovun. The river Mirna flows below the hill and on the other side of the river there is the famous Motovun forest, an area of about 10 square kilometres in the valley of the river Mirna, of which 280 hectares (2.8 km²) is specially protected. This area differs completely not only from the nearby forests, but also from those of the entire surrounding karst region because of its wild life, moist soil and rich-with-prized-black-and-white truffles (Tuber magnatum), which grows successfully there. Since this fungus grows underground, it is gathered with the aid of specially trained dogs. Since 1999, Motovun has hosted the international Motovun Film Festival for independent and avant-garde films from the U.S. and Europe.^[11]

Kvarner & Highlands

The mountainous Risnjak National Park.

One of the most varying regions, the entire Kvarner gulf provides striking sceneries, with tall mountains right next to the sea, overlooking a dozen large islands. Tourist resorts range from the coastal towns of Opatija and Lovran, with their feel of Austro-Hungarian imperial decadence, are regaining their former prominence.

The former Venetian island towns of Rab and Lošinj are popular tourist destinations. The island of Rab is rich in cultural heritage and cultural-historical monuments that make it a popular vacation destination. Rab is also known as a pioneer of naturism after the visit of King Edward VIII and Mrs Wallis Simpson.^[12] The island is nowadays very popular with tourists and families for its beautiful nature, beaches, heritage and many events, particularly the Rab arbalest tournament and the Rab Medieval festival - Rapska Fjera. With around 2600 hours of sunshine a year, the island of Lošinj has become a popular destination for Slovenian, German and Italian tourists in the summer months. Average air humidity is 70%, and the average summer temperature is 24 °C (75 °F) and 7 °C (45 °F) during the winter.^[13]

The interior regions Gorski kotar, Velebit and Lika have vast stretches of virginal nature, with mountain peaks, forests and fields, many animal species including bears, and the national parks of Risnjak and Plitvice Lakes. The Plitvice Lakes National Park lies in the Plitvice plateau which is surrounded by three mountains part of the Dinaric Alps: Plješevica mountain (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela mountain (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m), and Medveđak (884 m).^[14] The national Park is underlain by karstic rock, mainly dolomite and limestone with associated lakes and caves, this has given rise to the most distinctive feature of its lakes. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae, and bacteria. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year. The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,087 to 1,650 ft) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two km², with the water exiting from the lowest lake to form the Korana River. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. The lakes are divided into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera):^[15] Under the travertine waterfalls Cratoneuron moss sometimes grows, the moss gets encrusted with travertine and fresh moss grows further out, first a crag is formed but later a cave roof forms under the crag. If the water continues flowing the cave becomes progressively bigger. Limestone caves are present as well.^[15] The area is also home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bear, wolf, eagle, owl, lynx, wild cat, and capercaillie can be found there, along with many more common species. At least 126 species of birds have been recorded there, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there.

Dalmatia - Zadar

Detail on church in Zadar.

This region is a yachting paradise. The Kornati National Park has hundreds of mostly uninhabited islands. Kornat, the biggest of the islands with a total area of 32,525,315 m² (350,099,577 sq ft), comprises two-thirds of the park's land area. Although the island is 25.2 km long, it is no wider than 2.5 km.^[16] The park is managed from the town of Murter, on the island of Murter, and is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge.

Zadar, the largest city in the region, gained its urban structure in Roman times; during the time of Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus, the town was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the western side of the town were the forum, the basilica and the temple, while outside the town were the amphitheatre and cemeteries. The aqueduct which supplied the town with water is partially preserved. Inside the ancient town, a medieval town had developed with a series of churches and monasteries being built.^[17]

Anica kuk, home to the most well-known routes of Paklenica climbing

The interior has mixed plains and mountains, with the impressive Paklenica canyon as the main attraction. Paklenica National Park is the most visited climbing site in Croatia, and the largest in Southeast Europe. The close proximity of seawater gives this climbing site a special charm, making Paklenica Riviera an ideal place to combine climbing, hiking and water sports. Today, there are over 360 equipped and improved routes of various difficulty levels and lengths within Paklenica’s climbing sites, so each climber can find to their liking.^[18] The main climbing season begins in spring and goes on until late autumn. The Park area contains 150–200 km of trails and paths, from those intended for tourists, leading from Velika Paklenica Canyon to Manita peć cave, Lugarnica forest cottage and the mountain hut, to those intended for mountaineers, leading to the highest peaks of Velebit. The trails in the Park are marked with boards and mountaineering signs.

The island of Pag has one of the biggest party zones in Europe in the town of Novalja and Zrće. These beaches are well-known Croatian summer destination for partygoers, with several all-hours discotheques and beach bars operating during summer months.^[19] It regularly features gigs by internationally known house and trance DJs at the peak of the Croatian summer season in July and August. Zrće is particularly popular among young club goers, while other pebble and sand beaches on the island are more family-oriented, and are one of over 100 Blue Flag beaches in Croatia.

Dalmatia - Šibenik

A street in Šibenik.

This is another popular yachting region, dotted with islands, and centered around Šibenik and its famous cathedral, the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage site.^[20] Several fortresses, remnants of the Renaissance era (which includes St. Nicholas Fortress) can be seen surrounding the city.

The interior has the Krka National Park with its waterfalls and religious monasteries.^[21] Skradinski Buk is one of the most attractive parts of the park, with numerous attractions and facilities available among various footpaths, sightseeing tours and presentations, boat trips, restaurants and museum. Roški Slap, located near Miljevci, is the second most popular attraction of the Krka National Park in terms of numbers of visitors, and whose cascades can be visited throughout the year. The most attractive way to reach Roški Slap is to take one of the excursion boats operated by the Krka National Park, although the falls can also be reached with a public road. Inside the park is the island of Visovac which was founded during the reign of Louis I of Hungary, home to the Roman Catholic Visovac Monastery founded by the Franciscans in 1445 near Miljevci village.^[22] The park also includes the Serb Orthodox Monastery Krka founded in 1345. The island can be visited by a boat tour from Skradinski Buk.

Waterfalls at Krka National Park.

The area around thecity of Knin has medieval fortresses and many archeological remains. The recently discovered Roman town Burnum is 18 km far from Knin in direction of Kistanje. There are the remainings of the biggest amphitheater in Dalmatia built in 77 BC, during the rule of Vespasian which could host 8000 people.^[23] The nearby villages Biskupija and Kapitul are extremely interesting archaeological sites from the 10th century where many remains of medieval Croatian culture are found including churches, graves, decorations, and epigraphs.^[24]

Dalmatia - Split

The basement of Diocletian's Palace.

The coastal city of Split is also the second largest city in Croatia, and is well-known for its unique Roman heritage which includes UNESCO-protected Diocletian's Palace.^[25] The city was built around the palace, which today is well-known for its excellent preservation, and is one of the most famous and complete architectural and cultural features on the Croatian Adriatic coast. The Split Cathedral stems from the palace.

The Makarska Riviera is a stretch of coastline known for its pristine beaches and are popular destinations among sunbathers for its beaches, clubs, cafes, kayaking, sailing, and hiking along the Biokovo range. Makarska, Brela, Omiš, and Baška Voda are the most popular.

Makarska Riviera

The large islands of this region, which such pearls as the town of Hvar, known for its fishing and tourism industries. Hvar has a very mild Mediterranean climate, bountiful beaches and Mediterranean vegetation that make it one of the most attractive tourist centers in Europe. The island promotes itself as "the sunniest spot in Europe", with over 2715 hours of sunlight in an average year.^[26] Cultural and artistic events within the Hvar Summer Festival take place throughout the summer, from late June to late September. These events include classical music concerts performed by national and international artists, and performances by amateur groups from Hvar. Performances are given nearly every day in a number of venues around the town.^[27] The Gallery of Modern Art in Hvar is located in the Arsenal building, in the lobby of the historic Theatre of Hvar. The permanent display contains the most valuable paintings, sculptures and prints from the collection, and temporary exhibitions are organised within the Museum project Summer of Fine Arts in Hvar.^[28] The Cathedral of Sv. Stjepan (St. Stephen) and the Bishop's Palace have a Renaissance-baroque style, and a facade with three-cornered gable and a Renaissance Bell Tower in Romanesque style from the 16th century, created by Venetian artists.^[29]

The main square in Trogir.

Other notable islands in the region include Brač, Čiovo, Šolta, Vis,

The World Heritage Site of the city of Trogir contains a mixture of influence from the Hellenistic period, Romans, and Venetians with its Greek architecture, Romanesque churches, Renaissance and Baroque buildings.^[30] Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Trogir's grandest building is the church of St. Lawrence, whose main west portal is a masterpiece by Radovan, and the most significant work of the Romanesque-Gothic style in Croatia. Notable attractions include the Fortress Kamerlengo and the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Trogir.

Dalmatia - Dubrovnik

View of Dubrovnik's old town.

One of the most famous Croatian tourist site is the fortified city of Dubrovnik with its Renaissance culture. The finest Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace which dates from the 16th century and is currently used to house the National Archives.^[31] The Rectors Palace is a Gothic-Renaissance structure that displays finely carved capitals and an ornate staircase. It now houses a museum.^[32][33] Its façade is depicted on the reverse of the Croatian 50 kuna banknote, issued in 1993 and 2002.^[34] The St. Saviour Church is another remnant of the Renaissance period, next to the much-visited Franciscan Monastery.^[35][36][37] The Franciscan monastery's library possesses 30,000 volumes, 22 incunabula, 1,500 valuable handwritten documents. Exhibits include a 15th century silver-gilt cross and silver thurible, an 18th century crucifix from Jerusalem, a martyrology (1541) by Bemardin Gucetic and illuminated Psalters.^[35] Dubrovnik's most famous church is St Blaise's church, built in the 18th century in honor of Dubrovnik's patron saint. Dubrovnik's baroque Cathedral was built in the 18th century and houses an impressive Treasury with relics of Saint Blaise. The city's Dominican Monastery resembles a fortress on the outside but the interior contains an art museum and a Gothic-Romanesque church.^[38][39] A special treasure of the Dominican monastery is its library with over 220 incunabula, numerous illustrated manuscripts, a rich archive with precious manuscripts and documents and an extensive art collection.^[40][41][42] The main feature of Dubrovnik is its walls that run 2 km around the city. The walls run from four to six metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city.^[43]

Overview of Korčula.

The nearby islands include the historical island of Korčula. The devout Catholic inhabitants of Korčula keep alive old folk church ceremonies and a weapon dance, the Moreška, which dates back to the middle ages.^[44] Originally danced only on special occasions, in modern times there are performances twice a week for tourists.^[45] The main town's historic sites include the central Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral of St Mark (built from 1301 to 1806), the 15th-century Franciscan monastery with a beautiful Venetian Gothic cloister, the civic council chambers, the palace of the former Venetian governors, grand 15th and 16th century palaces of the local merchant nobles, and the massive city fortifications.

Mljet island

Further along are the untouched forests of Mljet. Over 72% of the island of 98.01 square kilometres (37.84 sq mi) is forest. The island's geological structure consists of limestone and dolomite forming ridges, crests and slopes. A few depressions on the island of Mljet are below sea level and are known as blatine ("mud-lakes") or slatine ("salt-lakes"). During the rain seasons all blatine are filled with water and turn to brackish during dry seasons.

Central Croatia

Trakošćan castle in northern Croatia.

The most interesting part of this large region is the north, with the hilly area of Zagorje, dotted with castles and spas, and the old city of Varaždin. Varaždin, with its unique monuments and artistic heritage, represents the best preserved and richest urban complex in continental Croatia. The Old Town (fortress) is a beautiful example of medieval defensive buildings. Construction began in the 14th century, and in the following century the rounded towers, typical of Gothic architecture in Croatia, were added. Varaždin's Cathedral, a former Jesuit church, was built in 1647, and is distinguished by its baroque entrance, 18th-century altar, and paintings.^[46] Among festivals, the annual Špancir Fest begins at the end of August and ends in September (lasts for 10 days).^[47] At this time the city welcomes artists, street performers, musicians and vendors for what is called 'the street walking festival'. Varaždin is also the host of the "Radar festival", which hosts concerts at the end of summer.^[48] It has already hosted musical stars such as Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, The Animals, Manic Street Preachers, Solomon Burke among others.

Altar of the Marija Bistrica basilica.

The Marian shrine of Marija Bistrica is the largest and most notable pilgrimage spot for the faithful in the entire country. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit the site every year where the 14th century church has stood and contains elements of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. The church is most famous for the statue known as the "Black Madonna with Child," whose story dates back to the Turkish invasion in the 16th century when the statue was hidden in the church and then lost for decades until its miraculous discovery. Another one of the shrine's highlight is the process of "The Way of the Cross" behind the church, in pilgrims begin the trek that ultimately leads to Calvary Hill. Pope John Paul II visited the site in 1998 in his second tour of Croatia.^[49]

The south has some natural highlights, such as the nature park Lonjsko polje, where it covers the area of the former Jasenovac concentration camp. The southwest area is known for its forests and wilderness, especially. Baroque churches are found readily throughout the area, along with other cultural architecture. Much rebuilding is being done in the areas destroyed during the Croatian war of independence.

Slavonia

Church in Osijek.

Tourism in this region is just developing, mostly with spas. The area of Baranja has the national park of Kopački rit, a large swamp with an incredible variety of fauna and birds. It is one of the most important, largest and most attractive preserved intact wetlands in Europe, hosting about 260 various bird species such as (wild geese and ducks, Great White Egret, White Stork, Black Stork, White-tailed Eagle, crows, coots, gulls, terns, kingfishers, and Green Woodpecker. Guided tourist visits by panoramic ships, boats, team of horses or on foot are available, with some packages offering the possibility of photographing or video-recording animals, birds in particular.^[50]

The cultural center is the historical city of Osijek, with its baroque style buildings, such as the Church of St. Peter and Paul, a neo-Gothic structure with the second highest tower in Croatia after the Zagreb Cathedral. The city of Đakovo boasts of the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Đakovo is the town's most famous landmark and the most important sacral object, not only in Đakovo but also throughout the whole region of Slavonia. The central traditional event is called Đakovački vezovi (Đakovo Embroidery). It is a folklore show of the regions Slavonia and Baranya that is organized yearly in the beginning of July, and it presents traditional folk costumes, folklore dancing and singing groups, customs. The Cathedral hosts choirs, opera artists, and art exhibitions are organized in the exhibition salon. The horse and wedding wagon show is a special part of the program. During the sports program, pure-bred white Lipizzaner horses can be seen on the racecourse. Ilok and the war-torn city of Vukovar are also points of interest in the area.

Slavonian gastronomy specialties are popular, with traditional Slavonian wines and cuisine being a unique part of the region. The traditional Slavonian cuisine, famous for its meat specialties (kulen smoked sausage, kobasica sausages, smoked ham), venison and freshwater fish dishes are popular, along with the wines: Weissburgunder, Traminer and Riesling.

Zagreb

View of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.

Like Prague or Budapest, Zagreb has a Central European feel to it, with a large and well-preserved old town on the hill and a 19th-century city center. The Croatian capital is also the country's largest cultural center, with many museums and galleries.

The historical part of the city to the north of Ban Jelačić Square is composed of the Gornji Grad and Kaptol, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings that are popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The historic district can be reached on foot, starting from Jelačić Square, the center of Zagreb, or by a funicular on nearby Tomićeva Street.

Zagreb's numerous museums reflect the history, art and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections. The Archaeological Museum consists of nearly 400,000 varied artifacts and monuments, have been gathered over the years from many different sources.^[51] The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy and bandages with the oldest Etruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis), as well as the numismatic collection. The Croatian Natural History Museum holds one of the world's most important collection of Neanderthal remains found at one site.^[52] These are the remains, stone weapons and tools of prehistoric Krapina man. The holdings of the Croatian Natural History Museum comprise more than 250,000 specimens distributed among various different collections.

Orahnjača, a Croatian walnut strudel.

There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theaters and stages. The Croatian National Theater in Zagreb was built in 1895 and opened by emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. The most renowned concert hall is named "Vatroslav Lisinski", after the composer of the first Croatian opera was built in 1973. Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Films, takes place every even-numbered year, and the Music Bienniale, the international festival of avant-garde music, every odd-numbered year. It also hosts the annual ZagrebDox documentary film festival. The Festival of the Zagreb Philharmonic and the flowers exhibition Floraart (end of May or beginning of June), the Old-timer Rally annual events. In the summer, theater performances and concerts, mostly in the Upper Town, are organized either indoors or outdoors. The stage on Opatovina hosts the Zagreb Histrionic Summer theater events. Zagreb is also the host of Zagrebfest, the oldest Croatian pop-music festival, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The Day of the City of Zagreb on November 16 is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the Jarun lake near the southwestern part of the city.

Many Zagreb restaurants offer various specialties of national and international cuisine. Domestic products which deserve to be tasted include turkey, duck or goose with mlinci (a kind of pasta), štrukli (cottage cheese strudel), sir i vrhnje (cottage cheese with cream), kremšnite (custard slices in flaky pastry), and orehnjača (traditional walnut roll).

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included the following Croatian sites on its World Heritage List:

Image	Name	Location	UNESCO data	Description
	Plitvice Lakes National Park	Plitvička Jezera	98 !98; 1979; Natural; (vii, viii, ix)	Over time, water has flowed over the natural limestone and chalk, creating natural dams which in turn have created a series of connecting lakes, waterfalls, and caves. The nearby forests are home to bears, wolves and many rare bird species.
	Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian	Split	97 !97; 1979; Cultural; (ii, iii, iv)	The palace was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the 4th century AD, and later served as the basis of the city of Split. A cathedral was built in the Middle Ages inside the ancient mausoleum, along with churches, fortifications, Gothic and Renaissance palaces. The Baroque style makes up the rest of the area.
	Old City of Dubrovnik	Dubrovnik	95 !95; 1979; Cultural; (i, iii, iv)	Dubrovnik became a prosperous Maritime Republic during the Middle Ages, it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries.
	Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč	Poreč	809 !809; 1997; Cultural; (ii, iv)	The episcopal complex, with its striking mosaics dating back to the 6th century, is one of the best examples of early Byzantine art and architecture in the Mediterranean region and the world. It includes the basilica itself, a sacristy, a baptistery and the bell tower of the nearby archbishop's palace.
	Historic city of Trogir	Trogir	810 !810; 1997; Cultural; (ii, iv)	Trogir's rich culture was created under the influence of old Greeks, Romans, and Venetians. It is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods.
	Cathedral of Saint James	Šibenik	963 !963; 2000; Cultural; (i, ii, iv)	The cathedral is a triple-nave basilica with three apses and a dome (32 m high inside) and is also one of the most important architectural monument of the Renaissance the eastern Adriatic.
	Stari Grad Plain	Hvar	1240 !1240; 2008; Cultural; (ii, iii, v)	The Stari Grad Plain is an agricultural landscape that was set up by the ancient Greek colonists in the 4th century BC, and remains in use today. The plain is by and large still in its original form. The ancient layout has been preserved by careful maintenance of the stone walls over 2,400 years.

History

Statistics by year

Year	Total tourist arrivals[53]	Total tourist nights[53]	Notes
1985	10,125,000	67,665,000
1986	10,151,000	68,216,000
1987	10,487,000	68,160,000
1988	10,354,000	67,298,000
1989	9,670,000	61,849,000
1990	8,497,000	52,523,000	First democratic elections Early Log Revolution-related incidents
1991	2,297,000	10,471,000	Croatian War of Independence begins Siege of Dubrovnik
1992	2,135,000	11,005,000
1993	2,514,000	13,208,000
1994	3,655,000	20,377,000
1995	2,610,000	13,151,000	End of Croatian War of Independence
1996	4,186,000	21,860,000
1997	5,585,000	30,775,000
1998	5,852,000	31,852,000
1999	5,127,000	27,126,000	NATO bombing of neighbouring FR Yugoslavia
2000	7,137,000	39,183,000
2001	7,860,000	43,404,000
2002	8,320,000	44,692,000
2003	8,878,000	46,635,000
2004	9,412,000	47,797,000
2005	9,995,000	51,421,000
2006	10,385,000	53,007,000
2007	11,162,000	56,005,000
2008	11,261,000	57,103,000
2009	10,935,000	56,301,000	Global financial crisis
2010	10,604,116	56,416,379
2011	TBD	TBD

See also

Croatia portal

• National parks in Croatia
• World Heritage Sites in Croatia

References

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33. ^ "The Rector's Palace". Dubrovnik Guide. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZdliVBO. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
34. ^ Croatian National Bank. Features of Kuna Banknotes: 50 kuna (1993 issue) & 50 kuna (2002 issue). – Retrieved on 30 March 2009.
35. ^ ^{a b} "Monuments (1 to 5)". Dubrovnik Online. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZfoXB6a. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
36. ^ "Franciscan monastery". Dubrovnik Guide. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZex4dgy. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
37. ^ "Franciscan Friary, Dubrovnik". Sacred Destinations. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZfE54l4. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
38. ^ "Church of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik". Sacred Destinations. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZgkO04Q. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
39. ^ "Monuments (16 to 20)". Dubrovnik Online. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZgalc2L. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
40. ^ "Dominican Friary, Dubrovnik". Sacred Destinations. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZfQyvhE. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
41. ^ Oliver, Jeanne. "Dominican Monastery". Croatia Traveller. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZhbUmeY. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
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43. ^ Oliver, Jeanne. "Dubrovnik's Walls". Croatia Traveler. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. http://www.webcitation.org/5nZiU3E3K. Retrieved 2010-02-16. 
44. ^ The Early Korčula Moreska Journal article by Max Harris, Lada Cale Feldman; Comparative Drama, Vol. 37, 2003
45. ^ Dunin, Elsie Ivancich, ed (2006) (in Croatian). Korčulanska Moreska. ISBN 95395471. 
46. ^ Varaždin - Historic Nucleus and Old Town (the Castle)
47. ^ Spancirfest main page
48. ^ Baroque Evenings
49. ^ Croatia by Vesna Marić, (2009)
50. ^ www.kopacki-rit.com
51. ^ "The History and Activities of the Archeological Museum". Archived from the original on 2006-05-18. http://web.archive.org/web/20060518052905/http://www.amz.hr/eng/page.asp?id=muzej&sub=2&url=povijest. Retrieved 2006-07-02. 
52. ^ "Croatian Natural History Museum". http://www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr/?id=94&l=e&nav=nav5&solo=270. Retrieved 2006-07-02. 
53. ^ ^{a b} http://reports.aiidatapro.com/CBE/Tourism_2009.pdf

External links

• Croatian National Tourist Board
• Croatia travel guide from Wikitravel