About Croatia
Geographical position
Croatia extends from the foothills of the Julian Alps in the north-west and the Pannonian Plain in the east, over the Dinara mountain range in its central region, to the Adriatic coast in the south. Area: 56,542 km2, with an additional 31,067 km2 of territorial waters. Population: 4.437.460
Capital
Zagreb (779.145 inhabitants – the administrative, cultural, academic and communication centre of the country).
Length of coast
5,835 km – including 4,058 km of island, islet and reef coastline.
Number of islands, islets and reefs: 1,185. The largest islands are those of Krk and Cres. There are 67 inhabited islands.
Climate
Northern Croatia has a continental climate; Central Croatia has a semi-highland and highland climate, while the Croatian coast has a Mediterranean climate. Winter temperatures range from -1 to 5°C in the continental region, -5 to 0°C in the mountain region and 5 to 10°C in the coastal region. Summer temperatures range from 22 to 26°C in the continental region, 15 to 20°C in the mountain region and 26 to 30°C in the coastal region.
Population
The majority of the population are Croats. National minorities include Serbs, Muslims, Slovenes, Italians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and others.
Official language and alphabet: Croatian language and Latin alphabet.
Religions
The majority of the population are Roman Catholics, and in addition there are a number of those of Orthodox faith, as well as Muslims, and Christians of other denominations.
Currency
Kuna (1 Kuna = 100 Lipa). There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Lipa coins, 1, 2, 5 and 25 Kuna coins and 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 Kuna banknotes.
Foreign currencies: can be exchanged at banks, exchange offices, post offices and at most tourist agencies, hotels and camping grounds. Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays banks are open until 1 p.m. In the larger cities some banks are also open on Sundays. Credit cards: Most hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, Sport Card International). Cash dispensing machines are ubiquitous.
Electricity
Voltage of city power grid – 220V, frequency 50HZ
Water
Tap water is potable throughout Croatia.
The telephone code for Croatia is +385.
Time zone
GMT plus one hour (+1) in winter and GMT plus two (+2) in summer.
Travel documentation
Passport or some other internationally recognized identification document. Tourists may remain in Croatia for up to three months.