Croatia Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Southeastern Europe.

Language

The official language is Croatian (Hrvatski). Ethnic minorities living in Croatia also speak Serbian, Slovenian, Hungarian and Italian. People working in tourism generally speak excellent English, plus some Italian and German.

Area

56,542 sq km (21,831 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Population

4.5 million (official estimate 2008).

Population Density

79.4 per sq km.

Capital City

Zagreb. Population: 784,900 (official estimate 2007).

Government

Republic. Independence from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia proclaimed in 1991.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor since 2009.

Head of State

President Stjepan Mesic since 2000.

Religion

Roman Catholic Croats (87.8% of the total population) and Eastern Orthodox Serbs (4.4%), as well as small communities of Protestants, Jews and Muslims.

Recent History

On 25 June 1991 Croatia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia, a move that resulted in the Homeland War (1991-1995), which saw Croatia pitted against the might of the Yugoslav army and Serb irregular forces. In December 1991 the German government recognized Croatian independence, with the rest of the world quickly following suit.

The death of the country's first democratically elected president, Franjo Tudjman, in December 1999 heralded a new era of Croatian politics; Stjepan Mesić stepped into the fold and Croatia adopted a more conciliatory approach at home and abroad. Steady progress has been made in improving relations with Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro and the country's economy is growing.

Croatia's accession to the EU, which began in February 2003, stalled in the face of the government's reluctance to hand military figures over to the Hague. However, Croatia is now on track to be a full member by 2010.

In July 2009, Jadranka Kosor became Croatia's first female prime minister following the surprise resignation of former PM, Ivo Sanader.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +385. Telephone booths are operated by phonecards available at post offices, news stands and in some tourist shops. There are also payphone booths in many post offices.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good. Local SIM cards are also readily available, often bundled with credit and a phone.

Internet

Internet cafes can be found in Zagreb and other main towns. They are easy to find (start by looking in one of the tourist agencies), though the connection speed varies.

Media

Croatia's media operate in a climate of relative freedom, especially compared to the restrictions of President Tudjman's era. The constitution bans censorship and guarantees press freedom. Croatian Radio-Television, HRT, is a national state-owned public broadcaster and is financed by a mixture of advertising and license-fee revenues. Other networks include Nova and RTL. Public TV is the main source of news and information. National and regional newspapers include Jutarnji list and Večernji list; the Croatian Times (www.croatiantimes.com) is an English-language news website.

Post

Stamps are available in post offices and from news stands. Allow around a week for letters to the UK, 10 days to the US. See Croatian Postal Services website (www.posta.hr).Mon-Fri 0700-1900 and Sat 0700-1300. Some may be open until 2200 in larger cities.

Press

• The main daily local newspapers are Novi List (Rijeka), Slobodna Dalmacija (Split) and Vecernji List (Zagreb).
• The weekly press includes Globus and Nacional.
• There are no English-language newspapers at present.

Radio

•Croatian Radio is public and operates three national networks.
• Radio 101, Otvoreni Radio and Narodni Radio are commercial stations.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2013
1 Jan New Year’s Day
29 Mar - 1 Apr Easter
1 May Labor Day

2011
22 Jun Anti-Fascist Resistance Day
23 Jun Corpus Christi
25 Jun Croatian National Day
5 Aug Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day
8 Oct Independence Day
1 Nov All Saint’s Day
25 Dec - 26 Dec Christmas

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
6 Jan Epiphany
6 Apr - 9 Apr Easter
1 May Labor Day
7 Jun Corpus Christi
22 Jun Anti-Fascist Resistance Day
25 Jun Croatian National Day
5 Aug Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day
8 Oct Independence Day
1 Nov All Saint’s Day
25 Dec Christmas

Contact Information

Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the UK

21 Conway Street, London W1T 6BN, UK
Tel: (020) 7387 2022 or 1144 (consular section).
Website: http://uk.mvp.hr
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; Mon-Thurs 1100-1400, Fri 1000-1200 (visa section).

Croatian National Tourist Office in the UK

2 The Lanchesters, 162-164 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 9ER, UK
Tel: (020) 8563 7979.
Website: www.croatia.hr

Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the USA

2343 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 588 5899.
Website: www.croatiaemb.org

Croatian National Tourist Office in the USA

350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4003, New York, NY 10118, USA
Tel: (212) 279 8672.
Website: www.croatia.hr