Croatia: Background Population: Population: 4.5 million Climate: Climate: Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast Area: Area: Slightly smaller than West Virginia Terrain: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands Terrain: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Croatia: History The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro- Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Croatia: Questions 1. Croatia was part of what communist country? 2. Croatia is similar in size to what U.S. state? 3. What is the capital of Croatia? 4. What body of water has the biggest impact on Croatia? 5. What famous river makes up the Eastern border with Serbia? 6. What is the major religion of most Croatians? 7. When did Croatia officially gain its independence from Yugoslavia?

Croatia: Assignment #1 Croatia is home to an extensive coastline on the Adriatic Sea. As a result, tourism is a major part of the Croatian economy. 1. List 3 reasons why tourists might want to visit Croatia. 2. How might tourism in Croatia differ from tourism in Italy, the country directly across the Adriatic?