Croatia
Visited
At a glance
- Region
- Southeast Europe
- Capital
- Zagreb
- Population
- 3.9 million (2025)
- Area
- 56,594 km²
- Languages
- Croatian
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Drives on the
- right
- Calling code
- +385
Country visited City visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.
Before you go
Overview
The Republic of Croatia is located in Southeast Europe.
The country recorded a population of 4.076 million in 2019 and covers an area of 56,594 km2.
The capital city is Zagreb and it is the main transport hub in Europe for it joins Central Europe, Mediterranean and Southeast Europe together.
The second-largest city is Split.
The Capital, Zagreb
History
The country started as two different regions; the Duchy of Croatia and the Duchy of Pannonian Croatia, which later joined to form Kingdom of Croatia that lasted until 1918.
Yugoslavia took over the rule from 1918 to 1991, when the country gained its independence.
It officially joined NATO in 2009.
Food & culture
The Croatian inhabitation has existed for 14 centuries but there are remains of earlier ages preserved in the country.
The major crops grown in the country include maize, wheat, barley, oats, rye, forage crops and sugar beets.
The most common dishes in include black risotto, boskarin, brodetto, buzara, fritule and Istrian ham.
Wildlife
The most common wildlife animals include brown bear, wolf, lynx, olm and great bittern.
Festivals & events
The Croatian festivals include Ultra Europe, Outlook Origins Festival, Sonus Festival, Fresh Island Festival and Hideout Festival.
Things to see
There is the Plitvice lakes national park, which is a forest reserve in central Croatia with terraced lakes and waterfalls that jointly extend into a limestone canyon.
Hvar town is a Croatian island with beautiful beaches and is mainly visited during summer; it also has a hilltop fort.
The Dubrovnik old town walls and Diocletian’s palace split is also a majorly visited region.
Interesting facts
The biggest truffle in the world is found here.
It also harbours the highest numbers of UNESCO intangible goods in Europe.
It has the most and richest collection of Neanderthal.
It is where the necktie was invented.
The official language is Croatian and the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.
City guides
Cities & towns I’ve visited
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Croatia
3 of 9 visited. See every site I've been to.
- Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian 1979
- Old city (Dubrovnik) 1979
- Plitvice Lakes National Park 1979
- Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe 2007
- Euphrasian Basilica 1997
- Historic City of Trogir 1997
- Stari Grad Plain 2008
- The Venetian Works of defence between 15th and 17th centuries 2017
- Šibenik Cathedral 2000
My photos from Croatia
From 2 trips, newest first, so you can see which places each set of photos came from.
April 2017 Balkans Road Trip
Plitvice Lakes, Zagreb, Split, Krka National Park
Whole trip gallery
July 2014 Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Dalmatian coast, Dubrovnik
Whole trip gallery
Plan your trip to Croatia
- HotelsBooking.com
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
- FlightsKiwi.com
- Attraction ticketsTiqets
- Airport parking, lounges and transfersHoliday Extras
- Car hireAuto Europe
- Mobile data (eSIM)AiraloCode DAN9406 for money off
- GuidebooksAmazon
- Small-group adventuresMuch Better AdventuresActive small-group trips run by local experts.
Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.
