Formerly a part of the nation of Yugoslavia, the country of Croatia declared its independence on June 25, 1991. Throughout its long history, Croatia has had struggles with various neighboring groups, particularly the Serbians. Tensions between Croatia and Serbia exploded into a war in the 1990s that lasted throughout much of the decade. A state of peace returned in Croatia in the late 1990s. The capital is Zagreb. GeographyThe Republic of Croatia covers 21,829 square miles (56,610 square kilometers) in an area of southern Europe known as the Balkans. The Adriatic Sea runs along Croatia's southwestern boundary, separating the country from Italy. Slovenia and Hungary are to Croatia's north. To the south and east are Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro. - The Dinaric Alps rising from the Dalmatian coast at Makarska, a resort town south of Split, Croatia.
Croatia consists of three geographic regions. Along the Adriatic are the coastal regions of Dalmatia and the Istrian peninsula. Rising up from Dalmatia is a mountainous section that is part of the Dinaric Alps. In the north of the country is an area known as the Pannonian plain, where most of Croatia's farms are located. A series of more than 1,000 small islands belonging to Croatia dot the Adriatic coast. The Sava and Drava rivers are two of the largest of the country's many waterways. PeopleLike all of the countries of the former nation of Yugoslavia, Croatia is an ethnically and culturally diverse nation. During the 1990s, tensions between differing ethnic groups contributed to the outbreak of civil war in Croatia. In the early 1990s, before the war broke out, Croats, a Slavic people, made up about three fourths of Croatia's population. Most Croats are members of the Roman Catholic church and speak Croatian. Serbs composed approximately 12 percent of the population in Croatia. The bulk of the Serbian population follows the Eastern Orthodox religion and speaks Serbian. Muslims composed the third largest ethnic group in Croatia in 1991. Small populations of Hungarians, Slovenians, Czechs, and Albanians also lived in Croatia prior to the war. Many of these ethnic minorities were forced out of their homes during the civil war, and post-war population figures remain unreliable. EconomyAbout two thirds of the Croatian population was involved in agriculture before World War II began in 1939. Although agriculture remains an important part of the Croatian economy, many people have settled in cities and have become involved in industry. Prior to the civil war, Croatia was the industrial center of Yugoslavia. A decade of warfare severely damaged Croatia's once-thriving economy, however, particularly the tourism industry. Corn (maize), sugar beets, potatoes, and wheat are grown for domestic use and export. Farmers grow grapes to make wine. Pig, sheep, and cattle herding make up an important part of the economy in Croatia's mountainous regions. Along the coast, a thriving fishing industry continues to provide a large amount of food and employment. Oil reserves discovered after World War II gave rise to a sizable petroleum industry in Croatia. Croatia's factories produce machinery, textiles, iron and steel, paper, and wood products. The country also developed strong chemical and electronic industries. Shipbuilding provides many jobs along the coastal regions. HistoryWhile the early history of the Croats remains unclear, it is generally believed that they are a Slavic tribe that began to settle in the lower Danube Valley in the 6th century. In the 10th century, Croatia became an independent kingdom. In 1091, King Ladislas I of Hungary conquered Croatia. For the next eight centuries Croatia remained a part of Hungary, and later Austria-Hungary, though the region was occupied by Ottoman Turks from 1526 to 1699. During the 19th century, a movement for national independence began in Croatia, and in 1868 Croatia gained a small degree of independence from Austria-Hungary. The fierce fighting of World War I (1914–18) finally destroyed the empire of Austria-Hungary, and the Balkan regions fell into chaos. Creation of YugoslaviaIn 1918, Croatia was proclaimed independent from its previous ties with Hungary and Austria. Croatia then joined the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. The new nation united the lands of Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. In 1929 the new multinational state was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Despite formal ties, sharp tensions existed between the various nations. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was invaded by Germany and its allies (known as the Axis powers) during World War II. The Croats, along with the Slovenes, openly sided with the invading Axis armies. The Serbs, led by a group of Communists, fought a long and violent war against these invading powers. Yugoslavia witnessed some of the bitterest fighting in the entire war. The invading Axis powers were eventually driven back, leaving the Communists in control of the country. The Federal Republic of YugoslaviaUnder the leadership of Josip Broz (better known as Tito), a new Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was officially established in 1946. During his life, Tito succeeded in easing tensions between national groups in Yugoslavia. Following his death in 1980, however, the Communist government in Yugoslavia weakened. In the late 1980s the Communists agreed to give up power, and multiparty elections were held in 1990. Civil warWith the end of Communism, old national tensions quickly resurfaced in Yugoslavia. In 1991, Croatia and Slovenia declared their independence from Serb-dominated Yugoslavia. Yugoslav federal troops invaded to try to stop them from separating. Under nationalist leader Franjo Tudjman, Croatia fought a bitter war to secure its independence. Although attempts at a cease-fire were made, hopes for peace ended in 1992 when Bosnia and Herzegovina announced its independence from Yugoslavia. This action sparked more fighting in the area, pitting Serbs, Croats, and Muslims against one another. In 1995 the leaders of Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a peace agreement. Croatia, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, had gained independence. Serbia and the republic of Montenegro were all that remained of Yugoslavia, though they eventually dropped that name and became simply Serbia and Montenegro. Occasional fighting continued within Croatia, but the death of President Tudjman in 1999 helped bring this to an end. His ruling party was defeated in elections in 2000. Croatia began to rebuild itself and experienced a modest recovery during the first years of the 21st century. Population (2001 estimate), 4,393,000. |