The Republic of Croatia is an European country, located between the central and Mediterranean part of the continent. The population of Croatia reaches almost 4.3 million people and the capital city is Zagreb. Croatia is signature for its rocky landscape shaped by Dinaric Alps and azure Mediterranean waters hugging the coastline from the north to the very south.

Croatian neighbours are Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia. The country also possesses more than thousand islands of various sizes, including for instance the larger and well known islands of Krk and Cres.

From being part of the Roman Empire, through Yugoslavia to becoming a sovereign state, Croatia has been through a colourful history. It has served as a certain crossroad between the East and West, which has left some bloody marks, especially during the April War in 1941 (German Invasion of Yugoslavia) and the Croatian War of Independence (1991 – 1995) between Croatia and Serbians. Croatian independence was declared on 25th June 1991. As of 1st July 2013, Croatia is also a member of the European Union.

Croatia, thanks to its rich history, is a home to many UNESCO World Heritage places, including many lovely and cozy coastal towns presenting some incredible ancient architecture.

Some of the biggest natural attractions are also mesmerizing natural park and breathtaking waterfalls, such as Krka National Park or the protected Plitvice Lakes National Parks, offering a truly jaw-dropping natural experience. The country has also a great biodiversity within various biogeographical regions. All together, there is more than 400 protected areas in Croatia.

Apart from natural beauty found inland, the long stretch of coastline with mostly rocky beaches makes tourism industry one of the most important sectors.

The largest number of tourists each year comes from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and Italy. The tourism has grown rapidly also thanks to the infrastructure development, including mostly the modern motorway network development.