Croatian Littoral ( hr, Hrvatsko primorje) is a historical name for the region of
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capi ...
comprising mostly the coastal areas between traditional
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see names in other languages) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, str ...
to the south,
Mountainous Croatia to the north,
Istria
Istria ( ; Croatian and Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian, Italian and Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic betwe ...
and the
Kvarner Gulf
The Kvarner Gulf (, or , la, Sinus Flanaticus or ), sometimes also Kvarner Bay, is a bay in the northern Adriatic Sea, located between the Istrian peninsula and the northern Croatian Littoral mainland. The bay is a part of Croatia's internal ...
of the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to th ...
to the west. The term "Croatian
Littoral" developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, reflecting the complex development of Croatia in historical and geographical terms.
The region saw frequent changes to its ruling powers since
classical antiquity
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
, including the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
, the
Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
, the
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...
, the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
, the
Frankish Empire
Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks ( la, Regnum Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire ( la, Imperium Francorum), was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks dur ...
, and the
Croats
The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic ...
, some of whose major historical heritage originates from the area—most notably the
Baška tablet. The region and adjacent territories became a point of contention between major European powers, including the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...
, the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coronation of the Hungarian monarch, c ...
, and the
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...
and
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
s, as well as
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, the
First French Empire
The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental E ...
, the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
, and
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
.
Geography
Croatian Littoral is a
geographical region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capi ...
comprising the area between
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see names in other languages) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, str ...
to the south,
Mountainous Croatia to the north and east, and
Istria
Istria ( ; Croatian and Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian, Italian and Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic betwe ...
and the
Kvarner Gulf
The Kvarner Gulf (, or , la, Sinus Flanaticus or ), sometimes also Kvarner Bay, is a bay in the northern Adriatic Sea, located between the Istrian peninsula and the northern Croatian Littoral mainland. The bay is a part of Croatia's internal ...
of the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to th ...
to the west. The region encompasses a large part of
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County ( hr, Primorsko-goranska županija, ) is a county in western Croatia that includes the Bay of Kvarner, the surrounding Northern Croatian Littoral, and the mountainous region of Gorski kotar. Its center is Rijeka. ...
and the coastal part of
Lika-Senj County
Lika-Senj County (, hr, Ličko-senjska županija) is a county in Croatia that includes most of the Lika region and some northern coastline of the Adriatic near the town of Senj, including the northern part of the Pag island. Its center is ...
. The island of
Pag is sometimes included in the region, although it is normally considered to be part of Dalmatia.
The islands of
Cres
Cres (; dlm, Crepsa, vec, Cherso, it, Cherso, la, Crepsa, Greek: Χέρσος, ''Chersos'') is an Adriatic island in Croatia. It is one of the northern islands in the Kvarner Gulf and can be reached via ferry from Rijeka, the island K ...
,
Lošinj,
Krk, and
Rab
Rab �âːb( dlm, Arba, la, Arba, it, Arbe, german: Arbey) is an island in the northern Dalmatia region in Croatia, located just off the northern Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea.
The island is long, has an area of and 9,328 inhabitants (2 ...
, as well as further comparatively small nearby islands, are also considered part of the region, contributing to an alternate name for the region—Kvarner Littoral or Kvarner. Various definitions exist as to the extent of "Croatian Littoral" and "Kvarner Littoral" as geographical terms. Specifically, Kvarner Littoral is variously considered to extend east to
Senj, or even further east.
On the other hand, Kvarner is normally considered to include Istria east of
Učka mountain, making Kvarner synonymous with the coastal areas and islands of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Croatian Littoral covers , has a population of 228,725, and the region as a whole has a population density of . The islands, encompassing , are home to 39,450 residents.
More than half the region's population lives in the city of
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Prim ...
—by far the largest urban centre in the area. All other settlements in the region are relatively small, with only four of them exceeding a population of 4,000:
Crikvenica,
Mali Lošinj (the largest island settlement), Senj, and
Kostrena
Kostrena ( it, Costrena) is a Croatian municipality east of Rijeka on the Kvarner Bay. It is famous for its beaches and a long tradition of seafaring and seamanship. Because of its rocky beaches and a walkway that goes along the shoreline, it is ...
.
Topography and geology
The foothills of mountains that form the northeast boundary of the region, as well as
islands
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
in the Kvarner Gulf, are part of the
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps (), also Dinarides, are a mountain range in Southern and Southcentral Europe, separating the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herz ...
, linked to a
fold and thrust belt continuously developing from the Late
Jurassic
The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...
to recent times. The thrust belt is a part of the
Alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National P ...
orogeny
Orogeny is a mountain building process. An orogeny is an event that takes place at a convergent plate margin when plate motion compresses the margin. An '' orogenic belt'' or ''orogen'' develops as the compressed plate crumples and is uplifted ...
and extends southeast from the southern
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
.
Geomorphologically the region was formed as the
Adriatic Plate is subducted under structural units comprising the Dinaric Alps. The process formed several
seismic fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...
s, with most significant among them being the
Ilirska Bistrica
Ilirska Bistrica (; german: Illyrisch Feistritz; it, Villa del Nevoso, before 1927: ''Bisterza,'' Hungarian: ''Illírbeszterce'') is a town in the Inner Carniola region of southwestern Slovenia. It is the administrative seat of the Municipalit ...
– Rijeka – Senj fault, which was the source of several significant earthquakes in past centuries. The Dinaric Alps in Croatia encompass the regions of
Gorski Kotar and
Lika
Lika () is a traditional region of Croatia proper, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east b ...
in the immediate hinterland of the Croatian Littoral, as well as considerable parts of Dalmatia. Their northeastern edge runs from
Žumberak to the
Banovina region, along the Sava River, and their westernmost landforms are the
Ćićarija and the Učka mountains in Istria to the west of the Croatian Littoral region.
Karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, Dolomite (rock), dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathe ...
topography makes up about
half of Croatia and is especially prominent in the Dinaric Alps and the Croatian Littoral. Though most of the soil in the region developed from
carbonate rock
Carbonate rocks are a class of sedimentary rocks composed primarily of carbonate minerals. The two major types are limestone, which is composed of calcite or aragonite (different crystal forms of CaCO3), and dolomite rock (also known as dolosto ...
,
flysch
Flysch () is a sequence of sedimentary rock layers that progress from deep-water and turbidity flow deposits to shallow-water shales and sandstones. It is deposited when a deep basin forms rapidly on the continental side of a mountain building epi ...
is significantly represented on the Kvarner Gulf coast opposite Krk. The karst topography developed from the
Adriatic Carbonate Platform
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to the ...
, where karstification largely began after the final raising of the
Dinarides in the
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but t ...
and
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
epochs, when carbonate rock was exposed to atmospheric effects such as rain; this extended to below the present sea level, exposed during the
Last Glacial Maximum
The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), also referred to as the Late Glacial Maximum, was the most recent time during the Last Glacial Period that ice sheets were at their greatest extent.
Ice sheets covered much of Northern North America, Northern Eu ...
's sea level drop. It is surmised that some karst formations are related to earlier drops of sea level, most notably the
Messinian salinity crisis
The Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), also referred to as the Messinian event, and in its latest stage as the Lago Mare event, was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partial or nearly complete desiccation (d ...
.
Cres – Lošinj and Krk – Rab
island chains divide the Kvarner Gulf into four distinct areas:
Rijeka Bay, Kvarner (
sensu stricto
''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular c ...
),
Kvarnerić, and
Vinodol Channel. The Cres – Lošinj group also includes the inhabited islands of
Ilovik
The islands of Ilovik ( it, Asinello) and '' Sveti Petar'' ( it, San Pietro) are located in Croatia south of the island Lošinj (Lussino), separated by the Strait of Ilovik ( hr, Ilovačka vrata).
Geography
The only village located on the islan ...
,
Susak
Susak ( it, Sansego; German and French: ''Sansig'') is a small island on the northern Adriatic coast of Croatia. The name ''Sansego'' comes from the Greek word ''Sansegus'' meaning oregano which grows in abundance on the island. A small perc ...
,
Unije
Unije (; it, Unie) is an island in Croatia. It is part of the Cres-Lošinj archipelago, which is situated at the northern portion of the Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Ba ...
,
Vele Srakane
Vele Srakane is an island in the Croatian part of Adriatic Sea. It is situated between Lošinj, Unije and Susak, just north of Male Srakane. Its area is 1.15 km2,
and it has a population of 3 (2011 census), down from 8 in 2001. Highest pea ...
, and
Male Srakane, as well as a larger number of small, uninhabited islands. The
Zadar Archipelago extends to the southeast of the island group. The Krk – Rab island group includes only uninhabited islands in addition to Krk and Rab, the largest among them
Plavnik,
Sveti Grgur,
Prvić, and
Goli Otok. The Krk – Rab island group is usually thought to represent a single archipelago with the island of Pag (southeast of Rab) and islets surrounding Pag.
Hydrology and climate
The availability of water varies significantly throughout the region. The area between Rijeka and
Vinodol Vinodol is a Slavs, Slavic toponym that may refer to:
*Vinodol, Nitra, village and municipality in Slovakia
*Vinodol, Croatia, municipality and valley in Croatia
**Vinodol Channel, channel in Croatia
**Vinodol Hydroelectric Power Plant, power plant ...
contains numerous freshwater springs that are largely tapped for water supply systems. Water significantly contributed to the geomorphology of the area, especially in the
Bay of Bakar The Bay of Bakar is located on the Croatian Adriatic coast, within the Gulf of Kvarner. There are two towns centered on bay of Bakar: Bakar and Kraljevica. While Bakar and Kraljevica are port towns, in outback of bay of Bakar there are the industr ...
, a
ria located between Rijeka and
Kraljevica
Kraljevica (known as ''Porto Re'' in Italian language, Italian and literally translated as "King's cove" in English language, English) is a town in the Kvarner region of Croatia, located between Rijeka and Crikvenica, approximately thirty kilomet ...
. At the seaward slopes of
Velebit, in areas near Senj and
Karlobag, surface watercourses are sparse. They form
losing streams flowing to the sea, while springs of lower yield dry up during summer. The most significant watercourse in the region is the long
Rječina River,
flowing into the Adriatic Sea in the city of Rijeka. The islands of Cres, Krk, and Lošinj have significant surface water that is used as the primary water supply source on those islands. The most significant among them is
Lake Vrana on the island of Cres, containing of water.
The surface of the freshwater lake is at above sea level, while its maximum depth is .
The Gulf of Kvarner is an especially significant area for the preservation of
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity'') ...
.
The Kvarner Gulf islands and the immediate mainland coastal areas enjoy a
moderately warm and rainy hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Cfa), although the southern part of the Lošinj Island enjoys
hot-summer Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(Csa) as defined by the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
. Areas of the Croatian Littoral further away from the coast enjoy a moderately warm and rainy
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
(Cfb), similar to the
continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing so ...
of most inland regions of Croatia. The mean monthly temperature varies throughout the region. On the mainland coast it ranges between (in January) and (in July). On the Kvarner Gulf islands the mean monthly temperature is somewhat higher; it ranges from (in January) to (in July), while at higher elevations, in the mountains found along the northern and eastern peripheral areas of the region, temperatures range between (in January) and (in July).
The lowest air temperature recorded in the region, , was measured in Senj, on 10 February 1956. The islands of Lošinj, Cres, Krk, and Rab receive the most sunshine during the year—with 217 clear days per year on average. Seawater temperatures reach up to in summer, while dipping to in spring and autumn and as low as in winter.
The predominant winter winds are the
bora and
jugo
Sirocco ( ), scirocco, or, rarely, siroc (see below) is a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe, especially during the summer season.
Names
''Sirocco'' derives from ...
. The bora is significantly conditioned by wind gaps in the Dinaric Alps bringing cold and dry continental air—the point where it reaches its peak speed is at Senj, with gusts of up to . The jugo brings humid and warm air, often carrying
Sahara
, photo = Sahara real color.jpg
, photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972
, map =
, map_image =
, location =
, country =
, country1 =
, ...
n sand that causes
rain dust
Rain dust or snow dust, traditionally known as muddy rain, red rain, or coloured rain, is a variety of rain (or any other form of precipitation) which contains enough desert dust for the dust to be visible without using a microscope.
History ...
.
Secondary definition
In modern times, the term Croatian Littoral is also applied to entire Adriatic coast of the Republic of Croatia in general terms, which is then divided into the
Southern Croatian Littoral () comprising Dalmatia, and the
Northern Croatian Littoral () comprising Istria and Croatian Littoral in the strict meaning of the term.
History
Middle Ages
In the
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
, after the
decline of the Roman Empire
The fall of the Western Roman Empire (also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome) was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vas ...
, the Adriatic coasts of the region were ruled by
Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
,
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...
, and the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
. The
Carolingian Empire
The Carolingian Empire (800–888) was a large Frankish-dominated empire in western and central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as kings of the Franks since 751 and as kings of the L ...
arose in the last part of the period and subsequently the
Frankish Kingdom of Italy took control of the Adriatic Sea's western coast extending to the Kvarner Gulf, while Byzantine control of the opposite coast gradually shrunk following the
Avar and
Croatian invasions starting in the 7th century.
The region was gradually incorporated into the
medieval Kingdom of Croatia
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
by the 11th century, when the kingdom reached its territorial peak, and the city of Senj became the most important centre of the region. Items of significance to Croatian historical heritage originated from the region in that period. The most notable among them is the
Baška tablet, one of the oldest surviving inscriptions in
Croatian.
The region continued to be contested throughout the
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...
as the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...
started to expand its influence and territory, gradually pushing back Croatia, which had been in a
personal union of Croatia and Hungary since 1102.
By 1420, Venice controlled Istria and Dalmatia, as well as all the Kvarner Gulf islands except Krk. The island became a part of the realm in 1481, but Venice never captured the region's mainland, which would have entirely linked Venetian possessions in the eastern Adriatic.
Habsburg era
Ottoman conquests led to the
Battle of Krbava field (1493) and the
Battle of Mohács (1526), both decisive Ottoman victories, the latter of which caused a succession crisis in the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coronation of the Hungarian monarch, c ...
. In the
1527 election in Cetin
The 1527 election in Cetin ( hr, Cetinski / Cetingradski sabor, meaning Parliament on Cetin(grad) or Parliament of Cetin(grad), or ) was an assembly of the Croatian Parliament in the Cetin Castle in 1527. It followed a succession crisis in the Kin ...
,
Ferdinand I of Habsburg
Ferdinand I ( es, Fernando I; 10 March 1503 – 25 July 1564) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1556, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1526, and Archduke of Austria from 1521 until his death in 1564.Milan Kruhek: Cetin, grad izbornog s ...
was chosen as the new ruler of Croatia, under the condition that he provide protection to Croatia against the Ottoman Empire,
which had extended as far as Lika in the immediate hinterland of the region since 1522.
As the region became a point of contention between the Habsburgs, Ottomans, and Venetians, its defense was given high importance in the newly established
Croatian Military Frontier
The Croatian Military Frontier ( hr, Vojna krajina or ') was a district of the Military Frontier, a territory in the Habsburg monarchy, first during the period of the Austrian Empire and then during Austria-Hungary.
History
Founded in the late 1 ...
, as exemplified by the
Uskoks of Senj. After the Ottoman conquest of their original base in
Klis, the Uskoks established a new headquarters in
Nehaj Fortress as a
bulwark
Bulwark primarily refers to:
* Bulwark (nautical), a nautical term for the extension of a ship's side above the level of a weather deck
* Bastion, a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification
The Bulwark primarily refer ...
against westward expansion by the Ottomans. They also launched raids against Christian communities under Ottoman rule and Venetian commerce and subjects. Increasing conflict between the Uskoks and Venice culminated in 1615 – 1617
Uskok War, which resulted in the resettling of the Uskoks, whose final years in Senj were marked by piracy and looting. Between 1684 and 1689, the Ottomans were forced to retreat from Lika and the entire hinterland of the region.
In 1797 the Republic of Venice was abolished after the
French conquest. The Venetian territory was then handed over to the
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria (german: Erzherzogtum Österreich) was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire and the nucleus of the Habsburg monarchy. With its capital at Vienna, the archduchy was centered at the Empire's southeastern peripher ...
. The territory was returned to France after the
Peace of Pressburg in 1805. However, the former Venetian possessions on the eastern Adriatic shore, including the present-day Croatian Littoral, were joined into a set of separate provinces of the
French Empire: the
Illyrian Provinces
The Illyrian Provinces sl, Ilirske province hr, Ilirske provincije sr, Илирске провинције it, Province illirichegerman: Illyrische Provinzen, group=note were an autonomous province of France during the First French Empire that e ...
,
created in 1809 through the
Treaty of Schönbrunn. Days before the
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Sevent ...
, the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon ...
awarded the Illyrian Provinces (spanning from the Gulf of
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into pr ...
to the
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
) to the
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central- Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
.
In 1816 the
Kingdom of Illyria
The Kingdom of Illyria was a crown land of the Austrian Empire from 1816 to 1849, the successor state of the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces, which were reconquered by Austria in the War of the Sixth Coalition. It was established according to th ...
—an Austrian
crown land
Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it ...
—was carved out of the former French possession. The territory originally included
Carinthia
Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Bavarian group. Carin ...
,
Carniola
Carniola ( sl, Kranjska; , german: Krain; it, Carniola; hu, Krajna) is a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Although as a whole it does not exist anymore, Slovenes living within the former borders of the region s ...
,
Gorizia and Gradisca
The Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca (german: Gefürstete Grafschaft Görz und Gradisca; it, Principesca Contea di Gorizia e Gradisca; sl, Poknežena grofija Goriška in Gradiščanska), historically sometimes shortened to and spelled " ...
, Trieste, Istria, Rijeka, and
Civil Croatia south of the
Sava
The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally t ...
River, corresponding to present-day Croatian Littoral and Mountainous Croatia, except the island of Rab.
The island and the rest of the former Illyrian Provinces were made a separate crown land, named
Kingdom of Dalmatia, in 1817. Rijeka and Civil Croatia were restored to the Kingdom of Croatia and thus the
Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen
The Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen ( hu, a Szent Korona Országai), informally Transleithania (meaning the lands or region "beyond" the Leitha River) were the Hungarian territories of Austria-Hungary, throughout the latter's entire exis ...
in 1822,
reflecting a series of 18th-century royal
letters patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, tit ...
assigning Rijeka to Civil Croatia and the Kingdom of Hungary, giving rise to use of the term "Hungarian Littoral" ( hu, Magyar partvidék).
Illyria was abolished in 1849 and the crown lands of Carinthia, Carniola, and
Austrian Littoral
The Austrian Littoral (german: Österreichisches Küstenland, it, Litorale Austriaco, hr, Austrijsko primorje, sl, Avstrijsko primorje, hu, Osztrák Tengermellék) was a crown land (''Kronland'') of the Austrian Empire, established in 1849. I ...
(german: Österreichisches Küstenland) were established in its place, with the latter including the Krk and Cres – Lošinj island groups. Through the
Croatian–Hungarian Settlement of 1868 a
corpus separatum
''Corpus separatum'' is a Latin term referring to a city or region which is given a special legal and political status different from its environment, but which falls short of being sovereign, or an independent city state. The term may refer to:
* ...
was formed containing the city of Rijeka, as a territory directly controlled by Hungary. In 1881, the military frontier, containing the Senj and Velebit foothills, was absorbed by the
Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia ( hr, Kraljevina Hrvatska i Slavonija; hu, Horvát-Szlavónország or ; de-AT, Königreich Kroatien und Slawonien) was a nominally autonomous kingdom and constitutionally defined separate political nation with ...
.
20th century
Following World War I, the dissolution of
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, and the
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon (french: Traité de Trianon, hu, Trianoni békeszerződés, it, Trattato del Trianon) was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference and was signed in the Grand Trianon château in Versailles on 4 June 1920. It forma ...
, Hungary lost its possessions in the region.
In 1918, a short-lived, unrecognised
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was formed out of parts of Austria-Hungary, comprising most of the former monarchy's Adriatic coastline and the entire present-day Croatian Littoral. Later that year, the
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Краљевина Србија, Kraljevina Srbija) was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Prin ...
and the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs formed the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
—subsequently renamed to
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
. The new union's proponents at the time in the
Croatian Parliament
The Croatian Parliament ( hr, Hrvatski sabor) or the Sabor is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Croatia. Under the terms of the Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the people and is vested with legislative power. The Sa ...
saw the move as a defence against Italian expansionism such as via provisions of the 1915
Treaty of London. The treaty was largely disregarded by
Britain and
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
because of conflicting promises made to Serbia and a perceived lack of Italian contribution to the war effort outside
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
itself.
The 1919
Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye did transfer the Austrian Littoral to Italy, but awarded Dalmatia to Yugoslavia. Following the war, a
private force of demobilized Italian soldiers seized Rijeka and set up the
Italian Regency of Carnaro—seen as a harbinger of
Fascism
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and t ...
—to force the recognition of Italian claims to the city. After sixteen months of the Regency's existence, the
1920 Treaty of Rapallo redefined the Italian–Yugoslav borders, among other things transferring
Zadar
Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ser ...
and the islands of Cres, Lastovo, and
Palagruža
Palagruža (; it, Pelagosa) is a small Croatian archipelago in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. It is uninhabited, except by lighthouse staff and occasional summer tourists.
Geography
It consists of one larger island, called ''Vela'' or ''Vel ...
to Italy, securing the island of Krk for Yugoslavia, and establishing the
Free State of Fiume
The Free State of Fiume () was an independent free state that existed between 1920 and 1924. Its territory of comprised the city of Fiume (today Rijeka, Croatia) and rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to the ...
; this new state was abolished in 1924 by the
Treaty of Rome
The Treaty of Rome, or EEC Treaty (officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community), brought about the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), the best known of the European Communities (EC). The treaty was sig ...
that awarded Rijeka to Italy and
Sušak to Yugoslavia.
In April 1941,
Yugoslavia was occupied by
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
and Italy, the latter annexing or occupying the Croatian Littoral, although the
armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces
The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies of World War II, Allies during World War II.
It was signed by Major General (United States), Majo ...
of World War II and the 1947
Treaty of Peace with Italy reversed wartime Italian territorial gains, awarding the entire region and adjacent territory to Yugoslavia and the
Federal State of Croatia
The Socialist Republic of Croatia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Hrvatska, Социјалистичка Република Хрватска), or SR Croatia, was a constituent republic and federated state of the Sociali ...
.
After the
fall of communism
The Revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, was a revolutionary wave that resulted in the end of most communist states in the world. Sometimes this revolutionary wave is also called the Fall of Nations or the Autumn of Nat ...
,
Yugoslavia broke apart as
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...
and
Croatia declared independence in 1991. Although the region suffered an economic decline during the
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yug ...
, there was no fighting in the region.
Culture
Since
classical antiquity
Classical antiquity (also the classical era, classical period or classical age) is the period of cultural history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD centred on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ...
, the area around Kvarner Bay has been characterized as a meeting point of diverse cultures—from
Hellenic and
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
cultures, through the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
and a succession of various rulers, to the present day. This blending is reflected in the
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...
of the area, including
Zvončari—bell-ringers best known for annual pageant in
Kastav, listed on
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
's
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Crossbowmen from Rab are a
living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to ree ...
company
reenacting an
arbalest
The arbalest (also arblast) was a late variation of the crossbow coming into use in Europe during the 12th century. A large weapon, the arbalest had a steel prod (the "bow" portion of the weapon). Since the arbalest was much larger than earlier ...
tournament first held in 1364 to commemorate the successful defence of the island using that weapon. A typical decorative motif used in the region is ''morčić'' (plural: ''morčići'')—a dark skinned
Moor used as a centerpiece on
jewelry
Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...
, usually earrings. Legend has it that the motif is related to a hypothesized battle between Croatian and Ottoman armies on Grobnik north of Rijeka, but it is more likely that it is of Venetian origin, as it is similar to the Venetian ''moretti'' motif, used mostly on brooches and pins.
The earliest architectural heritage of the region includes
ruins
Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...
of Roman and Byzantine buildings throughout the area and early medieval Croatian burial grounds in the Vinodol area. There are preserved examples of the
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this lat ...
on the island of Krk, in Vinodol, and in the Kastav area—largely churches, monasteries, and fortifications such as
Drivenik Castle. Several preserved examples of
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
churches exist on the mainland, but during the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
, construction largely consisted of fortifications because of the Ottoman conquest of the hinterland of the region. The most powerful noblemen in the region, the
House of Zrinski and the
House of Frankopan, built numerous castles in the area. They include the castles of
Trsat
Trsat ( it, Tersatto, la, Tarsatica) is part of the city of Rijeka, Croatia, with a historic castle or fortress in a strategic location and several historic churches, in one of which the Croatian noble Prince Vuk Krsto Frankopan is buried. Trs ...
, Grobnik,
Bakar,
Kraljevica
Kraljevica (known as ''Porto Re'' in Italian language, Italian and literally translated as "King's cove" in English language, English) is a town in the Kvarner region of Croatia, located between Rijeka and Crikvenica, approximately thirty kilomet ...
, Ledenice,
Bribir,
Hreljin
Hreljin is a village in western Croatia, just northeast of Bakar and northwest of Kraljevica, above Bay of Bakar ( hr, Bakarski zaljev).
Hreljin administratively belongs to the city of Bakar, situated in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
Primorje-G ...
,
Grižane, Novi Vinodolski,
Krk, Drivenik and Gradec near
Vrbnik. The most representative piece of
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means ...
is the
St. Vitus Cathedral
, native_name_lang = Czech
, image = St Vitus Prague September 2016-21.jpg
, imagesize = 300px
, imagelink =
, imagealt =
, landscape =
, caption ...
in Rijeka.
The region was birthplace or home to several writers who made their marks in
Croatian,
Italian, and
Austrian literature
Austrian literature () is mostly written in German, and is closely connected with German literature.
Origin and background
From the 19th century onward, Austria was the home of novelists and short-story writers, including Adalbert Stifter, A ...
. These include
Ivan Mažuranić—one of the foremost authors of Croatian literature in the first half of the 19th century—
Janko Polić Kamov,
Ödön von Horváth, and many others.
Chakavian dialect, spoken in the region, is widely present in the works of poets born or living in the region. The most significant artist from the region is
Juraj Julije Klović ( it, Giorgio Giulio Clovio)—a 16th-century
miniaturist
A portrait miniature is a miniature portrait painting, usually executed in gouache, watercolor, or enamel. Portrait miniatures developed out of the techniques of the miniatures in illuminated manuscripts, and were popular among 16th-century eli ...
,
illuminator, and artist born in
Grižane in Vinodol. 20th-century artists born or active in the region are
Romolo Venucci,
Jakov Smokvina,
Vladimir Udatny,
Antun Haller,
Ivo Kalina,
Vjekoslav Vojo Radoičić, and many others. Churches and monasteries in the region treasure a great number of works of art. These include a 1535 altar
polyptych
A polyptych ( ; Greek: ''poly-'' "many" and ''ptychē'' "fold") is a painting (usually panel painting) which is divided into sections, or panels. Specifically, a "diptych" is a two-part work of art; a " triptych" is a three-part work; a tetrapt ...
by
Girolamo da Santacroce
Girolamo da Santacroce (c. 1480/85 – c. 1556) was a 16th-century Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Venice and the Venetian mainland.[Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...]
monastery on
Košljun island, while a
Paolo Veneziano
Paolo Veneziano, also Veneziano Paolo or Paolo da Venezia (active by 1333, died after 1358) was a 14th-century painter from Venice, the "founder of the Venetian School" of painting, probably active between about 1321 and 1362. polyptych from
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
abbey in
Jurandvor
Jurandvor is a village in Croatia, just to the north of Baška. It is connected by the D102 highway.
The historic Church of St. Lucy, Jurandvor
The Church of St. Lucy ( hr, Crkva svete Lucije) in Jurandvor near Baška, Krk, Croatia is a R ...
near
Baška is in the collection of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Krk
The Diocese of Krk ( hr, Krčka biskupija; la, Dioecesis Veglensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church active on the Croatian islands of Krk, Rab, Cres and Lošinj, as well as a few smaller ones and also a ...
.
Economy
The economy of the Croatian Littoral is largely centered on the city of Rijeka, whose economic impact is felt directly not only in the geographic region, but also in other parts of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County—
Gorski Kotar and
Liburnia (modern region)—and a substantial part of Lika-Senj County. The most significant economic activities in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County are transport, largely based on activities of the
Port of Rijeka,
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to bef ...
and tourism in the coastal areas representing a part of the Northern Croatian Littoral, and
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...
and
wood processing in the Gorski Kotar region in the hinterland. In the city of Rijeka itself, the most significant economic activities are
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...
,
wholesale
Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. I ...
and
retail
Retail is the sale of goods and Service (economics), services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturing, manufacturers, dire ...
trade, transport and storage services, and the
processing industry. Tourism, wood processing, and agriculture are the predominant economic activities in Lika-Senj County, where nearly all businesses are
small and medium enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by international organizations such as the World Bank ...
s.
In 2021, two companies headquartered in the Croatian Littoral ranked among the top fifty among
Croatian companies by
operating income. The highest ranked among them was the Rijeka-based
Plodine supermarket chain, which ranked 11th, and
Erste&Steiermärkische Bank which ranked 26th.
Infrastructure
Pan-European transport corridor branch Vb runs through the Croatian Littoral region. The route encompasses the
A6 motorway spanning from the
Orehovica interchange—part of the
Rijeka bypass where the A6 and the
A7 motorways meet—to the
Bosiljevo 2 interchange, where the corridor route switches to the
A1 motorway
A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to:
Education
* A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
* Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects
* A1, a ...
before proceeding north to
Zagreb
Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...
and
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population o ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...
. The corridor also comprises a railway line connecting the
Port of Rijeka to Zagreb and further destinations abroad.
Another significant road transport route in the region is the A7 motorway, connecting Rijeka to
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...
.
The island of Krk is connected to the mainland via the
Krk Bridge—comprising a reinforced concrete arch, the longest in the world when completed in 1980.
The Port of Rijeka is the largest port in Croatia, handling the greatest portion of the country's imports and exports.
Its facilities include terminals and other structures in the city and in the area reaching from the
Bay of Bakar The Bay of Bakar is located on the Croatian Adriatic coast, within the Gulf of Kvarner. There are two towns centered on bay of Bakar: Bakar and Kraljevica. While Bakar and Kraljevica are port towns, in outback of bay of Bakar there are the industr ...
, where the bulk cargo terminal is located, approximately east of Rijeka, to Bršica to the west of Rijeka, where there is a multi-purpose terminal.
The Port of Rijeka also serves passenger and ferry lines operated by
Jadrolinija to the nearby islands of Cres, Mali Lošinj, Susak, Ilovik, Unije, Rab, and Pag, as well as to Adriatic ports further south, such as
Split and
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranea ...
. The line to Split and Dubrovnik also serves the islands of
Hvar,
Korčula
Korčula (, it, Curzola) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after ...
, and
Mljet
Mljet (; la, Melita, it, Meleda) is the southernmost and easternmost of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea be ...
.
There are two
international airport
An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer r ...
s in the region—
Rijeka
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Prim ...
and
Lošinj. Both of the airports serve few flights, but the Rijeka Airport is busier of the two.
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas through a system of Pipe (fluid conveyance), pipes—a pipeline—typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than ...
infrastructure in the region comprises the
Jadranski naftovod
Jadranski naftovod (JANAF) is a crude oil transportation company in Croatia. It operates the JANAF oil transport system, a part of the Adria oil pipeline.
JANAF operates oil terminal of the Port of Rijeka in Omišalj
Omišalj ( it, Castel Muschi ...
(JANAF) pipeline connecting the
Omišalj oil terminal
An oil terminal (also called a tank farm, tankfarm, oil installation or oil depot) is an industrial facility for the storage of oil, petroleum and petrochemical products, and from which these products are transported to end users or other stor ...
—a part of the Port of Rijeka—to
Sisak
Sisak (; hu, Sziszek ; also known by other alternative names) is a city in central Croatia, spanning the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers, southeast of the Croatian capital Zagreb, and is usually considered to be where the Posavin ...
and
Virje crude oil
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...
storage facilities and terminals and to a terminal in
Slavonski Brod further east on the Sava River. JANAF also operates a pipeline between the terminal and the
INA's Rijeka Refinery
Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Prim ...
.
See also
*
Geography of Croatia
The geography of Croatia is defined by its location—it is described as a part of Central Europe and Southeast Europe, a part of the Balkans and Southern Europe. Croatia's territory covers , making it the 127th largest country in the world. ...
*
Liburnia
References
External links
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NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
maps
** Kvarner and Adjacent Water
#54180
{{Coord, 44.931, N, 14.919, E, display=title, source:dewiki
Geography of Croatia