Croatia extends from the furthest eastern edges of the Alps in the north-west
to the Pannonian lowlands and the banks of the Danube in the east;
its central region is covered by the Dinara mountain range,
and its southern parts extend to the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Surface: the mainland covers 56,542 km2,
and the surface of the territorial sea is 31,067 km2.
Population: 4,437,460 inhabitants; composition of population: the majority of the population are Croats;
national minorities are Serbs, Slovenes, Hungarians, Bosnians, Italians, Czechs and others.
System of government: multi-party parliamentary republic.
Capital: Zagreb (779,145 inhabitants), the economic, traffic, cultural and academic centre of the country.
Coastline: 5,835 km of which 4,058 km comprise a coastline of islands,
solitary rocks and reefs.
Number of islands, solitary rocks and reefs: 1,185; the largest islands are Krk and Cres; there are 50 inhabited islands.
Highest peak: Dinara: 1,831 m above sea level.
Climate: There are two climate zones;
a temperate continental climate, locally also a mountainous climate,
prevails in the interior, whereas a pleasant Mediterranean climate prevails along the Adriatic coast,
with an overwhelming number of sunny days, dry and hot summers, mild and humid winters;
average temperature in the inland: January 0 to 2°C, August 19 to 23°C;
average temperature at the seaside: January 6 to 11°C, August 21 to 27 °C;
the temperature is about 12°C in winter, and 25°C in summer.
Currency: kuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa).
Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, post offices,
travel agencies, hotels, camps, marinas; cheques can be cashed in banks.