GENERAL INFORMATION
Area
56,542 sq km (21,831 sq miles).
Population
4,437,460 (official estimate 2004).
Population Density
78.4 per sq km.
Capital
Zagreb.
Population: 779,145 (official estimate 2004).
Government
Republic. Independence from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia proclaimed in 1991.
Head of State: President Stjepan Mesic since 2000.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ivo Sanader since 2003.
Language
Croatian, written in the Latin alphabet (although the cyrillic script is still in use in parts).
Religion
Roman Catholic Croats (76.5 per cent of the total population) and Eastern Orthodox Serbs (11 per cent), as well as small communities of Protestants, Jews and Muslims.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Saturday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Communications
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 385. Outgoing international code: 00. Telephone booths are operated by phonecards available at post offices, news stands and in some tourist shops.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 network covers the whole country. Network operators include HT Mobile Communications LLC (CRONET) (website: www.ht.hr) and VIPnet d.o.o. Both have roaming partners worldwide.
Fax
Services are widely available.
Post
Post offices are open Mon-Fri 0700-1900 and Sat 0700-1300. Some may be open until 2200 in larger cities. Stamps are available in post offices and from news stands.
Internet
The main ISP is Hrvatske Telekomunikacije . Internet cafes can be found in Zagreb and other main towns.
Press
There are no English-language newspapers at present. The main local newspapers are Novi List (Rijeka), Slobodna Dalmacija (Split) and Vecernji List (Zagreb).
Radio
BBC World Service and Voice of America ( can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.
Public Holidays
Jan 1 2005: New Year’s Day.
Mar 25-28: Easter.
May 1: Labor Day.
Jun 10: Corpus Christi.
Jun 22: Anti-Fascist Resistance Day.
Jun 25: Croation National Day.
Aug 5: Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day.
Aug 15: Assumption.
Oct 8: Independence Day.
Nov 1: All Saints’ Day.
Nov 3-5: * End of Ramadan.
Dec 25-26: Christmas.
Jan 1 2006: New Year’s Day.
Apr 14-17: Easter.
May 1: Labor Day.
Jun 15: Corpus Christi.
Jun 22: Anti-Fascist Resistance Day.
Aug 5: Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day.
Aug 15: Assumption.
Oct 8: Independence Day.
Oct 22-24*: End of Ramadan.
Nov 1: All Saints’ Day.
Dec 25-26: Christmas.
Note
*The end of Ramadan, while not an official public holiday, is celebrated as such by the Muslim community, and some shops and businesses may be closed on this day.
Special Events
The following is a selection of special events occurring in Croatia in 2005; for further details contact the Croatian National Tourist Board (see General Info section):
Jan: International Carnival of Rijeka.
Feb-Mar: Kvarner Riviera Carnival.
Apr: Kontrapunkt Future Jazz Festival, Zagreb.
Jun-Jul: International Children’s Festival, Sibenik.
Jul: Urban Festival, Zagreb; Zagreb International Folk Festival.
Jul-Aug: Zagreb Summer Festival; Dubrovnik Summer Festival; Split Summer Festival; Istrian Cultural Summer.
Aug-Sep: International Puppet Festival, Zagreb.
Sep: Vinkovci Autumn Festival.
Sep-Oct: Varazdin Baroque Evenings.
Contact Information:
Location
Southeastern Europe.
Country dialing code
385.
Ministry of Tourism
Prislje 14, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (1) 616 9180. Fax: (1) 616 9181.
Croatian National Tourist Board
Iblerov Trg 10/4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (1) 469 9333. Fax: (1) 455 7827.
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
21 Conway Street, London W1T 6BN, UK
Tel: (020) 7387 2022 or 1144 (consular section). Fax: (020) 7387 0310 or 0936 (consular section).
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; Mon-Thurs 1100-1400, Fri 1000-1200 (visa section).
Croatian National Tourist Office
2 The Lanchesters, 162-164 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 9ER, UK
Tel: (020) 8563 7979. Fax: (020) 8563 2616.
British Embassy
Ivana Lucica 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (1) 600 9100. Fax: (1) 600 9111.
Consular and Visa section: Alexandera von Humboldta 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (1) 600 9122. Fax: (1) 600 9298.
Consulates in: Dubrovnik and Split.
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
2343 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 588 5899. Fax: (202) 588 8936.
Consulates General in: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and St Paul.
Honorary Consulates in: Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle.
Croatian National Tourist Office
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4003, New York, NY 10118, USA
Tel: (212) 279 8672 or (800) 829 4416 (toll-free in USA). Fax: (212) 279 8683.
Embassy of the United States of America
Ul Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (1) 661 2200. Fax: (1) 661 2373.
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
229 Chapel Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7Y6, Canada
Tel: (613) 562 7820. Fax: (613) 562 7821.
Consulate General in: Mississauga.
Canadian Embassy
Prilaz Gjure Dezelica 4, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (1) 488 1200 or 1211 (consular section). Fax: (1) 488 1230.
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