Geographical
position:
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.
Foreign currencies:
can be exchanged at banks, exchange offices, post offices
and at most tourist agencies, hotels and camping grounds.
Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
On Saturdays banks are open until 1 p.m. In the larger cities
some banks are also open on Sundays. Credit cards: Most hotels,
restaurants and shops accept credit cards (American Express,
Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, Sport Card International).
Cash dispensing machines are ubiquitous.
Electricity:
Voltage of city power grid – 220V, frequency 50HZ
Water:
Tap water is potable throughout Croatia.
The
telephone code for Croatia is: +385.
Time
zone:
GMT plus one hour in winter and GMT plus two in summer.
Travel
documentation:
Passport or some other internationally recognised identification
document. Tourists may remain in Croatia for up to three months.
For
more information:
Diplomatic consulates of the Republic of Croatia abroad or
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.
Tel. 01 4569 964
Web: www.mvp.hr/mvprh-www-eng/index.html
Customs
regulations:
Customs regulations of the Republic of Croatia are in line
with the standards of European Union countries. Foreign currency
is freely brought in and taken out of the country (up to a
value of 3.000 euros); up to a value of 15.000 kn for domestic
currency. More expensive professional and technical equipment
should be registered at the border. Dogs and cats, accompanied
by their owner, need to have an International certificate
from a registered veterinarian stating that at least 15 days
and not more than six months have passed since their vaccination
against rabies. Tax refund for goods purchased in Croatia
over 500 kuna in value with a validated "Tax cheque"
at departure from the country. Information: Republic of Croatia
Customs Administration (tel 01 6102 333);
Web: www.carina.hr
Purchase
tax reimbursement for foreign citizens:
Tourists making purchases in Croatia (apart from petroleum
derivatives) which exceed 500 Kuna per receipt may reclaim
VAT ("PDV").
At
point of purchase the sales person will provide on request
a form PDV-P, which should be filled out and stamped, on the
spot. On leaving Croatia the receipt must be verified by the
Croatian Customs service. A PDV refund in Kuna can be obtained
within six months, either at the same shop where the goods
were purchased (in which case the tax is refunded immediately),
or by posting the verified receipt back to the shop, together
with the account number into which the refund should be paid.
In this case the refund is dealt with within 15 days of receipt
of the claim.
Medical
service:
There are hospitals and clinics in all larger cities and first
aid clinics and pharmacies in all places. Foreign tourists
do not pay for medical services if the Health Care Convention
was signed between Croatia and the country they come from.
Expenses of health services provided to persons coming from
the countries with which the Health Care Convention was not
signed are charged directly to users according to the price
list. For patients whose lives are in danger, there is emergency
transport by air(helicopter) or sea (speadboat).
There is a network of veterinary clinics and centres in Croatia.
Information: www.veterinarstvo.hr, e-mail: veterinarstvo@zg.tel.hr
National
holidays 2006:
1 January - New Year's Day; 6 January - Epiphany; 16 and 17
april - Easter, including Easter Monday; 1 May - Labour Day;
15 June - Corpus Christi (Movable feast); 22 June - Anti-Fascist
Resistance Day; 25 June - Statehood Day; 5 August - Victory
Day and National Thanksgiving Day; 15 August - Assumption;
8 October - Independence Day; 1 November - All Saints' Day;
25 and 26 December - Christmas Holidays.
Working
hours:
Shops and department stores are open between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or to 3 p.m.
A smaller number of stores close between noon and 4 p.m. Many
stores are also open on Sundays, especially in the summer,
and a smaller number in the larger cities are open 24 hours
a day. Public services and companies usually work from 8.30
a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Post
and Telecommunications:
Post Offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays
until 1 p.m. There are Post Offices in the larger cities which
are open until 10 p.m. in the summer. Postage stamps are sold
in Post Offices and at newsstands.
Public telephones can be used only with phone cards, which
can be purchased in Post Offices and at newsstands, in hotels
and tourist complexes.
Environmental
protection:
Protection of the biological diversity is in conjunction with
the EU regulations currently in force. The water quality of
the Croatia's Adriatic Sea is of high quality for swimming
and in conjunction to the EU criteria. In case of an accident
or contamination of the sea, please contact the National Centre
for Sea Search and Rescue on the number 9155 (free telephone),
which is a part of international institutions of the same
rank. In case of accidental environmental contamination on
land, report it to the National Information Centre on the
number 01/4814 911 For additional information about the environment:
tel: 01/6106 111
Tel: 0800 200 037, Web: www.mzopu.hr
Fire
prevention:
Ensure that you have done everything to prevent a fire!
Do not throw lit or flammable objects into the environment!
If you see a fire, please inform others in your proximity;
report it immediately on the telephone number - 93; try to
extinguish the fire till the fire-fighters arrive and in such
a manner so as not to endanger yourself or others!
Take notice of signs forbidding the lighting of fires!
Take care that your parked vehicle does not obstruct accesses
to the fire or roads!
Important telephone numbers:
International dialling prefix for Croatia: 385
Ambulance 94
Fire-service 93
Police 92
Assistance on the roads 987; 987@hak.hr
(If you are calling from outside of Croatia or using a mobile
phone dial +3851 987)
General information 981
Information about local and district telephone numbers 988
Information about International telephone numbers 902
Weather forecast and road conditions 060 520 520
Croatia's auto club (HAK) 01 4640 800; Internet: www.hak.hr;
e-mail: info@hak.hr
Croatian
angels:
unified number of tourist information for all of Croatia 062
999 999
International callers, dial: +385 62 999 999
This service is available in Croatian, English, German and
Italian from the 23.03.-15.10.
Radio
news in foreign languages during the tourist season:
On Program 2 of Croatian radio, along with the regular news
in Croatian, the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) will give traffic
reports in English, German and Italian along with nautical
news a number of times throughout the day.
Other than on Program 2 of Croatian radio, alternating news
and traffic reports will be emitted every full hour from the
following studios: Program 3 of Bavarian radio, Program 3
of Austrian radio, RAI Uno, British Virgin radio and Chezch
radio. Throughout the day nautical news will be emitted in
English and Croatian.
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