Croatia - Misplaced Pages

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Croatia (in Croatian: Hrvatska) is a country of the Balkan Peninsula. Its capital is Zagreb.

Background

In 1918, Austria-Hungary disintegrated after being on the losing side in WW1. Three of its peoples, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes, formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became an independent communist state under the strong hand of Marshal Tito. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Or:
Croatia is an Adriatic and a Central European country. Geographically, it is situated on the cross-roads between Central Europe and the Mediterranean. The geographical position of the Republic of Croatia is strongly influenced by the Adriatic Sea, the northernmost gulf of the Mediterranean which is the closest to the central part of the European continent.

Basic historical data:
around 400BC the first Greek colonies are founded on Adriatic islands
around 100BC Romans rule over the east coast of Adriatic
305. Roman emperor Diocletian in present-day Split
around 600. Croats start moving to what is today Croatia 852. Duke Trpimir issues the Charter in which for the first time is mentioned the name Croatia, in domestic official documents
925. Tomislav, the first Croatian king is mentioned, unifier of Pannonian and Dalmatian Croatia
1102. After the death of Petar Svacic, the last Croatian king, Croatia enters into a union with Hungary
1242. King Bela IV issues the Golden Bull in which he proclaims Zagreb a Free Royal City
1433. The beginning of defense against the Turks, who through time occupy the larger part of Croatian territory
1527. By a decision of the Croatian Assembly, the dynasty of Habsburg comes to the Croatian throne
1699. Croatia is largely liberated of Turkish rule; continental Croatia remains under the rule of Habsburg, and the largest part of the Adriatic coast and islands are under Venice; only Dubrovnik Republic remains completely independent
1815. After the short-term rule of the French under Napoleon, who abolished Venice and Dubrovnik Republic, almost the whole of present-day Croatia enters into the Habsburg Monarchy
1847. Croatian becomes the official language of Croatia in Croatian Parliament (Sabor), replacing the Latin language
1848. Ban (Viceroy) Josip Jelacic defends Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation and unites all Croatian provinces
1866. Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer founds the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, the first in southeastern Europe
1918. After the downfall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in World War I, Croatia becomes part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later proclaimed Yugoslavia
1941. German and Italian forces occupy Yugoslavia; the organized partisan resistance starts, led by Croatian antifascists under the guidance of Josip Broz Tito
1945. The Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia is proclaimed and within Yugoslavia, today's Croatia is a federative republic
1990. The first multiparty elections after World War II are organized in Croatia; the Croatian Assembly elects Dr. Franjo Tudjman as the first president 1991. Croatia proclaims independence; the Serbian rebellion starts, supported by the Yugoslav National Army from Belgrade and results in the occupation of one third of Croatian territory
5/1992. The Republic of Croatia becomes a member of the United Nations
1998. The last occupied part of Croatia, in the east, including Vukovar, is integrated into the country
12/1999. The First Croatian President, Franjo Tudman, dies
1/2000. On the general elections, late president's ruling party (HDZ) lost the election. The coalition of 6 parties is now in power.