Table of contents
- A little less known facts about Croatia and Croatians
- The things you can thank Croats for
- Natural wonders
- Croatian world records
- Sport facts about Croatia
- We’ve saved the best for last!
- Users often ask us!
Croatia is a small country. To be exact, it’s the 127th country in the world in size.
Don’t let this fact fool you - it has so many stories to tell about its rich history and culture, but also so many interesting facts.
You’ll be surprised when you see how many things that you use every day come from Croatia and how many places you need to visit that are probably not on your list… yet.
This is why we’ve listed interesting facts about Croatia.
For the beginning, let’s start with some facts about its size and population and then let’s get to the fun part!
When someone says Croatia, your first thought should be ‘’summer vibes’’.
That’s because Croatian islands and the coast, with traditional food, amazing views and natural wonders, are perfect destinations for everyone’s vacation.
- Croatia’s population is around 4.2 million, with Zagreb as the capital city and HRK (Hrvatska Kuna; Kn) as currency. 91% of the population are Christians.
- Croatia is a member of Nato, as well as of the European union.
- The highest mountain is Dinara, with an 1831-metres-high peak. The largest lake is Lake Vrana.
And now…
A little less known facts about Croatia and Croatians
- Even though you know there are a lot of islands in Croatia, you might not know that there are around 1244 of them!
- Some of the most popular islands are Brač, Hvar, Korčula, Vis, Krk and Cres, but that’s only the beginning. Once you start exploring, you’ll never reach the end because there is always at least one more island to visit.
- On Veli Brijun island, there are more than 2000 dinosaurs’ footprints!
- This island is a part of National Park Brijuni where you can find exotic animal species such as zebras, peacocks, ostriches and South American camels.
- And speaking of animals, Croatia is home to a popular dog breed - Dalmatians.
- One of the most popular Croatian cities is Dubrovnik. Described as the pearl of the Adriatic, it has a history that’s been shaped for centuries. Oh, and your favourite show, Game of Thrones, was also filmed here.
The things you can thank Croats for
- They invented the necktie. So, next time you take a look in the mirror when you’re wearing a suit, think about Croatia.
- Nikola Tesla was born in Croatia, in a small village called Smiljan. And we all know what Tesla did for the human race.
- Ivan Lupic Vukic constructed the world’s first torpedo.
- The richest collection of remains of the Neanderthal community is in Croatia. So, next time you want to explore evolution, feel free to do it in this country.
- Slavoljub Penkala invented that pen you’re writing with every day. He did it in 1906, and the name speaks for itself.
Natural wonders
- Eight national parks, such as Brijuni and Plitvice, two nature reserves and eleven nature parks cover around 10% of Croatia. Nature lovers, this one's for you!
- Zadar, a small town in the Croatian region called Dalmatia, has the most beautiful sunset in the world. The best place to enjoy the sunset is in the Old Town, on the world’s first sea organs!
- The smallest town in the world, Hum, is located in a region called Istria.
- One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres is in Pula, one of the most popular Istrian towns. In the past, Roman Gladiators used to fight right here!
Croatian world records
Even though it’s very small, Croatia obviously has some talented people, especially in the areas below. These are world records that are held by Croatia:
- the Largest box of Popcorn
- the Largest cup of cappuccino
- Most pull-ups in a minute
- Fastest time to push a car one mile
- Longest distance moonwalk in an hour
Impressive, right? Yes, Croatians love to drink a lot of coffee, they love to dance and, above all, they are very athletic.
Sport facts about Croatia
Do you remember three years ago, in 2018, when you were watching the World Cup and all of a sudden everyone started talking about the little country with players in red-and-white-diced jerseys that made it to the finals?
Yes, that was Croatia!
- In addition to football, the most popular sports in Croatia are handball, basketball and water polo. And as said earlier, they’re quite successful in every one of these.
- They won the Olympic silver medal in basketball in 1992;
- Olympic gold medal in handball in 1996 and 2004;
- Gold medal in World water polo championship in 2007 and 2017 and Olympic gold medal in 2012.
And this is only a small part of their achievements!
We’ve saved the best for last!
- If you came to Croatia looking for parties and you simply want to have fun, there’s no better place for you to be in. Croatians are the 4th heaviest alcohol consumers in the world!
- Don’t try to learn the language. There are many different dialects, so different that people from two different parts of Croatia barely understand each other.
Users often ask us!
1. What is Croatia best known for?
Croatia is the country of a thousand islands, known for its beautiful coast, crystal clear water, numerous sights and beautiful nature. And - for the successful football team!
2. Are Germans popular in Croatia?
Germans are the most popular tourists in Croatia. All hosts will surely be pleased if their guests are from Germany. Because Germans respect Croatian culture.
3. Are Croatians friendly?
Croats are very friendly, cheerful and good hosts. A warm welcome, good food and the best entertainment await you in Croatia.
