
Croatia Geography
Croatia Geography: A summary of information about Croatia Geography, from government research data as well as independent research and other sources.
Croatia: Geography
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates
45 10 N, 15 30 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total: 56,538 sq km land: 56,410 sq km water: 128 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries
total: 2,197 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia and Montenegro 266 km (241 km with Serbia; 25 km with Montenegro), Slovenia 670 km
Coastline
5,790 km (mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km)
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Terrain
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Dinara 1,830 m
Natural resources
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use
arable land: 21% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 38% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land
30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
frequent and destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues
air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; widespread casualties and destruction of infrastructure in border areas affected by civil strife
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification
Geography - note
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits