Transcript PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT COURSE (MTCP 3/2005)

JFDP presentation: Croatia
Lara Jelenc and Nives Mikelic
Croatia: overview
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Location:
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Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Geographical position:
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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:
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the mainland covers 56,542 km², and the surface of
the territorial sea is 31,067 km².
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Population:
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4,437,460 inhabitants;
Composition of population:
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the majority of the population are Croats;
national minorities are Serbs, Slovenes,
Hungarians, Bosnians, Italians, Czechs and
others.
System of government:
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multi-party parliamentary republic.
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Capital:
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Zagreb (779,145 inhabitants), the economic, traffic,
cultural and academic centre of the country.
Coastline:
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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:
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Dinara: 1,831 m above sea level.
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Climate:
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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
Currency:
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kuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa).
Government type:
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Presidential/parliamentary democracy
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Background:
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It was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of
World War I.
In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom
known after 1929 as Yugoslavia.
Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal
TITO.
Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in
1991, it took four years of war before occupying Serb armies left
Croatia
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Economy - overview:
 Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic
of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most
prosperous and industrialized area, with a per
capita output perhaps one-third above the
Yugoslav average.
 The economy emerged from a mild recession in
2000 with tourism, banking, and public
investments leading the way.
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Economy - overview:
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Unemployment remains high, at about 14 percent.
While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been
achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep
resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong
support from politicians.
Growth, while impressively about 4% for the last several
years, has been achieved through high fiscal and current
account deficits.
The government is gradually reducing a heavy back log of
civil cases, many involving land tenure. The EU accession
process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.
Croatia: Overview of the country facts
and economy
Economy - overview:
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GDP (purchasing power parity): $50.33 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2004
est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.2%
industry: 30.1%
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Population below poverty line: 11% (2003)
Development perspective and policies
of Croatia
Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003
European Commission recommended making it
an official candidate in early 2004.
Beginning of entry negotiations: October 20,
2005.
In late 2005, the EU officials projected that the
accession would likely happen between 2008
and 2010.
NATIONAL FOOD AND DRINK
What to eat?
Cold dishes: renowned Dalmatian or Istrian prosciutto, Pag or
Lika cheese, sheep cheese, Slavonian paprika-flavoured
salami ("kulen"), renowned Samobor or Zagorje garlic
sausages ("češnjovka")
Main dishes depend on the area that you are visiting.
In Dalmatia, Primorje, on the islands and in Istria, the dishes
are mainly fish and other seafood dishes, or meat dishes the
so-called "pašticada", or boiled lamb.
In the continental part of Croatia there is a wide selection of
meat dishes, including turkey with a special pasta known as
"mlinci", roast lamb, roast suckling pig, and boiled or baked
"štrukli" (pasta with cheese) being particularly famous.
Among desserts, apart from the already mentioned "štrukli",
there are walnut loaf, poppy seed loaf and cheese or fruit
strudel.
NATIONAL FOOD AND DRINK
What to drink?
Cultivation of grapes and the production of sweet and
selected wines is a several centuries-old tradition with
Croatian winegrowers both in the continental part of Croatia
and in Primorje and Dalmatia.
The better-known varieties of Croatian wines along the
Adriatic coast and on the islands are red wines: Teran, Merlot,
Cabernet, Opolo, Plavac, Dingač, Postup, and white wines:
Malvazija, Pošip, Pinot, Kujundžuša, Žlahtina, Muškat…
In continental parts Riesling, Graševina, Burgundac,
Traminac…
Among the strong drinks there are various kinds of brandy
which are well-known: plum brandy, herb-flavoured brandy,
grape brandy, while among dessert drinks there are Prošek
and Maraschino.
HISTORY AND CULTURE
In Croatia, fortified towns are no rarity.
Long ago many summer residences and even
churches were built as fortresses.
Our culture has survived many wars and is
offered today to our friends and guests for their
pleasure and delight.
Despite many a war fought against Tatars,
Franconians, Venetians, Turks and Serbs, the
Croats have succeeded in retaining their
homeland whose abundant beauty reflects the
richness of their tradition and culture.
HISTORY AND CULTURE
Besides the first 7th-century record, many other documents have
been preserved and are precious testimony recording as they do the
reigns of the oldest Croatian princes and kings since the 9th century
Among the most valuable are Preromanesque stone monuments
with glagolitic scriptures (AD 1100) and some rich collections of
illuminated Glagolitic manuscripts originating mostly from the 13th to
the 17th centuries
Due to its extraordinary artistic expressiveness, the preRomanesque period bears the greatest importance, particularly in
architecture.
However, our progress was for many centuries interlaced with that of
other European nations and the Croats took their part in the
development and use of European artistic styles.
HISTORY AND CULTURE
The first Croatian printing-house began work in Kosinj less
than thirty years after Gutenberg had invented the printing
machine, and the first public theatre in Europe was opened in
Hvar.
Thanks to a strong and uninterrupted Catholic tradition there
has also been an impressive amount of literature written in
Latin and the Latin language was used as the official
language in the Croatian Parliament till the end of the 19th
century.
Croatian writers, musicians, painters, sculptors and architects
have contributed greatly to the culture of our civilisation.
From the Middle Ages down to today our philosophers,
scientists and inventors have written many pages in the book
of world heritage
SINGULARITIES OF CROATIA
What distinguishes us from the others?
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The city walls of Dubrovnik are the best preserved
fortification system in Europe.
The first quarantine hospital in Europe was established in
Dubrovnik in the 14th century. Although somewhat
changed, it still exists on the location known as Lazaret.
In the Franciscan Monastery in Dubrovnik (Samostan Male
braće), there is one of the three oldest European
pharmacies (it was there as early as 1317).
From the 9th century on, the Croats wrote in their own
Glagolitic script. It was used, in parallel with Latin script, till
the 18th century. A huge number of historical records was
written in Glagolitic script, from parish books to the
inscriptions on the walls of some churches. It is still taught
in some schools in Istria and Hrvatsko primorje.
SINGULARITIES OF CROATIA
PEOPLE
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Marin (a 4th-century stonemason) from the island of Rab, was
the founder of San Marino, the first Republic in Europe.
As legend has it, Marco Polo (1254-1324), the famous seafarer
and discoverer of China, was born in the town of Korčula on the
island of the same name.
Julije Klović (1498-1578) was the greatest Renaissance
miniaturist (often called the Michelangelo of the miniature)
Pope Siksto V (1520-1590), known as the reformer of church
institutions and considered one of the most meritorious
"architects" of Rome, came from Croatia, too.
Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), the greatest inventor in the field of
electricity worldwide, was born in Croatia. His best known
invention is alternating current, without which we can hardly
imagine our life today.
SINGULARITIES OF CROATIA
The Croatian baron Franjo Trenk (1711-1749) founded
the first military band In Europe.
The kind of pencil you use most often (the mechanical
pencil) and the fountain pen were invented in 1906 by
Slavoljub Penkala of Zagreb (1871-1922).
The Zeppelin, the large dirigible airship constructed from
metal, was originally invented by David Schwartz (18521897) from Zagreb. Ferdinand Zeppelin later purchased
his invention, constructed the airship and named it after
himself.
Fingerprinting (dactiloscopy) as an identification method
was discovered by Ivan Vučetić (1858-1924) from the
island of Hvar.
SINGULARITIES OF CROATIA
PECULIARITIES
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The earliest 5000 years old European calendar known today is the
calendar discovered on a ceramic vessel (terrine). The pot belongs to
the Vučedol culture and is decorated with four parallel bands
representing the four seasons. The symbols represent various zodiacs
assigned to for individual parts of the year.
Old-Croatian pre-Romanesque little churches were built as temples, but
as clocks and calendars, too. There is no other place in the world with
so many well preserved objects using sun-beams for telling the time of
the day (clock) as well as that of the year (calendar).
Istrian gamut - a specific sequence of notes and half-notes,
characterizing Istrian native music, usually performed on a popular
instrument the roženice.
The Passion procession (through seven churches) on the island of Hvar
has been a tradition since the Middle Ages and the songs sung by the
people walking in procession are by European musicologists considered
to be the oldest Passion songs in Europe.
The first naval museum in the world was founded in Pula in 1870.
SINGULARITIES OF CROATIA
FASHION
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The only national costume in Europe, showing
women’s legs above the knees, is worn by
women on the island of Susak.
Wearing a kravata (the tie) was originally a
fashion in Croatia.
In the 18th century it was enthusiastically
adopted by the French and, seemingly, by the
rest of the world - at least over the past twoand-a-half centuries.
SINGULARITIES OF CROATIA
NATURE
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The longest karst cave in Europe is Lukina jama on
the Velebit mountain.
The last oasis of the European white-headed vulture
is located on the island of Cres.
The last specimen of the Mediterranean monk seal
lives in the Croatian aquatorium.
The oldest and the biggest (50 cm) variety of jelly-fish
known today was discovered in the lakes on the
island of Mljet (Mljet National Park).
Numerous endemic species of flora and fauna, to
mention only the endemic plant Degenia velebitica
and the strange blue frog found in Zagreb.
Conclusion
It is a sad fact that this is about all we are able to give
you now.
The sounds of the sea murmur in the morning; the birds’
twitter or the shriek of a sea gull; the unceasing rhythms
of restless crickets in the pine-woods; these we cannot
convey to you.
Just like we cannot bring you the melodious sound of
"klapa" singing in the narrow lanes of Dalmatian towns or
the vivacious playing on the "tambura" on a bedecked
Slavonian two-horse carriage.
These you will have to experience for yourself. ...