Here our suggestions and informations
about Croatia and its territory.
Form of Gouvernement: Repubblic
Political system: Parliamentary Democracy
Capital Town: Zagreb (960.000 inhab.)
Population: 4.784.265 inhab
Surface area: 56.691 km2 , with an additional 31.067 km2 of territorial waters
Number of islands, islets and reefs: 1185;
There are 66 inhabited islands.
Length of the coast : 1.778 kms
Length of the insular coast: 4.057 km
Time Zone: GMT + 1 HR
Summer Time: GMT + 2 HR
DOCUMENTS: Valid identity card or passport, depending on international agreement between the countries.
BY CAR circulation card and green insurance card.
If the car is not of propriety of the driver, a regular proxy of the owner will be needed.
During summer months traffic at the border entrances is more
densely, what can cause short hold ups. Toll is charged on the highways and
bridges.
Road informations you can regurarly hear on the Croatian Radio translated in several laguages.
Traffic rules: In Croatia cars drive on the right side.
If the traffic signs don't say otherwise, speed limits are 130 km/h on highways and semi-highways,
100 km/h on roads with two lanes, 50 km/h in populated place i 80 km/h outside populated areas.
Road fines depend on severity of violation.
Allowed alchocol limit in blood is 0,5 ppm.
Rent-a-car: Driver has to be over 23 and posses driving license.
Many international rent-a-car agencies have their own offices in major Croatian cities.
FUEL: Green = 0.90 euro ca.;
Eurodiesel= 0.80 euro ca.
Gas stations are opened from 7 - 20 h (in the summer till 22 h), some of them work non-stop (0 - 24).
Unleaded fuel is present at all gas stations and it is marked with green label.
TOURIST HEALTH INSURANCE:
Foreign tourists do not have to pay for medical services if there is a signed
health insurance convention between Croatia and their country of origin.
Health care costs for tourists from a country that does not have a signed convention with Croatia
are paid directly by the user in accordance with listed prices.
CURRENCY: Croatian Kuna (Kn).
Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000,
and coins in Kn 1, 2, 5 & 25 and 10, 20 and 50 lipa (1 Kuna= 100 lipas) actually, the change rate is 1.00 euro = 7,488876 kuna (09/02/2005) ClicK HERE to see the link of the NATIONAL BANK OF CROATIA
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.
CREDIT CARDS: All major cards (American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners) are accepted.
but, it is suggested to ask in advance.
LANGUAGE: the official language is Croatian and the alphabet is Latin.
in Dalmatia many people speak "dialetto", an
old venetian-triestin slang,
many others speak english, german and italian.. Click here for a little croatian dictionary.
ELECTRICITY: Voltage of city power grid – 220V, frequency 50HZ
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:
1 January - New Year's Day;
11 and 12 april - Easter, including Easter Monday;
1 May - Labour Day;
10 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.
ANIMALS: PETS can enter the country if they have a vaccination record and veterinary certificate.
The record must not be older than one year. .
NAUTICAL TOURISM: The owner or driver of a boat over 3 meters in length and with a motor over 4 kw must,
immediately after entering Croatian territorial waters, register their arrival and stay with the next appropriate port authority, in so far as they intend on travelling along the coastline and to the islands.
Water vehicles arriving by way of land can be registered with any port authority.
The boat driver is required to register all people on board.
Further, the owner, or as the case may be, driver of the boat,
must register all persons on the boat with the appropriate tourist office
so that the compulsory residence fee can be levied.
TELEPHONE CODE : for Croatia is +385.
USEFUL NUMBERS :
- Police 92
- Fire brigade 93
- Ambulance 94
- Emergency road assistance 987
- General informations 981
CLIMATE:
Northern Croatia has a continental climate;
Central Croatia has a semi-highland and highland climate,
while the Croatian coast has a Mediterranean climate.
Winter temperatures range from -1 to 30°C in the continental region,
-5 to 0°C in the mountain region and 5 to 10°C in the coastal region.
Summer temperatures range from 22 to 26°C in the continental region,
15 to 20°C in the mountain region and 26 to 30°C in the coastal region.
