Benkovac
| Benkovac | |||
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| — Town — | |||
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 Benkovac
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| Coordinates: 44°02′04″N 15°36′46″E / 44.03444°N 15.61278°E | |||
| Country | Croatia | ||
| County | Zadar | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Branko Kutija (HDZ) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 514 km2 (198 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2001)[1] | |||
| • Total | 9,786 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Website | http://www.benkovac-bastina.net | ||
Benkovac is a town and municipality in the interior of Zadar County, Croatia.
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[edit] Geography
Benkovac is located where the plain of Ravni Kotari and the karstic plateau of Bukovica meet, 20 km from the town of Biograd na Moru and 30 km from Zadar. The Zagreb-Split motorway and Zadar-Knin railway pass through the town. It borders the municipalities of Novigrad, Posedarje, Obrovac, Lišane Ostrovičke, Kistanje and Stankovci.
[edit] Demography
According to the 2001 census, the municipality had 9,786 inhabitants of which 90.4% were Croats and 7.5% Serbs. Before the war in Croatia, Serbs made up about 57%, and Croats about 41%, however Serbs only held 18% of the jobs in the local government,[2] which led to high tensions in the 1990s. During the Operation Storm (Oluja), almost all of the Serbs fled[3], and after the war many Bosnian Croat refugees settled the area.
According to the Austrian Census in 1900, the town of Benkovac consisted of 356 Catholics and 156 Orthodox, with area surrounding Benkovac it included 8,119 Catholics and 5,981 Orthodox. [1] The 1910 census recorded a total of 810 residents, 388 of which were Catholic and 422 Orthodox. Both censuses were conducted according to religion and language (Serbo-Croatian).
The population of Benkovac itself is 2,622 (census 2001), the rest is distributed in 38 villages surrounding it.
[edit] History
The first traces of human life in the Benkovac area were found around the village of Smilčić that belonged to the Danilo culture. Before Roman conquest the area was inhabited by the Illyrian tribe of Liburnians. During the Roman Civil war the Liburnians sided with Caesar. The Romans mention the following Liburnian settlements :Nedinum (Nadin), Carinium (Karin), Varvaria (Bribir) and Asseria (Podgrađe). In 7th century the area was settled by Croats. The area of Benkovac was at the crossroads of four Croatian župa's - Novljanska, Sidraška, Bribirska and Karinska. Near the village of Šopot, an inscription from the 9th century was found that mentions Branimir as a Croatian Duke.
In 1409 King Ladislaus of Naples sold his rights of Dalmatia to the Republic of Venice and the Benkovac area became a border region. New fortresses around the border were built - Korlat, Kličevica, Polača, and behind them Benković i Perušić. The fortress of Benković was named after the family of nobles that built it and the city of Benkovac was established. In 1527 Benkovac became part of the Ottoman Empire. It was soon settled by Croats-Bunjevci and Orthodox Serbs & Vlahs. In 1683 Benkovac became part of the Venice Republic. The area was bombed by the Allies during World War II.[4]
During the Croatian War of Independence, Benkovac was a center of unrest and hostilities between Croats and Serbs. On March 17, 1990, tensions erupted when groups of local Serbs rebelled against the decision of the Croatian government to disarm local police in which Serbs were most of the employes. During that time Croatian government continued arming police force and paramilitary in villages with a Croatian majority. Tensions continued to boil, and five months later, Benkovac was included in the Republic of Serbian Krajina. Five years later on August 5, Benkovac was retaken by the Croatian army during Operation Storm.
[edit] Economy
Economy is based on agriculture especially viticulture and exploitation of wider known Benkovac building stone. Benkovac has also annual cattle fare and vinary.
[edit] Towns and Villages
The following settlements are part of Benkovac:[1]
- Benkovac (population 2,622)
- Benkovačko Selo (population 524)
- Bjelina (population 50)
- Brgud (population 3)
- Bruška (population 167)
- Buković (population 323)
- Bulić (population 172)
- Dobra Voda (population 114)
- Donje Biljane (population 13)
- Donje Ceranje (population 43)
- Donji Karin (population 101)
- Donji Kašić (population 4)
- Donji Lepuri (population 151)
- Gornje Biljane (population 59)
- Gornje Ceranje (population 61)
- Islam Grčki (population 108)
- Kolarina (population 13)
- Korlat (population 373)
- Kožlovac (population 8)
- Kula Atlagić (population 151)
- Lisičić (population 268)
- Lišane Tinjske (population 15)
- Medviđa (population 199)
- Miranje (population 86)
- Nadin (population 439)
- Perušić Benkovački (population 297)
- Podgrađe (population 106)
- Podlug (population 227)
- Popovići (population 209)
- Pristeg (population 368)
- Prović (population 84)
- Radošinovci (population 266)
- Raštević (population 420)
- Rodaljice (population 80)
- Smilčić (population 250)
- Šopot (population 271)
- Tinj (population 551)
- Vukšić (population 462)
- Zagrad (population 103)
- Zapužane (population 25)
[edit] References
- ^ a b http://www.dzs.hr/hrv/censuses/census2001/Popis/H01_01_03/h01_01_03_zup13-0175.html
- ^ Tanner, Marcus. Croatia: A nation forged in war. Yale University Press, 1997.
- ^ ICTY - Gotovina Case - Judgement Summary p. 3
- ^ Orao njivu u Nadinu pa naišao na avionsku bombu
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Benkovac |
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Coordinates: 44°02′04″N 15°36′46″E / 44.03444°N 15.61278°E
