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Istria County

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Istria county - Istarska županija / Regione istriana is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of Istria peninsula (2820 out of 3160 km²; Istra in Croatian and Slovenian). Its administrative center is Pazin/Pisino.

Map showing the position of the Istria county within Croatia
Map showing the position of the Istria county within Croatia

Geography

Its coastline is 445 km long (with islands making up 539.9 km). Smaller part ­of Istria also belongs to Primorje-Gorski Kotar county of Croatia. Mirroring the bay of Venice across the Adriatic and the Gulf of Kvarner, the region is just in the heart of Europe, not far from the Julian Alps. Western most point is at Savudrija while the most southern one is near Premantura, (Promontorio in Latin), on the local promontory Kamenjak.

The terrain basically consists of a limestone plateau, much of which lacks water owing to its karst topography with northeast section being extention of the Dinaric Alps. The highest point is Vojak on Učka mountain 1,401 m above sea level while another range of mountains is called Ćićarija. There are so called "bijela", "siva", "crvena" Istra, (white, gray and red Istria). The white one is around the mountain peaks, the gray are the fertile inner lands while the red one is blood-red painted lands of terra rossa or " crljenica" along or closer to the sea.

In terms of geology area is interesting with sites like Grotto of Beredine near Poreč, the underground river Foiba in Pazin. Limski Kanal is only fjord resembling structure in the Europe outside the Scandinavia. The quarry near Rovinj is just designed for study of geology. The longest river, Mirna (Mirna=she, the tranquil one in the Croatian language) is just 32 km long with its mouth near Novigrad/Cittanova. Other rivers are the Dragonja and Raša.

In its continental plains and valleys, lands are used in agriculture (cereals, vegetables, orchard). Closer to the sea red lands are used for cultivation of the grapes, vine, olives figs. Today, the great attention is being given to agriculture and the production of ecologic food, the olive gardens, and for production of quality wines. The coastline and the islands are rich in Mediterranean vegetation, with pine woods - the green macchi, (mostly holm oak and strawberry tree). One third of the territory is covered with woods, mostly of the oak and pine trees.

Legally protected landscapes in the Istria are well-known natural reservations national park Brijuni and nature park Učka. Other interesting localities are Lim Kanal, wood near Motovun , park woods Zlatni Rt and Šijana near Pula, protected landscape Kamenjak in the extreme south of Istria, reservation Palud , (ornithology), near Rovinj. Brijuni archipelago is interesting as the habitat of about 680 plant species, also decorated by the most diverse vegetation and olive groves.

Climate

Protected from the north by the mountain chain of Alps as well the inner highland, the climate is Mediterranean, very pleasant, with the highest air temperature averaging 24°C during August and lowest averaging 5°C, in January. Summers are warm and dry with over 10 hours of sunshine daily. Temperatures above 10°C last for more than 240 days a year. Excessive heats, (above 30°C), last for three weeks at most. Despite air temperatures being lower then those of in Dalmatia, the Adriatic sea is warmer, reaching up to 26°C in August, caldest in March, (9-11°C), while the freezing even in small, shallow bays is very rare. Two kinds of winds are here - the "bura" or "bora" is bringing cold and clear weather from the north in winters, and the southern "Jugo", (jug=south) bringing rain in summer. "'Maestral"' is a the summer breeze blowing from the inland to the sea. The salinity of the sea water is 0.37 %.

People

Over 205 000 people or 4.65% of the state population live here. Poplation density is 73 inhabitants per km² with an average age of 40.2 years for the entire population. Beside Pula/Pola which is the biggest urban area with 82 000, cities are Porec/Parenzo, Rovinj/Rovigno, Pazin/Pisino, Labin/Albona, Novigrad/Cittanova, Umag/Umago, Buzet/Pinguente, Buje/Buie, Vodnjan/Dignano. About 70.7% of the population lives in the urban areas.

Municipalities are: Bale, Barban, Brtonigla, Cerovlje, Fažana, Gračišće, Grožnjan, Kanfanar, Karojba, Kaštelir-Labinci, Castellier-Santa Domenica, Kršan, Lanišće, Ližnjan, Lupoglav, Marčana, Medulin, Motovun, Oprtalj, Pićan, Raša, Sveti Lovreč, Sveta Nedelja, Sveti Petar u Šumi, Svetvinčenat, Tinjan, Višnjan, Vižinada, Vrsar, Žminj. Numerous are small municipalities and hamlets. In whole Istria there are actually more than 600 of them. So called smallest town in the world - Hum, (hum=mound) is populated by just three families (22 people).

In everyday life here, the Čakavian dialect is in use. As in the rest of Croatia official language here is based on the Štokavian dialect.

As for 2001 the population structure is:

Today, one finds here a small community of people, that speak the ancient Romanian dialect of Istro-Romanian.

Due to its traditional bond with Europe, its level of international integration, in 1994 Istria was the first region from former Yugoslavia to be officially designated as Region of Europe. This might be the reason why Istrians have second thoughts and are suspicious of official policies made in Zagreb.

Communication

Istra is rather well conected with the rest of Croatia and Europe. Since connected with a wider European area road traffic is witnessing even more development and suitably covers all needs and it contributes to a more balanced development of the coastal area and the Istrian interior.

Initially, the need for railroads in Istria was based upon fast development of industrial activities here, what was shipbuilding, construction material, machine and electric industries, as well Austrian military interests here. After Vienna and Trieste were connected in 1876, railway between Divača, (in today's Slovenia) and Pula, (122 km long with 21 km long branch Kanfanar - Rovinj), was opened. Despite numerous initiatives, the western part of Istria have been connected with the railroad only at the turn of 20th century 1902, with construction of the narrow-gauge track Poreč - Trieste. Famous 123.1 km long "Parenzana", or Parenzaner Bahn was cancelled in 1935.

Nearest commercial airport is in Pula.

History

Known old stone age archeaological localities are in caves near Pula and Lim fjord--Sandalja and Romuald's cave. The young stone age sites here are from the period between 6000-2000 BC. More than 400 location are classified to be from the period of the bronze age, (1800 - 1000 BC). Numerous findings including weapon, tools, jewelry), are from the earlier iron era around the birth of the Christ.

The Istria peninsula was known to Romans as the terra magica. Its name is derived from the Illyrian tribe called Histri which geographer Strabo mentioned to live the region. Romans described them as pirates, hard to conquer due to difficulties they experienced when navigating along their teritory. After two military campaigns, Roman legions subdued them eventually in 177 BC.

With the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, Istria was conquered by the Longobards and the Goths. With the end of the 6th century, Croats arrived and built their first permanent settlement around the year 620. Istria was annexed by the Franks during the reign of (Pippin III) in 789, then successively controlled by various dukes, (Carinthia, Meran, Bavaria), the patriarchs of Aquileia. It became territory of the republic of Venice in 1267 and passed to the Habsburgs in 1797, (reverting temporarily to Napoleon in 1805 - 1813.

Starting in 1861, the capital of Istria and the seat to a Regional Parliament in Austro-Hungarian Empire was in Poreč. Accordering to the piece treaty of Rapallo, between 1920 and 1943 Istria was part of Italy. Its forced italianisation and later Nazi occupation spoiled otherwise tolerant ethnic relations. After the World War II, Istria was assigned to Yugoslavia and in the process, (1945 - 1947), an estimated 15 000 Italian were killed while 300 000 left. Some well known exiles from Istria include race driver Mario Andretti, singer Sergio Endrigo, boxer Nino Benvenutti.

Famous individuals like Robert Koch and writer James Joyce lived and worked here. Writer Jules Verne was inspired to write by after hearing of (quarry and cave) in Pazin. Also, poet Dante Alighieri visited and wrote inspired by the lands here. Number of famous people used and still do call this area -- home.

Economy

Well-developed are processing industry, with traditional agriculture, sea fishing and growing, construction and production of construction materials (lime, cement, brick, stone), trade and transportation. Most developed branches of industry are shipbuilding, (In the early 1970s its shipyard Uljanik was building the biggest ships in the world as Berge Adria and others), metal processing, Also the wood, furniture, automotive components,electric machines and appliances, glass, plastic, textile, tobacco. According to economic indicators, the leading activities are processing industry, tourism, and trade. Great attention is being given to agriculture and the production of ecologic food, the wine and olive growing.

Tourism

Organized tourism in Istria goes back to the Romans, when emperor Vaspasian, for the entertainment of that time, built the amphitheater (Arena) in Pula. During the reign of Austro-Hungarian Empire in (1866), Austrian and Hungarian royalty and aristocracy started visiting local resorts and discovered Poreč. Significant efforts were made after World War II, to develop the tourist infrastructure and to accentuate its importance. In combination with the natural beauties, rich history and cultural heritage, investments paid off and resulted in highly developed, competitive service all along the western coast in Porec, Pula, Rovinj, Umag, Novigrad, and Vrsar. In the eastern part, as part of another county, there are resorts like Rabac, Opatija. Istria was and still is the most important tourist destination in Croatia, hosting the western and central European visitors. Area is the most visited tourist region with 27% of all visitors and 35% of time spent in all of Croatia.


Law and Government

Istria county is divided:

County Prefect (Župan)

County Prefect (Župan) is chief executive officer in county responsability affairs and župan represents the County. County Prefect (Župan)presides over County Government (Županijsko poglavarstvo) as county head administration. County Prefect (župan) is elected by the County Assembly.

Current County Prefect (župan) is Ivan Jakovčić.

County Assembly

County Assembly is composed of 41 representatives elected every 4 years on local elections (proportional electoral system).

County Assembly (political parties):

independent 1


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