Economic-geographical position of Croatia. Economic-geographical features and interesting facts of Croatia. Transport system of Croatia

Geographical location of Croatia

Croatia is located in the south of central Europe, has common borders with Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 kilometers, with Slovenia 670 kilometers, with Hungary 329 kilometers, with Serbia 241 kilometers and Montenegro 25 kilometers. Coast Adriatic Sea stretches for 1,777 kilometers, and the entire length of the coastline, including the islands, is 4,058 kilometers. Geographic coordinates Croatia 45°8′30″ N 16°13′45″ E

Extreme geographical points of Croatian territory: eastern 45°12′ N. w. 19°27′ E. d. (G) (O), western 45°29′ N. w. 13°30′ E. d. (G) (O), south 42°23′ N. w. 16°21′ E. d. (G) (O), north 46°33′ N. w. 16°22′ E. d. (G) (O).

In the southeast, Croatia interrupts its coastline with the exit of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Adriatic coast with the city of Neum.

Geography of Croatia

The country's territory is 56,594 square kilometers, which is 127th in the world. Geographically, Croatia can be divided into the Adriatic coast, the Dinaric Highlands and the Central Danube Lowland, 53.54% of Croatia's territory are valleys below 200 meters above sea level, most of them are in the north in the Central Danubian Lowland. The highest points of Croatia are located in the Dinaric Highlands, which are located southeast of the Alps from the Cicarija and Učka mountains in the west in Istria to the Žumberak mountains in the northeast. Mount Dinara is the highest in Croatia and has a height of 1831 meters, in addition, the mountains Sneznik, Svilaya, Risnjak, Kapela, Velika, Plešivica, Velebit and Biokovo have heights of over one and a half kilometers. Speleologists will be interested in the bonfire massif of the Dinaric Highlands with countless caves, fifty of which are over 250 meters long, and three caves are over one kilometer long, including the Kita-Gacheshina cave, which is 20 kilometers long.

The Middle Danube Lowland stretches from the north of Croatia to the territory of Hungary, highest points are the mountain ranges of Medvednica 1035 meters and Ivanščica 1059 meters in the north of the capital of the country.

The Adriatic coast is the most delicious morsel for tourists; in addition, the islands of Krk, Korcula and Cres are of interest; they are picturesque high island Brac is 780 meters high. Most of the coasts of Croatia are cut by castor relief; traces of volcanoes can be found on the islands of Brusnik, Jabuka, Vis and in the vicinity of the city of Komiza.

62% of Croatia's territory belongs to the Black Sea basin. The country's largest rivers are Kupa 296 kilometers, Mura, Drava 505 kilometers, Sava 562 kilometers, Danube 188 kilometers, the Adriatic Sea basin includes the Neretva River 20 kilometers and Cetina 101 kilometers.

The most large lake in Croatia, Vranskoe with an area of ​​30.7 square kilometers in northern Dalmatia, on the Drava River there is the Dubrava Reservoir, on the Cetina River Peručanskoe. However, tourists are interested in the small but picturesque Plitvice Lakes, which are connected by waterfalls but separated from each other by natural dams. You can swim near the waterfalls; all lakes have their own unique color.

Nature of Croatia

In terms of biological diversity, Croatia is the richest country in Europe, forests occupy 47% of the country's territory, and there are 444 protected natural areas in Croatia, accounting for 8.5% of the total area. Including 8 national parks, 11 natural parks and 2 nature reserves, the most popular natural park- these are the Plitvice lakes, which are also an object World Heritage UNESCO, tourists are also interested in the Velebit Natural Park.

Half of Croatia lives on only 26.8% of the country's territory; for example, in Zagreb, which occupies 6.6% of the territory, more than a quarter of the total population of Croatia lives.

Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Croatia, especially on the resort Adriatic coast, you should know this foreign tourists So as not to be scared in vain, quite strong earthquakes occur in Croatia once a decade.

Geographical locationCroatia
The area of ​​the country is 56,538 square kilometers. The Republic of Croatia is located in Central Europe, bordered in the north by Slovenia, in the east by Hungary and Serbia, in the southeast by Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in the south by Montenegro. The country is washed from the west by the Adriatic Sea.
The number of islands is 1185, of which 66 are inhabited.
The highest point is Mount Dinara (1831 meters) located near the city of Knin.
The capital of Croatia is the city of Zagreb.

Relief Most of Croatia's territory is located at an altitude of more than 500 meters above sea level, but there are no mountains higher than 2100 meters. The Adriatic coast is separated from the interior by mountain ranges (Gorski Kotar, Velebit, Velika and Mala - Kapela, Plesevica, Dinara). The most high peaks- Tsintsar (2085 m), Velika Vershina (1890 m), Dinara (1830 m), St. Jure (1762 m), Vaganski (1757 m), Pleševica (1648 m), Risnjak (1528 m.), Kula (1534 m.), Uchka (1396 m.).
The Croatian Adriatic coast is one of the most rugged in the world. It has 1,185 islands and islets with a total coastline of 4,058 kilometers. The length of the coast of the mainland along a conventional straight line is 600 kilometers, and taking into account its ruggedness - 1,778 kilometers.

Rivers
The Danube (188 kilometers) and its tributaries Sava (562 kilometers) and Drava (505 kilometers) flow inland and empty into the Black Sea. The few rivers that carry their waters to the Adriatic Sea through narrow gorges have strong elevation changes throughout their entire length, forming large number waterfalls

Samoe Lakes big lake Croatia - Vransko (30.7 square kilometers) is located near Biograd. The most attractive are the Plitvice Lakes (a chain of 16 lakes with the Korana River); Red and Blue lakes near Imotski,
freshwater lake on the island of Cres and lake Vizovacsko and Proklyansko. Well-known artificial lakes are Lokve and Bayer in Gorski Kotar, Trakošćan in Croatian Zagorje and Peruca on the Cetina River in Dalmatia. Lake Kopachevo and the wetlands around it are the habitat of birds in the largest ornithological reserve in Europe - Kopachki - Rit.

Adriatic Sea The sea washes the Balkan and Apennine peninsulas, its average depth is 252 meters, the northwestern part is shallow (maximum 23 meters in the Gulf of Trieste), while in the south its depth reaches 1200 meters. The waters of the Adriatic off the Croatian coast are clean and transparent, since mountain rivers do not carry silt and sand into it. In August, the water warms up to degrees Celsius. In addition, according to its characteristics, it meets all the strictest standards of the World Health Organization. The salt content is 34 milligrams per liter. This means that the Adriatic Sea is twice as salty as the Black Sea.

GENERAL and POLITICAL-ECONOMIC

Year of formation (foundation)

The Declaration of Secession from Yugoslavia was issued in June 1991.

Formally, independence was declared on October 8, 1991.

Territory 56.6 thousand sq. km
Population, national composition and religion
4.68 million people (July 1999).

78.1% are Croats, 12.2% are Serbs, 0.9% are Muslims, 0.5% are Hungarians, 0.5% are Slovenes.

The main religion is Catholicism (76.5%), with Orthodoxy (Serbian Orthodox Church, 11.1%), Islam (1.2%) and Protestantism (0.4%) also being practiced.

Political system: Parliamentary republic.

The Constitution of the Republic was proclaimed on December 22, 1990.

The head of state is the president, elected by direct vote for a term of 5 years.

The legislative body is a bicameral parliament (Sabor), consisting of the House of Representatives (Zastupnicki Dom, 80 seats) and the House of Counties (Communities) (Zupanski Dom, 68 seats), the term of office of the parliament is 4 years.

Executive power is exercised by the government, consisting of the prime minister and ministers. The head of government is the chairman.

The government was formed on January 27, 2000. The last government changes were made on February 5, 2000.

The government coalition includes: SDP-PDHR, HSLP, Istrian Democratic Sabor (IDS), Croatian People's Party (HPP), Croatian Peasant Party (HKP), Liberal Party (LP)..

President - Stipe Mesic (since February 18, 2000, HND).

CULTURE and ATTRACTIONS

The uniqueness of Croatian culture in the Slavic world is largely due to the fact that Croatia was the only country of the Western (Roman) Patriarchate in which the Roman Catholic Church allowed liturgies to be held in a language other than Latin. The Slavic liturgy in Croatia was written in the Glagolitic alphabet in Church Slavonic, a language related to the Croatian language, but different from the spoken language.

Over time, secular literature began to develop, written in Glagolitic script in a mixture of Church Slavonic and Croatian languages. The Golden Age of Croatian Glagolitic literature (1075–1475) was a unique phenomenon. During the early Middle Ages in the rest of Western and Central Europe, European languages ​​(in their literary form) were still in the process of becoming, competing with the Latin language. In Croatia, many literary works appeared in the local language, representing all secular literary genres.

In addition, a number of liturgical works - lectionaries and psalters - from the Dalmatian coastal zone of Croatia testified to the flowering of Croatian literature in the cities of the Adriatic (Rab, Zadar, Sibenik, Trogir, Split, Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik and Kotor became centers of the Croatian Renaissance). Famous poets and playwrights of this era included Marko Marulić of Dubrovnik (1450–1524), author of numerous religious, historical and poetic works; as well as Marin Držić (1510–1567), an outstanding comedian. Both of them, on the one hand, experienced a strong Italian influence, and on the other, they preserved the tradition of using the Glagolitic alphabet. Marulić paid tribute to his anonymous predecessors, the initiators, whose style he followed in writing the epic poem on the biblical story Judith (1501), which is traditionally considered a classic work of Croatian literature.

If other Slavic countries were in cultural isolation or oriented their literature and art to the east, then in Croatia artists turned their gaze to the west, borrowing and developing each new look European style, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Illyrian movement (Illyrism) of the 1830s and 1840s, shaping modern Croatian culture, favored the achievements of the Renaissance and Baroque period. But in the 20th century. works of a socio-political orientation, for example Miroslav Krleža (1893–1981), reflect a tradition of rebellion against Western European culture rather than blind adherence to it.

Modern Croatian art and sculpture has developed in two main directions. The first includes the work of Ivan Meštrović (1883–1962) in the field of modernist monumental sculpture; Meštrović sought to create a national style in plastic art based on the European tradition. The second direction is represented by a school of primitivist artists (among them Ivan Generalich, b. 1914), who were looking for a national style in images of village life in rural Croatia. In music, the search for a national style was also noticeable, especially in the works of Ivan Zaits (1831–1914) and Yakov Gotovac (1895–1982). In 1842, the national literary and educational organization Matica Croatian was founded, which played a key role in the cultural and literary life of Croatia. Cinematography in Croatia has achieved international recognition thanks to cartoons created by directors of the so-called. Zagreb school.

CITIES OF CROATIA

The largest cities in Croatia are Zagreb, Split, Rijeka. Their architecture is very diverse. The development of the trading cities of Dalmatia (Split, Zadar) was influenced by the Romanesque style; many cities of northern Croatia retained their Gothic appearance. The construction of numerous Croatian castles and fortresses (Varazdin, Karlovac) dates back to the 15th–18th centuries. World famous resorts are concentrated on the coast and islands of Croatia. The largest of them are Dubrovnik and Opatija. Several reasons why you need to vacation in Croatia.

The capital of Croatia is Zagreb (population in 1991). Other major cities are (population according to 1991 census) Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Zadar and Dubrovnik

HISTORY OF CROATIA

Ancient history

The Romans conquered the territory of modern Croatia in the 3rd–1st centuries. BC e. For most of the territory stretching from the middle Danube to the Adriatic coast south all the way to the northern part of what is now Albania, they used the name Illyricum, the area between the Sava and the Danube was called Pannonia, and the area between the Adriatic Sea and the Sava was Dalmatia.

Roman colonization led to the partial Romanization of the ancient inhabitants of Illyricum - the Celts, who settled in Pannonia in the 4th century. BC BC, Greek maritime colonists and Illyrians of the Dinaric Mountains, who lived in this territory for two millennia before the Roman conquest. The Romans began to extract minerals in Dalmatia, fill in swamps in Pannonia, grow grapes on the Danube, improve agricultural methods, built roads and bridges, and founded cities.

In the 3rd–6th centuries. waves of barbarian tribes (Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Lombards, Slavs, Avars), attracted by the wealth of the Roman provinces, invaded the territory of what is now Croatia.

First Croatian state

In the 6th–7th centuries. Slavs and Avars destroyed many cities in the west of the Balkan Peninsula. Then, during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (reigned 610–641), two Slavic groups of Croats and Serbs settled the western and central regions of the Balkans, respectively. They managed to create new tribal unions, impose their tribal names on the Slavic settlers who had settled here earlier, and, together with their predecessors, began to Slavicize large parts of Pannonia and Dalmatia. However, when the Franks conquered Croatia in 800, Charlemagne recognized the Croatian "knezes" (princes) as his vassals and appointed one of them prince of the Coastal region (Dalmatian Croatia), and the other of the Sava region (Posava Croatia).

In 819, Prince Ljudevit Posavsky raised an uprising (it was defeated in 823), seeking to put an end to the policy of feudalization and Christianization that the Franks carried out. Borne, the prince of Dalmatian Croatia, who spoke on the side of the Franks, eventually managed to expand his possessions to the river. Sava, that is, to take possession of Pannonian Croatia. Thus, after the decline of the Carolingian Empire in the West in the 9th century. The first united Croatian state emerged.

Prince Tomislav (reigned 910–928), appointed proconsul of Byzantium in the cities and islands of Dalmatia, proclaimed himself "King of Croatia" (925), and the Pope recognized his right to this title. The new kingdom flourished until 1000, when Dalmatia came under Venetian rule; soon after this, all of Croatia came under Byzantine rule.

Croatia regained full independence under Peter Krešimir IV (reigned 1058–1074), its prominent medieval prince, who annexed Byzantine Dalmatia as well as Slavonia to Croatia. In the religious struggle, he gave preference to the reform party, weakening the influence of local non-Catholic traditions. His successor, Dmitar Zvonimir (reigned 1074–1089), continued this policy, but lost the support of many Croats due to his dependence on the papacy. After his death, stronger powers sought to establish their power in Croatia - Byzantium, Hungary, Venice, the papacy and the Normans from southern Italy.

Hungarian era

The dynastic struggle between the main Croatian families weakened Croatia, and, in the end, King Kalman (Scribe) of the Hungarian Arpad dynasty took Dalmatia from Venice and established his power in Croatia. Trying to prevent a rebellion against his rule, the tribal leaders (zupans) of Lesser Croatia (the territory between Dalmatia and Slavonia) entered into an agreement in 1102 with Kalman, who authorized the formation of a personal union between the kingdoms of Hungary and Croatia under the rule of the King of Hungary, exempted the Croatian aristocracy from paying taxes and guaranteed the inviolability of their property.

The Hungarian-Croatian Union (Pacta Conventa) dealt a mortal blow to the Croatian tribal system. Forestry and mining began to develop in Croatia, a three-field farming system was introduced in a number of areas, coins began to replace furs and skins as a means of exchange, and favorable opportunities were created for the development of foreign trade.

At the same time, large feudal landowners strengthened their power by acquiring large estates in Croatia and especially in Slavonia. The smaller nobility, free peasants and townspeople rebelled against them and in 1222 forced the Hungarian king Andrew (Endre) II (reigned 1205–1235) to issue the “golden bull”, which limited royal powers and recognized the rights of the small nobility and free people. In 1241 and 1242 there was a Mongol invasion and the devastation of Pannonia and Dalmatia. The economic revival was associated with the name of King Béla IV (reigned 1235–1270), who invited foreign artisans and merchants and extended privileges to many urban communities. During this period, many cities with Magdeburg law arose in the northern part of Croatia. The largest of them was Hradec (1242), which in the 19th century. merged with Kaptol (founded 1094), forming modern Zagreb. When the last king of the Arpad dynasty died (1301), a dynastic struggle ensued, ending with the victory of the House of Angevin, which ruled Croatia in 1301–1382. After 1301, the monarchy was formally elective, and not only representatives of the House of Angevin, but also the Luxembourg dynasty, domestic kings and the Polish-Lithuanian Jagiellon dynasty ascended the throne.

During this period, the Croatian princes actually did not respect royal power. The king did not establish administrative bodies, collect taxes or grant estates in Croatia. These powers were assigned to the ban (viceroy) and the Croatian noble assembly - the sabor (parliament). Some magnates, such as the princes of Bribir in the 13th and 14th centuries, made the title of ban hereditary.

In the 15th century Venice and the Ottoman Turks captured large parts of Croatian territory. In 1493, the Croatian nobles were defeated on the Krbava plateau, in western Croatia. Croatian attempts to gain support from European powers were unsuccessful.

On August 29, 1526, the Turks defeated the Hungarian-Croatian troops at Mohács and occupied a significant part of Hungary and Croatia. In the hope that the Habsburgs would provide assistance in the fight against the Turks, Ferdinand I of Habsburg was elected king of the Czech Republic, Croatia and Hungary. In much of Hungary and Slavonia occupied by the Turks, the nobility favored János Zápolyai, a Hungarian nobleman of Croatian origin who negotiated a compromise agreement with the Turks and received their support. Added to the Hungarian-Croatian defeat civil war.

Located at the crossroads of routes leading to Central Europe and the Mediterranean, the Republic of Croatia simultaneously belongs to the Mediterranean and Central European-Danubian regions. It extends in the form of an arc from the Danube River in the northeast to the west to the Istrian peninsula and south to Boka Kotorska.

By land, Croatia borders five countries, and the total length of its borders is 2028 km. The country has land borders with Hungary (329 km), Serbia (241 km), Bosnia and Herzegovina (932 km), and it borders Slovenia (546 km) and Montenegro (25 km) both by land and sea. The country has an exclusively maritime border with Italy.

The land area of ​​the Republic of Croatia is 56,538 square meters. km, the area of ​​its territorial waters is 31,067 square meters. km, - thus, the Republic of Croatia occupies a total area of ​​87,605 sq. km. The total length of its coastline is 5,835 km, of which the continental part accounts for 1,778 km, and the island part accounts for 4,057 km. The direct distance between the extreme capes of the Croatian continental coastline is 559 km. The country's continental coastline is significantly indented, and in the distant past this had a huge impact on the creation of numerous ports and piers, and in the last 100 years - on the development of picturesque tourist centers. Croatia has approximately 1,185 islands and small islets along the Adriatic coast, of which 66 islands are inhabited.

• The largest Croatian island is Krk with a total area of ​​409 km2.
• The longest, as the name might suggest, is not the island of Dugi (Long), but the island of Hvar. Its length is 68 km and its area is 300 km2.
• The highest island is Brac. Its Vidova Gora (779 m) is the highest point of the Adriatic archipelago.
• The most wooded island of the Adriatic is Mljet. Almost 72% of its surface is occupied by forests, 22% by cultivated land, and 6% by stones.
• The sunniest Adriatic island (and, in general, the sunniest place in Croatia) is Hvar. Here the sun shines 2,718 hours a year. At the same time, for the entire Adriatic Sea the average annual figure is 2,600 hours.

The territory of the northern part of the country is mostly lowlands and plains: the Sava River basin, the hilly plains of Slavonia, Podravina, Posavina. On Adriatic coast is the Dinaric Highlands with the highest mountain in the country, Troglav (1,913 m), mountain range Velebit (maximum height 1,758 m), Kapela ridge. Main rivers: Sava, Danube with tributaries Drava and Mura.

In terms of land area and number of inhabitants (according to the latest census - 4,381,352 people), the Republic of Croatia is in 25th place among European countries. Croatian citizens live in 6,694 localities, with about 20% of residents living in four big cities(in Zagreb - the main city of about 770,000 inhabitants, as well as in Osijek, Rijeka and Split), with a population of over 100,000 inhabitants, and 51% in 177 cities or towns, which occupy 16% of the territory of Croatia. The northwestern regions are the most densely populated (over 140 people/sq. km), and the least populated are the areas of Liki, Gorski Kotar, the interior regions of the Istrian peninsula and some islands.

Within the framework of a unified Yugoslavia, Croatia ranked second after Slovenia in terms of industrial development and output per capita (this figure was about a third higher than the national average). The republic specialized in mining (oil, coal, bauxite), shipping and tourism.

The formation of the independent Republic of Croatia and the subsequent civil war of 1991–1995 provoked hyperinflation and a sharp decline in the level of economic development. The country's economy before 1996 can be regarded as a wartime economy, when 40% of government spending was directed to defense. During the period from 1989 to 1994, the economic decline in Croatia reached 46%.

The heavy industry of modern Croatia includes metallurgical and steel rolling plants, engineering factories, hydroelectric power plants, shipyards, cement and reinforced concrete products factories.

Leading industries– chemical, petrochemical, electrical and electronic, food, textile, woodworking, pharmaceutical. The country has breweries, wineries, meat processing plants, enterprises producing leather goods, sugar, and processing agricultural products.

The northeastern plains of Croatia are the main breadbasket of the country. Here they grow grain crops (corn and wheat), sugar beets, soybeans, hemp, flax, sunflowers, potatoes, fodder crops (clover, alfalfa, fodder beets), and raise cattle. On the hillsides and in the lowlands, gardening (mainly plums and apples) and viticulture are traditionally practiced. The main crops in mountainous areas are barley and potatoes. Istria and Dalmatia are characterized by viticulture and winemaking, growing early vegetables and southern fruits, including citrus fruits and olives.

In the fall of 1993, the country began implementing an economic stabilization plan. In such sectors of the national economy as tourism, mining, shipbuilding, oil refining, many enterprises were privatized, and by 1995, with the assistance of foreign investors, programs for their reconstruction began to be implemented. However, after the Croatian invasion of Krajina in August 1995, this assistance was curtailed.

Since 1997, the process of denationalization of the country's largest enterprises has accelerated, including railways, the INA oil and gas concern, which was built with the expectation of supplying petroleum products to the whole of Yugoslavia, and the electric power industry.

The total economically active population is estimated at 1.68 million people. Unemployment is growing and remains at a high level: if in 1996 the unemployed were 15.9% of the working population, then in 1997 - 16.6%, in 1998 - 17.2%, in 1999 - 19.1%, in 2000 - 22% . In this regard, tens of thousands of workers left for the West in search of work.

The annual growth rate of industrial production since 1997 was estimated at 3–5%, but in 2000 it dropped to 1.7%. The inflation rate in 1996 was 3.5% (in 1993 it exceeded 1500%), in 1997 - 4.6%, in 1999 - 4.4%, in 2000 - 6%. At the same time, there has been a steady growth of GDP: in 1997 - 18.92 billion dollars, in 1998 - 20.6 billion, in 2003 - 47.05 billion dollars. At the same time, GDP growth (in 1990 prices) in 1998 amounted to 2.5%, in 2003 – 4.3% (in 1999 there was a decrease in GDP by 0.4% compared to the previous year). GDP per capita in 1992 was $1800, in 1993 – $2705, in 1994 – $2974, in 1995 – $3487 (62.5% of the 1989 level), in 1996 – $3650, in 2003 reached $10,600. In the structure of GDP, the share of the service sector is 71% (1999) ahead of the share of industry (19%) and agriculture (10%). The share of the service sector is increasing, in particular due to the revival of the tourism business in coastal Croatia since 2000.

Croatia is characterized by a developed transport system. So, in 1997 the length railways reached 2.3 thousand km, highways - 27.8 thousand km (23.5 thousand km with hard surfaces, including 330 km of expressways). Zagreb is connected by highways to Slovenia, Yugoslavia and Hungary. The Adriatic Highway connects all the main cities of coastal Croatia. The bed of the Sava along almost its entire length, as well as the bed of the border river Danube, was navigable before the hostilities. To restore navigation along inland waterways, it is necessary to carry out work to clear the beds of these rivers. There are several seaports on the Adriatic coast, providing maritime transport not only to Croatia and the former Yugoslavia, but also to a number of other European countries. The largest ports are Rijeka, in the Gulf of Rijeka, in the north and Ploce, at the mouth of the Neretva, in the south, smaller ones are Pula, Split, Sibenik, Dubrovnik. The Croatian merchant fleet consists of 53 vessels of over 1,000 gross register tons each, with a total tonnage of 631,853 gross register tons. In 1999, there were 22 airports in the country. An oil pipeline with a length of 670 km, a 20-kilometer oil product pipeline and a gas pipeline with a length of 310 km pass through the territory of Croatia.

Croatia is gradually forming a foreign market. Thus, in 1999, the export of goods and services amounted to $4.3 billion. Transport equipment, products of the chemical and petrochemical industries, textiles, and food are exported. The main export partners are Italy (18%), Germany (15.7%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (12.8%), Slovenia (10.6%), Austria (6.2%). Imports amounted to $7.8 billion. Croatia imports cars, transport and electrical equipment, fuel and lubricants, and food. The main import partners are Germany (18.5%), Italy (15.9%), Russia (8.6%), Slovenia (7.9%), Austria (7.1%).

Throughout the 1990s, there was an increase in external debt. In 1997, it was estimated at 31.1% of GDP (in 1996 - 26.6%, in 1995 - 25%), in 1999 in absolute terms it reached 9.3 billion dollars. In 1998, the revenue side of the country's budget amounted to 6 billion. dollars, expenses – 4.7 billion dollars.

Since 2000 the government has intensified foreign economic relations and set a goal to increase the investment attractiveness of the main industries. At the same time, it is taking measures to stabilize the financial system and reduce external debt.

The post-Tudjman government is more focused on joining Western European structures (EU, NATO) and modifying the country's economic development accordingly. In general, despite the significant destruction caused by military operations (damage is estimated at $18.7 billion), Croatia still remains the second (after Slovenia) most economically developed state among the former republics of the SFRY.

The Republic of Serbia has an area of ​​88.4 thousand square meters. km, population 10,150,265 million people and borders Macedonia in the south, Bulgaria and Romania in the east, Hungary in the north, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the west, Montenegro and Albania in the southwest. Three regions are distinguished: Serbia proper, which in 1991 was inhabited by 5.82 million people, and the autonomous regions - Vojvodina (2 million) and Kosovo (1.95 million). In 1999 there was a large wave of emigration of Albanians from Kosovo, and in 2000–2001 - the emigration of Kosovo Serbs. GDP-4400. EAN-2.961. GDP annually - 5.9%. Unemployment - 31.6%.

A agriculture: 16.6%
industry: 25.5%
services: 57.9%

Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment

The population is dominated by Serbs (62%) and Albanians (17%). Montenegrins (5%), Hungarians (3%) and a number of national minorities also live in Serbia. Before the outbreak of hostilities in 1999, Serbs made up 85% of the population of Serbia proper, 54% in Vojvodina and 13% in Kosovo; Hungarians and Croats are large minorities in Vojvodina. Most Serbs are Orthodox Christians. Muslims are small in Serbia proper and constitute the majority in Kosovo.

State structure. After World War II, under the 1946 constitution, Serbia became one of six republics in the federal Yugoslav state. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Serbia was adopted in 1963.

In September 1990, a new Serbian constitution was adopted, which established a unicameral parliament - the Assembly (250 seats), whose deputies are elected for a four-year term. The head of the Republic of Serbia is the president, elected for a five-year term in direct general elections. The highest body of executive power is the Council of Ministers, headed by a chairman, who is elected by parliament from among the candidates proposed by the president. The chairman forms the government, which is approved by parliament.

The Republic of Montenegro is part of the union of Serbia and Montenegro. Its area is 13,812 sq. km. Montenegro is located on the Dinaric Highlands and has access to the Adriatic Sea; It borders Albania in the southeast, Serbia in the northeast and east, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the northwest. In Montenegro, three regions are distinguished: fertile lowlands along the coast of the Adriatic Sea, in the basin of Lake Shkoder and adjacent sections of the valleys of the Zeta and Moraca rivers in the southwest; mountainous western region ( Old Montenegro), west of the Zeta river; mountains to the north and east (known as Brda), used for pasture and forestry purposes. The capital of the republic is Podgorica (formerly Titograd, 1945–1992). Until 1945 the capital was the city of Cetinje.

642.5 thousand people live in Montenegro. The population is dominated by Montenegrins (61.7%), the other most numerous national groups are: Bosans (Muslim Bosnians, or Muslims as an ethnic community, 13%), Serbs (9.3%), Albanians (6.5%). Most Montenegrins and Serbs traditionally belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church, and a significant part of Bosans and Albanians profess Islam. Small communities of Croats, Serbs and Albanians practice Catholicism.

State structure. According to the Yugoslav Constitution of 1946, Montenegro became one of the six federal republics. The communist leadership of Montenegro, after 44 years of rule, was removed in January 1989 under pressure from demonstrations organized by the pro-Serbian opposition. As a result, the most important positions in the republic were occupied by new political forces.

On October 12, 1992, the Constitution of Montenegro was adopted, according to which the highest legislative body is the Assembly, consisting of 77 deputies. The President of Montenegro is elected for a five-year term by direct secret ballot on the basis of universal and equal suffrage.

The post of President of Montenegro has been vacant since 2002, as the required number of voters did not turn out for the presidential elections. Acting President – ​​Filip Vujanovic (Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro). The head of the government of Montenegro since 2003 has been the leader of the DSHR, Milomir (Milo) Djukanovic.”

Economics and social structure. Until the 19th century The main driving forces for the development of society in Montenegro and Brda were blood feuds, partisan warfare, the collapse and merging of clans. Until the Berlin Congress of 1878, according to the decisions of which several small settlements, including Podgorica, there were no cities in the country. The state began to build roads suitable for the passage of horse-drawn carriages; organized postal, telegraph and telephone communications; stood for the defense of the principles of private property; controlled the public education system

Until the end of the 20th century. Agriculture and cattle breeding remained the main source of livelihood for approximately 80% of the population of Montenegro. Due to unfavorable natural conditions(mountainous terrain, low soil fertility) and backward agricultural technology in the region produce no more than 2/3 of the food consumed. Montenegro specializes mainly in growing corn, fishing and cheese making. Tobacco remains the main cash crop, although cotton is also grown in the more fertile valleys. The leading industries are woodworking, shipbuilding, production of building materials and tobacco processing. In addition, in Montenegro, much attention is paid to the development of tourism, electrification, and the construction of railways and roads. Due to the fall in the exchange rate of the dinar, the government of Montenegro in 1999 introduced the German mark as a parallel means of payment; from November 13, 2000, the circulation of the Yugoslav dinar was prohibited, and the mark remained the only monetary unit republics. Since January 1, 2002, the euro has been in circulation.

The introduction of institutional changes and the creation of a truly functioning common trade policy and single market in Serbia and Montenegro are an indispensable requirement for stabilization and subsequent accession to the EU. The European Commission has already begun work on in this direction and adopted the Plan for the creation of a single internal market in Serbia7. Thus, Chris Patten, in the Progress Report on Serbia and Montenegro (October 2004), notes that the EU has reached the final stage regarding the participation of Serbia and Montenegro in the stabilization program. Moreover, the commissioner expressed the EU’s readiness to cooperate separately with each state entity of Serbia and Montenegro on issues of economic development, trade and regional policy8.

Macedonia

Republic of Macedonia - independent state in Europe, the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). Located on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Often called simply Macedonia, it should not be confused with the state of Ancient Macedonia and the historical region of Macedonia in neighboring Greece. The Republic of Macedonia occupies about 38% of the area of ​​historical Macedonia and has about 44% of its population.

The territory of the Republic of Macedonia previously constituted the largest southern part Yugoslavia. Its modern borders were established shortly after World War II, when the SFRY was formed as part of Socialist Republic of Macedonia- thereby the Macedonians were recognized as an independent people within Yugoslavia. In 1991, with the collapse of Yugoslavia into separate states, the territory of Macedonia did not undergo changes. At the same time, the appearance of this separate state led to endless political disputes with Greece over the use of the names "Macedonia" and "Macedonians" - so long time in official documents this state was called the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.”

· 1991 - declaration of sovereignty and referendum on independence of Macedonia. The first president of Macedonia is Kiro Gligorov (1991-1999).

· 1992 - withdrawal of units of the Yugoslav army.

· 1993 - introduction of the “blue helmets” (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) of the UN.

· 1995 - after the assassination attempt on Kiro Gligorov, Stoyan Andov served as acting head of state for a short period.

· As a result of the war in Kosovo in 1999 about 360,000 Kosovo Albanians fled to Macedonian territory. The refugees soon left the country, but a little later, local Albanians, following their example, put forward a demand for autonomy for the regions of the republic with a predominant Albanian population.

· 1999-2004 - President Boris Trajkovsky.

· 2001 March - August - Albanian uprising, which swept the north and west of the country (especially the Tetovo region). The Albanian Army of National Liberation (leader Ali Ahmeti) began military-guerrilla operations against the regular army of Macedonia. The confrontation was ended only by the intervention of NATO, as a result of which the Albanians were granted limited legal and cultural autonomy (official status of the Albanian language, amnesty for the rebels, Albanian police in Albanian areas).

· 2002 - sporadic relapses of the Albanian-Macedonian interethnic conflict.