Recent Croatian History
The birth of one of the world's newest countries was traumatic. Convulsed by the simultaneous implosion of former Yugoslavia and the fall of Communism, Croatia's well-publicised strife began in the early 1990's saddling it with a reputation as a war zone.
Croatia had declared independence on 25 June 1991 and was recognised by the EU in January 1992 and joined the UN in May 1992. However, it couldn’t prevent the ensuing war that followed the proclamation of independence. Croatia suffered heavy loss of life and material destruction; in some parts, whole villages were completely wiped out, and roughly a quarter of Croatian territory was occupied.
Fortunately peace came in 1995 with Croatia regaining all of its territory. With peace came the opportunity to rebuild its status as one of the leading tourist destinations in the world, and so a determined effort began to regain the 10 million visitors a year who were flowing into the country in the late 1980's. Their efforts have not been in vain. Since the turn of the 21st Century, visitors have been flocking back to experience the delights of this truly exceptional country.
