10 facts about Croatia you’d never have guessed
How much do you know about Croatia? Neckties, Dalmatian dogs, biggest truffle,
Zinfandel wine, 1244 islands …
2) It has the highest number of UNESCO Intangible Goods of any European country (in a tie with Spain)
Lacemaking on the island of Pag, Gingerbread craft from Northern Croatia, Klapa multipart singing of Dalmatia, southern Croatia, Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik, traditional manufacturing of children’s wooden toys in Hrvatsko Zagorje to name just a few.
3) It’s home to the world’s smallest town “Hum”
Hum in Istria with a varying population of 18 – 23 people holds the Guinness World Record for being the smallest town in the world.
4) It’s the home of the world’s biggest truffle
The Guinness Record holder of the largest white truffle belongs to a Croatian. A white truffle weighing 1.31 kg (2 lb 8 oz) was found near Buje, a town in Istria, Croatia.
5) The people in Croatia enjoy 2,715 hours of sunshine a year.
That is more than Sydney, Australia. Think twice should you book a room with a balcony or not!? 😉
6) Zinfandel grape variety comes from Croatia.
Oh yeah, this one is for real. Croatian old wine variety, Crljenak Kastelanski, is the same grape variety as Zinfandel. DNA proved. Napa Valley, you’re welcome!
7) Built in 1296, Dubrovnik still has in use today one of the first medieval sewage systems
101 Dalmatian?
The dog breed actually comes from Dalmatia, a coastal region of Croatia. This dog with many different roles such as firefighter, coach dog, war dog, bird dog and many others, is in fact loyal and sensitive dog and it becomes melancholic without human company. Basicaly your average Croatian guy: loves company and spending time outside.
9) The former Croatian currency was named after a rodent
Former Croatian currency (before the EURO) known as the Kuna, was named after a rodent – it is the Croatian word for marten. A marten was a forest rodent whose highly prized skin was used to pay taxes in the Roman provinces of eastern Croatia. The marten appeared on medieval coins before giving its name to the new currency in 1994. And the coins are named after a lime tree.
10) Croatia is rightfully known as a country of 1,000 islands,
as it has 1244 islands, islets and reefs. However, less than 50 are inhabited.
And we couldn’t resist throwing in a few others:
- Words without vowels are everywhere in Croatian language. Try pronouncing: Krk, trn, vrt, prst, strm… need to continue?!
- Pay attention: When giving flowers to somebody, make sure there is an odd number of stems. Othervise they would be offended – flowers with an even number of stems are for the graveyards. #thecroatianway
- If somebody invites you for a coffee, you can actually order something else. Coffee culture in Croatia is so strong, that the word “coffee” just got the meaning of the word “drink”. Sometimes by watching busy cafes in the middle of the day, you might get a wrong impression that Croatians don’t work. We actually do. In the bar. While we drink coffee. #thecroatianway
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