Croatia has a lot of different landscapes, but there are three main types: there's a long area next to the sea (the coastal region), a large area of mountains, and a third area known as the Pannonian region, which is the valley area. The summers are pretty hot, so it's a really great place to live!

The Coast

The west of the Republic of Croatia is edged by the Adriatic Sea. This means there's a huge variety of fish, and you can even spot dolphins and turtles if you're lucky.

There are more than 1,700 islands, islets and cliffs in this part of the coast, and this makes Croatia a unique area in Europe. There are many cruising boats and yachts in the region and lots to explore underwater. The Croatian authorities take great care of their water areas; there are many national parks in order to protect them.

The group of 110 islands known as the Kornati are the largest group of islands on the Croatian coast. Some of the islands do not even have any people living on them, but the area is known to be a total paradise for sailors and people who go diving.

Another island called Mljet has a pine forest and saltwater lakes - one of the lakes has an island in it too, so it has an island within an island!

Land

If you looked at the countryside in Croatia you would see fields of lavender, grape vines, olive trees, fruit trees - and that includes peaches and lemon groves - and laurel and cypress trees. These are all part of the natural landscape of Croatia.

Plants and wildlife include bats, foxes, lynx, wild sheep and bears. These are all protected in the national parks that have been set up to ensure the conservation of regional flora and fauna. There are seven national parks in total.

Towns and Cities

There are many old towns in Croatia - some date back to Roman or medieval times. Dubrovnik is one of the most popular towns visited by tourists.

The towns on the coastline of Croatia reflect the history of the country too - traditional stone houses, typically with red tiled roofs, all grouped together. These now stand alongside the modern hotel complexes that are giving tourists the opportunity to go and look at the view too!

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