Croatia — books & literature

The story of Croatia

Croatia's story begins with Slavic tribes who settled the region in the 7th century, forming early duchies that coalesced into a kingdom crowned under King Tomislav circa 925. Medieval Croatia entered a personal union with Hungary in 1102 under the Pacta Conventa, and as Ottoman pressure grew in the 16th century, Croatian nobles turned to the Habsburgs for protection, whose rule shaped Croatian lands for centuries even as the coastal city-state of Dubrovnik flourished as an independent maritime republic rivaling Venice. In 1918 Croatia joined the new South Slavic kingdom that later became Yugoslavia, an era interrupted by the upheavals of the Second World War. After 1945 Croatia was a republic within socialist Yugoslavia, and when that federation fractured, Croatia declared independence on 25 June 1991, enduring the Croatian War of Independence before the conflict ended with Operation Storm in 1995. The following decades brought reconstruction and reintegration with Europe: Croatia joined NATO in 2009, the European Union in 2013, and adopted the euro and joined the Schengen area in 2023. Today Croatia is known for its Adriatic coastline of over a thousand islands, Roman and Venetian-era cities like Split and Dubrovnik, and a literary tradition running from Renaissance Dubrovnik playwrights to modern novelists.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 7th century

   Slavic tribes, including the Croats, settle the region.

2. circa 925

   Tomislav is crowned, unifying Croatian lands into a kingdom.

3. 1102

   Pacta Conventa brings Croatia into a personal union with Hungary.

4. 1527

   Croatian nobles elect Ferdinand I of Habsburg as king after the Ottoman threat grows.

5. 1918

   Croatia joins the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia).

6. 1945

   Croatia becomes a republic within socialist Yugoslavia.

7. 1991

   Croatia declares independence from Yugoslavia (25 June); war follows.

8. 1995

   Operation Storm effectively ends the Croatian War of Independence.

9. 2013

   Croatia joins the European Union.

10. 2023

    Croatia adopts the euro and joins the Schengen Area.

Top 10 things to know about Croatia

1. Croatia has over a thousand islands, islets, and reefs along its Adriatic coastline.
2. Dubrovnik's walled Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a famous filming location.
3. The necktie ("cravat") traces its origin to a scarf worn by 17th-century Croatian soldiers.
4. Croatian is a South Slavic language written in the Latin script.
5. Croatia joined the European Union in 2013 and adopted the euro in 2023.
6. Plitvice Lakes National Park is famous for its cascading turquoise lakes and waterfalls.
7. Roman Emperor Diocletian built his retirement palace in Split around 305 CE, and the city grew up inside its walls.
8. The Adriatic coastline is renowned for exceptionally clear waters and historic port towns.
9. Croatia reached the FIFA World Cup final in 2018, one of the smallest nations ever to do so.
10. Klapa, traditional multi-part a cappella singing from Dalmatia, is UNESCO-listed intangible heritage.

Famous people from Croatia

Say it in Croatia's language

Did you know?

• ★The word "cravat" derives from "Croat" , the necktie originated with 17th-century Croatian soldiers.
• ★Croatia has more than a thousand islands along its Adriatic coast, among the most of any Mediterranean country.
• ★The historic core of Split grew up inside the walls of a Roman emperor's retirement palace.

Croatia culture

• Klapa, a traditional a cappella singing style from Dalmatia, is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
• Coastal cuisine leans on Mediterranean staples like seafood, olive oil, and wine, while inland regions favour Central European stews and pastries.
• Football and water polo are hugely popular national sports, with strong club and national-team traditions.
• Zagreb's Advent Christmas market has repeatedly been voted among the best in Europe.

Why read Croatia's books

Croatian literature stretches from Renaissance Dubrovnik , a maritime republic that rivaled Venice in culture , through the modernist novels of the 20th century; its books trace a small nation's endurance across empires, wars, and independence.