Bordering the Adriatic Sea, Croatia sits in the southern region of central Europe. The country borders Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.http://maps.google.com/ Categorized as Mediterranean and continental, the climate of Croatia is characterized by cold winters and hot summers in the interior and mild winters and dry summers along the coast. Slightly smaller than West Virginia, Croatia is diverse in geography. Hills and mountains mark the Adriatic coastline of the country as well as its islands; plains predominate along the Hungarian border.https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hr.html

Under 22,000 square miles in total land area, Croatia is inhabited by about four and a half million people. Roman Catholicism is historically the main religion of the country.https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hr.html

Though an independent entity since it was first inhabited by Slavs in the 7th century, Croatia eventually fell under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, Croatia engaged in power struggles with the Ottoman Empire, which was continually expanding. Croatia was incorporated into Yugoslavia during World War I, then again in World War II after a brief period as an independent state. The Croatian government declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Currently, Croatia is working to join the European Union.http://www.valamar.com/croatia/culture-history

Croats form the bulk of the population of Croatia. They constitute about 90% of the total population. One out of twenty Croatians is Serbian in heritage. Other Slavs, Hungarian and Roma are the other significant minorities of Croatia. The vast majority of Croatian citizens speak Croatian.https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hr.html Officially, one percent of the population speaks Serbian, which is similar to Croatian.https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hr.htmlhttp://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/serbocroatian.htm Although only a part of Croatia lies on the Balkan peninsula, the country is often considered a Balkan country, and it is historically the bastion of Catholicism in the Balkans. The Croats are mainly Catholic in heritage, and the Serbs are mainly Orthodox.http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/serbian_newmartyrs.aspx