Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik
Ragusa
Grad Dubrovnik
City of Dubrovnik
Nicknames: 
"Pearl of the Adriatic", "Thesaurum mundi"[citation needed]
Map
Dubrovnik is located in Croatia
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
The location of Dubrovnik within Croatia
Dubrovnik is located in Europe
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (Europe)
Coordinates: 42°38′25″N 18°06′30″E / 42.64028°N 18.10833°E / 42.64028; 18.10833
CountryCroatia
CountyDubrovnik-Neretva
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • MayorMato Franković (HDZ)
 • City Council
21 members
Area
 • City
142.6 km2 (55.1 sq mi)
 • Urban
12.1 km2 (4.7 sq mi)
Elevation
3 m (10 ft)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • City
41,562
 • Density290/km2 (750/sq mi)
 • Urban
26,922
 • Urban density2,200/km2 (5,800/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Dubrovčanin (hr, male)
Dubrovčanka (hr, female)
Dubrovkinja (local, female)[3]
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
HR-20 000
Area code+385 20
Vehicle registrationDU
Patron saintSaint Blaise
Websitedubrovnik.hr
Official nameOld City of Dubrovnik
CriteriaCultural: (i)(iii)(iv)
Reference95
Inscription1979 (3rd Session)
Area96.7 ha (239 acres)

Dubrovnik (Croatian: [dǔbroːʋniːk] ,[4] UK: /d(j)ʊˈbrɒvnɪk/ dyuu-BROV-nik, US: /dˈ-/ doo-;[5] see notes on naming), historically known as Ragusa[6] (Italian: [raˈɡusa] ), is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, a seaport and the centre of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Its total population is 41,562 (2021 census).[7] In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town.[8]

The history of the city probably dates back to the 7th century, when the town known as Ragusa was founded by refugees from Epidaurum (Ragusa Vecchia). It was under protectorate of the Byzantine Empire and later under the sovereignty of the Republic of Venice. Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Dubrovnik ruled itself as a free state. The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade; as the capital of the maritime Republic of Ragusa, it achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, as it became notable for its wealth and skilled diplomacy. At the same time, Dubrovnik became a cradle of Croatian literature. In his letter to Nikola Nalješković (1564), poet Ivan Vidalić named it "crown of Croatian cities".[9]

The entire city was almost destroyed in a devastating earthquake in 1667. During the Napoleonic Wars, Dubrovnik was occupied by the French Empire forces, and then the Republic of Ragusa was abolished and incorporated into the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy and later into the Illyrian Provinces of France. In the early 19th to early 20th century, Dubrovnik was part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austrian Empire. Dubrovnik became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia immediately upon its creation, and it was incorporated into its Zeta Banovina in 1929, before becoming part of the Banovina of Croatia upon its creation in 1939. During World War II, it was part of the Axis puppet state Independent State of Croatia, before being reincorporated into Socialist Republic of Croatia in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, Dubrovnik was besieged by the Yugoslav People's Army for seven months and suffered significant damage from shelling. After undergoing repair and restoration works in the 1990s and early 2000s, it re-emerged as one of the Mediterranean's top tourist destinations, as well as a popular filming location. According to Holidu, Dubrovnik was the most 'over-touristed' destination in Europe during 2023, with 27.42 tourists for each inhabitant.[10] Often called "The Queen of Adriatic"[11] Dubrovnik is considered one of the most popular destinations in the Adriatic and in Europe.

  1. ^ Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata Q119585703.
  2. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
  3. ^ Dubrovčanin Hrvatski jezični portal
  4. ^ "Dùbrōvnīk". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  5. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). "Dubrovnik". Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  6. ^ Handbook to the Mediterranean - Its Cities, Coasts and Islands. J. Murray. 1890. p. 322.
  7. ^ "Cultural diversity: Census Information on country of birth, year of arrival, ancestry, language and religion". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 9 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Old City of Dubrovnik". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  9. ^ Baždar-Paušek, Snježana (2020). Dubrovački prirodoslovci u vrhu povijesti znanosti (od 15. do 19. stoljeća) (in Croatian). Dubrovnik: Ogranak Matice hrvatske u Dubrovniku. p. 9. ISBN 978-953-7784-67-6.
  10. ^ "The European Cities Most Overloaded with Tourists". Holidu. 26 August 2024.
  11. ^ Leier, Manfred (2002). 100 Most Beautiful Cities of the World (1st ed.). The Netherlands: Rebo International b.v. p. 36,37. ISBN 978-90-366-14856. Retrieved 18 June 2024. Queen of Adriatic