Istria
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Istria (Croatian, Slovene: Istra; Italian: Istria; Istriot: Eîstria; Hungarian: Isztria), formerly Histria (Latin), is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner. It is shared by three countries: Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy.
Geography
The geographical features of Istria include the Učka mountain ridge, which is the highest portion of the Ćićarija mountain range; the rivers Dragonja, Mirna, Pazinčica, and Raša; and the Lim bay and valley. Istria lies in three countries: Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. By far the largest portion (89%) lies in Croatia. "Croatian Istria" is divided into two counties, the larger being Istria County in western Croatia. Important towns in Istria County include Pula, Poreč, Rovinj, Pazin, Labin, Umag, Motovun, Buzet, and Buje. Smaller towns in Istria County include Višnjan, Roč, and Hum.
The north-western part of Istria lies in Slovenia: it is known as Slovenian Istria, and includes the coastal municipalities of Piran, Izola and Koper, and the Karstic municipality of Hrpelje-Kozina. Westwards of Slovenian Istria, there is a tiny portion of the peninsula that lies in Italy.<ref name="Pope-Neubauer"/><ref name="Day-East-Thomas"/> This smallest portion of Istria consists of the comunes of Muggia and San Dorligo della Valle.
The ancient region of Histria extended to a much wider area, including the whole Kras plateau until the southern edges of the Vipava Valley, the south-western portions of modern Inner Carniola with Postojna and Ilirska Bistrica, and the modern Italian Province of Trieste, but not the Liburnian coast which was already part of Illyricum.
Climate
- Central Istria (Pazin) has Continental climate.
- Slovenian coast of Istria has submediterranean climate, West and south coast Mediterranean climate.
- East coast (Rabac, Labin, Opatija) has submediterranean climate with Oceanic climate influences.
- The warmest places are Pula, Rovinj, while the coldest are Pazin and Koper.
See also
