This article is about a geographical region bordering the Adriatic Sea. For information on the asteroid, see 183 Istria. For the commune in Romania, see Istria, Constanţa. This article is about a commune in Romania For the geographical region bordering the Adriatic Sea see Istria.

Istria (Croatian, Slovene: Istra, Italian: Istria, Greek: Istria, Ιστρια), formerly Histria (Latin), is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. Croatian language ( hrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic language which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in neighbouring Slovene or Slovenian ( slovenski jezik or slovenščina, not to be confused with Slovenčina) is a South Slavic language Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner. The Gulf of Trieste (Golfo di Trieste Tržaški zaliv Tršćanski zaljev Golf von Triest is a shallow bay of the Adriatic Sea, in the extreme northern part of the Mediterranean The Kvarner Gulf ( Croatian: Kvarnerski zaljev, Italian: Golfo del Quarnero/Quarnaro/Carnaro; sometimes also Kvarner Bay) is a

The geographical features of Istria include Učka mountain which is the highest point in the Ćićarija mountain range, the rivers Dragonja, Mirna, Pazinčica and Raša, and the Lim bay. The Učka mountain range (Park prirode Učka Monte Maggiore has with Mt Dragonja is a River of Slovenia. The river is 22 km in length Raša (Arsia is a village and municipality in the inner part of the Raška Cove in the south-eastern part of Istria, Croatia, 4 This is in Croatia. For the water channel in Denmark, see Limfjord. Istria lies in three countries: Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The largest portion, Croatian Istria (Hrvatska Istra), is further divided into two counties. The largest portion is Istria county in western Croatia. Istria County (Istarska Županija Italian: Regione Istriana) is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Important towns in Istria county include Pula, Poreč, Rovinj, Pazin, Labin, Umag, Motovun, Buzet and Buje, as well as smaller towns of Višnjan, Roč, and Hum. Pula (Pietas Iulia Pulj Istriot Pula; Pola is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria Poreč ( Italian: Parenzo; Latin: Parens or Parentium; archaic German: Parenz; Ancient Greek: Rovinj ( Italian: Rovigno; Istriot Ruvèigno) is a city in Croatia situated on the north Adriatic Sea with a population of 13562 Pazin ( Italian: Pisino, German: Mitterburg) is a town in Istria, Croatia, population 4986 (2001 total municipality population Labin (Albona is a town in Istria, Croatia, population 7904 (2001 with 12426 in the municipality (which also includes small towns of Rabac and Vinež Umag (Umago is a coastal city in Istria, Croatia. The city hosts the yearly Croatia Open ATP Tennis tournament on clay courts Motovun (Montona d'Istria is a village in central Istria, Croatia. Buzet (the name Buzet is of Celtic origin see Buzet-sur-Baïse and Celts; Italian: Pinguente from the Latin "Piquentum" see Buje (Buie is a picturesque town situated in Istria, Croatia 's westernmost peninsula population 2979 (2001 Višnjan (Visignano is a village and municipality in Istria, Croatia. Roč ( Italian: Rozzo) is a village in Istria, north-west Croatia, with a population of only 180 people Hum ( Italian: Colmo; German: Cholm) is a village in the central part of Istria, northwest Croatia, 7 Km from A small slice in the north, including the coastal towns of Izola, Piran, Portorož and Koper, lies in Slovenia and is commonly known as Slovenian Istria (Slovenska Istra), while a tiny region consisting of the comunes of Muggia and San Dorligo della Valle belongs to Italy. Izola ( Italian: Isola or Isola d'Istria) is an old fishing Town and a Municipality in southwestern Slovenia on the Piran ( Italian Pirano) is a Town and Municipality in southwestern Slovenia on the Adriatic coast along the Portorož ( Portorose in Italian, literally "Port of Roses" also known in English and French under the name Portorose pronounced Portorosse Koper (Capodistria is a coastal town and municipality and the largest commercial Port in Slovenia, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Muggia (Milje is a small Italian Comune in the extreme south-east of Trieste lying on the border with Slovenia. San Dorligo della Valle (in Slovenian Dolina) is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

History

Early history

See also: March of Istria

Map of the Venetian Republic, circa 1000. The March (or Margravate) of Istria was originally a Carolingian frontier march covering the Istrian peninsula and surrounding territory The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The republic is in dark red, borders in light red.

The name is derived from the Illyrian tribe of the Histri, which Strabo refers to as living in the region. Illyria ( Albanian Iliria ( Ancient Greek; Latin Illyria; see also Illyricum) was in Classical antiquity a region in the A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use Strabo ( Greek: Στράβων 63/64 BC – ca AD 24 was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher. They Histri are classified in some sources as a "Venetic" Illyrian tribe, with certain linguistic differences from other Illyrians^[1]. The Romans described the Histri as a fierce tribe of pirates, protected by the difficult navigation of their rocky coasts. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC It took two military campaigns for the Romans to finally subdue them in 177 BCE. Events By place Greece Perseus of Macedonia marries Laodice the daughter of the Seleucid king Seleucus IV. The region was then called toegether with the Venetian part the X. Roman Region of "Venetia et Histria". Per ancient definition the north-eastern border of Italy. Dante Alighieri refers to it as well.

Some scholars speculate that the names Histri and Istria are related to the Latin name Hister, or Danube. The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj Ancient folktales reported—inaccurately—that the Danube split in two or "bifurcated" and came to the sea near Trieste as well as at the Black Sea. Trieste (Trieste Slovene and Croatian: Trst; German: Triest) is a city and port in northeastern Italy very near to The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The story of the "Bifurcation of the Danube" is part of the Argonaut legend.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the region was pillaged by the Goths, the Eastern Roman Empire, the Lombards, annexed to the Frankish kingdom by Pippin III in 789, and then successively controlled by the dukes of Carinthia, Merano, Bavaria and by the patriarch of Aquileia, before it became the territory of the Republic of Venice in 1267. The Western Roman Empire refers to the western half of the Roman Empire, from its division by Diocletian in 285 the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from Pepin or Pippin (714 &ndash 24 September 768) called the Short, and often known as Pepin the Younger or Pepin III, was Events By Place Asia An uprising in Japan leads to a major defeat for Emperor Kammu, alongside a severe Drought and The Duchy of Carinthia (Herzogtum Kärnten Vojvodina Koroška was a Duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. Merano ( Italian, now most common in English German: Meran, also used in English Ladin: Meran; Archaic (857 AD Mairania Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Aquileia (also called Aquilegia, Friulian Acuilee/Aquilee, Slovene Oglej) is an ancient Roman city in what is Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the

Istria in the Republic of Venice and the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (Germany)

The coastal areas and cities of Istria came under Venetian Influence in the IX century, It became definitely the territory of the Republic of Venice in 1267. The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The Inner Istrian part around Mitterburg (Pisino-Pazin), was held for centuries by the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (Heiliges Römisches Reich). The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in

Istria in the Austrian Empire (1797-1918)

Venetian rule left a strong mark on the region, one that can still be seen today. The Inner Istrian part around Mitterburg, known to its Germanic and Rumenic (Morlacs) occupants as Pisino-Pazin, was held for centuries by the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The venetian part of the peninsula passed to it in 1797 with the Treaty of Campo Formio. Year 1797 ( MDCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Treaty of Campo Formio was signed on October 17, 1797 (26 Vendémiaire Year VI of the French Republic by Napoleon Bonaparte and Count Ludwig The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (First Reich) ended with the period of Napoleonic rule from 1805 to 1813 when Istria became part of the Italian Kingdom and of the Illyrian provinces of the Napoleonic Empire. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Year 1805 ( MDCCCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Year 1813 ( MDCCCXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common After this short period the newly established Austrian Empire ruled Istria as the so called "Küstenland" which included the city of Trieste and Gorizia in Friuli until 1918. For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. The Austrian Littoral Gorizia (Gurize Gorica Görz is a town in northeastern Italy, at the foot of the Alps and bordering Slovenia. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common At that time the borders of Istria included a part of what is now Italian Venezia-Giulia and parts of modern-day Slovenia and Croatia, but not the city of Trieste. Today, Istria's borders are defined differently.

Interwar period and World War II: Istria in the Kingdom of Italy

Istria under Italian rule.

After World War I and the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, Istria returned to Italy. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All There have been several distinct entities known as the Kingdom of Italy. After the advent of Fascism, the indigenous Croatian and Slovene population were exposed to a policy of forced italianization and cultural suppression. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology Italianization is a term used to describe a process of Cultural assimilation in which ethnically non- or partially- Italian people or territory become Italian Cultural suppression occurs when a Culture is suppressed usually coinciding with the promotion of another culture They lost their right to education and religious practice in their maternal language. The organization TIGR, regarded as the first armed antifascist resistance group in Europe, was founded in 1927 in the Slovene Littoral and soon penetrated into Slovene and Croatian-speaking parts of Istria. TIGR, abbreviation for T rst ( Trieste) I stra ( Istria) G orica ( Gorizia) and R eka ( Rijeka) was Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies organizations governments and people Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Slovenian Littoral (Primorska Litorale Küstenland is a historical region of Slovenia. In 1943 the jugoslave partizans invaded Istria and started to terrorize the istrian population (infoibamenti). The german occupation of Italy then stopped the partizan violents.

Istria in the SFR Yugoslavia

See also: Istrian exodus

After the end of World War II, Istria was included into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, except for a small part in the northwest corner that formed Zone B of the provisionally independent Free Territory of Trieste (Trst); Zone B was under Yugoslav administration and after the de facto dissolution of the Free Territory in 1954 it was also incorporated into Yugoslavia. The expression Istrian exodus or Istrian-Dalmatian exodus is used to indicate the voluntary free-will departure of ethnic Italians from Istria, Rijeka World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian: The Free Territory of Trieste or Free State of Trieste ( Italian Territorio libero di Trieste, Slovenian Svobodno tržaško ozemlje Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Only the small town of Muggia (Milje), near Trieste, being part of Zone A remained with Italy. Muggia (Milje is a small Italian Comune in the extreme south-east of Trieste lying on the border with Slovenia. Trieste (Trieste Slovene and Croatian: Trst; German: Triest) is a city and port in northeastern Italy very near to Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest During and shortly after World War II, large numbers of civilians were killed in the so-called foibe massacres, both in Istria and in the Kras area surrounding Trieste. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Foibe massacres were killings attributed to Yugoslav Partisans during and shortly after World War II in Istria. KRAS is a gene encoding the KRas Proto-oncogene. Like other members of the Ras gene family the KRAS protein is a GTPase and is an early player in many In the postwar years fear of communism and strong post-war ethnic tension resulted in almost all Italians leaving Istria. By 1956 the last migrations were coming to an end, Istria had lost a significant segment of its population (80%)and part of its social and cultural identity. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The events of that period are most visible in Pula, a city located on the southernmost tip of the Istrian peninsula. Pula (Pietas Iulia Pulj Istriot Pula; Pola is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria Between December 1946 and September 1947, the city was abandoned by nearly all its Italian inhabitants. Most of them left in the immediate aftermath of the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty on February 10, 1947, which ceded Pula to Yugoslavia. The Paris Peace Conference ( July 29 to October 15, 1946) resulted in the Paris Peace Treaties signed on February 10, 1947 Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Some emigrants took with them not only their belongings but also their deceased.

Istria after the breakup of Yugoslavia

Istria county in Croatia

In the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Istria was divided between the republics of Croatia and Slovenia, following ethnic division lines. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 this administrative subdivision became a border between independent states. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Since Croatia's first multi-party elections in 1990, the regional party Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS-DDI, Istarski demokratski sabor or Dieta democratica istriana) has consistently received a majority of the vote and maintained through 1990s a position often contrary to the government in Zagreb, led by then nationalistic party Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ, Hrvatska demokratska zajednica) with regards to decentralization in Croatia and certain regional autonomy. Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Istrian Democratic Assembly (Istarski demokratski sabor Dieta democratica istriana is a Croatian regional political party in Istria. Zagreb (ˈzɑːgrɛb is the Capital and the largest city of Croatia. The Croatian Democratic Union (Hrvatska demokratska zajednica HDZ is the main Center-right Political party in Croatia. The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority However, that changed in 2000, when IDS formed with five other parties left-centre coalition government, led by Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP, Socijaldemokratska Partija Hrvatske). The Social Democratic Party of Croatia (Socijaldemokratska partija Hrvatske is the main Social democratic political party in Croatia. After reformed HDZ won Croatian parliamentary elections in late 2003 and formed minority government, IDS has been cooperating with state government on many projects, both local (in Istria County) and national. Istria County (Istarska Županija Italian: Regione Istriana) is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian

Demographic history

Ethnic map of Croatia's Istria County in 2001

Ethnic distribution in Istria in 1910:      Italians      Croats      Slovenes      Istro-Romanians

Italians in Istria in 1910. Istria County (Istarska Županija Italian: Regione Istriana) is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki Istro-Romanians ( Ethnonym: Vlaşi, also proper Rumâri and Rumêri; called Ćiribiri / Ćići by the local Slavic

The region has traditionally been ethnically mixed. Under Austrian rule in the 19th century, it included a large population of Italians, Croats, Slovenes and some Vlachs/Istro-Romanians and Montenegrins. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki Vlachs is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe Istro-Romanians ( Ethnonym: Vlaşi, also proper Rumâri and Rumêri; called Ćiribiri / Ćići by the local Slavic Montenegrins ( Serbian: Црногорци/ Crnogorci) are a South Slavic people closely akin to the Serbs, associated to Montenegro In 1910, the ethnic and linguistic composition was completely mixed. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting According to the Austrian census results, out of 404,309 inhabitants in Istria, 168,116 (41. 6%) spoke Croatian, 147,416 (36. Croatian language ( hrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic language which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in neighbouring 5%) spoke Italian, 55,365 (13. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. 7%) spoke Slovene, 13,279 (3. Slovene or Slovenian ( slovenski jezik or slovenščina, not to be confused with Slovenčina) is a South Slavic language 3%) spoke German, 882 (0. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. 2%) spoke Romanian, 2,116 (0. Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance 5%) spoke other languages and 17,135 (4. 2%) were non-citizens, which had not been asked for their language of communication. During the last decades of Habsburg dynasty the coast of Istria profited from the tourism within the Empire. Generally speaking, Italians lived on coast, while Croats and Slovenes lived inland.

In the second half of the 19th century a clash of new ideological movements, Italian irredentism (which claimed Trieste and Istria) and Slovene and Croatian nationalism (developing individual identities in some quarters whilst seeking to unite in a South Slav bid in others), resulted in growing ethnic conflict between Italians one side and Slovenes and Croats in opposition. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar An ideology is a set of beliefs aims and Ideas especially in politics Irredentism is any position advocating Annexation of territories administered by another State on the grounds of common Ethnicity or prior historical possession The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation This was intertwined with the class conflict, as inhabitants of Istrian towns were mostly Italian, whilst Croats or Slovenes largely lived out in the countryside. Croats (Hrvati are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries Slovenes or Slovenians ( Slovene Slovenci, dual Slovenca, singular Slovenec, feminine Slovenke, dual Slovenki

There is a long tradition of tolerance between the people who live there, regardless of their nationality, and although many Istrians today are ethnic Croats, a strong regional identity has existed over the years. The Croatian word for the Istrians is Istrani, or Istrijani, the latter being in the local Chakavian dialect. Chakavian dialect ( Čakavian; Croatian: čakavski, proper name čakavica or čakavština) is a dialect of the Croatian language The term Istrani is also used in Slovenia. Today the Italian minority is organized in many twons (see www. unione-italiana. hr), it consists officially around 45. 000 inhabitants, the Istrian county in Croatia is bilingual, as are large parts of Slovenian Istria. Every citizen has the right to speak either Italian or Croatian (Slovene in Slovenian Istria) in public administration or in court. Furthemore, Istria is a supranational European Region that includes Italian, Slovenian and Croatian Istria.

Ethnicity

As with many other regions in the former Yugoslavia, common concepts about ethnicity and nationality fail when applied to Istria. Discussions about Istrian ethnicity often use the words "Italian," "Croatian" and "Slovene" to describe the character of Istrian people. However, these terms are best understood as "national affiliations" that may exist in combination with or independently of linguistic, cultural and historical attributes.

In Istrian contexts, for example, the word "Italian" can just as easily refer to autochthonous speakers of the Venetian language whose antecedents in the region extend before the inception of the Venetian Republic or Istriot language the oldest spoken language in Istria, dated back to the Romans, today spoken in the south west of Istria, but also to a descendant of immigrated during the Mussolini period. Venetian or Venetan is a Romance language spoken by over two million people mostly in the Veneto region of Italy. The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica Istriot is a Romance language spoken in the Western Region on the coast of the Istrian Peninsula especially in the towns of Rovinj (Rovigno and Vodnjan It can also refer to Istrian Slavs who adopted the veneer of Italian culture as they moved from rural to urban areas, or from the farms into the bourgeoisie. The Culture of Italy can be found in the Roman ruins remaining in much of the country the precepts of the Roman Catholic Church, the spirit of the In fact most of the families in Inner Istria are mixed descendants.

Similarly, national powers claim Istrian Slavs according to local language, so that speakers of Čakavian and Štokavian dialects of the Croatian language are considered to be Croatians, while speakers of other dialects may be considered to be Slovene. Chakavian dialect ( Čakavian; Croatian: čakavski, proper name čakavica or čakavština) is a dialect of the Croatian language Shtokavian or Štokavian (štokavski is the main dialect of the Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian languages Croatian language ( hrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic language which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in neighbouring Those Croatian dialect speakers are descendants of the first Slavic immigrants which settled in the region in the 7th and the 8th centuries as well as the refugees of the Turkish invasion and the Ottoman Empire from Bosnia and Dalmatia from the 16 century. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Province of Bosnia or Pashaluk of Bosnia was a key Ottoman province the westernmost one mostly based on the territory of the present-day state of Bosnia Dalmatia ( Croatian: Dalmacija, see names in other languages) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern Often they were slavizised Vlachs, the so called Morlachs. Vlachs is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe Morlachs (in Serbian Morlaci or Морлаци in Greek Μαυροβλάχοι Mavrovlachi or Mauro-Vlachs, meaning "Black Vlachs " in The Venetian Republic settled them down in Inner Istria, devastated by wars and plague. Many villages have the Morlachian name like Katun. Like with all other regions, the local dialects of the Slavic communities are very slightly varied across close distances. The Istrian Slavic and Italian vernaculars had both developed for many generations before being divided as they are today. This meant that Croats/Slovenes on one side and Venetians/other Italians on the other will have yielded towards each other culturally whilst distancing themselves from members of their ethnic groups living farther away. There is still the Romanian community to mention, the Istro-Romanians in the east and north of Istria (Ćićarija) and parts of neighbouring Liburnia (the east coast of the peninsula which is not part of Istria). Istro-Romanians ( Ethnonym: Vlaşi, also proper Rumâri and Rumêri; called Ćiribiri / Ćići by the local Slavic Liburnia in ancient geography was the land of the Liburnians, a region along the northeastern Adriatic coast in Europe, which is today part of Croatia

Some Istrians consider themselves simply to be Istrians, with no additional national affiliation (in the 2001 Croatian census 8,865 (4. 3%) people in Istria county declared themselves "Istrian"^[2]). Istria County (Istarska Županija Italian: Regione Istriana) is the westernmost county of Croatia which includes the biggest part of the Istrian Nevertheless, most residents of Croatian Istria declare themselves as Croatian, while most residents of Slovenian Istria declare themselves as Slovene.

The small town of Peroj has had a unique history which exemplifies the multi-ethnic complexity of the history of the region, as do some towns on both sides of the Cicerija mountains that are still identified with the Istro-Romanian people which the UNESCO Redbook of Endangered Languages calls "the smallest ethnic group in Europe". Peroj is a village in the Vodnjan municipality on the south-western coast of Istria, currently inhabited by ~400 inhabitants dating back to the Copper age United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16

Language

According to the Croatian census in 2001, 87. 21% of the population of Istria country speaks Croatian as their mother tongue, 7. Croatian language ( hrvatski jezik) is a South Slavic language which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina in neighbouring 69% speak Italian, while 0. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. 92% speak Slovenian. Slovene or Slovenian ( slovenski jezik or slovenščina, not to be confused with Slovenčina) is a South Slavic language Several towns with a significant Italian-speaking population are Grožnjan (66. Grožnjan (Grisignana is a village and a municipality in inner Istria, Croatia. 11%), Buje (39. Buje (Buie is a picturesque town situated in Istria, Croatia 's westernmost peninsula population 2979 (2001 66%), Brtonigla (41. Brtonigla Italian: Verteneglio is a village and municipality in the north-western part of Istria, Croatia, 6 km southwest of Buje; 29%), Oprtalj (32. Oprtalj (Portole is a village and municipality in Istria, Croatia. 11%), Bale (22. Bale ( Italian: Valle d'Istria, Latin: Castrum Vallis, Romanian: Vale) is a small town and municipality in Istria 54%) and Umag (20. Umag (Umago is a coastal city in Istria, Croatia. The city hosts the yearly Croatia Open ATP Tennis tournament on clay courts 70%). In Italy, the 2001 census shows that in San Dorligo della Valle, 70. San Dorligo della Valle (in Slovenian Dolina) is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region 50% of the population speaks Slovenian.

Gallery

Aerial picture of Pula	The promenade (Riva) of Poreč	Rovinj, as seen from the Campanile of the church of Saint Eufemija (Croatia)	Motovun (Croatia)
Lim canal (Croatia)	Venetian Praetorian Palace in Koper (Slovenia)	old town of Piran (Slovenia)	Port in Muggia (Italy)

See also

• Bay of Piran

Notes

Further reading

• Ashbrook, John (December 2005). "Self-perceptions, denials, and expressions: Istrianity in a nationalizing Croatia, 1990-1997". Nationalities Papers 33 (4): 459-487.  

External links

• Croatian Istria's official tourist website
• Old postcards of Istria