Croatia
Image: travelchannel.com

After 25 years as a family physician, Manuel Marquez, MD, transitioned into a new career as a tour director. Manuel Marquez, MD, has now led groups on tours to locations across the world, including Croatia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.

Located in Southern Europe on the Adriatic Sea, a part of the Mediterranean Sea, Croatia is home to 4.28 million people. Most of these are of the Croat ethnicity, a group that according to historic records has populated the area since the 9th century.

The broader Croat culture includes a number of sub-cultures, including the Dalmatians, Istrians, and Slavonians. All maintain a strong identification with the Croat culture but are loyal to local variations and expressions, particularly those related to language and food.

Though significantly lower in numbers than the Croats, the Serbs comprise the second-largest ethnic group in Croatia. The percentage of Serbs in Croatia decreased dramatically after the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, and the group now makes up approximately 4 percent of the country’s population.

The country is also home to those of a number of other ethnicities, including Bosniaks, Albanians, Romani, and Czechs. Each of these groups make up less than 0.8 percent of the national population.