GEOGRAFICAL POSITION AND STATISTICS OF THE COUNTY
Dubrovnik-Neretva County is the southernmost county of Adriatic Croatia. The major part of the territory of the County is situated by the national border with neighbouring countries Bosnia and Herzegovina (land and sea border) on the north, Montenegro on the south-east, and Italy, (sea border) on the south.
The peculiarity of this County is a narrow and inhomogeneous coastal zone, separated from the hinterlands by the mountain-massiv.
The area of the County consists of two main functional and physiognomic zones: a relatively narrow longitudinal coastal zone with the headland of open-sea and the nearby islands (the most important islands being Korčula, Mljet, Lastovo and the Elaphites Islands), and the area of the Neretva Valley with its gravitating coastal zone. The Dubrovnik-Neretva County belongs to minor Croatian counties both with regards to the surface of its land territory, and the number of its inhabitants. It covers an area of 1.780,86 km, its population according to the most recent official list being 122,870 inhabitants. The 1,024.63 km long coast of the County is highly indented and varies from protected bays with sandy beaches of exotic beauty to an open-sea exposed steep coastal area with cliffs. This diversity of exceptionally rich landscapes makes the coast of the County one of the most beautiful coasts in the Mediterranean. The diversity in landscapes is enriched with land and sea biological diversity, thus classifying this area as unique in the Mediterranean.
EDUCATION
A highly developed educational network with many universities and a well developed relation between undergraduate four-year programs and professional studies: preschool education (18 institutions), primary- school education (31 central schools and 16 subsidiary schools), secondary education (14 secondary schools), university education (UNIDU University of Dubrovnik – 2500 students and ACMT American College of Management and Technology – 600 students). The existing university programs are: economics and business, maritime affairs, informatics, marine culture, restoration, media...
QUALITY OF LIFE
A well developed network of health institutions: Dubrovnik General Hospital, Kalos Specialised Hospital in Vela Luka, 5 health centres, 4 old people's homes, 4 social welfare centres and 5 institutions for other types of social welfare. The total number of 106,781 inhabitants in this county has health insurance. There is also a well developed network of cultural programs (numerous cultural events) with a high level of public participation in social life. The County has 285 cultural and 607 sport organisations, 15 museums and galleries, 12 libraries, 13 cultural centres and theatres.
INFRASTRUCTURE
ROAD TRAFFIC
Highway A1 Zagreb – Dubrovnik; by 2012 this highway should reach the town of Ploče in Dubrovnik-Neretva County. National road D8: Split – Ploče – Border-crossing Klek (border with the R B&H) – Border-crossing Zaton Doli (border with the R B&H) – Border-crossing Karasovići (border with Montenegro); D9 Border-crossing Metković (border with the R B&H) – Opuzen – D8; D118 Vela Luka – Korčula; D414 Car-ferry landing Orebić – Ston – Zaton Doli (D8). There are 17 national roads, 33 county roads and 72 local roads in the County.
MARITIME TRAFFIC
Ports of special (international) interest (2): Port of Dubrovnik - passenger port and Port of Ploče - cargo port. Ports of County importance (6): passenger ports - City Port of Dubrovnik, Port of Korčula, Port of Trpanj, Port of Vela Luka, Port of Orebić, and cargo port - Port of Metković. Ports of local importance (74): Port of Cavtat, Port of Srebreno, Port of Ston, etc.
AIR TRAFFIC
Dubrovnik International Airport is a secondary airport of 4E category. It is located near Čilipi in the Municipality of Konavle, at 20 km from Dubrovnik. The total annual traffic in 2010 was 1,270,000 passengers, and the extension of the airport is planned to increase this annual traffic up to 5 million passengers. The closest national airport is the airport in Split.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC
Railway M3 in corridor Vc Hungary-Bosnia and Hercegovina-Ploče, a part of the Pan-European Corridor Vc, section of borders Bosnia and Hercegovina-Metković-Ploče.