Original scientific paper
Summary: The geographical position of the island of Krk
Ratimir Kalmeta
Abstract
The island of Krk is a component part of the so-called Kvarner area, and is infact the largest Adriatic island, covering an area of 409,93 sq. kilometres. The island lies right in the centre of the mediterranean hemisphere; the 45th parallel passing through its most southernly part, and the meridian of 13,14'E divides it into two equals parts both having the same latitude (plate 2). It's the largest island in the mediterranean basin and which by its position is the nearest to Central Europe. Two communication routes of international significance bisect the continental hinterland of the Kvarner area, namely the eastern-alpine and Sava. The Dinara mountain massif is the least prominent in the immediate hinterland of the Kvarner bay (a less mountaneous region), thus clarifying the reason why this region is the nearest and easiest access to the Adriatic from all parts of the densely populated and highly economically developed areas of central Europe (plate 15), these proceedures being rendered possible by means of the Postojnska Vrata (609 m) and the Delnička Vrata (800 - 900 m; Delnice Entrance). With regards to the tectonic formation (plate 5), and the geological and morphological composition of the island of Krk, it can be concluded that this island is a component part of the Dinara mountain massif and that it belongs to its coastal, calcareous, chalk and to the greatest extent rocky belt. The calcareous ridges (the highest rise being Obzora, which is 569 m), enclose clay depressions, fertile and densely populated areas. The northeast coast of the island is in the main high, steep, poorly provided in respect of natural harbours, bare, sparsely populated; the largest population existing in Vrbnik. The north-west and south-west coasts are lower, abounding in natural harbours, more easily accessable and more densely populated. Running along these coasts are the main beaches of the island - Baška, Old Baška, Punat, Krk, Malinska, Njivice and Omišalj. The island of Krk is a constituent of the mediterranean climatical region. Its north-eastern parts are to a greater extent influenced by the continental climate especially during the winter months when the "bura" wind is prevailent. The average January temperature of 5,4°C reigning over the town of Krk can be better judged by closely comparing it with the temperature existing simultaneously in the following cities: Trieste 4,1°C, Venice 2,6°C, Ancona 7,7°C, Kvar 8,6°C and Dubrovnik 9,2°C. The average July temperature shows a considerable rise to 23,5°C (Trieste 23,4°C, Venice 24,1°C, Ancona 25,6°C, Hvar 25,1°C and Dubrovnik 25,9°C). The annual rainfall on the Kvarner islands is much less than in the neighbouring seaboards and the town of Krk itself has a yearly fall of 1165 millimetres, and that accumulating in the main during the colder seasons. Vegetation is prominent in South-west and north-west seaboards of the Mediterranean, whereas in the interior submediterranean characteristics are eminent. (Plate 7). It was as early as 2.000 b.c. that the Liburns (an Ilyrian tribe) settled in the Kvarner area, they were infact excellent seamen (the ship - "Liburna"). The denomination for the town of Krk is derived from Kurik which was appointed by the Liburns, from which the latin title of Curicum, in respect of the Croatian Krk later developed. The Romans penetrated the Kvarner Area, at the beginning of the second century a.d. During the seventh century the Croatians came to settle on the Eastern Adriatic coast. Between the year 1000 and 1480, the island was ruled by the Venetians, later the Croation kings and Krk princes (Frankopani) took the thrown. Right up until 1719, the island of Krk fell under the rulle of the Venetians and from then until 1806 it was part of the Austrian sovreignity. From the latter date up until 1813, the island was occupied by Napoleon's armies, and from 1813—1918 it was under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. With the downfall of these states and on the finalising of the agreement signed in Rapall in 1920 Istra and the islands of Cres and Lošinj were dismembered from their Croatian motherland, (the Slovenian part of Istria from Istria) and affixed to Italy. In accordance with the Rome agreement which was effected and introduced in 1924 the sovreignity was acknowledged to include also the town of Rijeka, which at that time didn't comprehend Sušak. Thus it was in this manner that Krk within the new state of Yugoslavia was empelled to forfeit part of its national and economic hinterland after the first world war. It was in such a situation and under such unfavourable conditions, that from this island, hit by the economic decline, that a significant section of the population began to emigrate. The 17th April 1945 marked the landing on the island by units of the Yugoslav People's Liberation Force (NOVJ). The liberated island of Krk, together with Istria, Cres, Lošinj and Rijeka are constituents of the Croatian Republic, whereas the Slovenian part of Istria falls into the structure of the Slovenian Republic. The tempestuous history of the island Krk has left behind its vestige in the form of a complex intermixture of Roman-Byzantine and Croatian cultural influences. These influences are manifested by the apparition of various sacred and profane architectural forms representing heterogeneous styles, namely, ancient-Christian (a part of the Krk cathedral is a fine example as is the basilica at Sepen), pre-roman (examples of this style are the churches St. Donat and St. Krševan), then early-Roman (examples being the churces St. Vid and St. Lucija), gothic (this style can be seen from the St. Franjo church in the town of Krk itself and also from some of the patricians' houses) and early-Renaissance (some patricians' houses are fine examples). The remains of some of the fortifications from the eleventh and fifteenth centuries are preserved in the town of Krk. The island is a significant centre of glagolicism, its most famous carved glagolitic inscription being that of the Baška Stone, from the 11th and 12th centuries. Right from the time of the Croation immigration, up until today the Croation ethnical element has always prevailed on the island of Krk. In the main, the Italian minority emigrated from the island after the Second World War. Following the liquidation of the Venetian Republic in 1719, there resulted a steady increase in the population, right up until the end of the 19th century, to the extent, that by 1890 the island had 22.230 inhabitants. Thereupon, numerous changes were incured including phylloxera destroying the Krk vineyards, the decline of shipping by means of sailing ships owing to the arrival of the steamships on the scene and the Krk wine strougly competing on the market with Italian wine. The post-war Yugoslav economic development, and in particular the country's high speed industrialisation in addition to the inadequate stimulation of agriculture in the first phase of the economic development, induced the further emigration of labour force. The self-evident factor always abiding is that the island of Krk, or to clarify, the Krk commune has the largest population of all the Kvarner island communes (in 1969. the population amounted to 13.758). In respect of its average population density, Krk with 32,1 lags behind the Rab Commune who can boast of having an average density of 76,8. The seaboard belt as a whole has a far higher population density (114,5); from this area, the individual commune having the highest average being that of Rijeka (315,9), and significantly lower averages have both the commune of Opatija with 90,1 and Crikvenica with 36,8. Out of all the Kvarner islands the commune with the highest number of permanent settlements is that of Krk (68), while at the same time possessing the highest density of permanent settlements (6,3 settlements to the square kilometre), Krk is blessed with being the most agriculturaly developed and possessing the richest woodlands of all the Kvarner island communes without a single exception. It is in accordance with these elements that in the Kvarner region it is Krk which is allocated the function of supplying the local markets (Rijeka, Opatija, Crikvenica and Senj) with agricultural marketing surplus. Natural and cultural-historical motives and objectives in coherence with constantly improving communication amenities, enable the development of turistic economy to portray itself as the most perspective economic activity. Up-to-date sea navigation, the modernisation of the road network on the island and its continental hinterland, the organisation of ferry connections and the materialisation of the "interinsular motorway" (»interinzularna cestovna magistrala«) (Plate 3), then the lancing into operating of the modern »Rijeka« aerodrome, and held in the future perspective is the construction of a bridge stretching from the island to the neightbouring seaboard (visualised at spanning an all in all distance od 0,6 km.), all amount to a guarantee of not only a quicker development of tourism, but of economy as a whole. Such tendencies applicable to economic development will also reflect on the demographic stabilisation of the island, which as it stands possess a negative natural accretion (Plate 9). With Krk possessing such a favourable position, the island is becoming an everyday more significant economic centre of the Kvarner microregion, as can also be said for the northern Adriatic mezzo-region and the Adriatic macro-region. Its status and modern economic development are such, that they give it a more and more significant function of the turistic gravitational centre for a great section of the national and international hinterland (Plate 11).
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
324408
URI
Publication date:
21.12.2024.
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