Obrovac, Croatia

Obrovac (pronounced [ɔbrɔ̌ːʋats]) is a town located in northern Dalmatia, in the Zadar County of Croatia. The Obrovac municipality has a total population of 4,323 people. The town is located in the canyon of the river Zrmanja.

Obrovac
Town
Grad Obrovac Town of Obrovac
View of Obrovac
Obrovac Location of Obrovac in Croatia
Coordinates: 44.2007°N 15.6811°E / 44.2007; 15.6811
Country	Croatia
County	Zadar
Government
• Mayor	Santino Matušin (SIP)
Area [1]
• Town	353.0 km2 (136.3 sq mi)
• Urban	1.2 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Town	3,453
• Density	9.8/km2 (25/sq mi)
• Urban	793
• Urban density	660/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (Central European Time)
Website	obrovac.hr

Geography

Zrmanja River near Obrovac

Obrovac is a town on the Zrmanja River some 11 km from the mouth of the river of the Novigrad sea. Above the town are the ruins of a fortified city.^[3] Not far from its tributary, the town of Krupa, there is a monastery with a valuable icon collection. About 2 km (1.24 mi) north-west of the town, along the road heading up to the mountains, lies a huge deserted industrial complex, an alumina plant built in the 1970s.^{[citation needed]} South of the town there is extraordinary Bijela River canyon with a lot of waterfalls and small ponds and pools.^{[citation needed]}

History

Ruins of Fortica Fortress above Obrovac

The Croatian noble family Kurjaković, also known as the Counts of Krbava, were the first rulers of the town of Obrovac, which was first mentioned in 1337 under the name Obrouec. In 1527 Obrovac was taken over by the Ottoman Turks.

In October 1683, the population of Venetian Dalmatia, principally Uskoks of Ravni kotari, took arms and together with the rayah (lower class) of the Ottoman frontier regions rose up, taking Skradin, Karin, Vrana, Benkovac and Obrovac.^[4] In 1687, Stojan Janković, a Morlach leader, forced the Ottomans out of Obrovac.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, Obrovac unveiled a restored riviera, which was the biggest financial investment in the city since Croatian independence.^[5] In 2009, a mass grave from World War II was found in the area.^[6]

Demographics

The total population is 4,323, distributed in the following settlements:^[7]

• Bilišane, population 176
• Bogatnik, population 131
• Golubić, population 132
• Gornji Karin, population 1,975
• Kaštel Žegarski, population 135
• Komazeci, population 42
• Krupa, population 127
• Kruševo, population 1,112
• Muškovci, population 100
• Nadvoda, population 170
• Obrovac, population 996
• Zelengrad, population 77

The municipality's population peaked at 13,498 in the 1971 census.^[8] In the 1970s and 1980s, due to a low living standard in the area, Obrovac was significantly affected by emigration.^[9]

According to the 1991 census, shortly before the start of the Croatian War of Independence, 65.5% of population declared as ethnic Serbs.^[10] During Operation Storm, a large portion of the town population evacuated the area before the Croatian Army entered the town on 5 August 1995, the second day of the operation.^[11] The current majority are Croats with 65.7%, while 31.4% are Serbs.^[12]

Town of Obrovac: Population trends 1857–2021

v

population	6186	6814	7207	7408	8751	9814	9027	10092	9116	9696	10185	10321	9576	9069	3387	4323	3453
	1857	1869	1880	1890	1900	1910	1921	1931	1948	1953	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021

Sources:Croatian Bureau of Statistics publications

Politics

Minority councils and representatives

Directly elected minority councils and representatives are tasked with consulting tasks for the local or regional authorities in which they are advocating for minority rights and interests, integration into public life and participation in the management of local affairs.^[13] At the 2023 Croatian national minorities councils and representatives elections Serbs of Croatia fulfilled legal requirements to elect 15 members minority councils of the Town of Obrovac.^[14]

People from Obrovac

• Janko Mitrović (1613–1659), Morlach army leader
• Stojan Janković (1636–1687), Morlach army leader
• Simeon Končarević (1690–1769), Serbian Orthodox bishop in Venetian Dalmatia
• Gerasim Zelić (1752–1828), Serbian Orthodox archimandrite and writer
• Dado Pršo's family (Croatian professional footballer)
• Milan Pršo, Serbian footballer
• Arijan Komazec, Croatian professional basketball player
• Obrad Zelić, Serbian professor