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Island
of Korcula
KORCULA, an island in the
central Dalmatian archipelago; area 279.03 sq km (length 46.8 km, width 5.3-7.8 km); population 17,038; the coast is rather indented. The highest peaks are
Klupca (568 m) and Kom (510 m). Korčula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in
the Dubrovnik-Neretva county of Croatia. The island has an area of 279
km² — it is 46.8 km long and on average 7.8 km wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast.
Its 16,182 (2001) inhabitants
make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk. Korčula is also
the name of the ancient fortified town on the protected east coast of the island,
population 3,232 (2001), geographically located at 42°57′N, 17°07′E.
The island of Korčula belongs to the central Dalmatian archipelago, separated
from the Pelješac peninsula by a narrow strait of Pelješac, between 900 and 3,000 meters wide (illustration, right). It is the sixth largest Adriatic island with a rather
indented coast. The highest peaks are Klupca (568 m) and Kom (510 m). The climate is mild; an average air temperature in January is 9.8 °C and in July 26.9 °C; the average annual rainfall is 1,100 mm.
The island is largely covered with the Mediterranean flora; at some places
are pine forests.The island also includes the towns of Vela Luka and Blato
and the coastal villages of Lumbarda and Račišċe, and in the interior
Žrnovo, Pupnat, Smokvica and Čara. The main road runs along the spine of the
island connecting all settlements from Lumbarda on the eastern to Vela Luka
on the western end, with the exception of Račišċe which is served by a
separate road running along the northern coast. Ferries connect the city of Korčula with Orebić on the Pelješac peninsula and Drvenik on the mainland (near Makarska).
Another line connects Vela Luka with Split and the island of Lastovo. Fast passenger catamarans connect those two ports with Split and the islands of Hvar
and Lastovo. The main Adriatic ferry line connects Korčula with Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Rijeka and in summer there are direct ferries to Italian
Adriatic ports. Korčula is the most populous Adriatic island with almost
20,000 inhabitants, although their number has slightly dropped between the
censuses of 1991 and 2001. The island is divided by Korčula, Smokvica, Blato
and Vela Luka municipality.
The climate is mild; an average air temperature in January is 9.8 °C (in the town of Korcula) and in July 26.9 °C; the average annual rainfall is 1,100 mm; the annual insolation reaches 2,671 hours (Vela Luka). The island is largely covered with
the Mediterranean flora; at some places are pine forests. Economy is based on
farming, viticulture, fruit growing, fishing and fish processing,
shipbuilding, processing of synthetic materials and tourism. Summer tourism
has a long tradition on the island; nautical tourism has been recently
developed.
Major places on the coast are Korcula, Lumbarda, Vela Luka, Raciste,
and in the interior Blato, Zrnovo, Smokvica, Cara and Pupnat. The regional
road connects major places on the island. Ferry lines connect the island of Korcula with the mainland. The walled old city, with streets arranged in a
herringbone pattern allowing free circulation of air but protecting against
strong winds, is tightly built on a promontory that guards the narrow sound
between the island and the mainland. Building outside the walls was forbidden
until the 18th century, and the wooden drawbridge was only replaced in 1863.
All of Korčula's narrow streets are stepped with the notable exception of the
street running alongside the southeastern wall, called the Street of Thoughts
as one did not have to worry about the steps. The town includes several
interesting historic sights: the central Roman Catholic cathedral of St Mark
(built from 1301 to 1806), the 15th-century Franciscan monastery with its
beautiful Venetian Gothic cloister, the civic council chambers, the palace of
the former Venetian governors, grand 15th and 16th century palaces of the
local merchant nobles, and the massive city fortifications.
On the island of Korcula you can find accommodation in hotels, apartments, holiday houses, luxury
villas, rooms and camp-sites.
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