Croatia

Zagreb is Croatia’s capital and largest city, the country’s political, administrative, and cultural hub. It hosts the parliament (Sabor), government, and president, and lies inland on the Sava River at the foot of Mount Medvednica. Dubrovnik, Split, and Rijeka are major coastal cities—famous for tourism and ports—but they are not the capital. Zagreb grew from the medieval twin towns of Gradec and Kaptol and remained the capital after Croatia’s 1991 independence. Memory tip: think “Zagreb = Z for Zentrum (center of power),” while Dubrovnik and Split are seaside showpieces and Rijeka is a port.