Obrovac, Croatia

Obrovac () 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.

Geography

File:Zrmanja kod Obrovca.JPG

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. Not far from its tributary, the town of Krupa, there is a monastery with a valuable icon collection. About 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. South of the town there is extraordinary Bijela River canyon with a lot of waterfalls and small ponds and pools.

History

File:Obrovac – fortress 6.jpg

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. In 1687, Stojan Janković, a Morlach leader, forced the Ottomans out of Obrovac.

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

Demographics

The total population is 4,323, distributed in the following settlements:

• 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.Template:Sfn In the 1970s and 1980s, due to a low living standard in the area, Obrovac was significantly affected by emigration.Template:Sfn

According to the 1991 census, shortly before the start of the Croatian War of Independence, 65.5% of population declared as ethnic Serbs.Template:Sfn During Operation Storm, a large portion of the town left the area upon the arrival of Croatian Army on 5 August 1995, the second day of the operation. The current majority are Croats with 65.7%, while 31.4% are Serbs.

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. 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.

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