Croatia
/krəʊˈeɪʃɪə/- a country in SE Europe, formerly a constituent republic of Yugoslavia; pop. 4,489,400 (est. 2009); language, Croatian; capital, Zagreb. Croatian name HRVATSKA.克罗地亚(欧洲东南部一国家, 曾是南斯拉夫的加盟共和国之一, 2009年估计人口4,489, 400; 语言为克罗地亚语, 首都萨格勒布; 克罗地亚语名HRVATSKA)。
Apart from a period of Turkish rule in the 16th-17th centuries, Croatia largely remained linked with Hungary until 1918, when it joined the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). After a period in the Second World War as a Nazi puppet state (1941-5), Croatia became part of Yugoslavia once more and remained a constituent republic until it declared itself independent in 1991. The secession of Croatia led to war between Croats and the Serb minority, and with Serbia; a ceasefire was called in 1992.