How to Distinguish
- Country-code top-level domain is .hr
- The official language is Croatian, written in the Latin alphabet
- Letters such as Đ/đ are characteristic of Croatian (by Geotips ) (they also appear in Northern Sami and Vietnamese)
- Ž/ž, Č/č, and Š/š—with háček carons—also appear in Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, and the Baltic languages
- Grey fire hydrants are common (by Geotips )
- KONZUM is the country’s largest supermarket chain (参考文献 Wikipedia – Konzum)
- Red-and-white striped, angular guardrails appear in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, and Poland
- The pedestrian-crossing sign uses five stripes and the belt figure often has a waistband
- Logos and signage sometimes feature the national flag’s checkerboard pattern
- Power-meter boxes sometimes display a red arrow
Signs you can find
Tisak plus d.o.o. operates Croatia’s largest tobacco retail network with roughly 550 outlets across more than 110 cities. KONZUM is the biggest supermarket chain with around 600 stores nationwide. You will also see Zagrebačka banka, the country’s largest bank, and chains such as Plodine (about one hundred stores). (参考文献 Zagreb Stock Exchange)
Look for distinctive grey fire hydrants in the shapes below. (by Geotips )
Until 2016, Croatian plates were white without the EU blue strip, so you still see many vehicles without it. Some frames show a faint red border, though many appear plain white. You may also notice “HR” country stickers.
Guardrails with red-and-white stripes and a prominent profile are shared with Serbia and Montenegro.
Checkerboard motifs inspired by the national flag appear on municipal logos and road furniture.
Coastal houses often feature red tile roofs and light-coloured façades, sometimes with stonework reminiscent of Italy.
Black-and-red chevrons are widely used on curves.
Narrow down state/region
In practice you will encounter place names more frequently than area codes, but keep them in mind as a backup clue.
Narrow down city/town
- Flat inland plains support many vineyards, but the islands—especially Vis—are also heavily planted
