Island Čiovo

Čiovo is a small island located on the Adriatic coast in Croatia with area of 28.8 squared km (length 15.3 km, width up to 3.5 km), population of 6071 inhabitants (2001) and its highest peak is 218 m (Rudine).

The centre of the island has geographical coordinates 43°30'N 16°17'E, and the annual rainfall is about 900 mm.

Geography

Čiovo is located in the central Dalmatia, protecting the city of Trogir and Kaštela gulf. On its SE part it is only 2 km far from the cape Marjan, on northern part it is connected to the mainland with a small bascule bridge in the old centre of Trogir, and actually Trogir spread itself on the island. Besides the part of Trogir, on the island there are several villages: Arbanija, Žedno, Okrug Gornji, Okrug Donji, Slatine and Prizidnica.

The vegetation is typically Mediterranean, consisting mainly in underbrush (holm oak, myrtle, wormwood, juniper etc.). On the northern side are forests of pine and cypress. Major crops include olives, figs, almonds, vines and citrus fruit.

History

In the middle ages, Čiovo had many villages and it was a place for lepers. Remainings of the pre-Romanesque church of St. Peter have been found near Slatine, in the Supetar cove. The medieval church of St. Maurice (Sv. Mavro) has been preserved in Žedno and the pre-Romanesque church of Our Lady near the Sea (Gospa pokraj mora). The population of Čiovo increased in the 15th century through the settlement of refugees who fled from the Turks. Simultaneously, the suburban areas of Trogir also extended to Čiovo.

Position of island Čiovo