Žirje (pronounced [ʒîːrjɛ]) is an island and a settlement in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea.[2] It is situated in the Šibenik archipelago, about 22 kilometres (14 miles) southwest of Šibenik, which makes it the most remote permanently inhabited island in the Šibenik archipelago.[3][4] Its area is 15.08 km2,[5] and it has a population of 103 (2011 census).[6] Its population is steadily decreasing (720 residents in 1953,[7] 207 residents in 1981,[7] and 124 residents in 2001[8]).
Žirje | |
|---|---|
 Satellite image of Žirje | |
 Interactive map of Žirje | |
  Žirje | |
| Coordinates: 43°39′08″N 15°39′42″E / 43.652311°N 15.661636°E | |
| Country |  Croatia |
| County | Šibenik-Knin County |
| Municipality | Šibenik |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.08 km2 (5.82 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 147 |
| • Density | 6.83/km2 (17.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
The island is composed of two limestone ridges. Nestled between them is a fertile valley.[7] The vegetation of the island is mainly composed of maquis shrubland, with some farm land in the central parts of the island.[9] Main industries are agriculture (grapes, olives, plums, figs and sour cherries) and fishing.[7][9] Fish are abundant in the waters around Žirje.[3][10][11] Tourism on Žirje has remained largely undeveloped in comparison to the other islands in the Croatian Adriatic.[12]
In the 12th and 13th centuries the island was defended by fortresses and walls[7] constructed on the foundations of an earlier Byzantine fortress from the 6th century.[13] Due to its use by the Yugoslav People's Army, the southern and south-western parts of the island were off limits to the islanders and visitors for nearly half a century.[4]
The ferry port on the island provides a link to the county seat Šibenik via the D128 route.
Demographics
editIn 2021, its population was 147.[1]
| population | 341 | 629 | 453 | 482 | 534 | 661 | 780 | 686 | 766 | 720 | 506 | 336 | 209 | 160 | 124 | 103 | 147 |
| 1857 | 1869 | 1880 | 1890 | 1900 | 1910 | 1921 | 1931 | 1948 | 1953 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 | 2021 |
References
edit- 1 2 "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
- ↑ "Zakon o područjima županija, gradova i općina u Republici Hrvatskoj". Narodne novine (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 2023-06-07.
- 1 2 Žirje on adriagate.com
- 1 2 Faričić & Magaš 2004, p. 127.
- ↑ Duplančić Leder, Tea; Ujević, Tin; Čala, Mendi (June 2004). "Coastline lengths and areas of islands in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea determined from the topographic maps at the scale of 1 : 25 000" (PDF). Geoadria. 9 (1). Zadar: 5–32. doi:10.15291/geoadria.127. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
- ↑ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: Žirje". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 (in Croatian) "Žirje". General Encyclopedia of the Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute (in Croatian). Vol. 8. Zagreb: Yugoslav Lexicographical Institute. 1982.
- ↑ "STANOVNIŠTVO PREMA PRISUTNOSTI/ODSUTNOSTI U NASELJU POPISA, PO NASELJIMA, POPIS 2001". Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- 1 2 (in Croatian) First Croatian online peljar
- ↑ Žirje on croatiatouristcenter.com Archived 2006-11-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Faričić & Magaš 2004, p. 145.
- ↑ Faričić & Magaš 2004, pp. 146–148.
- ↑ Žirje on adriatic-croatian.com
Bibliography
edit- Faričić, Josip; Magaš, Damir (December 2004). "Suvremeni socio-geografski problemi malih hrvatskih otoka – primjer otoka Žirja" (PDF). Geoadria (in Croatian). 9 (2): 125–158. doi:10.15291/geoadria.133. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
Further reading
edit- Magaš, Damir (1993-09-01). "Cestovne prometnice malih jadranskih otoka" [The Local Roads on the Little Adriatic Islands]. Hrvatski geografski glasnik (in Serbo-Croatian). 55: 151–154. ISSN 1331-5854.