Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatska pronounced [xř̩ʋaːtskaː]), officially the Republic ofCroatia (Croatian: Republika Hrvatska), is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic at thecrossroads of Central Europe, Southern Europe, and the Mediterranean.

Its capital and largest city is Zagreb.

The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb.

Croatia covers 56,594 square kilometres (21,851 square miles) and has diverse,mostly continental and Mediterranean climates

Croatia's Adriatic Sea coast contains more than a thousand islands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Croatia

The country's population is 4.28 million, most of whom are Croats, with the most common religious denomination being Roman Catholicism.

Having joined on 1 July 2013, Croatia is the newest, 28th member state of the European Union.

Currency: kuna (The word "kuna" means "marten" in Croatian since it is based on the use of marten pelts as units of value in medieval trading.

Some of our most famous sportsmen -Janica and Ivica Kostelić, Sandra Perković, Blanka

Vlašić, Dražen Petrović…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCxulFgT938

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj5H5Lx7JSU

Požega-Slavoniacounty (Croatian: Požeško-slavonska županija) is a Croatian county inwestern Slavonia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCn0jijqUec

Its capital is Požega. The Požega-Slavonia County comprises fivecities—Kutjevo, Lipik, Pakrac, Pleternica and Požega—andfive municipalities, and one of themis Velika

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKsksDrZs8s (video for popular Croatian group Crvena jabuka – Red apple, filmed in Velika)

Velika is a village and recreational centre on the southern slopes of Papuk Mountain in the PožegaValley in Slavonia, 12 km north of Požega; elevation 278 m.

The village itself has a population of 2500 inhabitants, and with other villages municipalityof Velika has 5.888 inhabitants

Chief occupations include farming, viticulture and tourism.

Sports and recreational opportunities includewalking, hiking, cycling and swimming in thesummer months and skiing in the wintermonths. Hunting and angling opportunitiesare provided nearby.

Velika is also notable for its local specialities(kulen, i.e. paprika-flavoured sausages,

smoked ham, freshwater fish) and qualitywines.

Velika is the major starting point for ascents to Papuk Mountain (954 m)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papuk_Mountain

North from the today settlement Velika, at the south end of the hill Lapjak, there are ruins of the smaller fortress town - Velički grad. The town could have been built in the 13th century. It was owned by the Befekijevci from Velika, and after arrival of Turks, it become a military fort.

Primary and secondary education is essentially free because it is mostly sponsored by the Ministry of Education of the Croatian Government, and higher education is also mostly free

Since the primary school became compulsory, the literacy rate in Croatia is at a substantial level of 98,1%. A large majority of children do manage to complete the grade school.

Secondary education is currently optional, although most political parties now advocate the stance that it should also become compulsory.

Croatian elementary education consists of eight years, and it is compulsory. Children begin schools at the age of 6 or 7.

The grade schools are split in two stages: 1st through 4th grade, being taught by one teacher per

class, with subjects such as Croatian, mathematics, visual art , nature and society, physical education, music education, religion and at least one foreign language (usually English, usually in the 1st grade and compulsory in the 4th grade)

5th through 8th grades, where different teachers teach different subjects, with added subjects such as history, geography, biology, chemistry, physics, informatics and in addition to English often a second language

VelikaCroatia

Primary School “Ivan Goran Kovačić” has basic school inVelika,has one satellite school located in Biškupci, and has twosatellite departments, located in Radovanci and Toranj

School has a total population of 356 students Basic school is built in 1973. Students in basic school in Velika are classified into 8 upper and

4 lower grades (268) 11 primary school teachers and 19 teachers work in our school We have two specialist associates, pedagogue and librarian

Satellite school located in Biškupci has a population of 70 students classified into 4 lower grades (4 teachers)

Satellite department in Radovanci has a population of 13 students classified into 4 lowergrades (combined work; one teacher is workingwith 1th and 3rd grade at the same time, andother is working with 2nd and 4th grade)

Satellite department in Toranj has a population of only 5 students classifiedinto 3 lower grades (combined work; one teacher is workingwith 1th, 2nd and 4th grade at the same time)