| Plitvička Jezera | |
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| — Municipality — | |
| Map of the Plitvička Jezera municipality within its county | |
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Plitvička Jezera
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Croatia |
| County | Lika-Senj |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ivica Kukuruzović (HDZ) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 539.08 km2 (208.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 612 m (2,008 ft) |
| Population (2001)[1] | |
| • Total | 4,668 |
| • Density | 9/km2 (23.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 53 231 |
| Area code(s) | 053 |
| Website | www.tzplitvice.hr |
Plitvička Jezera (pronounced [plîtv̞itʃkaː jɛzɛ̌ra] or just Plitvice [plîtv̞itsɛ]; Plitvice Lakes, in English) is a municipality (općina) in central Croatia, in the eastern part of the Lika-Senj county, that lies in and near the eponymous Plitvice Lakes National Park, bisected by the D1 main road (Zagreb–Split). Its total area is 539.08 km². The main town and seat of the municipality is Korenica. Other smaller towns and villages are Bjelopolje, Jezerce, Gornji Vaganac, Ličko Petrovo Selo, Plitvice and Smoljanac.
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According to 2001 census, its total population was 4,668. The ethnic composition of Plitvička Jezera is 67.3% Croat and 30.5% Serb. The pre-war numbers show a Serb majority.
The settlements in the municipality are:[2]
During the Croatian War of Independence and the Krajina uprising, many areas were mined to stop enemy advances. The area around Korana Bridge has recently been demined,[3] but there are still some others still suspected to be mine contaminated, as for reports from the local NGO Croatian Mine Action Centre.[4]
Many local inhabitants of Serb ethnicity left the municipality during the war, with around 1,500 - 2,000 of them returning once the situation improved.[5]
It is most famous for the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a major tourist destination and its main source of income, together with arable lands, grazing lands and woods. Due to the Plitvice Lakes National Park unique geological evolution and beauty, it was entered in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1979.
According to Human Rights Watch, many of the ethnic Serbian returnees were experiencing a higher unemployment rate, and were also being "excluded from work in municipal or town-run services and institutions, including the National Park".[5]
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