Cres The island is long and narrow through the Kvarner Bay in a southerly direction. Geographically, the island is by sea and mountain ridges framed. The climate is therefore a continental climate with Mediterranean influences. Cres characteristic of the densely forested northern part of the island, the olive groves and wine-growing areas in the central part of the Mediterranean bush land in the south and the barren pasture meadows - a more truly preserved ecosystem.
In addition to rare plant species and over 100 different herbs you should stress the birds. A rarity is certainly rare in Europe
The archipelago of Cres-Losinj extends from northwest to southeast in a length of 99 km with a total area of 513 km2. This is a total of 16% of the surface of the Adriatic islands. The western part of the Kvarnerinseln includes the following islands: Cres (404 km2), Losinj (75 km2), and smaller islands: Unije (17 km2), Ilovik (6 km2), Susak (4 km2), Vele and Srakane Male (1 km2 ), plus a few small uninhabited islands.
The archipelago lies in the middle of the northern hemisphere will be part of the 45 ° latitude north passing through, so that the largest part of the archipelago in the subtropical zone of the southern part of the northern hemisphere is located. The geographical situation of the archipelago has influence on the climate and way of life of residents.
The islands of the archipelago of Cres-Losinj, and other islands, which belong, are part of the adjacent mainland, from which they were isolated in Pleistozen. Because of the milder climate were large masses of ice, the ice age in the large part of the world land covered, so that the water level of the sea by approximately 100 m was lifted. The Cres-Losinj islands are therefore relicts the relief heights, and the channels between them sunken valleys.
The coast is picture with the island topography closely associated. The mountainous northern part of the island has a steep and slightly indented coastline. In the channel between Krusija Cres Plavnik and the depth of 114 m, the largest in the Bay of Kvarner!
On the east coast of the island and along the west coast of the Cape Pernat above there are steep cliffs, the southern, lower part of the island of Cres has, however, like Losinj and neighboring islands - outsourced shores with numerous bays.
The northern part of the island is located deep in the Bay of Rijeka and is therefore strong wind knocks the north wind (Bora) suspended its mountain peaks are snowcapped in winter. The Southern part of the archipelago, however, is protected from the bora, which is why more mild under the influence of the sea, and enjoys a Mediterranean climate explicitly.
The difference between the highest and lowest annual temperatures vary little - the lake water in winter is never below 12 ° C, in summer is about 27 ° C. The average annual humidity of the air is 70%.
In the summer months during the afternoon hours is blowing from the west and brings the Maestralwind from the open sea a pleasant refreshment. The so-called Jugo blows from the south and brings moisture and dark clouds and heavy rain. The bora of north-east, rises to the sea surface and brings salt drops, sometimes it reaches hurricane strength. The so-called Tramontanawind blows from the north, is often in the Borawind over. The People's ruling says: "Tramuntana - Bora for barges. After the wind is called the whole northern part of Cres "Tramuntana".
A curiosity of the area is the Lake Vrana - the Vrana Lake, 5.5 km long and 1.5 kilometers wide, with a surface area of 5.75 km2.
The level of this sweet-water is higher than that of the surrounding sea, its cause is under the surface of the sea at a depth of 74 m. This huge reservoir of natural and healthy potable water contains more than 200 million m3 of water. The temperature of the seawater is different depending on seasons and depth, it is in winter the temperature of groundwater to the surface at 4 ° C, and during the summer of groundwater by 6 ° C and those at the surface to 25 ° C. Live fresh water fish in the lake: pike, tench and eels. The presence of eels has not been completely explained: there is no evidence of connection with the sea, and the eel spawns in the sea.
In the north, the highest part of the island of Cres cover forests
The largest part of the middle area of the island of Cres now consists of pastures, olive groves and vineyards, where the western island side, however, is with dense Mediterranean scrub covered. In the area around the lake Vrana were around after the Second World War, the forested grown spruce. Also, the areas south of Osor are almost entirely with a Mediterranean land covered here and there is a real bush in forests over, so in the southern part of the island, where spruce and laurel forests occur.
It is noteworthy that in the Cres-Losinj archipelago no poisonous snakes occur.
From pets are the most numerous sheep, an idyllic image of the stony soil Island grant. Besides the delicious sheep's milk cheese, widely known is the lamb from Cres. The waters around the islands are rich in various species of fish: perch, dental fissure. These areas are also known for quantities of mussels and crayfish are in the Bay of Valun; also good fishing of snow crab and squid.