Istria is a Croatian region found on the peninsular with the same name. Geographically it belongs to three countries, Croatia, where the greatest part of the territory lies; Slovenia and Italy, the latter having the smallest territory. The name derives from the tribe called the Histri. The history of Istria is summed up in several stages, during which Italy and Croatia have both played important parts.

The Greek geographer Estrabon defined this region as an incredible place, and a pleasant one to live in. Later the Romans arrived and settled in the area, and the emperor Augustus annexed Istria as a province of Italy.
After the Romans came the Goths, the Lombards, and various European royal houses, and in the nineteenth century it was invaded by Napoleon. In this era the region has more than 200,000 inhabitants, 50% of whom were Croats while the rest were made up Serbs, Italians, Germans, Slovenians… Istria at this time was a fashionable holiday destination for several royal families, thanks to its climate and beaches.

But Istria has historically also been the site of many conflicts, between Italians, Croats and Slovenians, and has passed from one nation to another continually. After the First World War for example, Istria was given over to Italy, later it was occupied by the Germans, and after the Second World War it became part of Yugoslavia.

During the post war period of the government of Tito in Yugoslavia, there was a mass exodus of Italians from the Istria Peninsular, something which considerably reduced the population. Pula for example was left practically deserted, and became colonized by Albanese, Serbs, Montenegrins, Croatians and Slovenians.

In 1991 came the breakup of Yugoslavia, the country was divided, and so was Istria with one part going to Croatia and the part going to Slovenia.

Despite this recent history, today people of various nationalities coexist peacefully in Istria, for the most part Croats, Italians and Slovenians. This is a region without great nationalist divisions. The people of the region tend to consider themselves Istrian, whatever their national origin is.