Foreigner Asks if Croatian South Is an Enclave
A map of Croatia on Reddit sparked a wave of reactions. Users debated the geographical status of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and the Pelješac Bridge soon joined the discussion.
A map of Croatia on Reddit sparked a wave of reactions. Users debated the geographical status of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and the Pelješac Bridge soon joined the discussion.
A seemingly simple map of the Croatian coast on Reddit sparked a veritable geographical debate. A user on the popular r/geography channel posed a question that intrigued thousands: "Is this part of Croatia considered an enclave, an exclave, or neither?"
Pointing to the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, separated from the rest of the country by a narrow strip of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he triggered a wave that gathered over two thousand votes and hundreds of comments. This post highlighted how intriguing this geographical peculiarity is to foreigners, as well as the difficulty in describing it precisely.
Users quickly agreed on the basic distinction. Since an enclave must be entirely surrounded by the territory of another state, which is not the case here due to its access to the sea, that option was ruled out. The term exclave, a territory separated from its parent state, proved much more fitting.
However, the most precise answer, as several commenters pointed out, is "semi-exclave." Namely, the Dubrovnik region has access to the sea and is connected to the rest of Croatia through territorial waters. One user succinctly explained: "Exclave, yes; enclave, no."
The discussion also revealed fascinating historical details. This unusual border dates back to 1699, when the Republic of Ragusa ceded this part of the coast to the Ottoman Empire under the Treaty of Karlowitz. The purpose was to create a buffer zone that would isolate it by land from the powerful and competitive Republic of Venice.
Of course, the Pelješac Bridge soon became the main topic of discussion. Many emphasized that the physical separation was overcome in 2022, sparking new debates about whether the bridge affects the geographical classification. This led to humorous suggestions like "semi-semi-exclave" or even "hemidemisemi-semi-exclave."
Users compared the Croatian south to other well-known detached territories, such as Alaska in the US or the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Croats also joined the discussion, with one user from Dubrovnik writing: "I'm from Dubrovnik and I'm still recovering from these comments," emphasizing that locals don't think about it that way at all.
One of the most popular comments jokingly noted that the Pelješac Bridge "thwarts Bosnia and Herzegovina's ambitions for maritime dominance," which sparked a series of witty responses. Particularly highlighted was the claim that the Czech Republic has a perfect record in naval battles because it has never lost one.
