Split-Dalmatia County (Splitsko-dalmatinska županija) is the central-southern Dalmatian county in Croatia. Its center is Split. Population of the county is 463,676 (2001). Land area is 4534 sq km.
Physically, county is divided into three main parts: elevated hinterland (Dalmatinska zagora) with numerous karst fields; narrow coastal strip with high population density; and the islands. Parts of the Dinaric Alps, including Dinara itself form the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina while Kozjak, Mosor and Biokovo mountains separate the coastal strip from the hinterland.
The most important economic activity is tourism. Manufacturing and agriculture are in decline.
The county is linked to the rest of Croatia by the newly built four-lane Split-Zadar-Karlovac-Zagreb highway and the Lika railway. Split-Kaštela international airport is used mostly by tourist charter flights in the summer. There is also a smaller paved airfield on the island of Brač.
In the hinterland, larger towns are Sinj (pop. 11,500 town, 25,373 with villages), Imotski (4,350) and Vrgorac (2,200). Besides the largest city, Split (189,000 city proper, 240,000 including Kaštela and Solin), towns on the coast are Trogir (11,000), Omiš (6,500) and Makarska (13,400). On the islands, settlements are smaller due to high emigration, but mostly urban in character. Among them are Supetar (3,000) on the island of Brač, Hvar (3,700) and Stari Grad (1,900) on Hvar and Vis (1,800) and Komiža (1,500) on Vis.
