The Kornati archipelago (pronounced [kɔ̝rnǎːti]) of Croatia, also called the Stomorski islands, is located in the northern part of Dalmatia, south of Zadar and west of Šibenik, in the Šibenik-Knin County. The area covers about 320 square kilometers (124 square miles) and includes 89 islands, some large and some small, over a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles). The Kornati are the most densely packed group of islands in the Mediterranean Sea. They stretch 13 kilometers (8 miles) from northwest to southeast (from the island of Balabra to Samograd) and from northeast to southwest (from Gangarol to Mana). The name "Kornati" is the plural form of the name of the largest island, called Kornat.

Settlement

There are no places where people live all year round in Kornati. Instead, basic homes are found in safe areas along the coast, such as Vrulje, Kravjačica, Lavsa, and others. These homes are used by people who own land on the mainland as temporary homes. Many of these landowners come from the islands of Murter and Dugi Otok.

Climate

In January, the average monthly temperature is 7.3 °C (45.1 °F), and in July, it is 23.9 °C (75.0 °F). During winter, the average sea temperature is between 14 and 15 °C (57 to 59 °F), and during summer, it is 22.8 °C (73.0 °F).

Geography

Based on their location, the Kornati islands can be split into two main groups: the Gornji Kornati, or Upper Kornati, which are closer to the mainland, and the Donji Kornati, or Lower Kornati, which mostly face the open sea to the southwest.

The islands known as Gornji Kornati include the northernmost island, Sit, and the surrounding islets. These islands are separated by a channel from Žut and its surrounding islets to the south. Žut is the largest and most indented of these islands.

National park

In 1980, the 89 southernmost islands, islets, and reefs of the Kornati archipelago were made a national park called Nacionalni Park Kornati. This park protects the islands and the ocean around them. Most of the park covers the area known as Donji Kornati, which includes the island of Kornat and nearby islets. These islands are separated from the island of Piškera and its surrounding islets by a narrow channel.

The national park includes 109 islands, and 76 of them are smaller than 1 hectare. Of the total land area in Kornati, 62 square kilometers (24 square miles), or 85%, is rocky. Only 5% of the land has been farmed.

Important places in the Kornati islands include: the shallow channel called Mala Proversa, the oval-shaped island of Taljurič, Špinuta Bay, Stivina Bay, the fourth-largest island called Levrnaka, the second-largest karst rock region called Tarac, Svršata Vela island, Mana island, Piškera island, Panitula Vela island, the scenic Lavsa Bay, the resort island of Ravni Žakan, Smokvica Vela island, the Opat peninsula, Samograd island, the Purara marine life reserve, and Vrgada and Gangarol islands.

The islands named Babina Guzica and Kurba Vela have names in Croatian that mean "buttocks" and "prostitution." These names show how many places in the Kornati archipelago have official names that are considered vulgar. When Austrian surveyors mapped the area in the late 1800s, local guides teased them by inventing crude names for different locations.

Kornat, the largest island in the archipelago with an area of 32.44 square kilometers (12.53 square miles), covers two-thirds of the park’s land. Even though the island is 25.2 kilometers (15.7 miles) long, it is no more than 2.5 kilometers (2 miles) wide. The park is managed from the town of Murter, located on the island of the same name. Murter is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge in the town of Tisno.

Geology

The Kornati islands have mostly karst rock, which is a type of limestone. This rock was formed long ago from sea sediment. Fossils of crustaceans and fish are found in the rock on the islands. The area has many examples of karst features, such as unusual rock shapes, caves, flat rock areas, and cliffs. Karst rock is porous, meaning it absorbs water quickly and becomes dry. Because of this, the Kornati islands are also dry. People use many cisterns, which are storage containers, to hold water for humans and animals.

People have lived on the Kornati islands since the Neolithic Age. Remains from Illyrian settlements have been found on the island of Kornat. Evidence of wealthy Romans includes mosaic floors from Roman villas. Kornat also has a small tower called Toreta, which was likely built in the 6th century AD. The island of Piškera was inhabited during the Middle Ages and used to store fish. Archaeological sites in Stražišče, Tarac, Levrnaka, and Lavsa show that life on the Kornati islands was busy during the Roman era. Many buildings and stone quarries have been discovered there.

During the time the Venetian Republic controlled the islands, they were used to supply their navy with resources. Deforestation, erosion, and overgrazing by sheep and goats led to environmental damage. Scrubland was burned regularly to help the animals graze. These actions reduced the number of animals and caused the islands to become less populated. In the late 19th century, citizens of Murter bought the islands.

Fauna

The Kornati islands are home to many animals, including sea-gulls, which are the most common. Other animals found there include lizards, ring-snakes, 69 types of butterflies, some amphibians, and rodents. The area has few fish species. The sea around the Kornati islands is typical of the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions. However, because of the unique underwater features, such as underwater hills and special sea conditions, some unusual sea life exists, including certain types of algae, coral, and sponges. In the past, the sea was very rich in sponges, making it a popular place for sponge hunters. A rare type of mollusk called Pinna nobilis lives in the Kornati and is protected by law.

The National Park protects both the land and the sea. Fishing is limited to help fish populations recover after being overfished. Historically, the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus albiventris) lived near these islands. The name of the southernmost point on Vela Kurka (Mendo) is linked to this nearly extinct species.

Flora

The islands have very little vegetation, mostly a type of dry shrubland called maquis. There were once 200 known types of Mediterranean plants, but many have changed over time. The most common plant is a tough kind of grass, and there are also many scented and medicinal herbs, such as sage, feather grass, and Xeranthemum. These plants make the air fragrant in the spring and provide the best food for bees throughout the year. Olive trees cover about 80% of the land that is farmed, followed by vineyards, fig trees, orchards, and vegetable gardens. It is believed that the Kornati islands were once covered in forests of Mediterranean holm oaks, Quercus ilex. However, because fires required a lot of wood, the forests were slowly destroyed. Today, the only remaining forest is near the bay of Telašćica.