Republic of Croatia

Croatia was first internationally recognized as an independent state on 7 June 879 during the reign of duke Branimir. Croatia entered a personal union with Hungary in 1102. In 1527, faced with Ottoman conquest, the Croatian Parliament elected Ferdinand I of Austria to the Croatian throne. In December 1918 it was merged into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. This led to the creation of the Federal State of Croatia, which after the war became a founding member and constituent of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. On 25 June 1991, Croatia declared independence. In 1 July 2013 Croatia joined the European Union.