CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PAG ISLAND

Tema članka je geografska problematika otoka Paga u zadarskoj regiji Južne Hrvatske (Dalmacija). Autor posebno obrađuje geografski položaj, veličinu i obuhvat, fizičkogeografska obilježja (geologiju, geomorfologiju, speleološke značajke, klimu, kopnene vode i more, biljni pokrov, tla) te socio-geografska obilježja. Posebno se razmatrju historijskogeografski uvjeti razvoja i naseljenosti od najstarijih vremena do danas. Kretanje broja stanovnika pokazuje stalan pad u sve tri jedinice na otoku, Pagu, Povljani i Novalji 1948. 1981. Popis stanovništva 1991. bilježi porast broja stanovnika. Strukture stanovništva uglavnom pokazuju nepovoljna obilježja. Završni dio rada obuhvaća značajke gospodarstva i društvene nadgradnje. Ovčarstvo, turizam i lokalna industrija pokazuju najviše vitalnosti. Autor posebno razmatra perspektive i dileme otočkog razvoja u složenim uvjetima administrativne podjele na dvije županije. Ključne riječi: Pag, geografska obilježja, stanovništvo

With coastline of 269,2 km in length, it is the most outstanding Croatian island, before Hvar, Cres, Krk and Korčula. 2 Together with Dugi Otok, it has the most expressed so-called coefficient of indentedness among our islands, fully 4,50.The height of the island above sea-level is 349 m. 8

Geological structure
In the structure3 of the island of Pag cretaceous-palaeogenic carbonate sedimentary deposits of limestone and dolomite prevail, and Palaeogenic zones of softer sedimentary deposits (flysch) and younger Quaternary ones are less exposed.After the last thaw caused by glacioeustatic movements in Würm, large parts of the north Adriatic area were drowned, in the same way the Velebit Channel, Kvarner etc. and the significant zones of gentler, younger sediments were submerged by sea.
The Cennoman-Touron limestone and dolomite of the upper Cretaceous age (K 2 1,2 ) raised by folding are the oldest rocks, building the central zone of the most distinguished insular crest from Novalja to Košljun, and the separated zone of the north eastern crest southeast of the town of Pag.There are some zones of these sediments in the northern part at Lun and in the northern part of the Maun Island.Structurally, they make the cores or wings of anticlines.Limestone is considerably more manifested than dolomite appearing here and there in the forms of lenses.These sediments belong to the sea reefy bioaccumulation where the remains of numerous organisms accumulated in the region of breaking waves or somewhat calmer surroundings.The remains of petrifications and microfossils were found (Aelisaccus sp., Cuneolina pavonia parva, Dicyclina schlumbergeri, Nummoluculina heimi), chondrodonts (the most frequent Chondrodonta munsoni), rudists (Hippurites/Orbignya/requieni, Nerinea requieni, N. schiosensis), ichthyosarcolites and caprina (it is very frequent Ichthyosarcolites bicarinatus on the Novalja-Kolan stretch, whereas I. tricarinatus, I.cf.monocarinatus, Neocaprina sediments, N. gigantea, Caprina cf.carinata and some others are rare) etc. suggesting higher levels of these sediments.The layers are poorly stratified, partly well and partly weakly sorted, with frequent reefy breccias.They are light brown and grey covering about 20 % of the island surface.They can be seen in the northern part from Tovarnele beyond Lun to Valjermica, in the southern part up to Novalja they are covered by younger sediments from the Cretaceous and Palaeogene ages, and from Novalja towards SE they cover the place Novalja, Vrtić, Straško, Špital, Čiponja, Zrće, Gajac, Katarelac, Prnjica, Veternica, Panos, Ćurliz, V. Gramača, Reštur, Komun, Renovice, Boculić, Šimuni, Fabijanić, Paška Rebra, Maslinice, Praskarovo, Dumboka Draga, St. 9 Petar, Paladinka, St. Martin, St. Toma, Negulići, Javor, Grobine, Trstenik to Košljun.SW of the line are manifested in Zaglav the Cape Proboj -Kruna Zaglave -Tihovac cove.These sediments are manifested in a narrow zone east and southeast of Pag: Grbe -Brusna -Malenica -Slana, and in the zone Plati -Broćna -Movra -Grabovac -Drakovac -Stražice -Komorova -Dumboka -Glave -Kućine -Škaničko, with isolated points at Opći Port, Bunjice and in Tust.These sediments can be seen in the Maun Island in a very small zone of the NE side in the region of Petrača -Škar -Golubera.
In the northern part of the Lun peninsula from Valjermica in the NW to Stare Kuće in the SE transitional sediments of the Uppercretaceous limestone of Touron and Senon (K 2 2,3 ) are spread.Structurally, they form the syncline core, and their age is proved by numerous petrifications of macro and micro fauna, predominantly rudists, foraminiferas, globetrunkans, globigerinas etc.This limestone is weakly dolomitized, from light grey to light brown, with the layers 20-80 cm thick.They occupy about 4% of the island surface in the regions of the Lun peninsula: Valjermica, Gager, Badnjišta, Konobe, Gradac, Borovići, Dubac, Mrzlanovica, Dabove, Stare Kuće.
Lithological structure of these sediments is mostly limestone, whereas dolomite limestones and dolomites are in a considerably less degree and they appear in the form of thin inserts or lenses.The limestone is well stratified, the sediments are mainly 20-60 cm thick.The entire, proportionally monotonous complex reaches the thickness of 350-400 m.The colour of the sediments is from light grey to brown, covering about 30 % of the island, i.e. having a great surface range.They occupy the following regions: Mrzlanovica -V.Kanat -V.peak -Grba -Šegovica -Pudarica-Burin Bok -Cape Zrće, the great Zaglav area and a part of Barbat with the zones Jadra, Ded, Koromačno, Orlje, Karsa, Turnić, Komorovac, Tusto Čelo, Zabaldušov Gramač, Narčela, Panos, Teplice, Široka Glava, Furnaža up to the NE side of Krištofor, with the separated zone Nova Pošta -Paklenica Cove -Vruje Cove -Široka Cove.The narrow Mrzlanovića -Zrće zone, partly sunk in the Caska Cove, appears again in the area of the Kamariž Cove proceeding farther on to the SE in the Škarić, Crkvine regions down to the NE slopes of the Saint Vid ridge (Grubišinac, St. Grgur, Vrtlace, Grabašnjaci) expanding to the Košljun bay zone on the Podlučje, Binca, Turnić, Mlinica, Malo Jezero and Basa terrains, and from the Velo Jezero area it is branched into two sides on the surface among which these 10 sediments are covered by younger Eocene layers in the Vlašić field syncline.The NE side runs the NE part of Velo Jezero along the Lukovac, Nesenj and Kamik zones ending at the hill Vlašići in Divišćaci.The SW side occupies the Basa area, across Turnići, Stari Stan, Grušna, Kunfina, V. Drakovac, Mikulinac, Guste Laze to Grušine.They appear on the surface here and there, and at Povljana, Čelo and Glavica, in a narrow zone at Zaglav between the Cape Proboj and the Tihovac Cove but they are more strongly manifested in the SW part of Prutna in the Babe -Čabrijanke -Gusti, Mali Gašparovi and Bili Lazi -Selina zone.The Kolan Cove -Olišnjak -Ravno appears in another smaller zone in the western part and in the wider region of Mandre (Selac), from Mišnjak, Solinice, Vrtača and Gaj in the NW to Lisičnjak, Dražica, Letavice, Duboke Stine and the Cape Selac in the SE.They cover the entire island of Škrda, the whole Veli Brušnjak, the NE part of M. Brušnjak and the greater part of Maun, where they are covered by younger Eocene sediments and that way divide the coastal NE and SW zone which is separated by the central Eocene zone.They appertain to the large anticline zone in the southeastern part of the town of Pag continually spreading to Lisičja Glava, Ledenik, Lutešovica, Grbe, Slana Uvala, the cliffs Šestakovci, Ražaško, Ortarnice, St. Ivan, Rudinsko, Propast, Bevandićevo, Pećane, Pećine, Zvonigrad, Vrčić kanat, Magro, Gramanik (Panos), Tusta, Prlinac (namely Čiker), Čista, Bili Rt, Santiš, Movra, Trsak, Debelo Čelo, Vranjinac, Paški Oštrljak.The formation of these sediments is connected with the relatively shallower sea, a little bit farther from the coast because some terrigenous composites are missing.Organogenetic detritus of small particles and pieces of bigger organisms are mechanically accumulated there.
After the raising of the upper Cretaceous limestone had occurred by tectonic movements and denudation in the land various karstic forms were made: joints, entrapped waters, cracks in limestone etc. Unmeltable remains of carbonate dissolution were often deposited out of which diagenetic bauxite was formed.Such bauxite formations, which developed in the upper Cretaceous Senonian sediments, were noticed at several places in Pag.(SE of Caska, Pastura -Veli Vrh -Grba, Trimalj, Furnje, Perić Stan, Kozarina, Barbat).They were already exploited to the maximum extent.Deposits are poor, the maximum size of 10 m x 50 m, mostly elongated and narrow.The research works in Pag (mentioned deposits, Šimuni etc.) and in Maun suggest of non-economic deposits with narrow significance to economy.
After a shorter land phase, marine foraminiferous limestone of lower and middle Eocene (E 1,2 ) transgressively deposited on older Cretaceous stratifications.They most often form Palaeogene synclinal wings and contain numerous petrifications of various milliolyds, alveolin and numulite in microfossile, and sea-urchins and oysters in macrofossile spectrum.Milliolid and then alveolin and numulite limestone are accumulated transgressively on a series of sill-like limestone.From petrifications on Pag the species like Litunella liburnica, L. roberti, Orbitolites douvillei, O. complanatus, Alveolina (Glomalveolina) minutula, A. oblonga, A. collosa, A. canavarii, A. cremae, A. distefanoi, A. dalmatica, A. gigas, Nummulites globulus, N. complanata, n. perforata, N. cf. fraasi, N. millecaput, N. atacicus, Assilina spira, discocyclina discus, D. sella etc., prevail.Among bigger petrifications in numulite limestone the cross sections of oysters (ostrea) were found, and in the youngest sediment sea-urchins of Conoclypeus genus, most often C. conoideus, and some Cidaris, shells, globigerinae and globorotalies.Lithologically these sediments are formed by limestone of high purity, and the sediments are deposited in hot sea, without strong currents, under conditions of littorally-nerite surroundings.The colour of sediments is yellow brownish to light grey, and of limestone 11 of uneven shell-fishing breach.The sediments are about 250 m thick covering about 15 % of the island surface.They are most widely spread in the southern part of the island.They can be found in the northern part in some places alongside the NE coastal slopes of the Lun Peninsula (Kruna, Trimalj, and more often from the Pastura cove along the western coast of the Trinčel cove.), continuing further on along the shelf of Novalja field to the western part of the Caska Cove.They are also found scattered in the NE shelves of Novalja field from the cape of Ded to Caska, confirming this way the formating of Novalja and Pag synclinal field which is in NW and SE flooded and covered by younger Quaternary sediments.They are found in a large scale on Barbat as well (Torine -Kustići -Zubovići -Plat -Vilinjak, Zaglava -Ručica -Beretnica, SW part of Furnaža etc.)This complex continues more distantly in SE of the Pag valley syncline coming out to the surface on both sides of a narrow partly drowned valley.It is possible to watch these sediments permanently on the NE shelf of the valley in the narrow St. Nikola zone, glavice, Kotice, St. Juraj, Hunjci, St. Karin, Gornja Kršina, Lopate, Bevandićevo, Vrčići, Humić, St. Cross, Janjilo, Magaš, Moravčić, and along NE coasts of the Dinjiška bay across Miškovići and Slana to Fortica.In the narrow zone of the Kamariž -Bok -in the SW shelf NE slopes of St. Vid -Dubrava -Visoki Brig -Žestoko -Počivalo -Podno Gradac -Iznad Starog Grada -Debelo Čelo -Dundovo Plandište -Turnić -Murvica -Debelo Čelo, are visible continuing to the SW side of the Dinjiška Bay (Novakovica, Stražica, Goluberje, Sure Stine) spreading in the zone Kraljeve Ograde and Mrtve.In the Povljana and Vlašići zone these sediments are most distinguished extending the zone around Vlašići, Smokvica and Povljana flysch syncline.They spread in the following regions: Dubrovnik -Povljana -Plantaža -Pusta greda -Konjska, Velo Blato -Šimićina Glava -Grušina -Škamica -Sv.Pavao -M.Sikavac, Velo Blato -Tašnice -Grbica -Viljenka -Čunji -Kraljeva ograda -Cape Mrta and in Prutna from the cape Rastavac to NW across Škrlina, Visoka and Kurozeb to the cape of Prutna in SE.
Gradually, marl, sandstone and limestone (E 2,3 ) frequently called flysch accumulated on the carbonate complex in the middle and upper Eocene filling the syncline beds of the Pag valley, Vlašići and Povljana fields, and at Smokvica.They are very often covered with younger Quaternary sediments (Novalja field) and so do not come out on the surface, or are sunk in sea bays and channels (The Pag bay etc.).In a few smaller zones, on Barbat, they are separated as Mideocene flysch complex (E 2 2 ).The transition from foraminiferous Loweocene limestone is marked by the layers of lumpy and detrital marly limestone with glauconites containing petrifications of sea-urchins Conoclypeus conoideus, whereas sea-spiders, customary for the same sediments in Pag are found mostly fragmentarily.Globigerinae Acarinina bulbrooki and A. pentacamerata with some oysters were also noticed.Mideocene marl are rich in the foraminifera remainders, and sandstones contain the remains of numulite, usually of the same species as in the older foraminiferous marl.The following species differ: A. rotundimarginata, A. centralis, Globigerapsis kugleri, Globigerina boweri, Hantkenina alabamensis, Truncorotaloides tripilensis, T. rohri, Globorotalina bolivariana, Globigerinoides conglobatus etc. Globigerina corpulenti and Globorotaia cocoensis are found in upper Eocene sediments, and species Globigerina officipalis and Cibicides pseudoungerianus, as some of observed ceratobuliminida indicate the transition towards younger Oligocene sediments.The composition of these sediments suggests the prevailing limestone detritus, and in a less scale the flint grains, chert, quartz, feldspar, mica of heavy minerals (garnet, epidote, zircon, tourmaline etc.) are found.The thickness of this complex varies from 100 to 350 m.

13
These sediments suggest the so called molass formation, stratified in the period of orogenesis but outside geosyncline.In nowadays scenery they stand out with their peculiar outfit in relation to the limestone forming with them an outstanding visual contrast.They are very often covered with younger and softer Quaternary sediments.On the surface a favourable pedologic cover is formed mainly of brown soils in flysch.
By the end of Palaeogene, Eocene-Oligocene sediments of younger Palaeogene (Pg 2,3 ) are probably formed made of limestone breccia, of various sizes, age from the Jurassic period to Eocene with conglomerates.They can be found in the Lun Peninsula northwest of Novalja, and they appear sporadically west and southeast of Novalja as erosive remains on the cretaceous ground.They are transgressively located on limestone of the upper Cretaceous age.
The connection of breccia and conglomerate is mostly calcite, often reddish or contaminated by clayey contents.The fragments of breccia often contain petrified remains corresponding to their age.Their formation suggests the distinguished erosion in a high relief outstanding space, fast and intensive washing out of slopes, short transport and fast accumulation.The sediment thickness is here from 50-100 m.
A very interesting and rather rare Miocene-Pliocene complex of Neogene (M,Pl) can be found in Pag at Kolan divided into two zones, one in Kolan field, and the other in the Crnike area on the coast of the Pag Bay.It is mostly covered by younger Quaternary sediments and therefore it can not be seen on the surface in Rogoza zone, or it is flooded by the sea in the Pag Bay.The question is about clayey and less sandy marl with some lime pebbles (concretions) and the appearance of coal (lignite).They are well deposited, and their colour is grey greenish, grey to dark grey.Lithologically, it is about very fine sand with coal shreds.The sediments were probably formatted by wearing and transporting of flysch sediments, and their thickness was defined by drilling which comes to 143,6 m.The coal of Kolan is of a good quality but it is not the matter of economic quantities for bigger exploitation.Before the First World War an Italian joint stock company pulled it out.
Among the youngest, Quaternary (Q) sediments, most frequently diluvial and alluvial layers are found in Pag.There are diluvia in the Pag valley, Novalja valley (from Stara Novalja to Caska) and in the Kolan field, around the mud Rogoza, in The Povljana valley, around Metajna and very little in the Vlašići valley.It is about the deposits from slopes, weaker or stronger, sandy-gravely connected.In the gravel pit near Pag these layers are even 14 m deep.Alluvia can be found mostly in the Povljana valley, in the southern part of the Pag valley along the creek flowing downward to Dinjiška, in the mud Rogoza, at Kolan and very little in the Novalja valley.The Quaternary formations, e. g. in the Novalja field, were made of sand with clay lenses and clayey sand 3-4 m deep, 6 m at the most.The appropriate sediments in Kolan field are formatted by sand, clay, sandy pebbles, breccia, silty dusty and clayey alluvial deposits and recent forms of 14 the developing peat soil.The sandy layers are in the upper parts of the field, whereas clayey composites prevail in the lower ones.In the Pag valley the Quaternary sediments are formated by sand, clay, clayey sand, clayey deposits, clayey deposits inside sand, calcareous karst, sandstone and breccia.
Tectonically, the Pag Island pertains to the tectonic unit of Ravni Kotari, whose characteristic is the change of gentle vertical or weakly inclined folds of the Dinara range.The anticlines Lun -Novalja -Košljun dominate, St. Nikola -Grabovac -Fortica and Caska, and synclines Novalja -Pag -Dinjiška.There are more smaller synclines and anticlines.The Barbat zone is mostly differentiated by faults.
From raw minerals the most outstanding are the deposits of pebbles at Pag and Stari Grad, beds of high-quality lignite, quantitively non-exploited at Kolan, and bauxite deposits in the Novalja -Dabove -Lun stretch.The research works were made at Novalja and Maun but without any significant results due to scarce deposits.

Relief
Mostly carbonate structure of the Pag Island and the spreading of layers in the direction NW-SE affect its basic relief properties.Different notion of anticlinal crests and types of peneplain surface dominate the island, with one larger and several smaller ones also longitudinal narrow dell zones between.It is the reflection of geomorphological basis of the island determined by its longitudinal stretching of relief structures mostly coinciding with the ones in the North Dalmatian land.
The most prominent crest in its length and height runs to the west and outward from the cape of Lun on the NW to the cape of Škamica and the rocks Sikavci on the SE.It can be called conditionally the ridge of St. Vid (349 m).Here and there the remainders of older erosive plains in karst are manifested, which are split from the Kvarnerić area, namely, the  (MAGAŠ, 1993, 36).Morpho-genetically, this crest is adequate to Kamenjak on Rab, namely, to Ražanac -Slivnica in Ravni Kotari.The stretch in some places and flat surface of the crest (Zaglav, Prozor, Ravno in Kršina, Dolac etc.), the similarity with the floors of the southern slopes of Velebit (see ROGIĆ, 1958ROGIĆ, , 1972) )  Karst crests are mutually separated by longitudinal valleys.The Novalja-Pag valley4 predominates, running between the two largest crests.Its flooded part divides it into two separated parts, the Novalja-Caska and the Pag-Dinjiška valley, whereas the central part is preserved only sidewise, along the bay margins, prominently featuring in the landscape by sharp contrast to carbonate rocks.Smaller valleys are Povljana, Vlašići, Kolan and Smokvica valley but there are softer sediments on Barbat either.The valleys are the most important agricultural regions of the island, filled with soft sediments, Eocene flysch and the Quaternary sedimentary deposits.The examinations show scattered depths of the youngest alluvial layers up to 5-6 m.
Karst morphology is expressed all over the island.The proof of its prominence even at its oldest epochs is the evidence of a very old toponomy connected with the karst configuration.
Endogenous relief is designated by neotectonic forms of the karst shoulders i.e. crests identical with the geological anticlines (Lun peninsula, Kršina, St. Vid etc.), fault slopes, faults, fissures etc. Exogenous relief is designated by various forms of sloping, fluvial, karst (in a narrower sense), fluviokarst, marine and antrophogenous relief.
The sloping relief is represented by various destructive forms of non-active pediments and glacis, narrowly dissected and non-dissected reefs, conical or rounded peaks, saddles (Prozor, Počivalo etc.), rocky walls, drippings, derasion valleys, land-slide sites and ravines.Accumulative forms of the sloping relief, landslides, salted soils, colluvial masses and prolluvial inundations, are also seen in the island.
The characteristics of fluvial relief are evident in the valleys where the water inundating formations made of sand and pebbles are so frequent.
Real karstic forms of relief are here most predominant, with numerous manifestations of bleak rocky country, rocky, pitted and off-shore karst full of cracks in lime-stone, karstic valleys, huge stones and various accompanying micro and macro forms.Very frequent are karstic valleys, sink-holes, dolinas, hips, cages, pits, semi-caves, notches etc.
Fluviokarstic forms stand out by numerous dry fossil valleys (creeks) either without water flow or with temporary water-worn ravines, some hanging dry valley, closed karstic valley (with temporary water flow), plateaux in karst and muddy zones (Velo and Malo Blato, Rogoza).
Marine relief is represented by different abrasive forms of low and steep cliffs.Low rocky cliffs are made of limestone, sandstone, dolomite, marl or conglomerates.Cliffy shores are mainly of limestone and more rarely of sandstone, and periodically, they are constantly or occasionally exposed to abrasion.
Conditionally taken in consideration ecological evaluation of relief shows the influence of a comparatively great part of unfavourable good categories, the existence of some relatively less precious grounds, whereas a valuable and highly precious relief is poorly manifested.
Long and indented coasts are specially distinguished relief categories of the Pag Island.With the coast of 269,2 km (145,4 NM) in length Pag is together with Dugi Otok the most indented Croatian island with the index of indentedness I=4,50.The coast of Pag is together with Maun, Škrda and other appertaining islets over 300 km long.The appearance and coastal forms are directly connected with the structure and composition of coastal rocks.Therefore more gentle coasts are mainly connected with flysch and alluvial valleys ending with sandy and gravel beaches or gentle hillsides (the Pag bay with coves Caska, Zrće, Pag, the cove Povljana and Stara Povljana, Vlašići, Dinjiška, Stara Novalja etc.) The most beautiful and the largest beach is on Prosika in Pag but the beaches Zrće, Straško etc. are also attractive where gravel is the most frequent.The major part of other coasts, especially the ones to the north-eastern sides of the island, are unfavourable and rough, exceptionally at the mouths of water-worn ravines or less steep areas.
In the Pag island there is a number of potholing objects, especially caves, notches, pits, precipices etc.One of the caves is in the region Antibel NE of Gračište SE of Stara Novalja.A smaller cave is along the coast NW of the town of Pag, opposite Krištofor, the sign for the cave on the topographic map is Golubara.Smaller cave is at Stari Grad.There is a smaller cave above Dinjiška in the locality of Kućine.The mentioned cave Šepurine is in the Maun Island with the homonymous well in its nearest vicinity.
The Ivča pit is at Caska, a pit typical for karst, probably a sign of boundaries between a part of the island Pag and Novalja in the past.There is a similar pit above the Gaća cove at Kustići.On Barbat there are some outstanding pits in Brestovac east of Metajna and the pit in Teplice above the Slana cove.There is one pit in Kršina in the nearest vicinity NW of the highest peak (Veli Vrh 263 m), and one in the region Rudinsko.There are two pits in Veli Drakovci at Povljana in the southern part of the island, and one in Tust northly of Miškovići.Besides, there is one pit in Binjac east of Košljun.Some toponyms speak of speleologic phenomena: Jamurina (water 350 m SW of the pit in Rudinsko), Pećani etc.

Climate
The island of Pag as regards climate belongs to the transitional eumediterranean-submediterranean zone of the Mediterranean climate, which reflects in the plant cover, soil features, karstic forms etc.
It does not differ essentially from the neighbouring areas of the Ravni Kotari coastal zone and the Rab Island.There are less microlocation particulars because of different insolations, exposed position to the wind and other climatic factors.The main meteorological stations are in Pag and Lun (Gager), and rain-gaugy stations are still in Novalja, Vlašići and Barbat.
The global radiation is calculated with approx.357 cal/cm 2 a day (116 in December, 604 in July), which is more than in Zadar and other parts of the Zadar archipelago, and considerably more than generally in the northern Adriatic., 1974, 366;ROGIĆ, 1972, 145 The number of sunny hours for the period from 1961-1985 was in Pag 2268/ per annum, which is a great deal less than in Zadar, 2475/per annum, and that is the result of larger energy relief in the nearest surroundings of the town of Pag.Annual schedule of the number of sunshine hours5 is shown by the following Mean annual temperature in Pag is 15,3°C (1951-1985), mean amplitude is 17,7 °C between 7,0°C in January and 24,7°C in July.The measured temperature maximum is 37,0°C (1957) and minimum of -12,5°C (1963).Measured mean temperature in Lun is 15,2°C and maximum 37,0°C (1957).The hottest months are July and August, and the coldest January and February.Mean course of air temperature can be seen from the following table : Tab. 3 Mean air temperatures (°C) Tab. 3 Godišnji hod temperature zraka (°C) Source: Climatic data of SR Croatia, RGZ, Zagreb, 1971;MGSHZ I (1951MGSHZ I ( -1985)); For Zadar supplemented with older and latest data.
Relative humidity air course is very favourable, annually below 70% on average.The relative mean humidity of 68% (1948)(1949)(1950)(1951)(1952)(1953)(1954)(1955)(1956)(1957)(1958)(1959)(1960) was measured in Pag, and in Lun 66% (1952)(1953)(1954)(1955)(1956)(1957)(1958)(1959)(1960).Mean annual precipitation quantity in the island of Pag is between 1050 mm and 1106 mm a year.Through several-years records relatively standard values have been obtained in Pag, Novalja, Kolan, Vlašići and Lun (Gager), just a little bit less precipitation has been recorded in Novalja, and value clashes of some months for Gager are the result of a short examination period.In comparison with the southern Zadar, Pag receives on average 150-200 mm more precipitation a year.The precipitation are most frequently connected with the so called cyclonic north-eastern wind bora ("dark bora") or south winds.The biggest quantities of precipitation have been recorded in all stations in the period September -December, with maximum in November.The least quantities of precipitation have been recorded mainly in July (Pag, Vlašići, Novalja).It is unusual that except in Vlašići (and in Lun), August stands out by the quantity of precipitation of most summer and spring months.It suggests significant and sudden showers in the second half of August, which in some years repeatedly raise the averages of this month.Besides, drought is very frequent in June which happens to be considerably less rainy than August.
Average number of days with precipitation6 bigger than 1,0 mm in Pag is 86,1, in Novalja 83,2,in Lun 86,4,in Kolan 75,5,and in Vlašići 72,8,and in Zadar 87,4 annually.The number of days with heavy precipitation of 10,0 mm and more is uniform and it was 39,0 in Pag, in Lun 37,1,in Novalja 37,6,in Kolan 37,2,in Vlašići 38,8.Snow is rare and lasts for a short time7 .Average annual number of days with snow is in Pag 1,7, in Lun 2,2, in Novalja 0,5, in Kolan 1,8, in Vlašići 0,6, in Zadar 1,9.The biggest measured snow heights are in Pag 40 cm, in Lun 37 cm, in Kolan 5 cm, in Novalja 15 cm, in Vlašići 7 cm, and in Zadar 18 cm.These averages, as there are no data for Novalja, Kolan and Vlašići for an extremely snowy year -1956, and the data for a very severe winter of 1985 have not been included, have to be taken with a qualified acceptance.Namely, Pag, Kolan, and Lun have more days with snow than Novalja and Vlašići.A very heavy snow followed by bad weather and north-westerly winds was recorded in 1956 (8 snowy days) and in 1985.Snow and bad weather were very heavy in Kolan and Pag in 1971, but they were not recorded in Novalja and Vlašići.There was also more snow in the island in 1963.
Average annually cloud8 is in Pag 4,5, in Lun 4,6, in Zadar 4,4 tenths of the sky.The number of clear skies per annum9 (less than 2 tenths cloud of the sky) and on the average it comes to 118 in Pag, 123 in Lun, and 115 in Zadar.The number of cloudy days (with cloud larger than 8 tenths of the sky) comes to 90 in Pag, 75 in Lun, and 84 in Zadar.
Windiness predominates the Pag Island, especially in its NE sides exposed to bura (tal.bora, NE dry and relatively cold wind) blowing from Velebit.Bura, (ca 35% of all winds) can blow at hurricane-like strength, especially in the winter season, and in the summer time it is generally more rare and weaker.During the autumn and spring times of the year it can sometimes surprise which in that case has negative influences on field crops.Sometimes bura interrupts the traffic of car-ferries and the land overlooking Velebit, and even with the bridge in the road Zadar-Pag.Along with bora salt appears covering the NE sides, and more rarely the whole island, making crops, soils and waters salty, and that way causing severe damages and rendering impossible the renewal of the flora at denuded parts.An old datum shows that on the average per hectare around 530 kg of NaCl per annum has been deposited in Pag (GRAČANIN, 1935, 107-181).The data obtained by examining the waters in the island (MAGDALENIĆ, 1974;MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 119-137) show the raised salinity i.e. chlorinity.So it was found mainly 170-200 mg/l of Cl in puddles, and most in the puddle at Vrčići, 420 mg/l Cl.It was remarkably lower in cisterns and moving from 20 mg/l (Lun) to 180 mg/l Cl (Vrčići).Chlorinity ranges in wells and springs from 30 mg/l to 300 mg/l Cl most frequently, but it can reach higher values either.So at scooping the water up at Velo Blato it can reach up to 600 mg/l Cl, and in some spots on flysch and Quaternary layers even more (spring at Vrčići more than 700 mg/l, spring east of Metajna more than 1500 mg/l Cl).Offshore brackish waters have a considerably higher chlorinity, from 800 mg/l Cl to more than 10.000 mg/l Cl (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 126, 131, 132).Besides bora the south wind sirocco dominates, too, and it is the most frequent wind in the island (about 39 % of all winds).

Waters
As all karstic area, the island of Pag is in want of above-ground and underground waters.However, water is important and present all over the island, and it is used and appreciated from the earliest days of population of this island about which a very old island hydronomy gives evidence.
The appearances of lake-mud are found at Povljana, where there is Velo and Malo Blato, and at Kolan in whose vicinity is the mud Rogoza.The water flows are periodical in the Novalja, Vlašići and Pag flysch valleys, in mud Rogoza (Vrulja), and connected to V. and M. Blato.Gullies (ravines) are an occasional event during heavy rains on karstic slopes, when the excess water is rapidly flown away down the dells to the sea or under the ground.Wells, springs, submarine springs and puddles are frequent, and rich hydronomy suggests of significant and ancient water appreciation from the earliest days.
Modern methods of water supply in the 20 th century have imposed professional explorations, especially hydrogeologic.Owing to them we are aware that local water supplies are not enough to fulfill the entire needs of the population and economy, so today the water supply of the island normally proceeds partly from the land.This supports the fact that the quantity of water evaporation from water surfaces is above 1800 mm on the average per annum (data from the saltpans for the period from 1955-1980), which is 70-80 % more than the determined precipitation quantities (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 121).Most of the waters disappearing underground are filtered towards the sea or towards the karstic valleys, respectively parallel with the valleys on the surface to the sea.Therefore submarine springs (11) and brackish springs (more than 60) are very frequent along the coast.There are no permanent flows, and brooks appear occasionally in low valleys (Foše, Ričina, Vrulja etc.) Very rare events are heavy abundant springs of several litres a second.
Nevertheless, in some situations local springs of water could be of great importance.Therefore it is of use to remember the existing waters, which have made possible the survival of population and the development of this island for thousands of years.
In Lun there are Donja Lokva, Lokva at Stanišće, Slatina at Gager, Lokva at Perićev Kanat.Then Donja and Gornja Lokva follow and the cove of Potočnica at the hamlet Bonaparte, Lokva between Bonaparte and Vidas, puddles Liša and Vrginica between Vidas and Dabove, three wells and Lokva in Dabove -Stare Kuće zone, Lokva in the hamlet Škunca and Lokva and well in the hamlet Šankovi.
In the NW part of the Novalja valley there is a more abundant and captive spring Škopalj, (obviously used in antique period, "Talijanova buža", ILAKOVAC, 1982), which together with three more drilled wells gives 5-6 l/s of water in summer (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 128), and in winter almost three times as much.It is about subartesian, partly artesian flow under pressure as the sand in this part of the valley is covered by clay.Larger puddles are Svetojašnica in the Stara Novalja area towards St. Janj and the puddle in the Pecašna cove NW of Žigljen, 21 Kaljac and Prozor (Prozorska lokva) in the slopes of Prozor toward Caska, Peteljka at Zrće, Lokva in Špital at Novalja.
At Kaštela there is the well Gušternica, and with the swampy mud Rogoza more springs are connected (Dobra slatina, Vruja in (V)Rankovci and Lokva) in the zone of Slatina at Gajac.Drilling to the underground water near Dobra Slatina quantities of water of about 8 l/s have been obtained but with an increased chlorinity (ca 2000 mg/l Cl) (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 125).Fresh underground waters are mixed in mud together with waters flowing up in rainy season from the Kolan field (brook Vrulja) with the salted water, which is a good basis for making peat in the lower muddy parts.The dell of the Vrulja has been formed in the upper flow rather distinctly, and in Rogoza it has overflown with mud and has been flooded.The Rogoza mud basin covers an area of 3 km 2 .The springs Uljačine, Motišnjak and several wells (Butovac etc.) spread in the Kolan field.
On Barbat there are puddles in karst at Komorovac, Osojnik, at Kustić in Gaća Cove, the well in Zubovići, and in the Metajna area there are three springs along the shore, from which one is the biggest among the Pag springs which get the water from limestone, (0,25 l/s in summer and several l/s in winter) (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 125), then there is one on the slopes of Panos and one in the Malin Cove.Between Caska and Kustići there is Vela Vrulja Cove.The cove of Slatinica, Cape Vruje, Vruje Peći, Lokva at the cape of Zakučenice in the northern side of Barbat confirm the appearance of water even at the most karstic regions.
Springs and swampy soils from St. Duh (Crkvina) at the foot of Grubišinac, across the spring in Filino cove, Hričevac Grdanov, Oguićeva Voda, Mirmanića Voda, Kozlinjak to Bošane, Vodice, Marijanovo and other springs in the western side of the Pag Bay, are connected with the flysch zone.These waters appear usually at the touch of quaternary sand and Eocene flysch, they are not brackish as marl and sandstones along the coast prevent the sea breakthrough.Abundance of these springs is small, below 0,05 l/s (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 130).
In the Selce area to the NW there is the Slatina Cove, the well and Lokva in the region of Vrtače, Lokvanjić at Šimunsko Polje, Lokva in the Lazina Cove.There are two puddles (pools) east of Kolan on the crest of St. Vid in the area Nebeska and Rujna Lokva and Lokva at the foot of St. Vid.From the SE the puddles Sušica, Bunarić, Lebarska Lokva, Bodulska Lokva, Lokva St. Jelena, Lokva NW of Dumboka Draga, Bevandićeva Lokva, Dumboćica, Lokva Gaj continue.There are two larger wells in the Javor zone at the Proboj Cove where there is a pit with water, and in the Bok Cove at Košljun there are two springs called Vruje and a pit with water.
More springs are connected with the NE part of the Pag flysch zone from Pag to Gorice: Kokolovo, Mirožić (captivated), Na Babino, St. Jadrić, Smamjakova Voda, etc.The most outstanding is Mirožić which gives 0,8 l/s in summer, and in winter even more than 3 l/s of water, whereas the others are considerably less abundant, in summer usually less than 0,1 l/s.In 1995 it was connected with Pag by waterworks.By hydrogeologic works 3 wells were dug 12 m deep which altogether give 1,5 l/s in dry season.There are a couple of bigger wells in Pag, and in the whole zone to Dinjiška there are more than 70 smaller private wells, with richness without exception under 0,1 l/s (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 127, 129).
On the southern side of the saltpans there are also some springs: Mlinovo, at St. Stari Grad, at St. Kuzme, at St. Bartol etc. Farther on, to the SE part of the Pag valley there are more springs, especially at the NE side: there are three springs at Vrčići (one is captivated), Križina and Studena at Stara Vasa, Lokvina in field, spring and well in Foša at the foot of Šišini, and the springs Svaroš and Slana in Dinjiška.From the Vrčića area a brook periodically flows toward NE to Solana, and at the foot of Humići more streamlets arise (Križine, Lokvina) joining and flowing away down the Foša area to the Dinjiška Cove.
There is a great number of puddles on the limestone crest of St. Nikola -Fortica, from Pag to Dinjiška: at the foot of Ledenik, south of St. Nikola, SE of Veli Brig, Slana at the foot of Vlaški Brig, Jamurina, Propast, Paštorova Lokva, Movra, Kalac, Kopna, Slana at Šišini, Lokva in Kolišće, Lokva in Kućine, Vranjinac etc.The name Slana partly confirms the saltness of these puddles.
In Povljana field there are about ten bigger and about 200 smaller shallow wells (2-4 m deep and the water level is 0,5-2,5 m high.)(MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 130) which serves for watering.A smaller gully called Ričina sometimes flows into the same cove at the far end of the Stara Povljana Cove.Two springs called Jezerine are fairly abundant, to several l/s of running water.One well is in the Smokvica Cove, linked to that flysch zone.
In the Vlašići field there are about ten bigger and smaller wells through which Ričina flows into the valley with the same name at the end of the Vlašići Cove.On the spot where the fields and the crest touch each other at the southern side of the mouth Ričina there is the Krasulja Spring.
Velo and Malo Blato (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 125, 126) are permanent lakes at the southern part of the island N and NE of Povljana.Velo Blato with the area of 1,6 km, 3 m deep, 1,8 km long and about 1 km wide, with the confluence area of about 6,5 km 2 is the most significant water supply of the island (345 smaller and bigger springs, flowing power is about 780 m 3 a day).Next to Blato there is Šipnata, a toponym suggests using the water from the earliest days, during heavy rains a small brook flows from SE side into Blato, and from NE and SW side short-lived springs appear.During longer dry period the surface of the lake is reduced to 1,12 km 2 , and the water level from its maximum of 2,36 m, comes down to the altitude of only 0,5 m, and the surface of the water about 1,3 km.The deepest point of Blato is -1,8 m.The lake is a protected natural object because of specific plant and bird life.Mild saltness (430-720 mg/l Cl), on the average about 600 mg/l is the result of salt.Water temperature depends on the season and weather conditions.Rarely, when the temperatures are very low, the lake freezes, and in summer the temperature is very often above 20 °C.Underground connections of Velo and Malo Blato have been proved by staining, whereas connections with the sea are probably revealed at high water levels.At the NW end of the lake a captive gallery with periodic abundance to 20 l/s was built in 1971 from which the waterworks expanded to the town of Pag (across Vrčići and Gorica) and Povljana making the necessary water supply possible for the southern part of the Pag Island.
Malo Blato is situated immediately along the Mlinica valley connected with the channel very often cutting the waterless mud surface.During the dry months only underground water springs are present, here called krinac.Water is very often brackish, as it is salted directly by sea and salt marshes.The mud surface is about 0,9 km 2 at high water level.
In the SW side of the Prutna peninsula there is Vrska Vrulja, the spring Vrulja in the Mali lazi cove, and the well and puddle in the Selina cove.

23
There is a puddle in the middle of the island in Škarda, and on the Maun Island the well Šepurina next to the cave with the same name at the central part of the island (Tanko), Lokva in the region Crkvine at St. Ante in the northern part, and two puddles in the southern part of the island (near Kolan port and in Koromačno).
In the islet of St. Pavao (V.Sikavac) next to the church foundations there is a less salted puddle.
Springs, mud and puddles are on the island of Pag very often with the raised salinity, namely, chlorinity.It is the result of very heavy saltedness (hoar-frost, rime) caused by bora.Magdalenić drew the attention to very interesting hydrogeologic formations relating to salinity and chlorinity in the mud Rogoza and in the Povljana valley.In the western part of Rogoza "open water surfaces in dry period contain from 5000 to 6000 mg/l Cl, and in the eastern part from 700 to 2000 mg/l Cl.In rainy season the entire field is flooded and water mixing is possible.At the time the chloride quantity is reduced to half in the western side, the values being almost identical that way." "The Povljana field differs by chloride substance.The water samples from 126 wells have been analysed.Chloride substance ranges from 160 to 350, and in the central part of the field 400 and 500 mg/l Cl.This phenomenon has not been completely explained.""Small chloride particles have been registered in the Novalja field (spring Škoplje 136 mg/l Cl).Springs and wells in the upper Kolan field contain from 140 to 160 mg/l Cl.Springs along the western shelf of the Pag bay have from 140 to more than 200 mg/l Cl.The chloride contents vary from 260 to 270 mg/l in dug wells.The springs and wells of the Vlašići field contain from 240 to 270 mg/l Cl" (MAGDALENIĆ, 1984, 132).
Sea Sea transparency is considerable, and the currents are the strongest in the narrow passage of the Strait of Ljubač, Nin-Ljubač and the Pag channel.NE coasts of the island are exposed to waves caused by bora, whereas the exposure to the waves during sirocco is less.The surf along NE coasts caused the cliffy coast.

Vegetation
Vegetation of the Pag Island varies.Climatically, the southwestern parts of the island with Maun and Škrda pertain to the real Mediterranean (Eumediterranean), and the northeastern parts mainly to the so called semi-Mediterranean (Submediterranean) vegetational zone.The major review of the basic plant life characteristics of the Pag Island, was made by S. Horvatić (HORVATIĆ, 1933;HORVATIĆ, 1934;HORVATIĆ, 1963) He found altogether 650 various species and subspecies of vascular plants with a specific number of different subspecies (varieties and forms) without cultivated plants.A significant number of endemic plants have been found among them (45).More than 30 plant associations have been established (32), with several subassociations and 12 vegetational types.Although more than 40 years have passed since the island was phytogeographically explored and charted, and some changes took place, the basic classification of the plants has been of topical interest so far, and we use it in an abbreviated review of the Pag vegetation which has been completed by mentioning the presented regions and localities.
Woods and underwoods as the highest vegetational forms in this area occupy today a small part of the island, (about 15 km 2 or 5% of the total area) although after introducing electricity and gas in households they spread again at some favourable parts of recent rocky grounds (Selac, Paladinka).Eumeditarranean association of holm-oak woods (Quercus ilex), found in the Lun peninsula, in the region Straško -Gajac, in Selce, around the cape Suha, and in the Šimuni punta, in the line Stara Novalja -Caska, on the Maun and the Škarda islands and some other places.Holm-oak mostly and some other accompanying species (holly, terebinth, myrtle etc.) have been found.
In the Submediterranean zone constituents of oak pubescence (Quercus pubescens) suit it, preserved along the old road Pag-Novalja on the coast of the Pag Bay at the foot of St.Vid.Toponyms Grabovac, Brestovac, suggest of more wide-spreading community of this kind and some other species in the past.
Associations of black and Aleppo pine-trees (Pinus nigra and P. halepensis) have been regularly planted and cultivated in Pag by man.A sample of pine-tree sprouted from seeds brought by bora from Velebit is rare.The pine-woods are around Novalja (Grbica, Špital, Groblje) and in the zone Antibela -Morožin Peak -Košljun between Stara Novalja and Caska, in the region of Zrće, in Šegovići, in Mandre, around Suha Punta (Gredice), at Košljun etc.
As one of the most exposed degradational forms of vegetation in the Pag Island are various predominating rocky pasture grounds, dry grassland, and meadows in lower areas of the flysch valleys.
Zones with spinescence have been ubiquitous in the locations east of Dabove, north of Šankov Kanat, in Stražica at the hamlet of Škunca, in the Škarić -Crkvine -Grubišinac -Restur stretch, and especially in the zones Grobine -St.Toma -Kravarice and Negulići -cape Trstenik, and mostly in the zones of Košljun -V.Blato -Bas -Povljana -Dole, Prutna, Nesenj -Tašnice and Grabovac.The areas with distinguished immortelle are from St. Martin till Furnje and other smaller zones in Lun, Šegovice -Burin Bok at Novalja, at Šimuni, Kamik at Vlašići, NW part of Prutna etc. Rocky grounds with golden thistle can be found in a few smaller regions of the Lun Peninsula, in Prutna and Barbat, and there are some more in the Drakovac -Stražica zone and in Tusa (Dinjiška).A special facies with Wulfen spurge often grows in the Lun Peninsula (Kamenjak, Stare kuće, Šankov kanat -Novalja, Kolan etc.).Blue stem dominates the St. Peter's karst area, Kršine, around Lokve, St. Jelena, and in the region of St. Ivan etc., and the karst with distinguished blessed thistle has been found at Stan Okić.
The so called east-Adriatic submediterranean dry grassland viper grass has been especially manifested such as grassland of maritime hare thorn and pilose upright brome grass (Ononidi-Brometum condensati), found in several different forms with bog rushes (Schoenus nigricans, on more humid ground), with milliet grass (Chrysopogon gryllus), with prevailing pilose upright brome grass (Bromus condensatus) and with immortelle (Helichrysum italicum).They usually occupy small areas along the northern side of the cove Mihovilje at Šankov Kanat, but they are somewhat more prominent in the Pag flysch valley in the St. Bartol -Zamet -Konija -Pliša -Lokvina -Križina -Studena zone, in the upper part of the Vlašići valley towards Velo Blato (Šarine Drage etc.), in the Povljana valley, around Malo Blato, at Magaš, and periodically along the NE coast of the Dinjiška bay.Meadows can be also found usually in valleys, in Pag at the most, from Gorica to Dinjiška, about Blato Rogoza, in lower parts of the Vlašići and Povljana valleys and in Malo Blato.The meadows are humid Pospikal's sow fennels and littoral molinia (Peucedano-Molinietum litoralis), meadows strawberry clover and squirrel grass with facies of drizzle (Trifolio-Hordeetum secalini typicum with fac.Agrostis maritima) and with special facies of alkali grass (Atropis festuccaeformis, along the salted areas), ditch reed (Phragmites communis), and strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum) and dog' s toothgrass (cymodon dactylon).Maritime moist and salt meadows of coastal creeping twitch and maritime plantain also grow with ingredients of the monermatia meadows and coastal creeping twitch (Monermati-Agropyretum litoralis) and the meadow bog rushes and maritime plantain (Schoeno-Plantaginetum maritimi).
Salted soils of low flooded coast in Pag also distinguish especially with the salted soils of the Adriatic meadow rank grass, bushy glasswort (sea grass), herbaceous glasswort and maritime Junacacae.
The Adriatic meadow-salted soil rank grass are here represented by the ingredients of meadow rank grass and "santonika" (Statice-Artemisietum coerulescentis typicum) found south of the hamlet Šiša in the regions Foše and Bartul, west of Gorica, along Solana, sporadically west of Vrčići in the region of Konija, at the end of the Stara Novalja Cove, at the way out of Blato Rogoza to the sea, in Dinjiška, at the end of the Caska cove, in the SE part of Lokunje near Pag, in the coastal part of Lod etc., but they are exceptionally small areas.There are more forms of these haloid communities from which the most frequent is facies with alkali grass (Atropis festucaeformis).
Coastal salted soils of bushy glasswort (Salicornietum fruticosae) accompany the former community in the Foša zone, however, it is sporadically developed (mouth of Vlašići brook at Krasulje etc.), and sometimes with a significantly manifested facies of alkali grass.
Coastal salted soils of bushy herbaceous glasswort (Salicornia herbacea) are presented, besides at the mouth of the Vlašići brook, along the northern fringes of the Saltpan from Pag to Malenica, more at the mouth of Foša only, but nowadays they are in regression because of the renovation of the saltpan in Dinjiška, whereas they used to be exposed directly to the sea.
Salted soils of maritime Juncaceae are presented by salted soils of maritime and severe Juncaceae (Juncetum maritimo-acuti) and the salted soils of maritime Juncaceae and marshy viper grass (Junco-Scorzoneretum candollei).Composition with maritime and severe Juncaceae have been spread especially on the western part of Malo Blato and along the coastal shelf towards the Maletinac Cove and farther north to the cape of Dubrovnik southernly, along N, E and S shelves of Velo Blato, around Krasulje along the brook of Vlašići, along the shelves of Blato Rogoza, in the Pag valley on a few spots from Konija to Foša, especially SW from Studena, at the bottom of Stara Novalja Cove, along the cove of Slana on Barbat, in Prutna along the coast SE of Seline etc.The association with maritime Juncaceae and swampy viper grass is most frequently found in Malo Blato and along the coast of the cove Ričina in Stara Povljana.
Swampy vegetation, respectively thin reed, is spread on the island of Pag with thin reeds of fresh and brackish waters and composition of scallion.Thin reeds are represented in associations of round logs and simple reed and scirpetum reed.Association of reed round logs and simple reed (Scirpo-Phragmitetum typicum) found in fresh-water mud and marshes is especially distinguished in Velo Blato and somewhat less in Blato Rogoza, Malo blato, in the Pag valley (Gaj) at the mouth of Vlašići brook etc., whereas in facies with maritime drizzle (Agrostis maritima) it is more distinguished only in Velo Blato.The association scirpetum reed (Scirpetum maritimi) in want of brackish water is more distinguished in Blato Rogoza, in the part of Novalja field to the Stara Novalja cove, in the southern part of Caska Cove, along the southern edge of Saltpan from Lokunje to Stari Grad, in the Stara Povljana valley along the coast etc.
Composition of scallion (Mariscetum), is the only representative of the high rush vegetation.They are spread in Velo Blato only.
Vegetation of maritime calcareous drippings and deforested rocky grounds cover the largest area of Pag.It is represented by the association of maritime drypetum (Drypetum jacquinianianae), which extended from limestone spots (drippings) to the deforested karstic areas arisen by forest, thicket and grassland degradation.It occupies the largest parts of Zaglav (Orlje, Karsa, In Gros), Grgurevac, Barbat, Paško Bilo (Crest) from St. Nikola across Kiršina and Tust to Fortica, NE parts of the Lun Peninsula, parts of the crest St. Vid, especially Žestoko and Počivalo, large parts of Vlašićansko Brdo (hill), the crest Grušina -Škajnica -Sikavci, parts of Turnić and some smaller zones.
Vegetation of maritime sand, sandy and pebbly coast has been represented here by the association of coastal spurge and sea poppyseed roll on the pebbly sandbanks (Euphorbio-Glaucietum petrosum).It is distinguished along the coast of the small bay Krlić, Mihovilje, I. Novalja, Straško, Rogoza, in Lodovo, in the cape Gaj, in Furnaža from Malina to the cape of Krištofor etc.
Halophilous vegetation of limestone coastal reefs has been widely spread in Pag on a narrow coastal shelf.It is about the association of coastal plantain and statice (Plantagini-Staticetum cancellatae) as in other coastal areas.It is most widely spread along SW coast of the Stara Povljana bay, in the southern part of Šepurinac Cove near Povljana, in the region from the cape Malin to the cape of Krištofor on Barbat and on the SE coast of the island towards the Velebit channel (Ortarnice, coves Broćna, Movre, Čista, Santiš, Šamagošnica, Bunjica, on Paški Oštrljak etc.) Very often the so called hasmophyte vegetation of the rock fissure is connected with the rocky areas, which is in Pag represented in association with narrowleaf reed and Austrian viper grass (Seslerio-Scorzoneretum austriacae) and blue-bells and Dalmatian knapweed (Campanulo-Centaureetum dalmaticae).Narrowleaf reed, Austrian viper grass and accompanying species are spread in the more distant regions from the sea in Krištofor, around St.Vid and elsewhere.The association of the Istrian blue-bell and Dalmatian knapweed is more distinguished on the NE coast of Lun, but it can be seen in some other spots on coastal rocks.
Semi-cavern vegetation of trickling sedric caves is a very frequent phenomenon connected with subdrippings and semi-caverns of diluvial and flysch sediments in the regions of Vodice, Rozin Bok etc.It is represented with the association of eukladium and dudder grass (Eucladio-Adiantetum), very poorly spread in Croatian regions.
The association of frog lily and naiad (Potameto-Najadetum) represented by halophyte vegetation of salt, brackish and fresh waters, has been spread in mud Rogoza, whereas at other muds it is represented only partly and sporadically.
On dressed planted areas and abandoned cultivated land, as around vegetable plots, a few weed associations appear, usual in the Mediterranean area.Besides, very often the forms of thorn-bush associations (Palieretum adriaticum) are found in karstic areas, along deserted olive-groves etc.It can be found rarely in combination with juniper berries (Juniperus phoenicae), which replaced rocky grounds and grazing-lands in some places ( St. Vid -St.Petar -St.Toma, Zaglav and Jadra at Stara Novalja belt etc.) while the terrains exposed to bora are of low vegetation and sporadic.
In some places tamarisk ("kamariž") is found from which the toponym Kamarizac originates.

Soils
In relation to the karstic island basis, the soils are developed only in the valley parts on flysch, diluvial and alluvial deposits.The point is about less brown soils on flysch, and more often about various kinds of soils on flooded areas covering flysch basis in the valleys.Heavy clay soils have been found, clayey-loamy and lighter sandy ones.Other soils, shallow brown soils, spring heath, clayey soils, red soils etc., are sporadically 29 developed.A very solid pedologic study of the Pag Island was made by M. Gračanin in 1935(GRAČANIN, 1935).He found that there were only 2 % of the areas with poor skeleton soil and some loose cover on the karstic, rocky grounds, whereas other areas of the rocks are of limestone.The lack of red soils is the result of young rocky ground in Pag.The soils are frequently salted, especially in Vlašići, Povljana and Kolan valleys, whereas the major part of inland zones is in want of phosphorous and nitrogen.

Review of historic-geographical development 10
The population of the Pag Island dates from the earliest time of human prehistory.Although relatively spare researches have been made so far, and there are only initial ideas about the oldest periods of the Stone, Copper and Bronze Ages, natural geographical characteristics suggest the favourable possibilities of inhabiting of this area with the oldest human communities.Former connection with the island, up to the recent flooding of the Nova Povljana Kanal, the existence of spring water, cultivated, grazing and wood areas, cages and other factors, provided subsequent and continuous development of settlements until today.
The oldest population was confirmed by archeological finds of Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and, the most relevant, Neolithic ages, when a man in this area (at that time far from the seaboard) ensured his survival by hunting, fishing and harvesting.Great changes in surroundings, which happened from that ancient time, wiped off a greater part of cultural traces from the Stone Age, but found sporadic remains suggest the possibility of new finds and needs for further explorations.Some toponyms preserved in this area suggest the possibility of their ancient origin, linked with the oldest pre-Indoeuropean groups of inhabitants who lived on the Mediterranean coast.Here frequently mentioned Caska (from Cissa), Škrda, Maun, Panos, and hydronyms Jadra arise, then (V)Ra(n)kovac, Rankovci, Magran, Mirmanića (voda-water), Mramora, Krnelja and Pinjari, where it is the point of the old basis "rn", "arn" (see FILIPI, 1984), then Karsa, Orlje, Vajerma, Škrdenac, Škarić, Škar, Škripe, Hripe, Lovčen, Labin etc.
The existence of a great number of hill-fort settlements, grave-mounds, necropolis, roads, drystone walls, artificial pools, remains of agriculture and other remains of material culture, and especially toponomies, suggest of significant valuation of this area during the Bronze and Iron ages and the opportunity of using grazing, farming, muddy, coastal, wood and sea lands in local economy.Frequent appearance of a younger Croatian toponym Gradac (at Lun, Novalja, Gradašćica, Pustograd at Vlašići, G. Grad in Kolan, and others (Kruna, Panos, Košljun) suggest the existence of prehistoric hill-fort settlements, which can be more than 30 ubiquitous.Some of them have names according to their location, objects or some other characteristics (Zaglav, St. Vid, Komorovac, St. Juraj, Stari Grad, Gramajnik etc.).Here previously mentioned toponyms of chiefly undefined meaning should be emphasized which could suggest some very old, prehistoric forms of the Liburnian or expressions accepted by Liburns.Favourable 30 localities near water and cultivated areas (Pag, Kolan, Novalja, Stara Vas, Povljana etc.) are evidently the ones around which forms of settlements and remains of material culture of that time should be searched, even though there are exceptions to it (see BATOVIĆ, 1973).
The oldest hill-fort settlements on the island could date around 400 B.C., according to the finds from the Bronze Age often found in many hill-forts.At the time the island was connected with land via Vir (Ura) by a narrow isthmus.Only the third of the hill-fort settlements continue to live in the Iron Age.Zaglava at Metajna distinguish in size and meaning, St. Vid at Kolan, Košljun at Caska, Gradac and St. Juraj at Pag, Gramajnik and Panos at Dinjiška, Stari Grad, Pustograd at Vlašići etc. Hill-forts are of different forms, usually circular, some of them with complex walls, with remains of drystone walled houses or gravemounds, whereas others served only as refugees' camp.Their density and arrangement at all high-altitude zones to the highest peak of the island, suggest significant and intensive valorisation of all existing natural potentials at the time of prehistoric Liburnia.The position in relation to the agricultural zones, water and roads, was of special importance.Protected harbours and their position with reference to the sea waterways had a special significance.Such advantages were used at the northern part of the island by the hill-fort in Košljun, most probably later on Kissa, which lasted through the Bronze Age until the 15 th century (see BATOVIĆ, 1973).
In several spots of the island there are numerous remains of stone and earthen grove-mounds, respectively, necropolis.Jewellery, tools, arms of various metals, amber etc. testify the level of these cultural achievements and civilization of this area, as its connection with the wide Mediterranean expanse and continental hinterland, even though it is obviously weaker than in the neighbouring land (see BATOVIĆ, 1973).
The development in ancient times (see more SUIĆ, 1953), also inside Liburnia, approve the remains around Caska and Novalja, and a series of sporadic finds all over the island inform about considerable valorisation of natural potentials of the island, especially of fertile areas, water sources, seas (saltpan, rifts for fishing in shallow spots, fishing, shell gathering etc.), quarries (at Novalja) and pasture-grounds and woods.Numerous toponyms could originate from this period (Novalja, Povljana, Košljun, Brbonovica, Pagus, Kolan etc.).The most significant are kastrum Cissa, probably in Košljun, port Navalia, Svetojašnica (Zaglav), Pagus, Tovarnele, Lešandrovica, Trinčel, Gradac at Vlašići, Pauliana, Šip, Šipnat, Pastura, Antabela, Košljun, Kaljac, Kantarelac, Letovica, Veternica, Sega, Mandre, Bošana, Bošanić, Malin, Paladinka, Gustirna, Konija, Kaljac, Mulobedan, Bodunalva, Belolije, Furnje, Rom, Bas, Turnić, Santiš, Murvica, Foše, Reštur, Polačine, Sakarata, Lokunja, Drakovci etc.Although Pag did not have its municipal centre, but had come, as it has been concluded so far, within the competence of the nearest Aenona whose area is associated with the prehistoric times, however, it could develop rather independently as a separate insular community.As early as the 2 nd century B.C. the initiated process of leaving smaller Liburnian hill-forts and building of bigger centres had an influence here as well, especially at the time of Roman-Illyrian wars.In the 1 st century, after the Roman power had been established, Romanization in Liburnia, which was not so manifested in Pag, had started.Except in the offshore part of Cissa, in the Caska cove, where a larger complex of the Roman architecture was found, and the remains of country houses and villa rustica, predominantly from Novalja to the south, there are not any other more important finds of the Italian immigrant penetration.They use the area around the strongest centre, Cissa, which is as regards traffic, the most important, because only the protected and convenient port of Novalja could be more significantly evaluated at the important marine direction from Iader towards Kvarner and Istria, and Cissa had two inland ports, both in Stara Novalja and in the Caska Cove.
Found remains of pitosa, amphoras, tegulas, grindstones, various ceramics etc. testify of trading with the whole known world from Asia Minor to the west Mediterranean.Valuable agricultural areas, pasture-grounds for sheep and goats, possibilities of hunting and fishing, were also the prerequisites of development in this microregion.The remains of aged limitation in the Novalja valley11 , built waterworks Kolan -Caska and Škopalj -Novalja (ILAKOVAC, 1982, 245-251), finds of shells for colour production (scarlet), remains of brick production and various others, approve this to have been an important, if not main centre of life on the island.Accordingly, there were good preconditions for Cissa to have the status of one of the prefectures.With Pliny it is opida Cissa, and Porfirogenet and Ravennan call Cissa the entire island which has a definite meaning (SUIĆ, 1976, 305) There are no solid leads that there was a similar centre in the southern part of the island at the time of the Roman domination, even though natural-geographic base offers significant opportunities, as it used to be in the prehistoric time.Some settlements evidently connected with fertile valley zones around Pag, Dinjiška, Povljana, Vlašići, and Košljun with other small bays played the roles of local ports.Grave remains were found near Pag (Zamet), remains of brick-kiln in Dinjiška, and a fairly large number of villa rustica in a few favourable positions.
Initial changes during the great movements of the peoples and recognition of Christianity (early Christian basilica in Novalja and in Gaj at Novalja from the 5 th c. and the remains of the church in Povljana from the 5 th c., in Jaz on Rtić at Novalja threenave basilica of St. Ivan and Pavao from the 6 th c., a small church on the cape Lun, from the 6 th c., etc.), mark the transition to medieval period.The size of particular church objects (apse diameter of "big church" in Novalja is as long as 13 m), their numerosity, finds of big sarcophaguses, reliquaries etc. speak of a distinctive early Christian tradition, especially in the wide Cissa region, which does not completely exclude the possibility of the existence of diocese.At the same time Byzantine administration, most probably during the Justitian reconquist, made efforts by ensuting the navigation waterways to keep the geopolitical influence in Liburnia, which can be testified by fortresses (kastron) in St. Jure at Pag west of Kiršina and in the cove Svetojanj (Svetojašnica) in Zaglav ME of Stara Novalja, probably as early as the 6 th c.Gradually, old Liburnia disappears, and the idea of Dalmatia comes to particular towns and islands run by Byzant.
The Croats come to Pag very early, immediately after having settled and established the centre of the Croatian country in the direct surroundings of Zadar with Nin as its main centre.They have the main settlement on the island around the 32 remains of antique Cissa (Keša at the time) giving names to Stari Grad, Stara Vas, Vlašići, Divin, St. Vid at Vidas and at Kolan (Svetovid) to the spring Starovasica, locations of Vidonjica, Vidonj in Povljana, Božavka, Božan in Vlašići, Divišćaci, Parunka in Kolan, Svaroš in Dinjiška, Svetište, Babe, Na Babino, Babin Potok, Stari Stan and numerous hill-forts and localities, so by accepting and transforming the old and including new terminology they make the basis to the present day toponomy.They inherit presumably ancient Liburnian shrines at Vidas where the names to the church St. Vid, at St. Petar (St.Petegula), and in Triblje at Borovića and others (Gramajnik at Panos in Dinjiška etc.) had been given.
Christianity of the island is being testified by building a series of small churches, in the settlements as well as outside them, even on smaller islands, important roads and passages (St.Vid at Kolan, the 13 th c., St. Vid at Vidas, St. Krištofor, the church in Novalja from the 9 th /10 th c., St. Juraj in Caska with the pre-Romanic foundations probably from the 9 th c. and later, St. Geopolitical interests in the early medieval Croatian state in which Pag from its beginning in the 9 th c. to the first days of its existence as well as later at the time of Croato-Hungarian Kingdom, clashed with the Byzant, Venice and others who tried in the early and at an advanced stage to govern Zadar and its wider area.The questions of jurisdiction over Pag have also been put as an imperative as the medieval Keša, like Zadar, subsequently pursued anti-Venetian policy impeding Venice in realizing its conquering plans over the Croatian coast at the Adriatic.In addition, there were large saltpans here, a remarkable source of richness and power.Therefore Venice waged a sustained struggle to break the connection of Pag with Zadar.By the end of the 11 th c.Pag was under the jurisdiction of the Croatian rulers, which is evident from realized donations (Caska, Maun) (Codex Diplomaticus.).
Centennial Venetian persistence to conquer Zadar and received severe blows, especially in 1202/1203 with the help of the Crusaders, weakened Kissa, namely, Novalja either, and gradually in the 13 th c. it had to accept the predominance of Rab which had already attempted to adjoin Pag to its district.This way, along with church competence of the Rab diocese over the northern part realized at the end of the 11 th c. at the expense of the Nin diocese entirely appertaining to Pag until then, the profane competence was achieved.
At the same time, weakening of Keša by the end of the 12 th c. the role of a leading settlement was taken over by Stari Grad, which developed along with Saltpan at a relatively unconvenient place.It tends to be independent of Zadar, whose interests were not only because of saltpan but also because of the sea domination over the eastern part of the Adriatic specially emphasized and most frequently coincided the interests of the Croatian country to prevent the Venetian empire in its violent invasion of the Croatian coast.Nevertheless, as early as at the 33 beginning of the second half of the 12 th c. the major part of Pag came under the jurisdiction of the archbishop of Zadar, again at the expense of the Nin diocese.Venice makes efforts to force off Pag from Zadar, to offer a defined autonomy (by the end of the 12 th c.) and bring it in under its authority.This was the reason of violent struggles for centuries on end between Pag and Zadar, and of local disputes on the island.Latter ones emphasized the question of whether Caska belongs to Rab or Pag, although in the middle of the 13 th c., after Tartarian breaking in, under the privilege of Hungary-Croatian king Bela IV, Pag formally became united and free of Rab and Zadar (SUIĆ, 1953).That issue ended after the process of realizing complete Pag autonomy at the beginning of the 15 th century within the scope of Venetian possession on the Croatian part of the Adriatic, that is by demarcation at the beginning of the second half of the 15 th century.Then Caska appertained to Pag, and that conflict completely ended in 1538 and the frontier established at that time, not only profane but of the church either, has been practically retained until nowadays.After Rab diocese was integrated to Krk diocese (1828), the church frontier to the Zadar archdiocese remained, whereas the profane frontiers changed.The aspiration for establishing Pag diocese has never realized.The northern part of the island, Novalja and Lun, belonged for a longer period, in profane as well as in the church sense to Rab.After 1993 even the last part of Pag under Rab administration, Lun, belonged to the island of domicile, district of Novalja, whereas the church competence of the Krk diocese remained linked to the exfrontier of the Rab diocese.In 1993 the new administrative border between districts of Pag and Novalja was established so that Caska and all settlements of Barbat joined to the district of Novalja.
Geographical valuation of the Pag area at an early and advanced Middle Ages shows not only toponymic characteristics but documents as well, unfortunately insufficiently studied, in the history of Zadar as well as other church and municipal archives from Zadar beyond Pag to Rab and Karlobag.Indispensable autogenetic economic base, first of all farming and pasture land, saltpan, maritime connection possibilities, chiefly linked to the central flysch valley, to an extent along the SW offshore zones and the parts in Lun.Old ancient forms of economy keep the population in all parts of the island, and the tendency to be autonomous in the conflicts with the old interests of Zadar, Rab and Nin, Pag resulted not only as an autonomous town with its further reputation as the centre of salt production at our coast of the Adriatic, but its transformation to the presentday position.The Pag saltpans, which were certainly on more places of the island (Pag, Vlašići, Dinjiška, Povljana etc.) among which the one near the town itself always had the greatest meaning, are a remarkable economic object of the east Adriatic around which the interests of Zadar, Venice and inhabitants of Pag interfered for centuries.The Pag saltpan had a crucial influence for its independence, even though it had always been under the patronage of Venice after its territorial expansion on the Croatian coast of the Adriatic and forming of Venetian Dalmatia in the 15 th c.
In Pag, the archbishop's diocese of Zadar, diocese of Rab, particular monasteries and richer families acquired profits from agricultural land, leased torrented pasture-grounds and shares in saltpans.Salt production, cheese pastoral products, leather, meat, wool, eggs, honey, etc. and agricultural products, especially wine, corn, leguminous and tuber plants, olives, etc. as in a significantly less degree fishing, trade, craft, traffic and communications with under Velebit zone, were the basis for the long-term old way of using the land providing profit making and maintaining of population.Although such a base provided for the survival even though modest development, numerous struggles and wars interfered the stabilization of the situation and better progress.These are the times of modest but nevertheless precious achievements in the social superstructure, especially in the church architecture and art.The greatest intervention in that respect, and on the threshold of new era, represents a completely new urban conception and hardly anywhere with us a completely realized investment in constructing the present-day town of Pag at the middle of the 15 th century.
The crucial part in arrangement of new Pag on the shore of the Pag valley, below Kiršine and the ancient early-medieval kastrum with a small church St. Jure, where even earlier there were possibilities of settling, and some particular objects, had a considerably more prestigious topographic situation.Namely, Stari Pag, even though situated as an acropolis on the foundations of the old Liburnian hill-fort, marked several weak opportunities: north exposition and overshadowing with high grounds of Kruna and Gradac, exposition to bura (tal.bora), shallow of the bay with saltpans, which limited the sea traffic, erosion and land-sliding consequences on soft Quaternary sediments etc. Repeated destroying and poor foundation stability on which it arose should have caused a relatively bad construction condition and endangered the statics of many objects in shoring up and on the slopes, especially in SE part of Stari Grad.The only deficiency in the arrangement of new Pag was the fact that it was built in the bay linked to the Velebit channel, which was not the main sea route, unlike Kvarnerić where a distinctive traffic was always going on, so the southwestern parts of the coast of the island remained beyond adequate valorisation up to the present days.However, newly built Pag consolidated the meaning of the island main centre.
Ethnic structure of the Croatian population was expressed through the statute of the town regulating its autonomy, various customs, rights, and relations, inherited from the time of the complete reputation of Croatia.Names and surnames of the inhabitants point out the extremely predominating Croatian component, with certain Wallach and Roman influences.
Wars with Ottoman Empire, which tried to break Croatia completely for centuries, provided a long-term occupation of a large part of the Croatian regions by Turkey and Venice.Continuous conflicts in the neighbouring land (end of the 15 th to the beginning of the 18 th c.), weakening of Venetian influence and meaning after great geographic discoveries (15 th -16 th c.), though it gradually enlarged its territory in these areas which Ottoman Empire occupied from Croatia, rendered a bigger development of this whole area impossible, in the same way of Pag.Geopolitical situation after the new world powers began to reign weakened the Venetian power and it disappeared as an independent political entity by the end of the 18 th c.
That way Pag had continually below 2000 inhabitants from the beginning of the 16 th c. to the end of the 17 th c., even though the town of Pag itself was expected to have more than 400 objects which could receive 3000 people, and the island was caught by periodic settlings from land, especially by refugees before 35 war events.It is evident that diseases, sufferings in conflicts, fighting etc. as immediate reasons of high mortality in relation to the fertility, were the roots of such stagnation.A particular growth was not certainly reached in the 18 th century, that is why at the beginning of the 19 th century Pag has just a little more than 3000 inhabitants most of them living in the town itself (see also ROGIĆ, 1972).Introducing the Austrian administration, then French, and again Austrian, gradually it changed in a certain economic sense the chances on the Pag Island (PERIČIĆ, 1989).Health-related opportunities were being improved, political situation became settled, and new forms of agricultural-breeding valorisation arose.
Therefore the number of inhabitants, in spite of cholera in 1855 and 1869, typhoid etc., thanks to the bigger and bigger birth-rate, innovations in economy and better supply of the island after putting in the shipping lines, grows fairly fast from census to census, and this island more than doubles the population from the beginning (3177 inhabitants in 1807, and in 1813 the insular Pag canton had 3.162 inhabitants) 12 to the end of the 19 th c. (7039 inhabitants in 1900).Significantly modified inherited relations enabled a rapid development in the town of Pag itself, which in 1900 reached the maximum census of 3960 inhabitants (about 60 % population of the island).Although in the 20 th c. the number of inhabitants is increasing relatively slower, and after World War II even decreases, only the 20 th c. brings changes reflected in the features of the scenery, changed placement of population and more modern space valorisation.The town of Pag decreases with its share of population from more than 50 % to approx.25 %, and Novalja in the northern part becomes stronger from day to day.
Considerable emigration took place from the Pag island, not only to Croatian towns, but overseas as well.Hundreds of islanders left their Pag and went to America by the end of the 19 th and at the turn of the 20 th century.Unfortunately, there are not any particular researches about the emigration course of events.

Some characteristics about the changes of the number of inhabitants
In 1991, which was the last census in Croatia, 24 statistic settlements were singled, unlike the former census, when 12 settlements were singled (Dinjiška, Gorica, Kolan, Kustići, Lun, Metajna, Novalja, Pag, Povljana, Stara Novalja, Vlašići, Zubovići).Newly singled settlements, from which three with less than 10 inhabitants, which is from the point of view about real necessities of the national statistics questionable, are Bošana, Caska, Gajac, Košljun, Mandre, Miškovići, Potočnica, Smokvica, Stara Vas, Šimuni, Vidalići and Vrčići. Until 1993 Pag was (with the exception of the settlement Lun) organized as a unique district and the settlement Lun from the Rab district was joined to it.Finally, in 1997, the new statistical settlement Gajac was divided into two settlements, Gajac 1 (Novalja) and Gajac 2 (Kolan-Pag), so the total number of places rose up to 25.
The division into the southern part of the island belonging to the Town of Pag district, and into the northern one included into the newly established district of Novalja, was made by new administrative-territorial system.The Pag district has 15 settlements Pag, Bošana, Dinjiška, Gajac 2, Gorica, Kolan,Košljun,Miškovići,Mandre,Povljana,Smokvica,Šimuni,Stara Vas,Vlašići and Vrčići,altogether 4.794  The total number of the inhabitants on the island in the last census is 7.969.Out of that number 670 persons were abroad (temporarily employed and family members).The total number of households was 2.660, and an average household numbered 3,0 members.The number of apartments was 2868.The number of enrolled farmers together with their family members was 1.032, i.e. the number of agricultural population was 13,0 % in total.
In accordance with the changes of the number of inhabitants, general population density changes.Considering the entire surface of the island and the appertaining islets, it was 26,8 inhabitants /km 2 in 1991.It was increasing until 1948 when the largest recorded was 30,9 inh./km 2 , and then it was decreasing until 1981 when it was 25,0 inh./km 2 .In the first current census in 1857 it was 15,4 inh./km 2 , and before that even less.

Other population structures
The latest decades the Pag Island has been chiefly recording the natural decrease in the population number, which means that, the birth-rate was most frequently less than mortality.In succeeding years from 1963 to 1990, the birth-rate was ranging between 8,9‰ and 14,6‰ (64 to 120 born per annum), whereas the mortality was ranging at the rate between 7,1‰ and 15,9‰ (58 to 112 dead per annum).The birth-rate in the examined period was larger than the mortality rate till 1970, and since then only in two years in 1988 and 1990 (14,1 versus 13,4 and 13,5 versus 11,2 per mil). 13Besides emigration, the natural decrease was the main reason for the decreased number of inhabitants up to the last inter-census period when the increase, which was mainly the result of immigration, the returning of some inhabitants and a better census of the temporarily absent, was registered.
Age structure of the population suggests a considerably aged demographic mass with relatively high shares of mature (25-59 years of age) of 51,1% and a very old group (60 and > years of age) of 23,2%, and especially low share of younger population (0-19) of 23,1%.The population of unknown age was 2,6%.In 1991, in 100 inhabitants to 19 years of age there was 101 people aged 60 and more, significantly more than the average in Croatia (67). 14 Sex structure suggests a larger number of women than men.So in 1991, on 1000 male there were 1028 female persons.Previously, however, the number of male persons gradually increased with the tendency of balance.In 1961 it was only 47,84 %, in 1971  48,95 %, in 1981 48,98 %, and in 1991 already 49,30 % male persons. 15 According to nationality the Pag islanders are chiefly Croats.According to the census in 1991 they made 95,4 % of the total island population.In addition to 2,6% of 13 Statistic Yearbook of SFRY, Fed. Burreau of Stat., Belgrade, 1964-1990, (hereinafter SGJ), Statistic Yearbook of SR Croatia, Rep. Burreau of Stat., Zagreb, 1964-1991, (hereinafter SGH), Statistic Yearbook of the Republic of Croatia, State Burreau of Statistics, Zagreb, 1992, 1993 (hereinafter SLJH). 14Population census in 1991, Population according to sex and age, Doc.882, RHDZS, Zagreb,  1994, p. 156, 185  15 Ibidem.40 twenty various nationalities and uncommitted, there was 2,0% of unknown ethnic affiliation. 16y denomination inhabitants of Pag are mainly Roman Catholics, organized in 9 parishes, 7 in the archdiocese of Zadar (Pag, Gorica, Dinjiška, Vlašići, Povljana, Kolan and Barbat in the Pag admission) and 2 in the Krk diocese (Novalja and Lun in the Rab provicariate). 17 Household number in the island of Pag in the 20 th century grew to the '60s (in 1961 there were 2155 households).A slight decrease was recorded only in 1971 (2140), and then after 1971 the number of households started gradually increasing again (in 1981 2343 and in 1991 2660). 18The growth is more the result of decreasing the number of households members, than of increasing the number of population.
Average number of household members, 19 however, has been constantly decreasing for the last thirty years.So in 1961 it was 3,98, in 1971 3,69, in 1981 3,17, and in 1991  If completely small settlements are taken into consideration, where the number of household members ranged from 0 (Gajac) to 5,33 (Caska), the picture of a very complex situation of households, in particular settlements, is obtained.General conclusion is that the households in the island of Pag are relatively small and they do not provide for the natural reproduction of the population.
In the former population census in 1981, the largest number of households was recorded in Kustići (4,09), and the smallest one in Pag (2,65) and in Stara Novalja (2,98).Although the data can not be entirely comparable, due to essential changes in number and borders of settlements, it is evident that in some settlements this indicator has been improved (Vlašići with Smokvica, Stara Novalja, Pag), whereas in major part of other settlements the situation has become worse.
In 1991 the number of recorded residential apartments in Pag was 2868, which is a little bit more than the household number. 20However, about 4.600 apartments for holidays, abandoned and others, have been recorded.The largest number of such is in Pag, about 1200, in Novalja, about 900, in Gajac (about 880), in Povljana (about 450), in Lun (about 230), in Stara Novalja (about 200), in Potočnica (about 150), in Mandre (about 120), in Košljun (about 100), and in other settlements about 370.

Some characteristics of economy and social superstructure
The island of Pag bases its economic development on its traditional forms of agriculture, fishing, salt production, stone, and modern forms of industry and tourism.Various catering, craft and traffic activities could be added, therefore today the island of Pag has different economic opportunities.
In 1991 about 1259 persons were employed in the island, in the so called social and 573 in the private sector, coming to the employment rate of 23,7 %.The employment gradually increased after World War II, with minor oscillations up to 1989 when the largest number of employed was recorded (1694 in social and about 700 workers in private sector). 21Since then, due to war events it has decreased rapidly.
In industry and mining the number of employed is large (in 1985 and 1986 the maximum of 450 employees was reached, and in 1991 there were just 281, as e.g. 12 years before, in 1979).They are significant for employments in trade, tourism and catering, where the maximum of employed was reached in 1986 with the number of 699 employed, whereas in 1991 the number of recorded employed workers was 423. 22griculture is connected with the fertile zones of valleys and fields, and for the smaller part of rocky grounds covering even 86% of Pag, planted with more resistant cultures (olives, wine grape), and for pasture-grounds, usually karstic rocks.
Farmlands cover about 80 % of the island area.In the period 1973-1993 cadastre records between 227 km 2 and 234 km 2 of farming lands, and only the tenth is arable (entered between 22,1 km 2 and 22,7 km 2 ), the rest are chiefly rocky grazing-lands covering over 200 km 2 .About 11,5 km 2 of arable lands lie fallow.In proportion to its use, the largest part belongs to plough-lands and gardens, whose areas have been mostly increasing (in 1973 1342 ha, in 1991 1464 ha, maximum in 1988, 1472 ha).
Then vineyards follow, whose areas have been essentially reduced from 721 ha in 1973 to 551 ha in 1991 i.e. for 1/4).The number of orchards and olive-groves is the smallest, about 169 ha in 1991, which is slightly less than in 1973 when they covered 170 ha.The olive-groves prevail mostly in Lun even 150 ha.Meadows covered 206 ha in 1973, and 195 ha in 1991.As regards the situation at the beginning of the century (1910), vineyard areas, which occupied more than 1700 ha at that time, were minimized. 23gricultural production in 1991 was about 4400 t of hay, 17 t of potatoes, 3300 t of grapes, (sorts "gegić bijeli", "brajdica", "maraština" etc.), 10 t of olives, 1 t of plums, i.e. 13.000 hl of wine ("paška žutica" etc.) and 20 hl of oil.In bumper years up to 700 t of hay (in 1976), 42 t of corn (in 1962), 40 t of potatoes (in 1975), 50 t of olives (in 1963), more than 7000 t of grapes (in 1960), i.e. more than 30.000hl of vine (in 1963 and before), was achieved.In Pag there is a wine cellar the capacity of 100 wagons.
Wheat is grown (about 13 t in 1960, and today very little), barley (about 32 t in 1960, today significantly less), onion (more than 250 t in 1963, and today from 100-200 t a year), beans, cabbage and kale, tomatoes, figs etc. Production of brandy varies significantly, from 80 hl to 1200 hl a year, depending on the year. 24n the past, and even today the vineyard production offers oversupplies, whereas in major part of other products the island has more debts than products.It applies especially to cereal (grains), olives and the major part of fruit.
Cattle fund had about 17.000 of sheep in 1991, a hundred pigs, 12.000 pieces of poultry and only a few horses and oxen in the private sector and a certain number of sheep in the social sector (about 3.000). 25Sheep-breeding after which Pag is famous among the Croatian islands, gives a basic characteristic to its sheep-breeding.In the most favourable years the number of sheep on the island reached over 40.000 (in the 19 th c. to the half of the 20 th c.), and sometimes even more than 50.000(e.g. in 1831 even 51.900)(PERIČIĆ, 1989, 205).The production of the Pag cheese, lamb, wool, "puina" (curd cheese) and cattle-breeding completely disappeared, rapidly decreasing in the 20 th c. whereas in the 19 th c. the number of oxen was most frequently over 1000 pieces.Also, the number of horses, sometimes over 200, today the number is irrelevant, only the number of donkeys is somewhat bigger but significantly below the number of over 1000 as many as it was in the middle of the 20 th century.The number of pigs also considerably decreased.The number of goats ranged in the 19 th century between 1000 and 200 (e.g. in 1827 it was 1625), and today there are only about 500 (PERIČIĆ, 1989, 205).The recent years the number of poultry has been on the increase (in 1991 almost 12.000 pieces).The ranging number of head for particular sorts is seen from the following table : Tab.6 Number of domestic animals 1830-1991Tab. 6. Broj domaćih životinja (1830.-1991.)The importance of forestry is, regarding the level of deforestation of the island, relatively small.Woods and woodlots covered about 1500 ha in 1993 (2125 ha in 1910).Woods cover only about 40.000 m 3 of timber mass.Every year smaller quantities are cut, at the most 200 m 3 , sometimes only several cubic meters, on the average around 200-300 m 3 .Every year areas of only 2 ha for example (in 1976) are afforested up to 86 ha in 1982, on the average around 25 ha. 26 Industry and mining are important economic branches.Salt panning from the sea is an old activity in Pag, and nowadays it is produced in Pag and Dinjiška, where up to 20.00 t of salt a year is panned.The saltpans in Pag are the largest in Croatia.The one in Pag itself stretches on the area of approx.3,01 km 2 (VIDAS- POSEDEL, 1960, 74).The conditions for production are very favourable (geomorphologically, climatically etc.).Besides production it deals with import and salt traffic.Among industrial objects the most important are "Pagplastika", production plant for processing of plastics, "Sirana" Pag, a plant for the production of cheese and dairy products, and there are a few smaller plants the so called small industries, and the plant HEP (Croatian Electric-power Supply; "Elektra" Zadar).By connecting the island of Pag with the power-transmission line DV 110 kV from Rijeka to Zadar, which was put into operation in the summer of 1994, electro-energetic conditions of the island have considerably been improved providing appropriate and more stable connections of industrial and other economic objects and households either.
Handicraft is not especially developed although a number of craft shops are on the increase, and the introduction of market relations opens new initiatives.In 1983 there was 131 craft shop with just 92 employees. 27The ancient making of Pag lace is a speciality of this island and especially of the town of Pag.Today, fading away, it calls for urgent change in the relations toward such a precious craft, which can be of certain use to tourism and the handicraft of the island itself.Recently, making of Pag lace is obligatorily included in primary education of the girls in the town of Pag.
Tourism and catering, as well as trading are important activities on the island, especially in the recent decades.In 1990 there were 60 shops and 131 catering business unit on the island.It is at the same time a maximum recorded number after a severalyears gradual increase.The number of tourist beds was near 22.000 (the largest in 1987-28.000).The largest tourist traffic was in Pag and Novalja, but other settlements recorded it as well, such as Povljana, Stara Novalja, Lun, Vlašići, settlements on Barbat etc.After putting into service the Adriatic tourist road and the car-ferry services with land, and especially after building the bridge land-Pag in 1967, the tourist traffic recorded a high and continuous increase.
The largest number of tourists was recorded in 1987 (104.000) and in 1989 (103.000) the largest total of overnights was reached (1076.000and 1067.000). 28The foreigners took part in the tourist traffic at around 60 % in number and at around 65% of overnights.The guests usually stayed for more than 10 days on average.The tourist traffic decreased for about 30 % in 1990 in relation to the previous year, and in 1991 it was negligible, as the war started in Croatia, especially in the direct neighbourhood, in Ravni Kotari.Gradual increase is made in 1993 -1998 period, then decrease again (Kosovo crisis) in 1999, decrease, and in 2000 again increase up to some 600.000 of tourist overnights.
Traffic connections are of extraordinary importance for maintaining life and progress of the island.Only forty people have been employed in the traffic activity.There are about 150 km of roads on the island out of which 80 % asphalt, about 1400 of registered motor vehicles, from which almost 800 cars. 29By building the bridge towards 27 Ibidem 28 Ibidem 29 Ibidem 44 Zadar at Rtina in 1968 and the car-ferry landing at Žigljen in 1990, traffic communications of the island of Pag were remarkably improved after withdrawing the local ship lines.During the Great-Serbian aggression on Croatia, the island of Pag played an important part in the period from 1990-1993 connecting the South of Croatia and large parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the rest of Croatia and other countries.Reconstructing the road Dinjiška -bridge -Rtina -Ražanac from 1991-1994, and the bridge in 1999/2000, the road connection of the island with Zadar, the closest regional centre, was largely improved.
Connections and telecommunications undergo increasing development.The number of telephone subscribers is about 1500, and of telephones near 2000.There are 6 post offices (Pag, Novalja, Kolan, Metajna, Povljana and Lun).Above the Pag Town in Kiršina there is a RTV transmitter.
The activities of social superstructure, education and culture, health, administration and others are also of importance for the development of Pag.
There are 9 primary schools, organized in two central PS with about 700 pupils and 50 teachers, and one secondary school with about 240 pupils and 18 teachers (in 1991).The number of pupils in primary schools has been decreasing from the 1960s and today it is less for about 30 %.The number of pupils in the island secondary school reached its maximum in 1980 ( 246) and since then it decreased in general till 1986 (159), and then it has been gradually increasing (1991 the number was 237). 30here are 8 doctors, 4 dentists and 2 pharmacists employed in the island. 31

Perspectives and dilemmas in the island development
The island of Pag, as never before in its past, has undergone an immediate and rapid development the recent decades, even though the number of inhabitants has been decreasing or sluggish.The development of tourism, building of island roads and better links with land enabled keeping of adopted forms of sheep-breeding, further development of saltpan and the appearance of various small economic plants.Increasingly better infrastructure connection (water and electro supply) will affect favourably, and the island will, in near future, in reference to its physical abilities of space and coastal length, realize its further development and maybe a small increase in number of inhabitants as it was realized in the inter-census period 1981-1991.
Of particular importance are the possibilities of tourism development and numerous accompanying activities, because the island of Pag is of particular natural attraction, it has historical-cultural inheritage, ethnological peculiarities, and very soon other tourist factors could be considerably improved: infrastructure and communications, various forms of services etc.
Besides tourism, it should be acted stimulatively on the existing forms of domicile cattle and agricultural production.In connection with that it is necessary to protect the farmlands of erosion, devastation and unnecessary construction, and stimulate the various forms of land cultivation.

45
Building of small industrial plants and the development of various crafts are required for the settlements in the Pag Island in order to employ permanently a number of workers.Certainly, the plants should be the ones, which will not devastate the area, affect negatively on the tourist development etc. Microunit of the Pag Island does not stand large industrial capacities, especiallly the ones of the nuclear plant type which were discussed in some suggestions of the regional development of Croatia.Furthermore, the maritime exposed position of such a plant could endanger the tourism and some other activities not only in Pag, but also in the larger part of the Adriatic coast from Kvarner towards the south.
In social superstructure, except educational, health, administrative and other functions, which should be established to satisfy the population of the island, the renovation and presentation of many cultural-historic objects are of great importance, as forming of museum collections.Of particular importance is the maintenance of lacy-like skills with younger generations, as it was preserved only with a small number of old women and disappearance was stopped.Being of national interest, the obligatory program of the Pag lace for young women of Pag in primary schools has been regulated after 1995 by a special decree of the Ministry of Education.All those activities could also render possible a faster tourist development.
Today the island of Pag is in the zone of daily migration of workers, pupils and citizens to Zadar.It was particularly made possible after building the bridge Pag -land, and after modernizing the road Zadar -Ražanac -Rtina -Pag, and other roads on the island.Performing of numerous daily activities in Zadar suggests an increasingly greater significance in connecting this island with its old centre.The break of war events started by the Great-Serbian aggression in Croatia in 1991 enabled in that respect completely new, more favourable conditions for the development of Pag, one of the largest and most particular Croatian islands.

7Fig. 1 -
Fig. 1 -Geographical position of the Pag Island Sl. 1 -Geografski položaj otoka Paga valley Novalja -Pag by gentler or steeper slopes.They came to different high-altitude positions by younger tectonic disturbances being eroded recently.The highest peak is St. Vid, and the most distinguished are the peaks through the NW towards SE Mlaji (127 m), Krune (140 m), Kućićino (133 m), Gradac at Stanišće (135 m), Veli Vrh (131 m) at Lun, Šegovica (77 m), and Stražica (64 m) in the lower part between Novalja and Kolan, Grubišinac (165 m), Gradac at Kolan (206 m), Nebeska (256 m), Bošanić (302 m) NW and Vela Crna Glava (316 m), Visoki Brig (262 m) and Gradac at Pag (197 m) SE at St. Vid at the highest part of the ridge, and Debelo Čelo (53 m), Turnić (60 m), Orlova Smrt (78 m), Pasja Stina (80 m), Stražica (63 m) and Jamurina (40 m) at the milder SE prominent part of the island.The elevation Panos or Lopata (134 m) and Olišnjak (244 m) are divided laterally, west of Kolan by the Bartol dry valley and the valley Vrulje at Kolan.The eastern or inside crest runs to the cape of Ded on Zaglav to the NW to the cape of Fortica on the SE.It can be conditionally called Barbat and Kršina ridge.It is divided into the NW part (Zaglav and Barbat) by the deep Strait of Pag (the depth larger than 50 m), and to the SE part (Kršina -Fortica).The Strait of Pag is the sea passage, which connects the Velebit channel with the Pag bay emerged by recent drowning of the deep canyon valley of the former water flow.The waters of Novalja -Pag valley, quite possibly, flew into the pleistocene bed of the Zrmanja river whose course can be followed in the Velebit Channel to the strait between Rab and Pag waters around the island of Pag appertain to internal waters of the Republic of Croatia.The Nin-Ljubač channel divides the island in the south and SE from the Ravni Kotari land by a spanned narrow passage of the Strait of Ljubač, where Pag Island is closest to land.On the NE side of the island there is the Velebit (Velebitski, Podvelebitski, Podgorski or Planinski) Channel splitting the island from the Velebit offshore.Between the Pag and Rab islands, along N and NE coast, the Pag Channel spreads connecting the Velebit Channel with Kvarnerić washing the NW Pag coasts.Between Pag and Maun there is the Maun Channel, and the Vir Sea spreading towards Vir.The deepest sea around Pag is in the Pag Channel (to 97 m), and a little bit less in the Maun Channel (to 91 m), Kvarnerić (to 87 m) and the Velebit Channel (to 85 m).The Strait of Pag is up to 63 m deep, and the Pag Bay to 50 m.The shallowest parts are in the Nova Povljana Channel between Vir and Pag (just 4 m), and towards the Nin Bay (the biggest depth of 15 m).The biggest denivelations are along the coast towards the Velebit Channel and along the Lun coast.Coastal shallow spots are more expressed in the SW sides of the island.
and later erosive-tectonic differentiation, indicate that it is the question about the remainders of the karst plateau.The dissection by numerous coves and gullies is pointed out, especially towards the Velebit Channel.On Zaglav and Barbat from the NW towards the SE are the prominent karst peaks Čun (on Tab. 1 Annual schedule of global radiation in cal/cm 2 /day Tab. 1. Godišnje vrijednosti globalne radijacije u cal/cm 2 /dan