Position

Rab is one of the island of the Kvarner Bay archipelago in the north of the Croatian Adriatic Sea. In addition to the ancient town of the same name, there are seven other idyllic places scattered over the island: Barbat, Banjol, Palit, Kampor, Mundanije, Supetarska Draga and Lopar. Some 9000 people live there, mostly by agriculture, fisching, shipbuilding and tourism.
The island of Rab was protected by the gods who placed it in the lee of the Velebit range and in the shelter of Mt Kamenjak. This mountain, which might well arouse misgivings with its bare face turned towards the main highway and the Velebit Channel is in fact a real blessing for the island, for it protects it from the icy blasts of the north-easterly or bura, and has a generally beneficial effect on the climatic conditions. Rab is an island of sunshine, and this is no more phrase, for according to statistics it has 2,417 hours of sunshine a year. The sun shines on the island in June, July and August ten hours a day.

Vegetation

Rab is the southernmost of the islands in the bay of Kvarner, with a mostly Mediterranean vegetation. When you have left the bare, somewhat savage looking ferry harbour of Mišnjak, the island begins to be seen in a completely different light. The vegetation is luxuriant, and, because of the Mediterranean climate, as well as with the indigenous holm or holly oak, Rab is covered with evergreen forests.

Climate

The island of Rab has a pleasant Mediterranean climate, warm summers and mild winters. The mountain chain Kamenjak (408 meters) protects the greatest part of the island from the cold northeastern wind bura (bora), the most frequent wind blowing in winter and early spring, so that the temperature almost never falls below 0°C. Besides the bura a warm and humid wind - the jugo (scirocco) blows from the southeast, mostly in autumn, regularly bringing rain with it.
In summer months, during the day, usually the maestral (mistral) blows, a pleasant breeze which starts to blow as early as 10.a.m. and calms down only with the sunset, making midday sultriness bearable and offering real pleasure to the sailors. Other winds and storms are rare phenomena here.
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History

The town of Rab also boasts a long recorded history that dates back to the year 10 BC, when it is mentioned in an old Roman document by which the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus proclaims it a muncipium and grants it independence. Before long it was given another rare honorary title, that of FELIX (happy); it bears witness to the fact that Rab was already a fully developed and civilised at the time, providing amenities such as running water, baths, temples, a theatre, and a network of streets, to mention just a few.