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Split ( Italian: Spalato) is the largest and most important city in Dalmatia, center of the Split-Dalmatia county. It is situated on a promontory on the east side of the Adriatic Sea. With a population of 188,694 (2001) it is the second largest city in Croatia.

Split lives on its tourism, further on fishing, wine and its paper, concrete, olive and chemical industries. It is also an important traffic point for Dalmatia: most of the middle Dalmatian islands are not reachable except through Split's harbour (usually with the Jadrolinija ferries). This includes both the closer islands of Brac, HvarHvar is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea off the Dalmatian coast. The town of Stari Grad located on the north of the island (population 2,817, 2001) was the site of one of the first human settlements on the Adriatic islands during the antiquity. and Šolta , but also VisVis is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, the furthest one from the coast that is also inhabited. There are two towns and municipalities on the island, Vis (1,960 inhabitants in the municipality) and Komiza (1,677). The island was inhabited since anci and Lastovo which are more distant. The Split airport in Divulje is often the first stop for most of the tourists to this region.

Split is known for Diocletian's Palace and its Cathedral with the famous bell tower. Up to this day Split is the seat of an archbishop. Despite the existence of the ancient Salona (today's SolinSolin ( It. Salona is a town in Dalmatia, Croatia. It has a population of 19,011 (2001) and is a northern suburb of Split. Known as Salonae in ancient Roman times, it was the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia and the birthplace of Emperor Diocleti) just north of today's Split, the construction of the palace marks the beginning of the city. Roman Emperor DiocletianGaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletian ( 245- 313), born Diocles was Roman Emperor from November 20, 284 to May 1, 305. An Illyrian of low birth, Diocles rose through the ranks to the consulship. He was chosen by the Army on November 20, 284 to replace Numeri who ruled between 284Events November 20 Diocletian becomes Emperor of Rome Patriarch Rufinus I succeeds Patriarch Dometius as Patriarch of Constantinople Year 1 of the Coptic calendar (or 285) The Bagaudae revolt against the Roman Empire in Gaul. Births Deaths November Numeri and 305Events May 1 Diocletian and Maximian, emperors of Rome, retire from office. Constantius Chlorus and Galerius declared Augusti; Flavius Valerius Severus and Maximinus Daia appointed Caesars. The Arch of Galerius is built. Births Deaths Hierocles, proconsul ordered it built around the year 300Alternate uses, see Number 300. Events Romano-Celtic temple-mausoleum complex is constructed in Lullingstone, and also in Anderida (approximate date). Magnetic compass for navigation is invented in China (approximate date). Maya civilization established i. The palace faced the sea, looking south; its walls were from 570 to 700 feet long and 50 to 70 feet high, and inclosed an area of 9½ acres. It stood square, like a Roman camp, and had a gate in the middle of each side, and was of the most solid construction.

The giant building was long deserted when the first citizens of Split settled inside its walls. In 639 the interior was converted into a town by the citizens of Salona who escaped the destruction of their town by the Avars. Even today the palace constitutes the inner city of Split, full of shops, markets, places, inserted on the corridors and floors of the former palace, and the Christian cathedral that was a mausoleum in Diocletian's day.

After that, Split belonged a long time to Venice (in the 14th century and then from 1420 on), until it fell to Austria-Hungary in 1797. (An often understated fact is that the Croatian people, within the kingdoms of Hungary and Austria-Hungary, had their own administrative regions, leaders, and representation in the parliaments of Budapest and Vienna.)

The province Dalmatia was later joined with Croatia and Split remained in Croatia (at times as Yugoslavia) until the present day. During the Second World War, part of the port facilities were bombed.

Split is sometimes credited as Dalmatia's capital, but there's no such governmental unit as Dalmatia today, and the traditional capital is actually the city of Zadar.