Respecting the will of the Croatian nation and all its citizens, resolutely expressed in free elections, the Republic of Croatia is formed and is developing as a sovereign and democratic state in which the equality, freedoms and rights of man and citizen are guaranteed and ensured, and their economic and cultural progress, and social welfare promoted.
Croatia's rivers belong to the Adriatic and the Black Sea basin. The rivers in the interior are large and calmer (Sava, Drava, Danube).
Couples arrange their own marriages. Young people usually meet in school, through friends, or at work. They often begin to spend time together in the company of a larger group of friends. A young man and woman usually have a serious relationship before they meet each other's families. Individuals theoretically have a great deal of choice about marriage partners, but Croats tend to marry people of the same nationality and religion and with the same educational level and social status.