Neum | town

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Neum is the only coastal town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around it there is 24.5 km (15 mi) of coastline which is the only access of this country to the Adriatic Sea. It is located in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity. It is the center of Neum Municipality.
Neum has steep hills, sandy beaches and several large tourist hotels. Prices tend to be lower here than in neighboring Croatia, making it popular with shoppers. Tourism, and the commerce it brings, is the leading contributor to the economy of the area. Border formalities with Croatia are relaxed at peak times. Neum has around 5,000 beds for tourists, 1,810 in hotels with the remaining capacity in motels, villas and in private accommodation. Tourism in Neum is active only in the coastal region. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness and is starting to develop agricultural tourism.
Neum has long, warm summers and short, mild winters. It ranks among the coastal towns with the most sunny days per year.

The average sea temperature ranges from 13 °C (55 °F) in January to 32 °C (90 °F) in July and August. Popular activities include swimming and sun bathing, walks along the beach, boating and various water-sports.
Neum is 60 kilometers (37 mi) from Dubrovnik (80 km/50 mi from the Dubrovnik Airport), 70 km (43 mi) from Mostar and Međugorje and 30 km (19 mi) from Ploče and Metković, both of which have railway stations.

The Neum region cuts Croatia into two non-contiguous parts. This is a result of the Treaty of Karlowitz of 1699. In this treaty the Republic of Dubrovnik gave the Neum region to the Ottoman Empire to ensure that it would not border on the encroaching Venetian Republic.

The fact that the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina must be crossed to reach the southernmost region of Croatia has caused the Croatian Government to plan a bridge from Klek to Pelješac to circumvent the area. Since this could potentially violate Bosnia Herzegovina rights under the International Law of the Sea, these plans have been put on hold until a mutually satisfactory solution can be reached.

Neum is not of any importance as a freight port. Among other reasons, the road to the rest of Bosnia is not suitable for heavy vehicles. There are plans to build a real seaport and a better road, therefore the Croatian bridge must have a high clearance according to Bosnian view. The main freight port for Bosnia today is Ploče (in Croatia) further north, which has a railway to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Neum has two border crossing checkpoints with Croatia on the European route E65 or Adriatic Highway which connects the two parts of Croatia's Dalmatian coast. Neum 1 is located to the north-west of the city, with the Klek border checkpoint on the Croatian side. Neum 2 is located to the south-east, with the Croatian border checkpoint at Zaton Doli.
In 1399, the Dubrovnik Republic (Ragusa) acquired Neum from Zahumlje, and was added to the territories in the possession of the city, which ruled it for 300 years.

In 1699, Dubrovnik relinquished control of the region of Klek - Neum to the Ottoman Empire at the Treaty of Karlowitz following the Great Turkish War. It gave the Turkish army access to the sea, but just as important to Dubrovnik it gave them a protection from the Republic of Venice. Neum was under Ottoman control for 179 years until 1878, when Bosnia and Herzegovina came under Austro-Hungarian rule. Neum was part of the Banovina of Croatia from 1939 to 1941.