A crescent-shaped country in southeast Europe, Croatia extends from the fertile plains of the Danube to the mountainous coast of the Adriatic Sea. In the Adriatic, Croatia has 1,185 islands—many are major tourist areas. The 1991-95 civil war between Croats and Serbs caused massive damage to cities and industries. War halted the tourist trade and drastically cut industrial output, including a lucrative ship-building business. Since the war, Croatia has progressed politically and economically; it applied for European Union membership in 2003.