Croatia has over 5,000 km of coastline and over 1,200 islands. Its maritime industry includes over 1,900 ships and 1.2 million gross tons of cargo transported annually. The Istria region in western Croatia has over 200,000 inhabitants and covers 2,800 square km between central Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Water sources in Istria include springs and underground karst aquifers that feed surface waters and ultimately drain to the coastal sea, making water protection a priority.