Basic Physical-Geographical Characteristics of Premuda Island in the Zadar Archipelago

Otok Premuda (8.61 km2) nalazi se u SZ dijelu Zadarskog arhipelaga, u južnohrvatskom (dalmatinskom) otočju. U sklopu projekta geografske obrade malih hrvatskih otoka, ovdje su obrađena obilježja njegove prirodne osnove. Analizirani su položaj, veličina i obuhvat, geološki sastav i građa, geomorfološke, klimavegetacijske, pedološke, hidrogeografske značaj-ke i živi svijet. Istaknuti su: važnost karbonatne građe, povoljne klimatske značajke (padaline, temperature, vjetrovi i sl.), nestašica vode, značenje autohtone vegetacije. Posebna pažnja u radu pridaje se obilježjima mora oko otoka (fizički, kemijski i biološki parametri). Naseljenost i vrednovanje otoka ovisili su o prirodnogeografskim potencijalima, a i suvremene mogućnosti razvoja zasnivaju se na njima. Rad daje i iscrpnu literaturu dosad objavljenih i neobjavljenih tekstova koji tretiraju ovaj otok o kome je do sada u geografiji malo posebno pisano.The island of Premuda (8.61 km2) is located on the SW part of the Zadar archipelago and makes part of the South Croatia’s (Dalmatian) group of islands. The paper treats the properties of its natural basis and is related to the geographical project on small Croatian islands. It examines the position of the island, its size and extent, geomorpholo-gy, geological composition and structure, climatovegetable characteristics, pedological and biogeographical features and waters. A special emphasis is put on the importance of its carbonate structure, favourable climatic conditions (precipitation, temperatures, winds, etc.), lack of water and importance of its autochthonous vegetation. Particular attention is paid to the properties of the sea arround the island (physical, chemical and biological parametres). Population number and valuation of the island depended on its physicogeographical potential, and the recent possibilities of its development are based on it too. The paper contains ample literature of texts published up to the present and some never published connected with the island, which (from geographical point of view) has not been specilally treated so far