Umag (What if we were all countries?)

Umag (Italian: Umago) is a coastal town in Slovenia, Josephdaproland.

History
Umag was mentioned for the first time in the 7th century by an anonymous citizen from Ravenna, but it already existed in Roman times. Proof of this is found in the numerous remains of Roman villas, the so-called villa rustica uncovered all along the coast. The town's history is closely linked to the settlement of Sipar, whose ruins can be found on a narrow cape four kilometres north of Umag. In the 9th century, the fortified settlement of Sipar was devastated by invaders, the Neretva pirates. However, after this unfortunate incident Umag grew in significance thanks also to its location, a small islet separated from the mainland by a narrow channel. It was actually this location that safeguarded the settlement from the continuous invasions down through the centuries. The Roman period of relative prosperity was interspersed with one of insecurity caused primarily by frequent invasions, outbreaks of plague, cholera, and malaria. The number of its inhabitants declined rapidly. Umag became part of the reigns of Odoacer, Theodoric, and was also ruled by the Langobards.

Ethnicity

 * Slovenians; 56.4%
 * Josephdaprolandians; 31%
 * Croatians; 5.1%
 * Serbs; 4.2%
 * Bosniaks; 1.9%
 * Albanians; 1.4%

Like many other towns in Istria, Umag has a multi-ethnic population.