Dubrovnik is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is a seaport and county center. It is one of the most important tourist destinations in the area. It has more than 40,000 inhabitants and is visited by more than a million tourists annually. Since 1979, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its medieval architecture and city walls. The history of the city dates back to the 7th century, when it was known as Ragusa. It was under the protection of the Byzantine Empire and later under the sovereignty of the Republic of Venice. Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Dubrovnik was a free state. In the following period, it belonged to the Austrian Empire and later was part of Yugoslavia. It belongs to the Republic of Croatia since 1991.