Province of Cattaro


Province of Cattaro was a province of the Italian Governorate of Dalmatia, created in May 1941 during World War II. It lasted until September 1943.

History

In April 1941, the Italians conquered coastal Dalmatia from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. They created some provinces in that region that lasted until September 1943. One was the "Province of Cattaro", around the "Gulf of Cattaro". The administrative capital was the city of Cattaro.
The province had an area of 547 Km2 and a population of 39,800 inhabitants. Prior to the war in 1931, the area consisted out of 13,000 Croats and 18,000 other. with a small Dalmatian Italians minority, concentrated in Cattaro and Perasto.
The Italians in summer 1941 improved the region by building hospitals and infrastructure, but started a process of Italianization. Because of this, after one year of peaceful administration & control, in summer 1942 there was a small insurrection against the Italian conquest, but without huge consequences until summer 1943.
In September 1943, the German army took control of the region from the Italians, who had surrendered to the Allies, and soon started a terrible guerrilla war between the Nazi occupiers and Joseph Broz Tito's partisans. The province was abolished in the same September.

Administrative subdivision

The 15 "Comuni" were :