Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and in 2011 had a population of 128,624 inhabitants. The name Rijeka means river.

Historically, because of its strategic position and its excellent deep-water port, the city was fiercely contested, especially between Italy, Hungary and Croatia, changing rulers and demographics many times over centuries. According to the 2011 census data, the majority of its citizens are Croats, along with a minority of Serbs, and smaller numbers of Bosniaks and Italians.

Rijeka is the main city and county seat of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. Rijeka hosts the Croatian National Theatre Ivan Zajc, first built in 1765, as well as the University of Rijeka, founded in 1973 but with roots dating back to 1632 School of Theology. Apart from Croatian and Italian, linguistically the city is home to its own unique dialect of the Venetian language, Fiuman, with an estimated 20,000 speakers. In 2016, Rijeka was selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2020, alongside Galway, Ireland.

Each year between late January and early March is held here the Rijeka Carnival (Riječki karneval). Since 1982, when it has been asteblished, it has become the biggest carnival in Croatia. Every year there are numerous events preceding the carnival itself. First the mayor of Rijeka gives the symbolic key of the city to Meštar Toni, who is the maestro of the carnival, and he becomes the mayor of the city during the carnival, although this is only figuratively. Same day, there is an election of the carnival queen.

Also, every year the Carnival charity ball is held in the Governor's palace in Rijeka. It is attended by politicians, people from sport and media life, as well as a number of ambassadors.