With its thousand islands, a coast whitened by the salt of the Adriatic Sea, mountain peaks separated by canyons and vast stretches of forests, Croatia's beauty is barely rivaled by that of other countries. Ecologically, it is one of the best preserved countries in Europe; ten percent of Croatia's surface or 450 sites are protected by law. In 2004, the environment became part of the national programme. Although local conflicts still exist, the government has doubled its efforts to meet European Union demands, which Croatia wishes to join as soon as possible.