The small town of Betina is located on the northwestern side of the island, while Jezera and Tisno are located on the northeastern coast. The island's current population is about 5,192 inhabitants, whilst that of the village is 2,010. Absolute majority are Croats with 97.59%.
Geography
The island is in the northwest part of the Šibenik archipelago, separated from the mainland by a 20 meter wide sea canal at Tisno which is spanned by a 37 meter draw-bridge. The island covers an area of about 18.7 km², and the highest point is the peak of Raduč at 125 meters above sea level.
The southwestern coastline is predominantly steep slopes divided by many sandy coves. The island has lots of rocky beaches, as well as several sandy ones.
History
The island has been populated for nearly two millennia. An Illyric-Roman settlement known as Colentum has been found near Betina. In 1293, documents show that Murter was called "Villa Magna' meaning big village. During the 13th century there were two documented settlements on the island -- Jezera and Veliko selo, Srimač (now Murter) -- and the island itself was mentioned in the year 1318 as Insula Mortari. Betina and Tisno were most likely built around the beginning of the 15th century, during the time of Ottoman attacks in the area. The population of the island increased as refugees fled from the Turks.
Heritage
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