Gospić

Gospić (ɡǒːspitɕ) is a town in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika, Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Lika-Senj County. Gospić is located near the Lika River in the middle of a karst field (Ličko Polje). Gospić is the third smallest seat of a county government in Croatia. Its status as the county capital helped to spur some development in it, but the town as well as the entire region have suffered a constant decrease in population over the last several decades. Scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla was born in the nearby village of Smiljan and grew up in Gospić. Aleksinica, population 169 Barlete, population 28 Bilaj, population 162 Brezik, population 25 Brušane, population 134 Budak, population 151 Bužim, population 74 Debelo Brdo I, population 61 Debelo Brdo II, population 8 Divoselo, population 4 Donje Pazarište, population 125 Drenovac Radučki, population 0 Gospić, population 6,575 Kalinovača, population 94 Kaniža Gospićka, population 401 Klanac, population 100 Kruščica, population 0 Kruškovac, population 20 Kukljić, population 13 Lički Čitluk, population 4 Lički Novi, population 298 Lički Osik, population 1,914 Lički Ribnik, population 93 Mala Plana, population 7 Medak, population 62 Mogorić, population 110 Mušaluk, population 228 Novoselo Bilajsko, population 112 Novoselo Trnovačko, population 84 Ornice, population 6 Ostrvica, population 16 Oteš, population 99 Pavlovac Vrebački, population 33 Počitelj, population 4 Podastrana, population 51 Podoštra, population 177 Popovača Pazariška, population 93 Rastoka, population 33 Rizvanuša, population 29 Smiljan, population 418 Smiljansko Polje, population 135 Široka Kula, population 116 Trnovac, population 96 Vaganac, population 30 Velika Plana, population 52 Veliki Žitnik, population 47 Vranovine, population 43 Vrebac, population 44 Zavođe, population 4 Žabica, population 163 The first organised inhabitation of the area was recorded in 1263 as Kaseg or Kasezi. The name Gospić is first mentioned in 1604, which likely originates from the Croatian word for "lady" (gospa) or another archaic form, gospava.