Each nation has its own holy mount - the Greeks have Olympus, the nations of central Europe have the Alps while the Japanese have Mount Fuji. Croatia's very own holy mountain is Velebit. Its peaks are the home of the Croat's good spirit - Vila Velebita (the Fairy of Velebit). Even though it is not as high as Dinara, Kamesnica or Biokovo, this mountain occupies the central position in the collective consciousness of the Croatian people. It is an integral part of the national identity, a symbol of Croatia which distinguishes it in the world. Velebit has earned this place in the spiritual relief of Croatia owing to its geographic position, its peculiar features and the place it has in the hearts and minds of the people.

Velebit is the longest mountain of the Dinaric system. It rises along 145 km in a gentle northwest-southeast curve between Vratnik saddle and the Zrmanja valley. The saddles diagonally divide its giant belly and represent the traditional division of the mountain range into: the northern area (between Vratnik and Veliki Alan), the central area (between Veliki Alan and Baske Ostarije), the southern area (between Ostarije and Mali Alan) and the southeastern area (between Veliki Alan and the upper Zrmanja valley). Its western border is Velebit Channel of the Adriatic Sea, while to the east it borders with Lika-Gacka plateau at 425-600 m above sea level. Its width, in air line terms, varies between 30 km in the north and only 10 km in the south. Inspite of the fact that it leaves the impression of a colossal mountain, Velebit is not particularly high. Its highest peak - Vaganski vrh - is only 1757 m high.

Owing to their characteristic relief, vegetation and landscape peculiarities, certain narrower parts of Velebit have been singled out and included into the appropriate protection categories. In 1949 Paklenica National Park (102 km2) was set up in the southern area of the mountain range. Most valuable areas of north and central Velebit are protected within the category of strict and special reserves.

Following its 1978 inclusion into the network of international biosphere reserves (UNESCO program Man and the Biosphere) the Croatian Parliament proclaimed the entire Velebit a nature park in 1981. In 1999 Sjeverni Velebit (North Velebit) National Park - 109 km2 - was established in northern regions of the mountain range. It includes the strict reserves Hajducki and Rozanski kukovi, the special botanical reserve Zavizan-Balinovac-Zavizanska (Velika) Kosa, Velebit botanical garden in the north and Stirovaca - a special reserve of forest vegetation in central Velebit.

Scientists and visitors alike will agree that the most valuable natural landmarks of Velebit include the caves called Cerovacke pecine (southern Velebit) and a pit called Lukina jama (northern Velebit). Many smaller caves and pits and a number of important geomorphologic objects (Kiza, Tulove grede, kuk Stapina etc.) and hydrological objects (the spring and course of the Zrmanja etc.) must not be overlooked either.