mainly from the territories threatened by Turkish invasions. Through centuries of the Venetian rule Umag's economy was exclusively based on agriculture. The harbour of Umag was utilised for loading agricultural surplus from the hinterland. Up to the collapse of Venice Umag had lived like other Istrian towns. Its communal arrangement was guaranteed in the Statute from 1541.
With the fall of the Venetian Republic, Umag, like the entire eastern Adriatic coast came under the rule of France until 1815 when it passed over to Austria until 1918. With the end of World War I Istria became part of Italy. After World War II the flaring up of the Trieste crises resulted in the establishment of the Free Territory of Trieste, while Umag became part of Zone B governed by the Yugoslav Army, and eventually became part of SR Croatia within SFR Yugoslavia in 1954. Exodus of many Italians, until then majority.
In 1993 with the establishment of the new local rule Umag became an independent municipality (op?ina), and in 1997 was awarded the status of town or city (grad)
