1947 when the Islands, along with Istrian Peninsula, were assigned to Yugoslavia. The island has gone through an agricultural downturn as many residents left the island in search of a better life on the mainland and abroad. This has resulted in many former agricultural areas becoming overgrown with local vegetation. Recently people, primarily retirees, have been returning to live on the island. Tourism has become an increasingly important industry and the population experiences significant seasonal variation. Towns of Cres The island has several villages, all of them connected by a road that runs down the middle of the island. On one side is the ferry from Porozina to Brestova (in Istria). Another ferry runs from Merag to Valbiska (on the neighbouring island of Krk) ; on the other is the bridge to Lošinj (Lussino), which was once connected by land but is now separated by a waterway. A list of the villages with descriptions is below: Belej Beli – This small village, at the end of a long and very narrow road, is home to a famed bird species, the endangered Griffon vulture. Cres Lubenice () – An ancient mountain village with a great view of the sea and neighboring islands. A restaurant and bar operate during the warmer months. Weekly musical concerts take place during the peak tourist season. Martinšćica (, ) – The home of a large vacation complex, Slatina, along with beaches and cafes. It also has an essential oils distillery. The town also has a small castle, known as "", which was once inhabited by a "Sforza" family of Italian nobility (apparently unrelated to the famous Milanese house) and by Napoleonic Imperial forces, before becoming a restaurant which recently closed. Merag -with ferry connections. Miholašćica (, )- A small village with a church which shares the same name as the community. Tourism has grown here since the arrival of the Zaglav community nearby. Orlec – Another small village at the end of a narrow road, also home to the endangered vulture. Osor (it.: Ossero) - A town on the "border" between two islands. Founded by the Romans who also dug the channel thus dividing what was then known as the Osor island into Cres and Lošinj. Then a major port and commercial centre started to fade with coming of larger ships that could not pass the narrow channel or dock in the shallow port. Pernat –