Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]
wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, vegetables; livestock breeding, dairy farming
Budget [time series]
revenues: $5.3 billion expenditures: $6.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $78.5 million (1997 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 Croatian kuna (HRK) = 100 lipas
Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]
$5.904 billion (October 1997)
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: ODA, $NA note: IMF has given Croatia $192 million; World Bank has given Croatia $100 million
Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]
Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average. Croatia faces considerable economic problems stemming from: the legacy of longtime communist mismanagement of the economy; damage during the internecine fighting to bridges, factories, power lines, buildings, and houses; the large refugee and displaced population, both Croatian and Bosnian; and the disruption of economic ties. Western aid and investment, especially in the tourist and oil industries, would help restore the economy. The government has been successful in some reform efforts-partially macroeconomic stabilization policies-and it has normalized relations with its creditors. Yet it still is struggling with privatization of large state enterprises and with bank reform.
Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]
3.593 million kW (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]
2,315 kWh (1995)
Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]
7.15 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates [time series]
Croatian kuna per US$1-6.369 (January 1998), 6.101 (1997), 5.434 (1996), 5.230 (1995), 5.996 (1994), 3.577 (1993)
Exports [time series]
total value: $4.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 13.6%, miscellaneous manufactures 27.6%, chemicals 14.2%, food and live animals 12.2%, raw materials 6.1%, fuels and lubricants 9.4%, beverages and tobacco 2.7% (1993) partners: Germany 22%, Italy 21%, Slovenia 18% (1994)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year Communications
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity-$22.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 12% industry: 24% services: 64% (1995 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity-$4,500 (1997 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]
4.4% (1997 est.)
Imports [time series]
total value: $9.1 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 23.1%, fuels and lubricants 8.8%, food and live animals 9.0%, chemicals 14.2%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 16.0%, raw materials 3.5%, beverages and tobacco 1.4% (1993) partners: Germany 21%, Italy 19%, Slovenia 10% (1994)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
0% (1995)
Industries [time series]
chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]
3.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force [time series]
total: 1.444 million (1995) by occupation: industry and mining 31.1%, agriculture 4.3%, government 19.1% (including education and health), other 45.5% (1993)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 14, FM 8, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
1.1 million
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
1.216 million (1993 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
12 (repeaters 2)
Televisions [time series]
1.52 million (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
15.9% (yearend 1997 est.)
Geography
total: 56,538 sq km land: 56,410 sq km water: 128 sq km
Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Climate [time series]
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Coastline [time series]
5,790 km (mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km)
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Dinara 1,830 m
Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]
air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; widespread casualties and destruction of infrastructure in border areas affected by civil strife
International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification
Geographic coordinates [time series]
45 10 N, 15 30 E
Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits
Irrigated land [time series]
30 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 2,197 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia and Montenegro 266 km (241 km with Serbia; 25 km with Montenego), Slovenia 670 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 21% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 38% other: 19% (1993 est.)
Location [time series]
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Map references [time series]
Europe
Maritime claims [time series]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
frequent and destructive earthquakes
Natural resources [time series]
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt
Terrain [time series]
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coast, coastline, and islands
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
21 counties (zupanijas, zupanija-singular): Bjelovar-Bilogora, City of Zagreb, Dubrovnik-Neretva, Istra, Karlovac, Koprivnica-Krizevci, Krapina-Zagorje, Lika-Senj, Medimurje, Osijek-Baranja, Pozega-Slavonia, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Sibenik, Sisak-Moslavina, Slavonski Brod-Posavina, Split-Dalmatia, Varazdin, Virovitica-Podravina, Vukovar-Srijem, Zadar-Knin, Zagreb
Constitution [time series]
adopted on 22 December 1990
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska
Data code [time series]
HR
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY embassy: Andrije Hebranga 2, Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 455-55-00
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Miomir ZUZUL chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Franjo TUDJMAN (since 30 May 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Zlatko MATESA (since 7 November 1995); Deputy Prime Ministers Mate GRANIC (since 8 September 1992), Ivica KOSTOVIC (since 14 October 1993), Jure RADIC (since NA October 1994), Borislav SKEGRO (since 3 April 1993), and Ljerka MINTAS-HODAK (since November 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: President Franjo TUDJMAN reelected; percent of vote-Franjo TUDJMAN 61%, Zdravko TOMAC 21%, Vlado GOTOVAC 18%
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[385] (1) 455-85-85
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)
Government type [time series]
presidential/parliamentary democracy
Independence [time series]
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
International organization participation [time series]
CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives; Constitutional Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives
Legal system [time series]
based on civil law system
Legislative branch [time series]
bicameral Assembly or Sabor consists of the House of Districts or Zupanijski Dom (68 seats-63 directly elected by popular vote, 5 presidentially appointed; members serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives or the Zastupnicki Dom (127 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Districts-last held 13 April 1997 (next to be held NA 2001); House of Representatives-last held 29 October 1995 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: House of Districts-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - HDZ 42, HDZ/HSS 11, HSS 2, IDS 2, SDP/PGS/HNS 2, SDP/HNS 2, HSLS/HSS/HNS 1, HSLS 1; note-in some districts certain parties ran as coalitions, while in others they ran alone; House of Representatives-percent of vote by party - HDZ 45.23%, HSS/IDS/HNS/HKDU/SBHS 18.26%, HSLS 11.55%, SDP 8.93%, HSP 5.01%; seats by party-HDZ 75, HSLS 12, HSS 10, SDP 10, IDS 4, HSP 4, HNS 2, SNS 2, HND 1, ASH 1, HKDU 1, SBHS 1, independents 4
Capital (National capital) [time series]
Zagreb
National holiday [time series]
Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Franjo TUDJMAN, president]; Croatian Democratic Independents or HND [Stjepan MESIC, president]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Drazen BUDISA, president]; Liberal Party or LP [Vlado GOTOVAC, president]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Party of Rights 1861 or HSP 1861 [Dobrislav PARAGA]; Croatian Peasants' Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Radimir CACIC, president]; Serbian National Party or SNS [Milan DJUKIC]; Action of the Social Democrats of Croatia or ASH [Silvije DEGEN]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Marko VESELICA, president]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Slanvonsko-Baranja Croatian Party or SBHS [Damir JURIC]; Primorje Gorski Kotar Alliance; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Semso TANKOVIC]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Military
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Frontier Guard, Home Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]
$1.5 billion (1997)
Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]
8.2% (1997)
Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]
males age 15-49: 1,191,191 (1998 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]
males: 945,746 (1998 est.)
Military manpower - military age (Military manpower-military age) [time series]
19 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower-reaching military age annually) [time series]
males: 33,736 (1998 est.)
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 17% (male 411,022; female 389,354) 15-64 years: 68% (male 1,591,716; female 1,592,485) 65 years and over: 15% (male 262,471; female 424,536) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
10.45 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate [time series]
11.14 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Croat 78%, Serb 12%, Muslim 0.9%, Hungarian 0.5%, Slovenian 0.5%, others 8.1% (1991)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
8 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages [time series]
Serbo-Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czechoslovak, and German)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 73.75 years male: 70.43 years female: 77.28 years (1998 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 99% female: 95% (1991 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Croat(s) adjective: Croatian
Net migration rate [time series]
1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population [time series]
4,671,584 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
0.13% (1998 est.)
Religions [time series]
Catholic 76.5%, Orthodox 11.1%, Slavic Muslim 1.2%, Protestant 0.4%, others and unknown 10.8%
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.54 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]
Eastern Slavonia, which was held by ethnic Serbs during the ethnic conflict, was returned to Croatian control by the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia on 15 January 1998; Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from WWII over property and ethnic minority rights; significant progress has been made with Slovenia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic; Serbia and Montenegro is disputing Croatia's claim to the Prevlaka Peninsula in southern Croatia because it controls the entrance to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro; Prevlaka is currently under observation by the UN military observer mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP)
Illicit drugs [time series]
transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; a minor transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe CUBA
Transportation
Airports [time series]
71 (1997 est.)
Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]
total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]
total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 42 (1997 est.)
Heliports [time series]
2 (1997 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 27,247 km paved: 22,206 km (including 318 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,041 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 72 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 793,114 GRT/1,187,908 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 31, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 5, container 5, liquefied gas 1, multi-function large load carrier 3, oil tanker 2, passenger 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 5 note: Croatia owns an additional 80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,057,523 DWT operating under the registries of Malta, Liberia, Cyprus, Panama, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1997 est.)
Pipelines [time series]
crude oil 670 km; petroleum products 20 km; natural gas 310 km (1992); note-under repair following territorial dispute
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Dubrovnik, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, Zadar
Railways [time series]
total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (769 km electrified) note: some lines remain inoperative or not in use; disrupted by territorial dispute (1997)
Waterways [time series]
785 km perennially navigable; Sava blocked by downed bridges