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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.hr

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

18,825 (2006)

Internet users [time series]

1,451,100 (2005)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk international: country code - 385; digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

1,889,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

2.984 million (2005)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $17.69 billion expenditures: $19.35 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

kuna (HRK)

Current account balance [time series]

$-2.541 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$30.62 billion (2005 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

29 (2001)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

ODA, $166.5 million (2002)

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. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way. Unemployment remains high, at about 18%, with structural factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. Growth, while impressive at about 3% to 4% for the last several years, has been stimulated, in part, through high fiscal deficits and rapid credit growth. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

15.81 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports [time series]

550 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports [time series]

5.99 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production [time series]

11.15 billion kWh (2003)

Exchange rates [time series]

kuna per US dollar - 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002), 8.34 (2001)

Exports [time series]

$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners [time series]

Italy 21.8%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.7%, Germany 10.7%, Slovenia 8.1%, Austria 7.3% (2005)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$34.94 billion (2005 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$55.79 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 7% industry: 30.8% services: 62.2% (2005 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$12,400 (2005 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4.3% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Imports [time series]

$18.93 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs

Imports - partners [time series]

Italy 15.9%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 9.1%, Slovenia 6.8%, Austria 5.8%, China 4.7%, France 4.2% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.1% (2005 est.)

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) [time series]

3.3% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

28.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.71 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32.8% services: 64.5% (2004)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

2.99 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

1.85 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

24.72 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

90,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

20,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

11% (2003)

Public debt [time series]

49.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$8.8 billion (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

18% official rate; labor force surveys indicate unemployment around 14% (2005 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 56,542 sq km land: 56,414 sq km water: 128 sq km

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]

5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

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; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates [time series]

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits

Irrigated land [time series]

110 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,197 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 25.82% permanent crops: 2.19% other: 71.99% (2005)

Location [time series]

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Map references [time series]

Europe

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards [time series]

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources [time series]

oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Terrain [time series]

geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija, Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija, Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija, Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija, Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija, Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija, Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka Zupanija

Capital [time series]

name: Zagreb geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 15 58 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution [time series]

adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December 2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34% in the second round

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue superimposed by the 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]

ACCT (observer), BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4, Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11 note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is the day the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]); Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Introduction

Background [time series]

The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 1,005,058 females age 18-49: 1,008,511 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 725,914 females age 18-49: 823,611 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 29,020 females age 18-49: 27,897 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO), Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2006)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

2.39% (2002 est.)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with six-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service (December 2004)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 16.2% (male 373,638/female 354,261) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,958/female 1,515,314) 65 years and over: 16.8% (male 288,480/female 465,098) (2006 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

9.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

11.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

less than 10 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

200 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.68 years male: 71.03 years female: 78.53 years (2006 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.5% male: 99.4% female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 40.3 years male: 38.3 years female: 42.1 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian

Net migration rate [time series]

1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

4,494,749 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.03% (2006 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; as a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2005)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

68 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2006)

Heliports [time series]

2 (2006)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 72 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,079,286 GRT/1,724,698 DWT by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3 registered in other countries: 36 (Belize 1, Cyprus 2, Liberia 7, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9) (2006)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Railways [time series]

total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways [time series]

total: 28,344 km paved: 24,186 km (including 742 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,158 km (2004)

Waterways [time series]

785 km (2006)