ARCHIVE // HR // 2020
Croatia
2020 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 1,127,591 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2018 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
the national state-owned public broadcaster, Croatian Radiotelevision, operates 4 terrestrial TV networks, a satellite channel that rebroadcasts programs for Croatians living abroad, and 6 regional TV centers; 2 private broadcasters operate national terrestrial networks; 29 privately owned regional TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; state-owned public broadcaster operates 4 national radio networks and 23 regional radio stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks and 117 local radio stations (2019)
Internet country code
[time series]
.hr
Internet users
[time series]
total: 3,104,212 | percent of population: 72.69% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: the mobile market has one of the highest penetration rates in the Balkans region; covering much of what were once inaccessible areas; local lines are digital; telecom market in Croatia has been shaped by Croatia becoming part of the European Union in 2013, a process which opened up the market and the creation of a regulatory environment leading to competition in mobile and broadband; investment among operators has led to a relatively high broadband penetration in the region; trials for 5G technologies underway (2020) | domestic: fixed-line teledensity has dropped somewhat to about 32 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions 107 per 100 (2019) | international: country code - 385; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable provides connectivity to Albania and Greece; digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic project, which consists of 2 fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik (2019) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 1,371,999 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32.29 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 4,531,122 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106.64 (2019 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture - products)
[time series]
arable crops (wheat, corn, barley, sugar beet, sunflower, rapeseed, alfalfa, clover); vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, onion, tomato, pepper); fruits (apples, plum, mandarins, olives), grapes for wine; livestock (cattle, cows, pigs); dairy products
Budget
[time series]
revenues: 25.24 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 24.83 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
[time series]
0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
[time series]
Fitch rating: BBB- (2019) | Moody's rating: Ba1 (2020) | Standard & Poors rating: BBB- (2019)
Current account balance
[time series]
$1.597 billion (2019 est.) | $1 billion (2018 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$48.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $46.96 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
[time series]
73.6 (2020)
Economic overview
[time series]
Though still one of the wealthiest of the former Yugoslav republics, Croatia’s economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war. The country's output during that time collapsed, and Croatia missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6%, led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Croatia experienced an abrupt slowdown in the economy in 2008; economic growth was stagnant or negative in each year between 2009 and 2014, but has picked up since the third quarter of 2014, ending 2017 with an average of 2.8% growth. Challenges remain including uneven regional development, a difficult investment climate, an inefficient judiciary, and loss of educated young professionals seeking higher salaries elsewhere in the EU. In 2016, Croatia revised its tax code to stimulate growth from domestic consumption and foreign investment. Income tax reduction began in 2017, and in 2018 various business costs were removed from income tax calculations. At the start of 2018, the government announced its economic reform plan, slated for implementation in 2019. Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Croatian economy, comprising 19.6% of Croatia’s GDP. Croatia is working to become a regional energy hub, and is undertaking plans to open a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal by the end of 2019 or early in 2020 to import LNG for re-distribution in southeast Europe. Croatia joined the EU on July 1, 2013, following a decade-long accession process. Croatia has developed a plan for Eurozone accession, and the government projects Croatia will adopt the Euro by 2024. In 2017, the Croatian government decreased public debt to 78% of GDP, from an all-time high of 84% in 2014, and realized a 0.8% budget surplus - the first surplus since independence in 1991. The government has also sought to accelerate privatization of non-strategic assets with mixed success. Croatia’s economic recovery is still somewhat fragile; Croatia’s largest private company narrowly avoided collapse in 2017, thanks to a capital infusion from an American investor. Restructuring is ongoing, and projected to finish by mid-July 2018.
Exchange rates
[time series]
kuna (HRK) per US dollar - | 6.2474 (2020 est.) | 6.72075 (2019 est.) | 6.48905 (2018 est.) | 6.8583 (2014 est.) | 5.7482 (2013 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$36.28 billion (2019 est.) | $33.97 billion (2018 est.) | $32.75 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commodities
[time series]
transport equipment, machinery, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels
Exports - partners
[time series]
Italy 13.4%, Germany 12.2%, Slovenia 10.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.8%, Austria 6.2%, Serbia 4.8% (2017)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$60.687 billion (2019 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP (purchasing power parity) - real)
[time series]
$99.339 billion (2019 est.) | $96.578 billion (2018 est.) | $93.664 billion (2017 est.) | note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 57.3% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 19.5% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 20% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 51.1% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -48.8% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 3.7% (2017 est.) | industry: 26.2% (2017 est.) | services: 70.1% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP - per capita (PPP))
[time series]
$16,923 (2019 est.) | $16,349 (2018 est.) | $15,756 (2017 est.) | note: data are in 2010 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP real growth rate)
[time series]
2.94% (2019 est.) | 2.7% (2018 est.) | 3.14% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving
[time series]
24.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 23.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 24.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 2.7% | highest 10%: 23% (2015 est.)
Imports
[time series]
$37.612 billion (2019 est.) | $35.367 billion (2018 est.) | $32.899 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commodities
[time series]
machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs
Imports - partners
[time series]
Germany 15.7%, Italy 12.9%, Slovenia 10.7%, Hungary 7.5%, Austria 7.5% (2017)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
1.2% (2017 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]
0.7% (2019 est.) | 1.4% (2018 est.) | 1.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
1.656 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 1.9% | industry: 27.3% | services: 70.8% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
19.5% (2015 est.)
Public debt
[time series]
77.8% of GDP (2017 est.) | 82.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$18.82 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $14.24 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
46.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
8.07% (2019 est.) | 9.86% (2018 est.)
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions
(Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy)
[time series]
17.96 million Mt (2017 est.)
Crude oil - exports
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
[time series]
55,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - production
[time series]
14,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
[time series]
71 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
15.93 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
[time series]
3.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
[time series]
45% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
[time series]
40% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
[time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
[time series]
16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports
[time series]
8.702 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
[time series]
4.921 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - production
[time series]
12.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Natural gas - consumption
[time series]
2.577 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
[time series]
172.7 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
[time series]
1.841 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production
[time series]
1.048 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
[time series]
24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
[time series]
73,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
[time series]
40,530 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
[time series]
35,530 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
[time series]
74,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 56,594 sq km | land: 55,974 sq km | water: 620 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly smaller than West Virginia | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Europe :: Croatia Print Image Description 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
[time series]
mean elevation: 331 m | lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m | highest point: Dinara 1,831 m
Environment - current issues
[time series]
air pollution improving but still a concern in urban settings and in emissions arriving from neighboring countries; surface water pollution in the Danube River Basin
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks
Irrigated land
[time series]
240 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 2,237 km | border countries (5): Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km, Hungary 348 km, Montenegro 19 km, Serbia 314 km, Slovenia 600 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 23.7% (2011 est.) | arable land: 16% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.5% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 6.2% (2011 est.) | forest: 34.4% (2011 est.) | other: 41.9% (2011 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]
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
Population distribution
[time series]
more of the population lives in the northern half of the country, with approximately a quarter of the populace residing in and around the capital of Zagreb; many of the islands are sparsely populated
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) with special county status; Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska (Bjelovar-Bilogora), Brodsko-Posavska (Brod-Posavina), Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria), Karlovacka (Karlovac), Koprivnicko-Krizevacka (Koprivnica-Krizevci), Krapinsko-Zagorska (Krapina-Zagorje), Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska (Medimurje), Osjecko-Baranjska (Osijek-Baranja), Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska (Primorje-Gorski Kotar), Sibensko-Kninska (Sibenik-Knin), Sisacko-Moslavacka (Sisak-Moslavina), Splitsko-Dalmatinska (Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska (Varazdin), Viroviticko-Podravska (Virovitica-Podravina), Vukovarsko-Srijemska (Vukovar-Syrmia), Zadarska (Zadar), Zagreb*, Zagrebacka (Zagreb county)
Capital
[time series]
name: Zagreb | geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 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 | etymology: the name seems to be related to "digging"; archeologists suggest that the original settlement was established beyond a water-filled hole or "graba" and that the name derives from this; "za" in Slavic means "beyond"; the overall meaning may be "beyond the trench (fault, channel, ditch)"
Citizenship
[time series]
citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Croatia | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Constitution
[time series]
history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1990 | amendments: proposed by at least one fifth of the Assembly membership, by the president of the republic, by the Government of Croatia, or through petition by at least 10% of the total electorate; proceedings to amend require majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; passage by petition requires a majority vote in a referendum and promulgation by the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2014
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 | etymology: name derives from the Croats, a Slavic tribe who migrated to the Balkans in the 7th century A.D.
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador W. Robert KOHORST (since 12 January 2018) | telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 | embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb | mailing address: use embassy street address | FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Pjer SIMUNOVIC (since 8 September 2017) | 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 Zoran MILANOVIC (since 18 February 2020) | head of government: Prime Minister Andrej PLENKOVIC (since 19 October 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers Damir KRSTICEVIC (since 19 October 2016), Predrag STROMAR (since 9 June 2017), Marija Pejcinovic BURIC (since 19 June 2017), and Tomislav TOLUSIC (since 25 May 2018) | cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 December 2019 with a runoff on 5 January 2020 (next to be held in 2024); the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president and approved by the Assembly | election results: Zoran MILANOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote - Zoran MILANOVIC (SDP) 52.7%, Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC (HDZ) 47.3%
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue - the Pan-Slav colors - superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms; the coat of arms consists of one main shield (a checkerboard of 13 red and 12 silver (white) fields) surmounted by five smaller shields that form a crown over the main shield; the five small shields represent five historic regions (from left to right): Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia | note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia
Government type
[time series]
parliamentary republic
Independence
[time series]
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia); notable earlier dates: ca. 925 (Kingdom of Croatia established); 1 December 1918 (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Yugoslavia) established)
International law organization participation
[time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
[time series]
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EMU, EU, FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the court president and vice president, 25 civil department justices, and 16 criminal department justices) | judge selection and term of office: president of Supreme Court nominated by the president of Croatia and elected by the Sabor for a 4-year term; other Supreme Court justices appointed by the National Judicial Council; all judges serve until age 70 | subordinate courts: Administrative Court; county, municipal, and specialized courts; note - there is an 11-member Constitutional Court with jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues but is outside of the judicial system
Legal system
[time series]
civil law system influenced by legal heritage of Austria-Hungary; note - Croatian law was fully harmonized with the European Community acquis as of the June 2010 completion of EU accession negotiations
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral Assembly or Hrvatski Sabor (151 seats; 140 members in 10 multi-seat constituencies and 3 members in a single constituency for Croatian diaspora directly elected by proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method with a 5% threshold; an additional 8 members elected from a nationwide constituency by simple majority by voters belonging to minorities recognized by Croatia; the Serb minority elects 3 Assembly members, the Hungarian and Italian minorities elect 1 each, the Czech and Slovak minorities elect 1 jointly, and all other minorities elect 2; all members serve 4-year terms | elections: early election held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held by 2024) | election results: percent of vote by coalition/party - HDZ-led coalition 37.3%, Restart coalition 24.9%, DPMS-led coalition 10.9%, MOST 7.4%, Green-Left coalition 7%, P-F-SSIP 4%, HNS-LD 1.3%, People's Party - Reformists 1%, other 6.2%; number of seats by coalition/party - HDZ-led coalition 66, Restart coalition 41, DPMS-led coalition 16, MOST 8, Green-Left coalition 7, P-F-SSIP 3, HNS-LD 1, People's Party - Reformists - 1, national minorities 8; composition - men 116, women 35, percent of women 23.2% | note: seats by party as of June 2019 - HDZ 55, SDP 29, MOST-NL 10, HNS 4, HSS 4, GLAS 4, IDS 3, SDSS 3, BM365-SRS 3, Human Shield 2, HDS 2, NHR 2, other 8, independent 21
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
name: "Lijepa nasa domovino" (Our Beautiful Homeland) | lyrics/music: Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN | note: adopted in 1972 while still part of Yugoslavia; "Lijepa nasa domovino," whose lyrics were written in 1835, served as an unofficial anthem beginning in 1891
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 8 October (1991) and Statehood Day, 25 June (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was 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
National symbol(s)
[time series]
red-white checkerboard; national colors: red, white, blue
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Bloc for Croatia or BZH [Zlatko HASANBEGOVIC] Bridge of Independent Lists or Most [Bozo PETROV] Civic Liberal Alliance or GLAS [Ankar Mrak TARITAS] Croatian Christian Democratic Party or HDS [Goran DODIG] Croatian Conservative Party or HKS [Marijan PAVLICEK] Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS] Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Andrej PLENKOVIC] Croatian Democratic Union-led coalition (includes HSLS, HDS, HDSSB) Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Kreso BELJAK] Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA] Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats or HNS-LD [Ivan VRDOLJAK] Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Dario HREBAK] Croatian Sovereignists coalition (includes HK, HRAST) FOKUS [Davor NADI] Green-Left coalition (includes MOZEMO!, RF, NL) Homeland Movement or DPMS [Miloslav SKORO] Homeland Movement-led coalition (includes DPMS, Croatian Sovereignists coalition, BZH) Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Boris MILETIC] Movement for Successful Croatia or HRAST [Ladislav ILCIC] New Left or NL [Dragan MARKOVINA] Pametno [Marijana PULJAK] Pametno, FOKUS, SSIP coalition Party with a First and Last Name or SSIP [Ivan KOVACIC] People's Party - Reformists [Radimir CACIC] Restart Coalition (includes HSLS, HDS, HDSSB) Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zlatko KOMADINA, acting leader] We Can! or MOZEMO! [collective leadership] Workers' Front or RF [collective leadership]
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
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 consisting of six socialist republics under the strong hand of Marshal Josip Broz, aka TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Yugoslav forces, dominated by Serb officers, were mostly cleared from Croatian lands, along with a majority of Croatia's ethnic Serb population. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. The country joined NATO in April 2009 and the EU in July 2013.
Military and Security
Military and security forces
[time series]
Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH) consists of five major commands directly subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM, includes Coast Guard), Air Force and Air Defense Command (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo I Protuzracna Obrana), Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2019)
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia have approximately 15,000 active duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 2,000 other) (2019 est.)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the inventory of the Croatian Armed Forces consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years, it has attempted to acquire more modern weapon systems from Western suppliers; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military equipment to Croatia are Finland, Germany, and the US (2019 est.)
Military expenditures
[time series]
1.68% of GDP (2019 est.) | 1.59% of GDP (2018) | 1.67% of GDP (2017) | 1.62% of GDP (2016) | 1.78% of GDP (2015)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2017)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 14.16% (male 308,668/female 289,996) | 15-24 years: 10.76% (male 233,602/female 221,495) | 25-54 years: 39.77% (male 841,930/female 839,601) | 55-64 years: 14.24% (male 290,982/female 310,969) | 65 years and over: 21.06% (male 364,076/female 526,427) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Europe :: Croatia Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Croatia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
Birth rate
[time series]
8.7 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
(Current Health Expenditure)
[time series]
6.8% (2017)
Death rate
[time series]
12.8 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 55.7 | youth dependency ratio: 22.6 | elderly dependency ratio: 33.1 | potential support ratio: 3 (2020 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | unimproved: urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
3.9% of GDP (2017)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Croat 90.4%, Serb 4.4%, other 4.4% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Romani), unspecified 0.8% (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
<.1% (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
[time series]
<100 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
[time series]
1,600 (2019 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
5.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)
Languages
[time series]
Croatian (official) 95.6%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3% (including Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Albanian), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 76.7 years | male: 73.6 years | female: 80.1 years (2020 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.3% | male: 99.7% | female: 98.9% (2015)
Major infectious diseases
[time series]
degree of risk: intermediate (2020) | vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
685,000 ZAGREB (capital) (2020)
Maternal mortality ratio
(Maternal mortality rate)
[time series]
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 43.9 years | male: 42 years | female: 45.9 years (2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
28.9 years (2017 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) | adjective: Croatian | note: the French designation of "Croate" to Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century eventually became "Cravate" and later came to be applied to the soldiers' scarves - the cravat; Croatia celebrates Cravat Day every 18 October
Net migration rate
[time series]
-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
24.4% (2016)
Physician density
(Physicians density)
[time series]
3 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Population
[time series]
4,227,746 (July 2020 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
more of the population lives in the northern half of the country, with approximately a quarter of the populace residing in and around the capital of Zagreb; many of the islands are sparsely populated
Population growth rate
[time series]
-0.5% (2020 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Roman Catholic 86.3%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.5%, not religious or atheist 3.8% (2011 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 99.5% of population | rural: 98.4% of population | total: 99% of population | unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population | rural: 1.6% of population | total: 1% of population (2017 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 15 years | male: 15 years | female: 16 years (2018)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female | total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.42 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
(Unemployment, youth ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 23.7% | male: 19.6% | female: 29.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 57.6% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: -0.08% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
dispute remains with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Croatia and Slovenia have each claimed sovereignty over Piranski Bay and four villages, and Slovenia has objected to Croatia's claim of an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic Sea; in 2009, however Croatia and Slovenia signed a binding international arbitration agreement to define their disputed land and maritime borders, which led to Slovenia lifting its objections to Croatia joining the EU; Slovenia continues to impose a hard border Schengen regime with Croatia, which joined the EU in 2013 but has not yet fulfilled Schengen requirements
Illicit drugs
[time series]
primarily a transit country along the Balkan route for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe and other illicit drugs and chemical precursors to and from Western Europe; no significant domestic production of illicit drugs
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
stateless persons: 2,886 (2019) | note: 713,772 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-October 2020); flows slowed considerably in 2017; Croatia is predominantly a transit country and hosts about 340 asylum seekers as of the end of June 2018
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
69 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 24 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 2 (2017) | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2017) | under 914 m: 10 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
total: 45 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2013) | under 914 m: 38 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
9A (2016)
Heliports
[time series]
1 (2013)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 336 | by type: bulk carrier 15, general cargo 32, oil tanker 20, other 269 (2019)
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 18 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,093,577 (2018) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 530,000 mt-km (2018)
Pipelines
[time series]
2410 km gas, 610 km oil (2011)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
major seaport(s): Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split | oil terminal(s): Omisalj | river port(s): Vukovar (Danube)
Railways
[time series]
total: 2,722 km (2014) | standard gauge: 2,722 km 1.435-m gauge (980 km electrified) (2014)
Roadways
[time series]
total: 26,958 km (includes 1,416 km of expressways) (2015)
Waterways
[time series]
785 km (2009)