Croatia

The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end 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, including Croatia, under the strong hand of Josip Broz, aka TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before Yugoslav forces were 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 2009 and the EU in 2013. In January 2023, Croatia further integrated into the EU by joining the Eurozone and the Schengen Area.

land

55,974 sq km

total

56,594 sq km

water

620 sq km

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

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

highest point

Dinara 1,831 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

mean elevation

331 m

45 10 N, 15 30 E

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

171 sq km (2020)

border countries

Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km; Hungary 348 km; Montenegro 19 km; Serbia 314 km; Slovenia 600 km

total

2,237 km

agricultural land

23.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest

34.4% (2018 est.)

other

41.9% (2018 est.)

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

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Europe

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

destructive earthquakes

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

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

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

0-14 years

13.8% (male 296,527/female 278,236)

15-64 years

63.1% (male 1,307,814/female 1,309,394)

65 years and over

23.1% (2024 est.) (male 399,090/female 559,055)

beer

4.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

9.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

3.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

8.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

NA

7.8% of GDP (2020)

50.8% (2023 est.)

13.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

34.4

potential support ratio

2.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.5

youth dependency ratio

22.1

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Croat 91.6%, Serb 3.2%, other 3.9% (including Bosniak, Romani, Albanian, Italian, and Hungarian), unspecified 1.3% (2021 est.)

0.71 (2024 est.)

5.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

female

8.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Croatian (official) 95.2%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3.1% (including Bosnian, Romani, Albanian, and Italian) unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, nužan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

female

81 years

male

74.6 years

total population

77.7 years (2024 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.2% (2021)

male

99.7%

total population

99.4%

684,000 ZAGREB (capital) (2023)

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

47 years

male

43.2 years

total

45.1 years (2024 est.)

29 years (2020 est.)

adjective

Croatian

note

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

noun

Croat(s), Croatian(s)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

24.4% (2016)

3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

female

2,146,685 (2024 est.)

male

2,003,431

total

4,150,116

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

-0.46% (2024 est.)

Roman Catholic 79%, Orthodox 3.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other Christian 4.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other 1.1%, agnostic 1.7%, none or atheist 4.7%, unspecified 3.9% (2021 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 98.4% of population

improved: total

total: 99% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.5% of population

female

16 years (2020)

male

14 years

total

15 years

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.71 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

36.1% (2020 est.)

male

37.6% (2020 est.)

total

36.9% (2020 est.)

1.46 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

58.6% of total population (2023)

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)

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)"

geographic coordinates

45 48 N, 16 00 E

name

Zagreb

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

history

several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1990

conventional long form

Republic of Croatia

conventional short form

Croatia

etymology

name derives from the Croats, a Slavic tribe who migrated to the Balkans in the 7th century A.D.

former

People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

local long form

Republika Hrvatska

local short form

Hrvatska

chief of mission

Ambassador Nathalie RAYES (since 25 January 2024)

email address and website

ZagrebACS@state.govhttps://hr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Ulica Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb

FAX

[385] (1) 665-8933

mailing address

5080 Zagreb Place, Washington DC  20521-5080

telephone

[385] (1) 661-2200

chancery

2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Pjer ŠIMUNOVIĆ (since 8 September 2017)

consulate(s)

Anchorage (AL), Houston, Kansas City (MO),Minneapolis/St. Paul (MN), New Orleans, Pittsburgh (PA)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle (WA)

email address and website

washington@mvep.hrhttps://mvep.gov.hr/embassy-114969/114969

FAX

[1] (202) 588-8937

telephone

[1] (202) 588-5899

cabinet

Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly

chief of state

President Zoran MILANOVIC (since 18 February 2020)

election results

2019: Zoran MILANOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Zoran MILANOVIC (SDP) 52.7%, Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC (HDZ) 47.3%2015: Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC (HDZ) 50.7%, Ivo JOSIPOVIC (Forward Croatia Progressive Alliance) 49.3%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Andrej PLENKOVIC (since 19 October 2016)

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

note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

parliamentary republic

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia); 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; notable earlier dates: ca. 925 (Kingdom of Croatia established); 1 December 1918 (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Yugoslavia) established)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

AIIB, 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, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

highest court(s)

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

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

description

unicameral Assembly or Hrvatski Sabor (151 seats; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - HDZ-led coalition 40.4%, SDP 27.8%, DP 9.3%, MOST 7.3%, We Can! 6.6%, SDSS 2.0%, Independents 1.3%, NPS 1.3%, IDS 1.3%, Bosniaks Together 0.7%, DZMH 0.7%, Focus 0.7%, SRRH 0.7%; seats by party/coalition - HDZ-led coalition 61, SDP 42, DP 14, MOST 11, We Can! 10, SDSS 3, Independents 2, NPS 2, IDS 2, Bosniaks Together 1, DZMH 1, Focus 1, SRRH 1; composition - men 101, women 50, percent of women 33%

elections

last election held on 17 April 2024 (next to be held by April 2028)

note

note: of the 151 seats, 140 members come from 10 multi-seat constituencies, with 3 members in a constituency for Croatian diaspora; voters belonging to recognized minorities elect an additional 8 members from a nationwide constituency: the Serb minority elects 3 members, the Hungarian and Italian minorities elect 1 each, the Czech and Slovak minorities elect 1 jointly, and all other minorities elect 2

lyrics/music

Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN

name

"Lijepa nasa domovino" (Our Beautiful Homeland)

note

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

selected World Heritage Site locales

Plitvice Lakes National Park (n); Historic Split (c); Old City of Dubrovnik (c); Euphrasian Basilica; Historic Trogir (c); Šibenik Cathedral (c); Stari Grad Plain (c); Zadar and Fort St. Nikola Venetian Defense Works (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c)

total World Heritage Sites

10 (8 cultural, 2 natural)

Statehood Day (National Day), 30 May (1990); note - marks the day in 1990 that the first modern multi-party Croatian parliament convened

red-white checkerboard; national colors: red, white, blue

Bosniaks TogetherThe Bridge or MOST (formerly the Bridge of Independent Lists)Croatia Romani Union Kali Sara (SRRH)Croatian Democratic Union or HDZDemocratic Union of Hungarians in Croatia (DZMH)Focus or FokusHomeland Movement or DP (also known as Miroslav Škoro Homeland Movement or DPMS)Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS Independent Platform of the North (NPS)Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDSSocial Democratic Party of Croatia or SDPWe Can! or Mozemo! 

18 years of age; universal

maize, wheat, maize, sugar beets, milk, barley, soybeans, sunflower seeds, grapes, pork (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

7.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

19.3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$3.662 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$3.678 billion (2022 est.)

Fitch rating

BBB- (2019)

Moody's rating

Ba1 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BBB- (2019)

Current account balance 2021

$651.685 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$2.336 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$956.968 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

tourism-based economy that was one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 economic disruptions; newest euro user since 2023, helping recover from a 6-year recession; public debt increases due to COVID-19 and stimulus packages; weak exports; continuing emigration; new liquefied natural gas import terminal

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

note

note: Croatia used the kuna prior to conversion to the euro on 1 January 2023. During the transition period the exchange rate was fixed at 7.53450 kuna to 1 euro.

Exports 2021

$34.367 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$41.903 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$44.969 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, electricity, natural gas, garments, wood (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Italy 13%, Slovenia 11%, Germany 11%, Hungary 10%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

54% (2023 est.)

government consumption

21.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

58% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-55.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

2.6% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

3% (2023 est.)

industry

18.8% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

61.2% (2023 est.)

$82.689 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

28.9 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

22.3% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$36.256 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$46.664 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$46.571 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

natural gas, refined petroleum, electricity, garments, cars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Italy 14%, Germany 12%, Slovenia 11%, Hungary 7%, US 7% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-0.47% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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) 2021

2.55% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10.78% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

7.94% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

1.744 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

18% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2022

82.08% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$144.425 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$154.574 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$159.305 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

13.04% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.03% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.06% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$37,200 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$40,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$41,300 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

7.23% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

7.51% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

6.89% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$28.309 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$29.726 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$3.176 billion (2023 est.)

21.41% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

7.61% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

6.96% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.06% (2023 est.)

female

22.3% (2023 est.)

male

17.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

19.2% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.563 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

4.907 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

9.474 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

15.944 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

702,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

1,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

702,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

17.111 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

7.226 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

11.92 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.417 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.729 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

biomass and waste

7.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

36.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

geothermal

0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

38.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

16.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

78.371 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

2.502 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

1.038 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

3.006 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

741.456 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

24.919 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

71 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

70,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2020 est.)

total

1,030,973 (2020 est.)

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)

.hr

percent of population

81% (2021 est.)

total

3.321 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line teledensity 31 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions are 108 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

the mobile market is served by three MNOs, supplemented by a number of MVNOs; the network operators have focused on improving ARPU by encouraging prepaid subscribers to migrate to postpaid plans, and on developing revenue from mobile data services; 5G services are widely available, though the sector will only show its full potential later in 2021 following the award of licenses in several bands; this will contribute towards the government’s national broadband plan to 2027, which is tied to the EC’s two allied projects aimed at providing gigabit connectivity by the end of 2025; the broadband sector benefits from effective competition between the DSL and cable platforms, while there are also numerous fiber deployments in urban areas; the number of FttP subscribers broached 134,000 in March 2021. (2021)

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)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

31 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.235 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

111 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

4.48 million (2022 est.)

40 (2024)

9A

4 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 10, general cargo 32, oil tanker 14, other 328

total

384 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

530,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,093,577 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

18

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

2,410 km gas, 610 km oil (2011)

key ports

Bakar, Dubrovnik, Omisalj, Rijeka Luka, Rovinj, Sibenik, Split, Zadar

large

2

ports with oil terminals

8

small

6

total ports

16 (2024)

very small

8

total

2,617 km (2020) 980 km electrified

total

26,958 km (2022)

4,714 km (2022) Danube 2,859 km, Sava 562 km, Drava 505 km, Neretva 20 km, Bosut 151 km, Kupa 296 km, Mura 53 km, Korana 134 km, Lonja 134 km

the Armed Forces of Croatia (OSRH) are responsible for the defense of Croatia’s sovereignty and territory, contributing to international humanitarian, peacekeeping, and security missions, and providing assistance to civil authorities for such missions as responding to disasters, search and rescue, anti-terrorism, and internal security in times of crisis if called upon by the prime minister or the president; Croatia joined NATO in 2009, and the OSRH participates in NATO missions, including its peacekeeping force in Kosovo and the Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Eastern Europe; it also contributes to EU and UN missions; the OSRH trains regularly with NATO and regional partners  the OSRH was established in 1991 from the Croatian National Guard during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-95); during the war, the ground forces grew to as many as 60 brigades and dozens of independent battalions, and a single military offensive against Serbian forces in 1995 included some 100,000 Croatian troops; in 2000, Croatia initiated an effort to modernize and reform the OSRH into a small, professional military capable of meeting the challenges of NATO membership (2024)

Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes Coast Guard), Air Force (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo, HRZ) (2024)

note

note: the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for internal security, including law enforcement (Croatia Police) and border security

approximately 14,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 1,000 joint/other) (2024)

150 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO); 175 Lithuania (NATO; Croatia also has a few hundred personnel participating in several other EU, NATO, and UN missions (2024)

the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet-era (largely from the former Yugoslavia) equipment and a growing amount of more modern, NATO-compatible weapon systems from suppliers such as France, Germany, Turkey, and the US (2024)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

2% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.8% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.8% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 but slated to be reinstated in January 2025 (2024)

note

note: as of 2024, women comprised about 14% of the military's full-time personnel

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets  

note

note: 843,010 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2023)

refugees (country of origin)

24,525 (Ukraine) (as of 29 February 2024)

stateless persons

2,889 (2022)

carbon dioxide emissions

17.49 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

3.98 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

15.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

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

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

global geoparks and regional networks

Biokovo-Imotski Lakes; Papuk; Vis Archipelago (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

3 (2024)

agricultural land

23.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.2% (2018 est.)

forest

34.4% (2018 est.)

other

41.9% (2018 est.)

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.26% of GDP (2018 est.)

105.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

700 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

460 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

58.6% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

1.654 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

269,933 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

16.3% (2015 est.)