2000 Edition

Background

In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became an 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.

Area

land

56,410 sq km

total

56,538 sq km

water

128 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

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

Coastline

5,790 km (mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Dinara 1,830 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, 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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

Geographic coordinates

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia and Montenegro 266 km (241 km with Serbia; 25 km with Montenegro), Slovenia 670 km

total

2,197 km

Land use

arable land

21%

forests and woodland

38%

other

19% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

2%

permanent pastures

20%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

frequent and destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 396,484; female 376,267) 15-64 years: 67% (male 1,445,101; female 1,420,159) 65 years and over: 15% (male 238,853; female 405,352) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

12.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Croat 78.1%, Serb 12.2%, Muslim 0.9%, Hungarian 0.5%, Slovenian 0.5%, Czech 0.4%, Albanian 0.3%, Montenegrin 0.3%, Roma 0.2%, others 6.6% (1991)

Infant mortality rate

7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German)

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.51 years (2000 est.)

male

70.04 years

total population

73.67 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95% (1991 est.)

male

99%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

Croatian

noun

Croat(s)

Net migration rate

7.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

4,282,216 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.93% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 76.5%, Orthodox 11.1%, Muslim 1.2%, Protestant 0.4%, others and unknown 10.8% (1991)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.94 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular), 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

Zagreb

Constitution

adopted on 22 December 1990

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Croatia

conventional short form

Croatia

local long form

Republika Hrvatska

local short form

Hrvatska

Data code

HR

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador William D. MONTGOMERY

embassy

Andrije Hebranga 2, Zagreb

mailing address

use street address

telephone

(1) 455-55-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Miomir ZUZUL

telephone

(202) 588-5899

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the president and the House of Representatives

chief of state

President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000)

election results

Stjepan MESIC elected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 56%, Drazen BUDISA (HSLS) 44%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 7 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Ivica RACAN (since 27 January 2000); Deputy Prime Ministers Goran GRANIC (since NA February 2000), Zeljka ANTUNOVIC (since NA February 2000), Slavko LINIC (since NA February 2000)

note

government coalition - SDP, HSLS, HSS, LP, HNS, IDS

FAX

(202) 588-8936

(1) 455-85-85

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York

Flag description

red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Government type

presidential/parliamentary democracy

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

International organization participation

BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

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

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

bicameral Assembly or Sabor consists of the House of Counties or Zupanijski Dom (68 seats - 63 directly elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives or the Zastupnicki Dom (151 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

House of Counties - 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 - NA; seats by party - HDZ 46, SDP 44, HSLS 24, HSS 17, HSP/HKDU 5, IDS 4, HNS 2, independents 4, others 5

elections

House of Counties - last held 13 April 1997 (next to be held NA 2001); House of Representatives - last held 2-3 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

National holiday

Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)

Political parties and leaders

Action of the Social Democrats of Croatia or ASH ; Alliance of Croatian Coast and Mountains Department or PGS ; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU ; Croatian Democratic Independents or HND ; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ ; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP ; Croatian Party of Rights 1861 or HSP 1861 ; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's Party or HNS ; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS ; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS ; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS ; Liberal Party or LP ; Party of Democratic Action or SDA ; Primorje Gorski Kotar Alliance ; Serbian National Party or SNS ; Slanvonsko-Baranja Croatian Party or SBHS ; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP

note

the Social Democratic Party or SDP and the Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS formed a coalition as did the HSS, HNS, LP, and IDS, which together defeated the Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ in the 2000 lower house parliamentary election

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$4.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)

revenues

$6 billion

Currency

1 Croatian kuna (HRK) = 100 lipas

Debt - external

$8.1 billion (October 1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

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. The recession that began at the end of 1998 continued through most of 1999, and GDP growth for the year was flat. Inflation remained in check and the kuna was stable. The death of President TUDJMAN in December 1999, and the defeat of his ruling Coatian Democratic Union or HDZ party in parliamentary and presidential elections in January 2000 has ushered in a new government committed to economic reform but faced with the challenge of halting the economic decline.

Electricity - consumption

12.949 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

900 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

5 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

9.515 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

42.72%

hydro

57.28%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Croatian kuna per US$1 - 7.591 (January 2000), 7.112 (1999), 6.362 (1998), 6.157 (1997), 5.434 (1996), 5.230 (1995)

Exports

$4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners

Italy 21%, Germany 18%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 15%, Slovenia 12% (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

10%

industry

24%

services

66% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,100 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$8.4 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Slovenia 8%, Austria 8% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (1999 est.)

Industries

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)

4.4% (1999)

Labor force

1.65 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

20% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios

1.51 million (1997)

Telephone system

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

digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in the TEL 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 (2000)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.477 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

187,000 (yearend 1998)

Television broadcast stations

36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions

1.22 million (1997)

Airports

67 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

22 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: 8 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 36 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

23,497 km (including 330 km of expressways)

total

27,840 km

unpaved

4,343 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 15, cargo 25, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 5, container 5, liquified gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 4, short-sea passenger 3 (1999 est.)

total

65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 818,887 GRT/1,232,803 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 670 km; petroleum products 20 km; natural gas 310 km (1992); note - under repair following territorial dispute

Ports and harbors

Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Railways

note

some lines remain inoperative or not in use; disrupted by territorial dispute (1997)

standard gauge

2,296 km 1.435-m gauge (983 km electrified)

total

2,296 km

Waterways

785 km perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris

Military branches

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Frontier Guard, Home Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$950 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,086,805 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 860,023 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

30,022 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

Eastern Slavonia, which was held by ethnic Serbs during the ethnic conflict between the Croats and the Serbs, 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 World War II 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

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