2023 Edition

Background

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 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 April 2009 and the EU in July 2013. In January 2023, Croatia further integrated into the EU by joining the Eurozone and the Schengen Area.

Area

land

55,974 sq km

total

56,594 sq km

water

620 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

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

Elevation

highest point

Dinara 1,831 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

mean elevation

331 m

Geographic coordinates

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Geography - note

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

171 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

2,237 km

Land use

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.)

Location

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, 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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

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

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

Age structure

0-14 years

13.98% (male 300,575/female 282,165)

15-64 years

63.39% (male 1,319,878/female 1,322,953)

65 years and over

22.63% (2023 est.) (male 391,632/female 552,036)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

8.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

7.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

13 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

34.4

potential support ratio

2.9 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.5

youth dependency ratio

22.1

Drinking water source

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

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Croat 90.4%, Serb 4.4%, other 4.4% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Romani), unspecified 0.8% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.71 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

5.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

8.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Croatian (official) 95.6%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3% (including Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Albanian), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.8 years

male

74.4 years

total population

77.5 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.2% (2021)

male

99.7%

total population

99.4%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2023)

vectorborne diseases

tickborne encephalitis

Major urban areas - population

684,000 ZAGREB (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

46.7 years

male

42.9 years

total

44.8 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

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)

Net migration rate

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.4% (2016)

Physicians density

3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

4,169,239 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

-0.47% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2020)

male

14 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

36.1% (2020 est.)

male

37.6% (2020 est.)

total

36.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

58.6% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

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

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

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

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Mark FLEMING (since May 2021)

email address and website

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

embassy

Ulica Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb

FAX

[385] (1) 661-8933

mailing address

5080 Zagreb Place, Washington DC  20521-5080

telephone

[385] (1) 661-2200

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Pjer SIMUNOVIC (since 8 September 2017)

consulate(s)

Anchorage (AL), Houston, Kansas City (MO), New Orleans, Pittsburgh (PA)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

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

FAX

[1] (202) 588-8937

telephone

[1] (202) 588-5899

Executive branch

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); Deputy Prime Ministers Tomo MEDVED (since 23 July 2020), Davor BOZINOVIC (since 12 July 2019), Oleg BUTKOVIC (since 15 July 2022), Branko BACIC (since 17 January 2023), Anja SIMPRAG (since 29 April 2022)

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

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)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal 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

Legislative branch

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

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%, NS-R 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, NS-R 1, national minorities 8; composition as of January 2021 - men 103, women 48, percent of women 31.8%

elections

early election held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held by 2024)

note

note: seats by party as of March 2021 - HDZ 62, SDP 33, DP 9, Most 6, Croatian Sovereignists 4, We Can! 4, IDS 3, SDSS 3, HSS 2, HSLS 2, BZH 1, Center 1, FOKUS 1, GLAS 1, HDS 1, HSU 1, NL 1, Reformists 1, SSIP 1, RF 1, independent 12

National anthem

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

National heritage

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)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

Bloc for Croatia or BLOK or BZH [Zlatko HASANBEGOVIC]The Bridge or Most [Bozo PETROV] (formerly the Bridge of Independent Lists)Center or Centar [Ivica PULJAK] (formerly Pametno and Party with a First and Last Name or SSIP) Civic Liberal Alliance or GLAS [Ankar Mrak TARITAS]Croatian Demochristian Party or HDS [Goran DODIG]Croatian Democratic Alliance 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 Party of Pensioners or HSU [Veselko GABRICEVIC]Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Kreso BELJAK]Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats or HNS-LD [Mirko KOROTAJ, acting]Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Dario HREBAK]Croatian Sovereignists or HS [Marijan PAVLICEK]Focus on the Important or Focus [Davor NADI]Green-Left coalition [collective leadership] (includes MOZEMO!, NL)Homeland Movement or DP [Ivan PENAVA] (also known as Miroslav Škoro Homeland Movement or DPMS)Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Milorad PUPOVAC]Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Dalibor PAUS]New Left or NL [Ivana KEKIN]People's Party - Reformists or NS-R [Radimir CACIC]Restart Coalition (includes SDP, HSS, HSU, GLAS, IDS, NS-R)Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Peda GRBIN]We Can! or Mozemo! [collective leadership]Workers' Front or RF [collective leadership]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

maize, wheat, sugar beet, milk, barley, soybeans, potatoes, pork, grapes, sunflower seed

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

23% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$211.069 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$212.81 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

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

Current account balance 2019

$1.7 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$184.775 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$2.082 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$51.176 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$48.263 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

0.885 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.847 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

note

note: Prior to 1 January 2023, Croatia used the kuna as its currency, and it is currently accepting both currencies until 15 January 2023. However, kuna users will receive change in euros, and the exchange rate has been fixed at 7.53450 kuna to 1 euro. Persons may exchange currencies at Croatian post offices until 30 June 2023, free-of-charge, and at any Croatian bank until 31 December  2023.

Exports

Exports 2019

$31.504 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$24.007 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$35.308 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, electricity, electrical transformers (2021)

Exports - partners

Italy 13%, Germany 13%, Slovenia 10%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9%, Austria 6%, Serbia 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

51.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption

19.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

57.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-48.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3.7% (2017 est.)

industry

26.2% (2017 est.)

services

70.1% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$60.687 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

28.9 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

2.7%

Imports

Imports 2019

$31.793 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$27.954 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$36.331 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, cars, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, electricity (2019)

Imports - partners

Italy 14%, Germany 14%, Slovenia 11%, Hungary 7%, Austria 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

9.11% (2021 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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.77% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.15% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.55% (2021 est.)

Labor force

1.742 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

18.3% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2018

89.45% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

87.08% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

104.89% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$119.327 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$109.088 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$123.348 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

3.42% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-8.58% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

13.07% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$29,400 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$27,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$31,600 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$20.771 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$23.254 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$28.309 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.6% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

6.62% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

7.51% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

8.68% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

26.3%

male

21.8%

total

23.6% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.674 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

5.678 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

9.4 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

16.752 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

643,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

2,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

644,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

16,790,680,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

5.852 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

10.491 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

4.94 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.659 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

9.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

41% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

31.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

16.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

89.733 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

3,009,113,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

34.462 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports

2,131,802,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

851.005 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

24.919 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

65,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

71 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

71,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

12,200 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

40,530 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

35,530 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

74,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2020 est.)

total

1,030,973 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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

.hr

Internet users

percent of population

81% (2021 est.)

total

3.321 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

31 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1,268,941 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

108 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

4,402,213 (2021 est.)

Airports

69 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

24

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

45

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9A

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 12, general cargo 33, oil tanker 14, other 317

total

376 (2022)

National air transport system

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)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Krk Island

major seaport(s)

Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split

oil terminal(s)

Omisalj

river port(s)

Vukovar (Danube)

Railways

total

2,617 km (2020) 980 km electrified

Roadways

total

26,958 km (2015) (includes 1,416 km of expressways)

Waterways

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

Military - note

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; the current 15,000-strong military’s principal combat forces are two mechanized infantry brigades, a small joint service special operations command, a flotilla of missile boats and coastal patrol vessels, and a squadron of Soviet-era fighter aircraft that are in the process of being replaced by more modern French aircraft  (2023)

Military and security forces

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 and Air Defense Forces; Military Police Force (2023)

note

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

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 2,000 joint/other) (2023)

Military deployments

150 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO) (2023)

note

note: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Croatia has acquired some limited numbers of more modern weapon systems from Western suppliers, including France, Germany, and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.6% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

2% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2023)

note

note: as of 2021, women comprised nearly 15% of the military's full-time personnel

Disputes - international

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; Croatia joined the Schengen Zone on 1 January 2023

Illicit drugs

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

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

refugees (country of origin)

23,995 (Ukraine) (as of 1 December 2023)

stateless persons

2,889 (2022)

Air pollutants

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.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Land use

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.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, 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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.26% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

105.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

700 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

460 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

58.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

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.)