Croatia

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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.

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

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45 10 N, 15 30 E

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Europe

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slightly smaller than West Virginia

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

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

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

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

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170 sq km (2022)

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Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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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

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destructive earthquakes

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controls most land routes from Western Europe to the Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia -- some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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

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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.)

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-0.53% (2025 est.)

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8.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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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

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684,000 ZAGREB (capital) (2023)

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29 years (2020 est.)

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3 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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1.43 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.69 (2025 est.)

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3.91 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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5.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

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24.4% (2016)

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50.1% (2021 est.)

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air pollution in urban areas, as well as emissions from neighboring countries; surface water pollution in the Danube River Basin

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

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15.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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105.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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parliamentary republic

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20 counties (<em>zupanije</em>, singular - <em>zupanija</em>) and 1 city* (<em>grad </em>- 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)

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civil law system influenced by legal heritage of Austria-Hungary

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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<strong>note:</strong> an 11-member Constitutional Court has jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues, but it is outside the judicial system

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Bosniaks Together<br>The Bridge or MOST (formerly the Bridge of Independent Lists)<br>Croatia Romani Union Kali Sara (SRRH)<br>Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ<br>Democratic Union of Hungarians in Croatia (DZMH)<br>Focus or Fokus<br>Homeland Movement or DP (also known as Miroslav Škoro Homeland Movement or DPMS)<br>Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS <br>Independent Platform of the North (NPS)<br>Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS<br>Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP<br>We Can! or Mozemo! 

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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

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

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<strong>note:</strong> 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; the legislature adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

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Statehood Day (National Day), 30 May (1990)

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<strong>note:</strong> marks the day in 1990 that the first modern multi-party Croatian parliament convened

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<strong>description:</strong> three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue -- the pan-Slav colors -- with the Croatian coat of arms in the center, which consists of a main shield (a checkerboard of 13 red and 12 silver fields) with five smaller shields that form a crown over the main shield<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the small shields represent the five historic regions (from left to right): Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia<br><br><strong>history:</strong> Russia's 19th-century flag inspired the pan-Slav colors

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red-and-white checkerboard

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red, white, blue

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<p>upper-middle-income Balkan economy; newest euro user (introduced in 2023); increased investments from EU structural funds and tourism sector contributing to strong but moderating economic growth; declining energy prices and restrictive monetary policy easing inflation; historically low unemployment rate with labor shortages within services and manufacturing sectors</p>

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$92.526 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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

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

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maize, wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, soybeans, sunflower seeds, potatoes, pork, grapes (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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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

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2.1% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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1.733 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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18% (2021 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

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21.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Italy 14%, Germany 11%, Slovenia 11%, Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina 6%, Austria 6% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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ships, garments, electricity, packaged medicine, wood (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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Italy 14%, Germany 14%, Slovenia 11%, Hungary 6%, Austria 5% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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refined petroleum, cars, garments, natural gas, crude petroleum (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

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<strong>note:</strong> 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.

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the national state-owned public broadcaster, Croatian Radiotelevision, operates 4 terrestrial TV networks, a satellite channel that rebroadcasts programs for Croatians overseas, and 6 regional TV centers; 2 private broadcasters with 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)

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.hr

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9A

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45 (2025)

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7 (2025)

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Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Croatian Army (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Croatian Navy (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes Coast Guard), Croatian Air Force (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo, HRZ) (2025)

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

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approximately 15,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

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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, T&uuml;rkiye, and the US (2025)

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18-29 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2008 but will be reinstated in 2026 when it will become mandatory for men aged 19-29 to undergo two months of basic military training (2025)

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

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150 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO); also has a few hundred personnel participating in several other EU, NATO, and UN missions (2025)

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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  <br><br>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 (2025)