Croatia

Republic of CroatiaRepublika Hrvatska

parliamentary democracyIndependence NA June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Croatia as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalZagreb

Area56,538 km2

LocationSoutheastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, bordering the Adriatic Sea,

Populationas each edition published it

4.69 million July 1993 est. · 4.78m in 1992

Population growth% a year

0.07% 1993 est. · -0.53% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 38.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.19 years 1993 est. · 77.7 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.66 children per woman 1993 est. · 1.43 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 10 in 1992

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,600 1991 est. · $42,600 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-25% 1991 est. · 3.8% in 2025

Geography

Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, bordering the Adriatic Sea, | between Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

14 fields

Area

56,538km2

land area: 56,410 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Coastline

5,790km

(mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km)continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

1,843km

total · Bosnia and Herzegovina (east) 751 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina (southeast) 91 km, Hungary 292 km, Serbia and Montenegro 254 km (239 km with Serbia; 15 km with Montenego), Slovenia 455 km

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

Serbian enclaves in eastern Croatia and along the western Bosnia and Herzegovinian border; dispute with Slovenia over fishing rights in Adriatic

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land:: 32%
permanent crops:: 20%
meadows and pastures:: 18%
forest and woodland:: 15%
other:: 15%

Environment

air pollution from metallurgical plants;
damaged forest;
coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste;
subject to frequent and destructive earthquakes

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

4,694,398

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.07% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

11.38Death

10.73Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Croat 78%Serb 12%Muslim 0.9%Hungarian 0.5%Slovenian 0.5%others 8.1%

Religions

Catholic 76.5%Orthodox 11.1%Slavic Muslim 1.2%Protestant 1.4%others and unknown 9.8%

Labor force

1,509,489

by occupation: industry and mining 37%, agriculture 16% (1981 est.), government NA%, other

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 73.19 years
male:: 69.7 years
female:: 76.89 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Croat(s)
adjective:: Croatian

Literacy

total population:: NA%
male:: NA%
female:: NA%

Government

Parliamentary democracy

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Croatia
conventional short form:: Croatia
local long form:: Republika Hrvatska
local short form:: Hrvatska

100 districts (opcine, singular - opcina) Beli Manastir, Biograd (Biograd Na Moru), Bielovar, Bjelovar, Brac, Buje, Buzet, Cabar, Cakovec, Cazma, Cres Losinj, Crikvenica, Daruvar, Delnice, Djakovo (Dakovo), Donja Stubica, Donji Lapac, Dordevac, Drnis, Dubrovnik, Duga Resa, Dugo Selo, Dvor, Garesnica, Glina, Gospic, Gracac, Grubisno Polje, Hvar, Imotski, Ivanec, Ivanic-Grad, Jastrebarsko, Karlovac, Klanjec, Knin, Koprivnica, Korcula, Kostajnica, Krapina, Krizevci, Krk, Kutina, Labin, Lastovo, Ludbreg, Makarska, Metkovic, Nova Gradiska, Novi Marof, Novska, Obrovac, Ogulin, Omis, Opatija, Orahovica, Osijek, Otocac, Ozalj, Pag, Pazin, Petrinja, Ploce (Kardeljevo), Podravska Slatina, Porec, Pregrada, Pukrac, Pula, Rab, Rijeka, Rovinj, Samobor (part of Zagreb), Senj, Sesvete, Sibenik, Sinj, Sisak, Slavonska Pozega, Slavonski Brod, Slunj, Split (Solin, Kastela), Titova Korenica, Trogir, Valpovo, Varazdin, Vinkovci, Virovitica, Vukovar, Vis, Vojnic, Vrborsko, Vrbovec, Vrgin-Most, Vrgorac, Zabok, Zadar, Zagreb (Grad Zagreb), Zelina (Sveti Ivan Zelina), Zlatar Bistrica, Zupanja

Independence

NA June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Constitution

adopted on 2 December 1991

Legal system

based on civil law system

National holiday

Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)

Political parties and leaders

Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Stjepan MESIC, chairman of the council;
Croatian People's Party (HNS), Savka DABCEVIC-KUCAR, president;
Croatian Christian Democratic Party (HKDS), Ivan CESAR, president;
Croatian Party of Rights, Dobroslav PARAGA;
Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen BUDISA, president;
Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), leader NA;
Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), leader NA;
Social-Democratic Party (SDP), leader NA;
Croatian National Party (PNS), leader NA

Other political or pressure groups

Suffrage

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

Elections

President:: last held 4 August 1992 (next to be held NA);
Franjo TUDJMAN reelected with about 56% of the vote;
Dobroslav PARAGA 5%
House of Parishes:: last held 7 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1997);
seats - (68 total; 63 elected, 5 presidentially appointed) HDZ 37, HSLS 16, HSS 5, IDS 3, SDP 1, PNS 1
Chamber of Deputies:: last held NA August 1992 (next to be held NA August 1996); seats - (138 total) 87 HDZ

Executive branch

president, prime minister, deputy prime ministers, cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or House of Parishes (Zupanije Dom) and a lower house or Chamber of Deputies (Predstavnicke Dom)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, Constitutional Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Franjo TUDJMAN (since 30 May 1990)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Nikica VALENTIC (since NA April 1993); Deputy Prime Ministers Mate GRANIC, Vladimir SEKS, Borislav SKEGRO (since NA)

Member of

CEI, CSCE, ECE, ICAO, IMO, IOM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Peter A. SARCEVIC
chancery:: 2356 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:: (202) 543-5586

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: (vacant)
embassy:: Andrije Hebranga 2, Zagreb
mailing address:: AMEMB Unit 25402, APO AE 09213-5080
telephone:: [38] (41) 444-800
FAX:: [38] (41) 440-235

Flag

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

Economy

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$5,600

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

-25%

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -29% (1991 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

50%

(monthly rate, December 1992)

Unemployment rate

20%

(December 1991 est.)

Overview

Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the republic of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area, with a per capita output roughly comparable to that of Portugal and perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average. Croatian Serb Nationalists control approximately one third of the Croatian territory, and one of the overriding determinants of Croatia's long-term political and economic prospects will be the resolution of this territorial dispute. Croatia faces monumental problems stemming; from: the legacy of longtime Communist mismanagement of the economy; large foreign debt; damage during the fighting to bridges, factories, powerlines, buildings, and houses; the large refugee population, both Croatian and Bosnian; and the disruption of economic ties to Serbia and the other former Yugoslav republics, as well as within its own territory. At the minimum, extensive Western aid and investment, especially in the tourist and oil industries, would seem necessary to salvage a desperate economic situation. However, peace and political stability must come first. As of June 1993, fighting continues among Croats, Serbs, and Muslims, and national boundaries and final political arrangements are still in doubt.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $26.3 billion (1991 est.)

Budget

revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports

$2.9 billion (1990)

commodities:: machinery and transport equipment 30%, other manufacturers 37%, chemicals 11%, food and live animals 9%, raw materials 6.5%, fuels and lubricants 5%
partners:: principally the other former Yugoslav republics

Imports

$4.4 billion (1990)

commodities:: machinery and transport equipment 21%, fuels and lubricants 19%, food and live animals 16%, chemicals 14%, manufactured goods 13%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 9%, raw materials 6.5%, beverages and tobacco 1%
partners:: principally other former Yugoslav republics

External debt

$2.6 billion (will assume some part of foreign debt of former Yugoslavia)

Electricity

3,570,000 kW capacity; 11,500 million kWh produced, 2,400 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum reduction, paper, wood products (including furniture), building materials (including cement), textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food processing and beverages

Agriculture

Croatia normally produces a food surplus;
most agricultural land in private hands and concentrated in Croat-majority districts in Slavonia and Istria;
much of Slavonia's land has been put out of production by fighting;
wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflowers, alfalfa, and clover are main crops in Slavonia;
central Croatian highlands are less fertile but support cereal production, orchards, vineyards, livestock breeding, and dairy farming;
coastal areas and offshore islands grow olives, citrus fruits, and vegetables

Economic aid

$NA

Currency

1 Croatian dinar (CD) = 100 paras

Exchange rates

Croatian dinar per US $1 - 60.00 (April 1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Networkskm

Highways

32,071Railroads

2,592Inland waterways

785

Highways: ; 23,305 km paved, 8,439 km gravel, 327 km earth (1990); note - key highways note disrupted because of territorial dispute · Railroads: (1.435 m) of which 864 km are electrified (1992); note - disrupted by territorial dispute

Railroads

2,592 km of standard guage (1.435 m) of which 864 km are electrified (1992); note - disrupted by territorial dispute

Highways

32,071 km total;
23,305 km paved, 8,439 km gravel, 327 km earth (1990);
note - key highways note disrupted because of territorial dispute

18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 77,074 GRT/93,052 DWT;
includes 4 cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 10 passenger ferries, 2 bulk, 1 oil tanker;
note - also controlled by Croatian shipowners are 198 ships (1,000 GRT or over) under flags of convenience - primarily Malta and St. Vincent - totaling 2,602,678 GRT/4,070,852 DWT;
includes 89 cargo, 9 roll-on/ roll-off, 6 refrigerated cargo, 14 container, 3 multifunction large load carriers, 51 bulk, 5 passenger, 11 oil tanker, 4 chemical tanker, 6 service vessel

Airports

total:: 75
usable:: 72
with permanent-surface runways:: 15
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 10
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 5

Telecommunications

350,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 14 AM, 8 FM, 12 (2 repeaters) TV;
1,100,000 radios;
1,027,000 TVs;
NA submarine coaxial cables;
satellite ground stations - none

Defense Forces

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

3 fields

Branches

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 1,177,029;
fit for military service 943,259;
reach military age (19) annually 32,873 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

337-393 billion Croatian dinars, NA% of GDP (1993 est.);
note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Central Intelligence Agency. “Croatia.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/croatia/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →