Croatia

Republic of CroatiaRepublika Hrvatska

presidential/parliamentary democracyIndependence 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Croatia as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 129 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, UTC+1
Position45 10 N, 15 30 E
Area56,542 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
2006

Every edition of Croatia

Populationas each edition published it
4.49 million July 2006 est. · 4.78m in 1992
Population growth% a year
-0.03% 2006 est. · 0.07% in 1993
Median ageyears
40.3 years 2006 est. · 38.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
74.68 years 2006 est. · 73.19 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.4 children per woman 2006 est. · 1.66 in 1993
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
6.72 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 10 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$12,400 2005 est. · $5,600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
4.3% 2005 est. · -25% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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 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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 56,542 sq km

arable land 25.82%permanent crops 2.19%other 71.99% (2005)irrigated 110 sq km (2003)
Area
56,542sq km
land: 56,414 sq kmwater: 128 sq kmslightly smaller than West Virginia
Coastline
5,835km
(mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Highest point
1,830m
Dinaralowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
2,197km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

45 10 N, 15 30 E

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 coastline and islands

Natural resources

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

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues

  • air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests;
  • coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste;
  • landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note

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

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

288,480
65 and over16.8%
465,098
1,497,958
15-6467%
1,515,314
373,638
0-1416.2%
354,261
MaleFemale
Population
4,494,749
(July 2006 est.)growth rate: -0.03% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth
9.61Death
11.48Net migration
1.58

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)74.68
71.03 · 78.53Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)6.72
6.7 · 6.74
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)98.5%
99.4% · 97.8%Median age years (2006 est.)40.3
38.3 · 42.1
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups(2001 census)

Croat 89.6%Serb 4.5%other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Religions(2001 census)

Roman Catholic 87.8%Orthodox 4.4%other Christian 0.4%Muslim 1.3%other and unspecified 0.9%none 5.2% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.62 male(s)/female
total population:
0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Croat(s), Croatian(s)
adjective:
Croatian

Languages

Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Government

Presidential/parliamentary democracy; President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000); Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December 2003)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

66%
Stjepan MESIC 66%Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) in the second round 34%election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010)

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Croatia
conventional short form:
Croatia
local long form:
Republika Hrvatska
local short form:
Hrvatska
former:
People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Government type

presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital

name:
Zagreb
geographic coordinates:
45 48 N, 15 58 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 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

Independence

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday

  • Independence Day, 8 October (1991);
  • note - 25 June 1991 is 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

Constitution

adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Suffrage

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

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000)
head of government:
Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December 2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary Assembly
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
  • election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010);
  • the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly
election results:
Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34% in the second round

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4, Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11

note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court;
  • Constitutional Court;
  • judges for both courts appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders

  • Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC];
  • Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC];
  • Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER];
  • Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
  • Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC];
  • Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN];
  • Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]);
  • Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC];
  • Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN];
  • Democratic Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT];
  • Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC];
  • Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC];
  • Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Neven JURICA
chancery:
2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 588-5899
FAX:
[1] (202) 588-8936
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE
embassy:
2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb
mailing address:
use street address
telephone:
[385] (1) 661-2200
FAX:
[385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy

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.

46 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$55.79billion
(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $34.94 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$12,400
(2005 est.)
Real growth rate
4.3%
(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 5.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)

agriculture 7%industry 30.8%services 62.2% (2005 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

21.8%
Italy
15.9%
10.7%
Germany
14.9%
14.7%
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Russia
9.1%
8.1%
Slovenia
6.8%
7.3%
Austria
5.8%
China
4.7%
France
4.2%
Exports $10.3 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)Imports $18.93 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues
$17.69 billionExpenditures
$19.35 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

Electricity production
11.15 billion (2003)Electricity consumption
15.81 billion (2003)Electricity exports
550 million (2003)Electricity imports
5.99 billion (2003)

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. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.

Unemployment remains high, at about 18%, with structural factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. Growth, while impressive at about 3% to 4% for the last several years, has been stimulated, in part, through high fiscal deficits and rapid credit growth. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.

Labor force

1.71 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
2.7%
industry:
32.8%
services:
64.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate

18% official rate; labor force surveys indicate unemployment around 14% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.4%
highest 10%:
24.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

28.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Public debt

49.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

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

Oil - production

20,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

90,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production

1.85 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

2.99 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

24.72 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance

$-2.541 billion (2005 est.)

Exports

$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports

$18.93 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

$30.62 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $166.5 million (2002)

Currency (code)

kuna (HRK)

Exchange rates

kuna per US dollar - 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002), 8.34 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
2.984 million
(2005)
Internet users
18,825
(2006)
Fixed lines
1,889,500
(2005) · country code .hr

Telephone system

general assessment:
NA
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:
  • country code - 385;
  • digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb;
  • Croatia participates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic 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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Internet users

1,451,100 (2005)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2
over 3,047 m
6
2,438 to 3,047 m
2
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
4
914 to 1,523 m
7
9
under 914 m
37
Paved 23Unpaved 45

Networkskm

Roadways
28,344Railways
2,726Waterways
785 (2006)
Roadways: paved: 24,186 km (including 742 km of expressways) · unpaved: 4,158 km (2004) · Railways: standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)

Airports

68 (2006)

Heliports

2 (2006)

Pipelines

gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2006)

Railways

total:
2,726 km
standard gauge:
2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways

total:
28,344 km
paved:
24,186 km (including 742 km of expressways)
unpaved:
4,158 km (2004)

Merchant marine

total:
72 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,079,286 GRT/1,724,698 DWT
by type:
bulk carrier 22, cargo 11, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3
registered in other countries:
36 (Belize 1, Cyprus 2, Liberia 7, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9) (2006)

Ports and terminals

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Military

6 fields

Military branches

  • Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO), Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command;
  • Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service, with six-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service (December 2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49:
1,005,058
females age 18-49:
1,008,511 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:
725,914
females age 18-49:
823,611 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
29,020
females age 18-49:
27,897 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - international

  • discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement;
  • the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute;
  • as a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2005)

Illicit drugs

  • transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe;
  • has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

Central Intelligence Agency. “Croatia.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/croatia/2006.

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