The World Factbook
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People and Society

Population

4,169,239 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking : 129

Nationality

noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)

adjective: Croatian

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

Ethnic groups

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

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 Äinjenica, nuÅ¾an izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Croatian audio sample :

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.)

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)

2023 population pyramid :

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 56.5

youth dependency ratio: 22.1

elderly dependency ratio: 34.4

potential support ratio: 2.9 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 44.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 42.9 years

female: 46.7 years

comparison ranking : total 22

Population growth rate

-0.47% (2023 est.)

comparison ranking : 220

Birth rate

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

comparison ranking : 207

Death rate

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

comparison ranking : 13

Net migration rate

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

comparison ranking : 118

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

Urbanization

urban population: 58.6% of total population (2023)

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

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

684,000 ZAGREB (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

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

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

comparison ranking : 169

Infant mortality rate

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

male: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking : total 142

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.5 years (2023 est.)

male: 74.4 years

female: 80.8 years

comparison ranking : total population 86

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)

comparison ranking : 204

Gross reproduction rate

0.71 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Drinking water source

improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

7.8% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

3.47 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density

5.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 98.4% of population

total: 99% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 1.6% of population

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate (2023)

vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

24.4% (2016)

comparison ranking : 59

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 4.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 3.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking : total 25

Tobacco use

total: 36.9% (2020 est.)

male: 37.6% (2020 est.)

female: 36.1% (2020 est.)

comparison ranking : total 11

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.8% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

comparison ranking : 60

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.4%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.2% (2021)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2020)

Government

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

etymology: name derives from the Croats, a Slavic tribe who migrated to the Balkans in the 7th century A.D.

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Zagreb

geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 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

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)"

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)

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)

National holiday

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

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1990

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

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Zoran MILANOVIC (since 18 February 2020)

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)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly

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

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%

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

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

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%

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

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

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)Â

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 Å koro 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]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Pjer SIMUNOVIC (since 8 September 2017)

chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899

FAX: [1] (202) 588-8937

email address and website:

washington@mvep.hr

https://mvep.gov.hr/embassy-114969/114969

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle (WA), Washington, DC

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); ChargÃ© d'Affaires Mark FLEMING (since May 2021)

embassy: Ulica Thomasa Jeffersona 2, 10010 Zagreb

mailing address: 5080 Zagreb Place, Washington DCÂ 20521-5080

telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200

FAX: [385] (1) 661-8933

email address and website:

ZagrebACS@state.gov

https://hr.usembassy.gov/

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: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

National symbol(s)

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

National anthem

name: "Lijepa nasa domovino" (Our Beautiful Homeland)

lyrics/music: Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN

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

total World Heritage Sites: 10 (8 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Plitvice Lakes National Park (n); Historic Split (c); Old City of Dubrovnik (c); Euphrasian Basilica; Historic Trogir (c); Å ibenik Cathedral (c); Stari Grad Plain (c); Zadar and Fort St. Nikola Venetian Defense Works (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); SteÄci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c)

Military and Security

Military expenditures

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

2% of GDP (2021)

1.7% of GDP (2020)

1.6% of GDP (2019)

comparison ranking : 69

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 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 service age and obligation

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

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

Military deployments

150 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO) (2023)

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

Military - note

the Armed Forces of Croatia (OSRH) are responsible for the defense of Croatiaâs 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 Â

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 militaryâs 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 aircraftÂ (2023)