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. In April 2009, Croatia joined NATO; it is a candidate for eventual EU accession.

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

45 10 N, 15 30 E

Europe

slightly smaller than West Virginia

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

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

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

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

310 sq km (2008)

105.5 cu km (1998)

destructive earthquakes

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

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

4,483,804 (July 2011 est.)

-0.076% (2011 est.)

9.6 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

11.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

ZAGREB (capital) 685,000 (2009)

1.43 children born/woman (2011 est.)

less than 0.1% (2009 est.)

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 97% of population

total: 99% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 3% of population

total: 1% of population (2008)

urban: 99% of population

rural: 98% of population

total: 99% of population

urban: 1% of population

rural: 2% of population

total: 1% of population (2008)

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

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

4.6% of GDP (2009)

presidential/parliamentary democracy

20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska, Brodsko-Posavska, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria), Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka, Krapinsko-Zagorska, Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska, Osjecko-Baranjska, Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska, Sibensko-Kninska, Sisacko-Moslavacka, Splitsko-Dalmatinska (Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska, Viroviticko-Podravska, Vukovarsko-Srijemska, Zadarska, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka

25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Independence Day, 8 October (1991); 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

adopted 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

civil law system based on Yugoslav civil codes; note - Croatian legislation is changing the former Yugoslav legal model

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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

Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Vladimir SISLJAGIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Jadranka KOSOR]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Radimir CACIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Darinko KOSOR]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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, they are (from left to right): Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia

Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6% led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit and uneven regional development. The state retains a large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff public and political resistance. 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. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform. While long term growth prospects for the economy remain strong, Croatia will face significant pressure as a result of the global financial crisis. Croatia's high foreign debt, anemic export sector, strained state budget, and over-reliance on tourism revenue will result in higher risk to economic stability over the medium term.

$78.09 billion (2010 est.)

$79.18 billion (2009 est.)

$84.06 billion (2008 est.)

$60.59 billion (2010 est.)

-1.4% (2010 est.)

-5.8% (2009 est.)

2.4% (2008 est.)

$17,400 (2010 est.)

$17,600 (2009 est.)

$18,700 (2008 est.)

1.762 million (2010 est.)

17.6% (2010 est.)

16.1% (2009 est.)

17% (2008)

29 (2008)

29 (1998)

22.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

55% of GDP (2010 est.)

46.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

1.3% (2010 est.)

2.4% (2009 est.)

9% (31 December 2009)

9% (31 December 2008)

11.55% (31 December 2009 est.)

10.07% (31 December 2008 est.)

$8.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$8.964 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$40.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$42.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$48.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$48.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$25.64 billion (31 December 2009)

$26.79 billion (31 December 2008)

$65.98 billion (31 December 2007)

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

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

-0.9% (2010 est.)

11.49 billion kWh (2008 est.)

18 billion kWh (2008 est.)

5.668 billion kWh (2008 est.)

12.24 billion kWh (2008 est.)

23,960 bbl/day (2009 est.)

106,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

43,750 bbl/day (2007 est.)

122,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

73.35 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

2.847 billion cu m (2009 est.)

3.205 billion cu m (2009 est.)

695.5 million cu m (2009 est.)

1.22 billion cu m (2009 est.)

30.58 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-2.312 billion (2010 est.)

$-3.247 billion (2009 est.)

$11.51 billion (2010 est.)

$10.72 billion (2009 est.)

transport equipment, machinery, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Italy 19.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.98%, Germany 11.06%, Slovenia 7.47%, Austria 5.44%, Serbia 5.41% (2009)

$20.93 billion (2010 est.)

$21 billion (2009 est.)

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

Italy 15.46%, Germany 13.57%, Russia 9.29%, China 6.83%, Slovenia 5.75%, Austria 5.04% (2009)

$13.79 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$14.89 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$59.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$62.41 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$34.63 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$32.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$6.334 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$5.934 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

kuna (HRK) per US dollar -

5.6356 (2010)

5.2692 (2009)

4.98 (2008)

5.3735 (2007)

5.8625 (2006)

1.859 million (2009)

6.035 million (2009)

the national state-owned public broadcaster, Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), operates 2 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; about 15 privately-owned regional TV stations; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; state-owned public broadcaster operates 3 national radio networks and a number of regional radio stations; 2 privately-owned national radio networks and a large number of regional, county, city, and community radio stations (2007)

.hr

1.287 million (2010)

2.234 million (2009)

69 (2010)

1 (2010)

gas 1,686 km; oil 532 km (2010)

785 km (2009)

Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibernik, Split, Vukovar (on Danube River)

Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH), consists of five major commands directly subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes coast guard), Air Force and Air Defense Command, Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2010)

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; 16 years of age with parental consent; 6-month service obligation; conscription abolished 1 January 2008 (2010)

2.39% of GDP (2005 est.)

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; 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 unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a European Union peripheral state, Slovenia imposed a hard border Schengen regime with non-member Croatia in December 2007

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 (2008)