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

Geographic coordinates: 45 10 N 15 30 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 56,594 km²
Rank: 126
Land: 55,974 km²
Water: 620 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries
Total: 1982 km
Border countries: (5) Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km; Hungary 329 km; Serbia 241 km; Montenegro 25 km; Slovenia 455 km

Coastline: 5,835 km (mainland 1777 km islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Dinara 1831 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 25.82%
Permanent crops: 2.19%
Other: 71.99% (2005)

Irrigated land: 110 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 105.5 km³ (1998)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Geography
Note: controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1200 islands islets ridges and rocks

Population: 4,486,881 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 123
Growth rate: -0.061% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 204
Below poverty line: 17% (2008)

Nationality
Noun: Croat Croatian
Adjective: Croatian

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

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

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.6%
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,506,364/female 1,522,789)
65 years and over: 17% (male 295,960/female 465,838) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 41.2 years
Male: 39.3 years
Female: 43 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.061% (2010 est.)
Rank: 204

Birth rate: 9.63 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 201

Death rate: 11.83 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 33

Net migration rate: 1.59 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 46

Urbanization
Urban population: 57% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.055 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.26 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 175
Male: 6.33 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.2 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.58 years
Rank: 80
Male: 71.95 years
Female: 79.4 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.43 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 195

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 165
People living with hivaids: 200 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 160
Deaths: fewer than 10 (2001 est.)
Deaths rank: 154

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible r

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 112

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.1%
Male: 99.3%
Female: 97.1% (2001 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2007)

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 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

Administrative divisions: 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

Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: 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

Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000 2001

Legal system: based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age 16 if employed; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ivo JOSIPOVIC
Head of government: Prime Minister Jadranka KOSOR (since 6 July 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Bozidar PANKRETIC (since 6 July 2009) Darko MILINOVIC (since 13 November 2009) Domagoj Ivan MILOSEVIC (since 29 December 2010) Petar COBANKOVIC (since 29 December 2010) Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008) Gordan JANDROKOVIC (since 29 December 2010)
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 on 10 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2015); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the assembly
Election results: Ivo JOSIPOVIC elected president; percent of vote in the second round - Ivo JOSIPOVIC 60% Milan BANDIC 40%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 25 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66 SDP 57 HNS 6 HSS 6 HDSSB 3 IDS 3 SDSS 3 other 9

Judicial branch: 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

Political parties and leaders: 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]

International organization participation: Australia Group BIS BSEC (observer) CE CEI EAPC EBRD EU (applicant) FAO G-11 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt 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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC
In the us chancery: 2,343 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 588-5,899
In the us fax: [1] (202) 588-8,936
In the us consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY
From the us embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street 10,010 Zagreb
From the us mailing address: use street address
From the us telephone: [385] (1) 661-2,200
From the us fax: [385] (1) 661-2,373

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 they are (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 anthem
Name: 'Lijepa nasa domovino'
Lyricsmusic: Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN
Note: adopted 1972; 'Lijepa nasa domovino' whose lyrics were written in 1835 served as an unofficial anthem beginning in 1891

Economy overview: 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 79
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 201

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 67
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.8%
Industry: 27.2%
Services: 66% (2010 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

Industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (2010 est.)
Rank: 157

Labor force: 1.762 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 124
By occupation agriculture: 5%
By occupation industry: 31.3%
By occupation services: 63.6% (2008)

Unemployment rate: 16.1% (2009 est.)
Rank: 160

Population below poverty line: 17% (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.6%
Highest 10: 23.1% (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 29 (1998)
Rank: 116

Public debt: 46.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 44

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.4% (2009 est.)
Rank: 29

Central bank discount rate: 9% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 51

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 10.07% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 90

Stock of narrow money: $8.964 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 75

Stock of broad money: $42.59 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 69

Stock of domestic credit: $48.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 64

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 55

Current account balance: -$3.247 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 159

Exports: $10.72 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 81
Commodities: transport equipment machinery textiles chemicals foodstuffs fuels
Partners: Italy 19.1% Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.98% Germany 11.06% Slovenia 7.47% Austria 5.44% Serbia 5.41% (2009)

Imports: $21 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 69
Commodities: machinery transport and electrical equipment; chemicals fuels and lubricants; foodstuffs
Partners: Italy 15.46% Germany 13.57% Russia 9.29% China 6.83% Slovenia 5.75% Austria 5.04% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $14.89 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 49

Debt external: $62.41 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 49

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $32.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 59

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $5.934 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 56

Exchange rates: kuna (HRK) per US dollar - 5.6356 (2010) 5.271 (2009) 4.98 (2008) 5.3735 (2007) 5.8625 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 11.49 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 87
Consumption: 18 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 72
Exports: 5.668 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 12.24 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 2.847 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 56
Consumption: 3.205 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 72
Exports: 695.5 million m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 39
Imports: 1.22 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 54
Proven reserves: 30.58 billion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 69

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.859 million (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 59
Mobile cellular: 6.035 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 84

Telephone system
General assessment: the telecommunications network has improved steadily since the mid-1990s; local lines are digital
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions exceed the population
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 2 fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2009)

Broadcast media: 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)

Internet
Country code: .hr
Hosts: 1.287 million (2010)
Hosts rank: 38
Users: 2.234 million (2009)
Users rank: 73

Military expenditures: 2.39% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 64

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service obligation; full conversion to voluntary military service by 2010 (2006)

Airports: 69 (2010)
Rank: 73
With paved runways total: 23
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 9 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 46
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 38 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 1327 km; oil 583 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 2,722 km
Rank: 63
Standard gauge: 2,722 km 1.435-m gauge (985 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways
Total: 29,248 km (2008)
Rank: 99

Waterways: 785 km (2009)
Rank: 74

Merchant marine
Total: 75
Rank: 56
By type: bulk carrier 24 cargo 7 chemical tanker 6 passenger/cargo 27 petroleum tanker 10 refrigerated cargo 1
Foreign owned: 2 (Norway 2)
Registered in other countries: 33 (Bahamas 1 Belize 1 Liberia 2 Malta 7 Marshall Islands 12 Panama 2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Omisalj Ploce Rijeka Sibernik Split Vukovar (on Danube River)

Disputes international: 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 2,900-7,000 (2007)

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 (2008)