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, along with a majority of Croatia's ethnic Serb population. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. In April 2009, Croatia joined NATO; Croatia signed the EU Accession Treaty in December 2011 and ratified the Treaty in January, 2012. Croatia will become a member after all 27 EU members ratify the treaty, with a target date of July 2013.

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 (2003)

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

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

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

4,480,043 (July 2012 est.)

-0.092% (2012 est.)

9.57 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

11.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

1.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

ZAGREB (capital) 685,000 (2009)

17 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

1.44 children born/woman (2012 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2009)

2.59 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

5.49 beds/1,000 population (2007)

less than 0.1% (2009 est.)

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

22.3% (2003)

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 - Croatia has enacted many reforms to its legal system

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (151 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 Laborists-Labor Party [Dragutin LESAR]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Daniel SRB]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Branko HRG]; Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA]; Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats or HNS [Radimir CACIC]; Croatian Pure Party of Rights-Ante Starcevic or HSP-AS [Ruza TOMASIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Darinko KOSOR]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Kukuriku Coalition (consists of SDP, HNS, IDS, and HSU) [Zoran MILANOVIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (acceding 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, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, 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

red-white checkerboard

Though still one of the wealthiest of the former Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war. The country''s output during that time collapsed and Croatia 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 remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Croatia experienced an abrupt slowdown in the economy in 2008 and has yet to recover. Difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit, uneven regional development, and a challenging investment climate. The new government has announced a more flexible approach to privatization, including the sale in the coming years of state-owned businesses that are not of strategic importance. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag. Croatia will face significant pressure as a result of the global financial crisis, due to reduced exports and capital inflows. The World Bank expects Croatia to enter a recession in 2012 and has urged the new government to cut spending, particularly on social programs. Croatia''s high foreign debt, anemic export sector, strained state budget, and over-reliance on tourism revenue will result in higher risk to economic progress over the medium term.

$81.36 billion (2011 est.)

$81.4 billion (2010 est.)

$82.38 billion (2009 est.)

$63.84 billion (2011 est.)

0% (2011 est.)

-1.2% (2010 est.)

-6% (2009 est.)

$18,400 (2011 est.)

$18,400 (2010 est.)

$18,600 (2009 est.)

1.717 million (2011 est.)

17.7% (2011 est.)

17.6% (2010 est.)

18% (2009)

27 (2009)

29 (1998)

20.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

47.2% of GDP (2011 est.)

6% of GDP (2011 est.)

43.9% of GDP (2011 est.)

58.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

2.3% (2011 est.)

1.1% (2010 est.)

7% (31 December 2011 est.)

9% (31 December 2010 est.)

9.68% (31 December 2011 est.)

10.38% (31 December 2010 est.)

$9.282 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$8.827 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$41.83 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$42.36 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$51.81 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$49.39 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$21.8 billion (31 December 2011)

$24.91 billion (31 December 2010)

$25.64 billion (31 December 2009)

arable crops (wheat, corn, barley, sugar beet, sunflower, rapeseed, alfalfa, clover); vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, onion, tomato, pepper); fruits (apples, plum, mandarins, olives), grapes for wine; livestock (cattle, cows, pigs); 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

0.3% (2011 est.)

-$2.4 billion (2011 est.)

-$947.3 million (2010 est.)

$12.28 billion (2011 est.)

$12.07 billion (2010 est.)

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

Italy 16.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.7%, Germany 10.4%, Slovenia 8.2%, Austria 5.8%, Luxembourg 4.5% (2011)

$20.4 billion (2011 est.)

$19.96 billion (2010 est.)

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

Italy 16.2%, Germany 12.8%, China 7.2%, Russia 7.2%, Slovenia 6.4%, Austria 4.4% (2011)

$14.48 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$14.13 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$66.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$61.62 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$33.97 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$32.88 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$5.741 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$5.641 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

kuna (HRK) per US dollar -

5.3439 (2011 est.)

5.498 (2010 est.)

5.2692 (2009)

4.98 (2008)

5.3735 (2007)

calendar year

14.67 billion kWh (2010 est.)

18.87 billion kWh (2010 est.)

1.916 billion kWh (2010 est.)

6.6 billion kWh (2010 est.)

4.021 million kW (2009 est.)

47.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

44.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

17,650 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

80,470 bbl/day (2009 est.)

71 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

94,620 bbl/day (2008 est.)

92,970 bbl/day (2011 est.)

38,140 bbl/day (2010 est.)

67,660 bbl/day (2008 est.)

2.507 billion cu m (2010 est.)

2.974 billion cu m (2010 est.)

439 million cu m (2010 est.)

1.125 billion cu m (2010 est.)

24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

23.43 million Mt (2010 est.)

1.761 million (2011)

5.115 million (2011)

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; roughly 25 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 more than 150 regional, county, city, and community radio stations (2007)

.hr

725,521 (2010)

2.234 million (2009)

69 (2012)

1 (2012)

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 (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo I Protuzracna Obrana), 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)