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Croatia
Background: In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became an 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.
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia Geographic coordinates: 45 10 N, 15 30 E Map references: Europe Area:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia Land boundaries:
Coastline: 5,790 km (mainland 1,778 km, islands 4,012 km) Maritime claims:
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:
Natural resources: oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower Land use:
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: frequent and 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; widespread casualties and destruction of infrastructure in border areas affected by civil strife Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits
Population: 4,282,216 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 0.93% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 12.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 7.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 1.94 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: Croat 78.1%, Serb 12.2%, Muslim 0.9%, Hungarian 0.5%, Slovenian 0.5%, Czech 0.4%, Albanian 0.3%, Montenegrin 0.3%, Roma 0.2%, others 6.6% (1991) Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Orthodox 11.1%, Muslim 1.2%, Protestant 0.4%, others and unknown 10.8% (1991) Languages: Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: HR Government type: presidential/parliamentary democracy Capital: Zagreb Administrative divisions: 20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular), 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: Statehood Day, 30 May (1990) Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
bicameral Assembly or Sabor consists of the House of Counties or Zupanijski Dom (68 seats - 63 directly elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives or the Zastupnicki Dom (151 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives; Constitutional Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the House of Representatives Political parties and leaders:
Action of the Social Democrats of Croatia or ASH [Silvije DEGEN]; Alliance of Croatian Coast and Mountains Department or PGS [Luciano SUSANJ]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Marko VESELICA, president]; Croatian Democratic Independents or HND [Josip MANOLIC, president]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Vladimir SEKS, acting president]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Party of Rights 1861 or HSP 1861 [Dobrislav PARAGA]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Radimir CACIC, president]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Drazen BUDISA, president]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LP [Vlado GOTOVAC, president]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Semso TANKOVIC]; Primorje Gorski Kotar Alliance [leader NA]; Serbian National Party or SNS [Milan DJUKIC]; Slanvonsko-Baranja Croatian Party or SBHS [Damir JURIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Flag description: red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)
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. Croatia faces considerable economic problems stemming from: the legacy of longtime communist mismanagement of the economy; damage during the internecine fighting to bridges, factories, power lines, buildings, and houses; the large refugee and displaced population, both Croatian and Bosnian; and the disruption of economic ties. Western aid and investment, especially in the tourist and oil industries, would help restore the economy. The government has been successful in some reform efforts - partially macroeconomic stabilization policies - and it has normalized relations with its creditors. Yet it still is struggling with privatization of large state enterprises and with bank reform. The recession that began at the end of 1998 continued through most of 1999, and GDP growth for the year was flat. Inflation remained in check and the kuna was stable. The death of President TUDJMAN in December 1999, and the defeat of his ruling Coatian Democratic Union or HDZ party in parliamentary and presidential elections in January 2000 has ushered in a new government committed to economic reform but faced with the challenge of halting the economic decline. GDP: purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,100 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (1999) Labor force: 1.65 million (1999) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% Unemployment rate: 20% (1999 est.) Budget:
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: -2% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 9.515 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 12.949 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 5 billion kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, vegetables; livestock, dairy products Exports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998) Exports - commodities: textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels Exports - partners: Italy 21%, Germany 18%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 15%, Slovenia 12% (1997) Imports: $8.4 billion (c.i.f., 1998) Imports - commodities: machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs Imports - partners: Germany 20%, Italy 19%, Slovenia 8%, Austria 8% (1997) Debt - external: $8.1 billion (October 1999) Economic aid - recipient: $NA Currency: 1 Croatian kuna (HRK) = 100 lipas Exchange rates: Croatian kuna per US$1 - 7.591 (January 2000), 7.112 (1999), 6.362 (1998), 6.157 (1997), 5.434 (1996), 5.230 (1995) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.477 million (1997) Telephones - mobile cellular: 187,000 (yearend 1998) Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999) Radios: 1.51 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995) Televisions: 1.22 million (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways: 785 km perennially navigable; large sections of Sava blocked by downed bridges, silt, and debris Pipelines: crude oil 670 km; petroleum products 20 km; natural gas 310 km (1992); note - under repair following territorial dispute Ports and harbors: Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar Merchant marine:
Airports: 67 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
Military branches: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Frontier Guard, Home Guard Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $950 million (FY99) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5% (FY99)
Disputes - international: Eastern Slavonia, which was held by ethnic Serbs during the ethnic conflict between the Croats and the Serbs, was returned to Croatian control by the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia on 15 January 1998; Croatia and Italy made progress toward resolving a bilateral issue dating from World War II over property and ethnic minority rights; significant progress has been made with Slovenia toward resolving a maritime border dispute over direct access to the sea in the Adriatic; Serbia and Montenegro is disputing Croatia's claim to the Prevlaka Peninsula in southern Croatia because it controls the entrance to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro; Prevlaka is currently under observation by the UN Military Observer Mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP) Illicit drugs: transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; a minor transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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