 | |
| Currency | Euro (EUR, €) |
|---|---|
| 1 January – 31 December | |
Trade organisations | EU,EEA,WTO |
Country group | |
| Statistics | |
| Population |  3,866,233 (2024 est.)[3] |
| GDP | |
| GDP rank | |
GDP growth |
|
GDP per capita | |
GDP per capita rank | |
GDP by sector |
|
 4.0% (2024f)[7] | |
Population belowpoverty line |  21.7% at-risk (2024)[9] |
| 29.8low (2024)[10] | |
| |
 50 out of 100 points (2023)[12] (57th) | |
Labour force | |
| Unemployment | |
Average gross salary | €2,025 monthly (September 2025)[18] |
| €1,456 monthly (September 2025)[18] | |
Main industries | chemicals and plastics,machine tools,fabricated metal,electronics,pig iron androlled steel products, aluminium, paper, wood products,construction materials, textiles,shipbuilding, petroleum andpetroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism |
| External | |
| Exports | $26.13 billion (2024)[19] |
Export goods | transport equipment,machinery, textiles,chemicals,foodstuffs,fuels |
Main export partners | |
| Imports | $46.56 billion (2024)[19] |
Import goods | machinery, transport andelectrical equipment; chemicals, fuels andlubricants; foodstuffs |
Main import partners | |
FDI stock | |
 €-1.059 billion (2024)[21] | |
Grossexternal debt | €56.19 billion (2024)[21] |
| Public finances | |
| €2.92 billion (August 2024)[23] | |
| Revenues | 45.6% of GDP (2024)[24] |
| Expenses | 48.0% of GDP (2024)[24] |
| Economic aid |
|
All values, unless otherwise stated, are inUS dollars. | |
The economy ofCroatia is ahighly developedmixed economy.[31][32] It is one of thelargest economies in Southeast Europe by nominalgross domestic product (GDP).[33][34] It maintains a similarlyhigh regional GDP-per-capita.[35][36] It is anopen economy with accommodativeforeign policy, highly dependent on international trade in Europe. Within Croatia, economic developmentvaries among its counties, with strongest growth inCentral Croatia and its financial centre,Zagreb. It has avery high level of human development,[37] low levels ofincome inequality,[10] and a highquality of life.[38] Croatia'slabor market has been perennially inefficient, with an underdeveloped investment climate and an ineffectivecorporate and income tax system.[39][40]
Croatia's economic history is closely linked to its historicnation-building efforts. Its pre-industrial economy leveraged thecountry's geography and natural resources to guide agricultural growth. The 1800s saw a shipbuilding boom, railroading, and widespread industrialization. During the 1900s, Croatia entered into aplanned economy (withsocialism) in 1941 and acommand economy (withcommunism) duringWorld War II. It experienced rapid urbanization in the 1950s anddecentralized in 1965, diversifying its economy before theindependence of Croatia in 1990. TheCroatian War of Independence (1991–95) curbed21–25% of wartime GDP, leaving behind a developingtransition economy.
The modern Croatian economy is consideredhigh-income, dominated by itstertiary service and industry sectors which account for 70% of GDP.Tourism in Croatia routinely generates 10% to 15% of total GDP.[41][42] Croatia is anemerging energy power in Europe, with strategic investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG),geothermal networks, and electric transport.[43][44] It supports regional economic activity via transportation networks along theAdriatic Sea and throughoutPan-European corridors. It is a member of theEuropean Union,Eurozone, andSchengen Area.[45][46] Croatia has free-trade agreements with many world nations and is a part of theWorld Trade Organization (2000) and theEEA (2013).
When Croatia was still part of theDual Monarchy, its economy maintained a large agricultural sector. Industrial companies were located in the vicinity of the larger cities. TheKingdom of Croatia had a high ratio of population working on farmland. Many industrial branches developed in that time, like forestry and wood industry (stave fabrication, the production ofpotash,lumber mills,shipbuilding). The most profitable one was stave fabrication, the boom of which started in the 1820s with the clearing of the oak forests aroundKarlovac andSisak and again in the 1850s with the marshy oak masses along the Sava and Drava rivers. Shipbuilding in Croatia played a huge role in the 1850sAustrian Empire, especially the long-range sailing boats. Sisak andVukovar were the major centers of river-shipbuilding.[47]Slavonia was mostly an agricultural land and was known for its silk production. Agriculture and the breeding of cattle were the most profitable occupations of locals. The region producedcorn of all kinds,hemp,flax, tobacco, and great quantities oflicorice.[48][49]
Initial industrialization began in the 1830s and in the following decades the construction of big industrial enterprises took place.[50] During the mid-19th and early-20th centuries there was an upsurge of industry in Croatia, strengthened by the construction ofrailways and the electric-power production.[51] Industrialization was faster in central Croatia than in other regions, whileDalmatia remained one of the least developed provinces of Austria-Hungary.[52] The slow rate of modernization and rural overpopulation caused extensive emigration, particularly from Dalmatia. According to estimates, roughly 400,000 Croats emigrated from Austria-Hungary between 1880 and 1914. By 1910, 8.5% of the population ofCroatia-Slavonia lived in urban settlements.[53]
In 1918 Croatia became part of theKingdom of Yugoslavia, which was, during the interwar period, one of the least developed countries in Europe. Most of its industry was based inDrava Banovina (Slovenia) andBanovina of Croatia, but further industrial development was modest and centered ontextile mills,sawmills,brick yards and food-processing plants. The economy was still traditionally based on agriculture and raising of livestock, withagricultural laborers accounting for more than half of Croatia's population.[53][54]
In 1941 theIndependent State of Croatia (NDH), aWorld War IIpuppet state ofGermany andItaly, was established in parts ofAxis-occupied Yugoslavia. The economic system of NDH was based on the concept of "Croatiansocialism".[55] The main characteristic of the new system was the concept of aplanned economy with high levels of state involvement in economic life. The fulfillment of basic economic interests was primarily ensured with measures of repression.[56] All large companies were placed under state control and the property of the regime's national enemies was nationalized. Its currency was theNDH kuna. TheCroatian State Bank was the central bank, responsible for issuing currency. As the war progressed the government kept printing more money and its amount in circulation was rapidly increasing, resulting in high inflation rates.[57]
After the NDH was expelled from Croatia during World War II, the newCommunist Party of Yugoslavia converted to acommand economy on the Soviet model of rapid industrial development. In accordance with the communist plan, mainly companies in the pharmaceutical industry, the food industry and the consumer goods industry were founded in Croatia. Metal andheavy industry was mainly promoted in nearbyBosnia andSerbia. By 1948 almost all domestic and foreign-owned capital had been nationalized. The industrialization plan relied on high taxation, fixed prices,war reparations, Soviet credits, and export of food and raw materials. Forcedcollectivization of agriculture was initiated in 1949. At that time 94% of agricultural land was privately owned, and by 1950 nearly 96% was under the control of the public sector. A rapid improvement of food production and the standard of living was expected, but due to adverse results the program was abandoned three years later.[53]
Throughout the 1950s, theSocialist Republic of Croatia experienced rapid urbanization. In 1965, its national economydecentralized which spurred growth of several sectors including aprosperous tourist industry. Following its northern neighbor, theSocialist Republic of Slovenia, Croatia had thesecond-highest GDP-per-capita from 1953 to 1989. It generated 41% higher GDP-per-capita than the Yugoslav average.[58] Croatia generated 28.5% of Yugoslav GDP or $37.05billion in 1990.[59] Croatia and Slovenia accounted for nearly half of the total Yugoslav GDP and reflected a significantly higherstandard of living.[60] In the mid-1960s, Yugoslavia lifted emigration restrictions and the number of emigrants increased rapidly. In 1971, nearly 224,722 workers from Croatia were employed abroad, mostly inWest Germany.[61][62] Foreign remittances contributed $2 billion annually to the Croatian economy by 1990.[63] Profits gained through this industry were used to develop poor regions in other parts of former Yugoslavia, leading to Croatia contributing much more to the federal Yugoslav economy than it gained in return. This, coupled withausterity programs andhyperinflation in the 1980s, led to discontent in both Croatia and Slovenia which eventually fueled its independence movement.[64]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the collapse of socialism and the beginning ofeconomic transition, Croatia faced considerable economic problems stemming from:[65]
Shortly afterCroatia gained independence in 1995, the country entered into aneconomic recession stemming from the broaderYugoslavian economy. During the relatedYugoslav Wars, Croatian infrastructure sustained large-scale damage in from 1991 to 1992, especially their revenue-rich tourism industry. Theprivatization of sovereign assets and transformation from a planned economy to amarket economy was unsteady, largely as a result of public mistrust when many state-owned companies were sold to politically well-connected at below-market prices. With the end of the war, Croatia's economy recovered moderately, but lingering corruption stymied economic reforms and foreign investment.[64][66] In 2000, roughly 70% of Croatia's major companies were state-owned, including water, electricity, oil, transportation, telecommunications, and tourism.[67]
The early 1990s experienced high inflation. In 1991, theCroatian dinar was introduced as a transitional currency, but inflation continued to accelerate. The anti-inflationary stabilization steps in 1993 decreased retail price inflation from a monthly rate of 38.7% to 1.4%, and by the end of the year, Croatia experienced deflation. In 1994 Croatia introduced thekuna as its currency.[66] As a result of the macro-stabilization programs, the negative growth of GDP during the early 1990s stopped and reversed into a positive trend. Post-war reconstruction activity provided another impetus to growth. Consumer spending and private sector investments, both of which were postponed during the war, contributed to the growth in 1995–1997.[66] Croatia began its independence with a relatively low external debt because the debt of Yugoslavia was not shared among its former republics initially. In March 1995 Croatia agreed with theParis Club of creditor governments and took 28.5% of Yugoslavia's previously non-allocated debt over 14 years. In July 1996 an agreement was reached with theLondon Club of commercial creditors, when Croatia took 29.5% of Yugoslavia's debt to commercial banks. In 1997 around 60% of Croatia's external debt was inherited from former Yugoslavia.[68]
At the beginning of 1998 value-added tax was introduced. The central government budget was in surplus in that year, most of which was used to repay foreign debt.[69] Government debt-to-GDP had fallen from 27.30% to 26.20% at the end of 1998. The consumer boom was disrupted in mid-1998, as a result of the bank crisis when 14 banks went bankrupt.[66] Unemployment increased and GDP growth slowed down to 1.9%. The recession that began at the end of 1998 continued through most of 1999, and after a period of expansion GDP in 1999 had a negative growth of −0.9%.[70] In 1999 the government tightened its fiscal policy and revised the budget with a 7% cut in spending.[71]
In 1999 the private sector share in GDP reached 60%, which was significantly lower than in other former socialist countries. After several years of successful macroeconomic stabilization policies, low inflation and a stable currency, economists warned that lack of fiscal discipline during the late 1990s would prevent sustainable economic growth.[68][71]
The new government led by the president ofSDP,Ivica Račan, carried out a number of structural reforms after it won the2000 Croatian parliamentary election. The country emerged from the recession in the 4th quarter of 1999 and growth accelerated in 2000.[72] Due to overall increase in stability, the economic rating of the country improved and interest rates dropped. Economic growth in the 2000s was stimulated by a credit boom led by newly privatized banks, capital investment, especially in road construction, a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable.[64][73] In 2000 Croatia generated 5,899 billion kunas in total income from the shipbuilding sector, which employed 13,592 people. Total exports in 2001 amounted to $4.6 billion, of which 54.7% went to the European Union (EU). Croatia's total imports were $9 billion, 56% of which originated from the EU.[74]
Unemployment reached its peak in late 2002, but has since been steadily declining. In 2003, the nation's economy would officially recover to the amount of GDP it had in 1990.[75] In late 2003 the new government led byHDZ took over the office. Unemployment continued falling, powered by growing industrial production and rising GDP, rather than only seasonal changes from tourism. Unemployment reached an all-time low in 2008 when the annual average rate was 8.6%,[76] GDP-per-capita peaked at $16,158,[70] while public debt-to-GDP decreased to 29%. Most economic indicators remained positive in this period except for the external debt as Croatian firms focused more on empowering the economy by taking loans from foreign resources.[75] Between 2003 and 2007, Croatia's private-sector share of GDP increased from 60% to 70%.[77] TheCroatian National Bank took steps to curb further growth of indebtedness of local banks with foreign banks. The dollar debt figure is adversely affected by the EUR-USD ratio—over a third of the increase in debt since 2002 is due to currency value changes.
Economic growth in Croatia declined due to the2008 financial crisis.[78] After initially the avoiding severe economic disruption neighboring countries faced, Croatia saw a decline in GDP growth from 2009 to 2010. In 2011 the GDP stagnated as the growth rate was zero.[79] Since the global crisis hit the country, the unemployment rate had been steadily increasing, resulting in the loss of more than 100,000 jobs.[80] While unemployment was 9.6% in late 2007,[81] in January 2014 it peaked at 22.4%.[82] In 2010, Croatia'sGini coefficient was 0.32.[83] In September 2012, sovereign ratings agency unexpectedly improved Croatia's economic outlook from negative to stable.[84] The slow pace of privatization of state-owned businesses and sensitive tourism sector continued to drag on the economy.[78]
Croatia joined theEuropean Union on 1 July 2013 as the 28th member state, after Slovenia did the same in 2004. The Croatian economy rapidly integrated with the rest of continental EU states, becoming more sensitive to international trade.Italy,Germany andSlovenia became Croatia's most important trade partners.[79] During Croatia's post-recession recovery, in terms of income per capita, it was able to stay ahead of other member states such asBulgaria, andRomania.[85] In terms of minimum monthly wage, Croatia was ahead of 9 EU members (Greece,Malta,Estonia,Czech Republic,Slovakia, Romania,Latvia,Hungary, and Bulgaria) at €970 during that time.[86]
The annual average unemployment rate spiked in 2014 at 17.3%, the third-highest unemployment rate in the EU, afterGreece (26.5%), andSpain (24.%).[76] Croatia's heavily backlogged judiciary system, combined with inefficient public administration, especially regarding the issues of land ownership and corruption in the public sector remained a key challenge. Unemployment is regionally uneven: it is very high in eastern and southern parts of the country, while relatively low in the north-west and in larger cities, where it is between 3-7%. In 2015, external debt rose by €2.7 billion since the end of 2014 and as of December 2022 is around €50.9 billion.[87]
During 2015 the Croatian economy started with modest but upward economic growth, which continued during 2016 and conclusive at the end of the year seasonally adjusted was recorded at 3.5%.[88] The better than expected figures during 2016 enabled the Croatian Government and with more tax receipts enabled the repayment of debt as well as narrow the current account deficit during the latter half of 2016.[89][90] This growth in economic output, coupled with the reduction of government debt has made a positive impact on the financial markets with many ratings agencies revising their outlook from negative to stable, which was the first upgrade of Croatia's credit rating since 2007.[91] Due to consecutive months of economic growth and the demand for labour, plus the outflows of residents to other European countries, Croatia had recorded the biggest fall in the number of unemployed during the month of November 2016 from 16.1% to 12.7%.
TheCOVID-19 pandemic in Croatia caused severe economic damage to the country's revenue-rich tourism sector. has caused more than 400,000 workers to file for economic aid of 4,000 kuna per month. In the first quarter of 2020, Croatian GDP rose by 0.2% but then in Q2, theGovernment of Croatia announced the biggest quarterly GDP plunge of -15.1% in modern history. Economic activity related to newly limitedtourism in Croatia also plunged in Q3 2020 when GDP slid by an additional -10%. In Autumn 2020European Commission estimated total GDP loss in 2020 to be -9.6%. Growth was set to pick up in the last month of Q1 2021 and the second quarter of 2021 respectively +1.4% and +3.0%.[92]
In July 2021 projection was improved to 5.4% due to the strong upturn in the first quarter and the positive high-frequency indicators concerning consumption, construction, industry and tourism prospects.[93] In November 2021 Croatia outperformed these projections and the real GDP growth was calculated to be 8.1% for the year 2021, improving its projection of 5.4% GDP growth made in July.[94] The recovery was supported by strong private consumption, the better-than-expected performance of tourism and the ongoing resilience of the export sector. Preliminary data point to tourism-related expenditure already exceeding 2019 levels, which has been supportive of both employment and consumption. Exports of goods have also continued to perform strongly (up 43% year-on-year in 2Q21) pointing to resilient competitiveness.[95] Croatian merchandise exports in the first nine months of 2021 amounted to €13.3 billion, an annual increase of 24.6%. At the same time, imports rose 20.3% to €20.4 billion. The coverage of imports by exports for the first nine months is 65.4%.[96] This made 2021 Croatian export's record year as the trade off-set from 2019 was exceeded by €2 billion.[97]
Exports recovered in all major markets, more precisely with allEU countries andCEFTA countries. Specifically, on the EU market, only a lower export result is recorded in relations withSweden,Belgium andLuxembourg.Italy is again the main market for Croatian products, followed byGermany andSlovenia. Apart from the high contribution ofcrude oil thatIna sends toHungary to theMol refinery for processing, the export ofartificial fertilizers fromPetrokemija also has a significant contribution to growth.
For 2022, theEuropean Commission revised downwards its projection for Croatia's economic growth to 5.6% from 5.9% previously predicted in July 2021. Commission again confirmed that the volume of Croatia's GDP should reach its 2019 level during 2022, while in 2023 the GDP will grow by 3.4%. The Commission warned that the key downside risks stem from Croatia's relatively lowvaccination rates, which could lead to stricter containment measures, and continued delays of the2020 earthquake-related reconstruction. Croatia's entry into theSchengen area andeuro adoption towards the end of the forecast period could benefit investment and trade.
In 2021 sovereign credit rating agencies upgraded Croatia to its highest credit rating with a positive outlook, noting progress inpreparations for Eurozone membership and a strong recovery of the Croatian economy from the pandemic crisis.[98][99] This is was secured by the failure of theeurosceptic partyCroatian Sovereignists in a bid on the referendum to block Euro adoption in Croatia.[100] In December 2021 Croatia's industrial production increased for the thirteenth consecutive month,[101] observing the growth of production increasing in all of the five aggregates.[102] Croatia's industrial production in 2021 increased by 6.7% over the year.[103] Later that year, Croatia joined the list of countries with its own automobile industry, withRimac Automobili'sNevera started being produced.[104] The company also took overBugatti Automobiles in November same year and started building its new headquarters inZagreb. The company built battery systems for different manufacturers from the automotive industry.[105][106]
In late March 2022Croatian Bureau of Statistics announced that Croatia's industrial output rose by 4% in February, thus growing for 15 months in a row.[107][108] Croatia continued to have strong growth during 2022 fuelled by tourism revenue[109] and increased exports.[110][111] Croatia's GDP in Q2 grew by 7.7% from the same period of 2021.[112] TheInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) projected in early September 2022 that Croatia's economy will expand by 5.9% in 2022, whilstEBRD expects Croatian GDP growth to reach 6.5% by the end of 2022.[113]Pfizer announced launching a new production plant inSavski Marof[114] whilst CroatianIT industry grew 3.3%[115][116] confirming the trend that started withCoronavirus pandemic where the Croatia'sdigital economy increased by 16% on average annually from 2019 to 2021. It is estimated that by 2030 its value could reach 15% of total GDP, with theIT sector being the main driver of that growth.[117]
In 2022, Croatian economy was expected to grow between 5.9 and 7.8% in real terms and expected to reach between $72 and $73.6 billion. Croatian Purchasing Power Parity in 2022 for the first time exceeded $40,000. Initial economic outlooks for 2023 for Croatian economy were mixed, depending largely on how the larger Eurozone economies perform, Croatia's largest trading partners;Italy,Germany,Austria,Slovenia andFrance are expected to slow down, but avoid recession according to latest economic projections and estimates, so Croatian economy as a result could see better than expected results in 2023, early projections of between 1 and 2.6% economic growth in 2023 with inflation at 7% is a significant slow down for the country. Croatia experienced a major internal and inward investment cycle unparalleled in recent history. This includes EU recovery funds of €8.7 billion coupled with large EU investments in recently earthquake affected areas of Croatia, as well as major investments by local business in torenewable energy sector. The EU later supported and funded major investments in transport infrastructure and rapidly expanded Croatia's IT sector.[118] On 12 July 2022, theEurogroup approved Croatia becoming the 20th member of theEurozone, with the formal introduction of theEuro currency to take place on 1 January 2023.[119][120] Croatia joined theSchengen Area in 2023.[46] By 2023, the minimum wage is expected to rise to €700,[121][122][123] increasing consumer spending.[45]
In 2022, the sector with the highest number of companies registered in Croatia is Services with 110,085 companies followed by Retail Trade and Construction with 22,906 and 22,121 companies respectively.[124]
.jpg)
Tourism is a notable source of income during the summer and a major industry in Croatia. It routinely generates 10% to 15% of total GDP.[41][42] In 2019, it accounted for up to 11.8% of Croatian GDP.[125] In 2023, 15.8 million international tourists visited Croatia.[125] Annual tourist industry income for 2011 was estimated at €6.61 billion. Its positive effects are felt throughout the economy of Croatia in terms of increased business volume observed in retail business, processing industry orders and summer seasonal employment. The industry is considered an export business, because it significantly reduces the country's external trade imbalance.[126] Since the conclusion of the Croatian War of Independence, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, recording a fourfold rise in tourist numbers, with more than 10 million tourists each year. The most numerous are tourists from Germany, Slovenia, Austria and theCzech Republic as well as Croatia itself. Length of a tourist stay in Croatia averages 4.9 days.[127]
The bulk of the tourist industry is concentrated along the Adriatic Sea coast.Opatija was the first holiday resort since the middle of the 19th century. By the 1890s, it became one of the most significant European health resorts.[128] Later a large number of resorts sprang up along the coast and numerous islands, offering services ranging frommass tourism to catering and various niche markets, the most significant beingnautical tourism, as there are numerous marinas with more than 16 thousand berths,cultural tourism relying on appeal of medieval coastal cities and numerous cultural events taking place during the summer. Inland areas offer mountain resorts,agrotourism andspas. Zagreb is also a significant tourist destination, rivalling major coastal cities and resorts.[129]
Croatia has unpolluted marine areas reflected through numerous nature reserves and 99Blue Flag beaches and 28 Blue Flag marinas.[130] Croatia is ranked as the 18th most popular tourist destination in the world.[131] About 15% of these visitors (over one million per year) are involved withnaturism, an industry for which Croatia is world-famous. It was also the first European country to develop commercial naturist resorts.[132]
Croatian agricultural sector subsists from exports ofblue water fish, which in recent years experienced a tremendous surge in demand, mainly from Japan andSouth Korea. Croatia is a notable producer oforganic foods and much of it is exported to the European Union.Croatian wines,olive oil andlavender are particularly sought after. Value of Croatia's agriculture sector is around 3.1 billion according to preliminary data released by the national statistics office.[133]
Croatia has around 1.72 million hectares of agricultural land, however totally utilized land for agricultural in 2020 was around 1.506 million hectares, of these permanent pasture land constituted 536 000 hectares or some 35.5% of total land available to agriculture. Croatia imports significant quantity of fruits and olive oil, despite having large domestic production of the same. In terms of livestock Croatian agriculture had some 15.2 million poultry, 453,000 cattle, 802,000 sheep, 1,157,000 pigs, 88,000 goats. Croatia also produced 67,000 tons of blue fish; some 9,000 of these are tuna fish, which are farmed and exported to Japan, South Korea and United States.[134]
A comprehensive summary of Croatia's agricultural output in 2022:[135]
In addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products, likeapple (93 thousand tons),triticale (62 thousand tons) andolive (34 thousand tons).[136]
.JPG)
The highlight of Croatia's recent infrastructure developments is its rapidly developedmotorway network, largely built in the late 1990s and especially in the 2000s. By January 2022, Croatia had completed more than 1,300 kilometres (810 miles) of motorways, connecting Zagreb to most other regions and following variousEuropean routes and fourPan-European corridors.[137][138] The busiest motorways are theA1, connecting Zagreb to Split and theA3, passing east–west through northwest Croatia and Slavonia.[139] A widespread network ofstate roads in Croatia acts as motorwayfeeder roads while connecting all major settlements in the country. The high quality and safety levels of the Croatian motorway network were tested and confirmed by several EuroTAP and EuroTest programs.[140][141]
Croatia has anextensive rail network spanning 2,722 kilometres (1,691 miles), including 985 kilometres (612 miles) of electrified railways and 254 kilometres (158 miles) of double track railways. The most significant railways in Croatia are found within thePan-European transport corridor Vb andcorridor X connecting Rijeka to Budapest and Ljubljana to Belgrade, both via Zagreb.[137] All rail services are operated by Croatian Railways.[142]
There are international airports inZagreb,Zadar,Split,Dubrovnik,Rijeka,Osijek andPula.[143] As of January 2011, Croatia complies withInternational Civil Aviation Organization aviation safety standards and theFederal Aviation Administration upgraded it to Category 1 rating.[144]
The busiest cargo seaport in Croatia is thePort of Rijeka and the busiest passenger ports areSplit and Zadar.[145][146] In addition to those, a large number of minor ports serve an extensive system of ferries connecting numerous islands and coastal cities in addition to ferry lines to several cities in Italy.[147] The largest river port is Vukovar, located on the Danube, representing the nation's outlet to thePan-European corridor VII.[137][148]
There are 631 kilometres (392 miles) of crude oil pipelines in Croatia, connecting theJANAF oil terminal with refineries in Rijeka and Sisak, as well as several transhipment terminals. The system has a capacity of 20 million tonnes per year.[149] The natural gas transportation system comprises 2,544 kilometres (1,581 miles) of trunk and regional natural gas pipelines, and more than 300 associated structures, connecting production rigs, the Okoli natural gas storage facility, 27 end-users and 37 distribution systems.[150]
Croatian production of energy sources covers 29% of nationwide natural gas demand and 26% of oil demand. In 2023, net total electrical power production in Croatia reached 16,378 GWh and Croatia imported 26% of its electric power energy needs. The bulk of Croatian imports are supplied by theKrško Nuclear Power Plant in Slovenia, 50% owned byHrvatska elektroprivreda, providing 12% of Croatia's electricity.[151]
Electricity:[152]
Electricity:[151]
Crude Oil:[153]
Natural Gas:[152]
The country's monetary policy is formulated and implemented by its national bank, based in capital city, Zagreb.
The central budget is set by theGovernment of Croatia to cover their upcomingfiscal year, which runs from 1 January to 31 December. For 2024, they reported €28.52 billion in revenue with €32.61 billion in expenditure, running a €4.09 billionbudget deficit.[155]
The breakdown of Croatia's budget for 2023, by ministry (department), is shown below.[155]
The Croatian economy is expected to grow to $116 billion by 2029, as measured by nominalgross domestic product (GDP).[156] Since 1998, Croatia has been the largesteconomy of former Yugoslavia by nominal GDP according to theIMF.[156] It has been the second-largest economy of former Yugoslavia bypurchasing power parity (PPP) since 2008.[157] It has been the second-wealthiest former Yugoslav republicby GDP-per-capita since 1992.[158] Its high levels of coastal tourism inSoutheast Europe and deep integration within theEuropean Union (EU) is a major contributor to economic growth. From 2022 to 2025, Croatia has maintained average GDP growth of 4.8%, outperforming the majority of fellow EU member states.[159] Economic growth in Croatia is dependent on high levels of public investment and consumption, with key challenges around productivity and labor market inefficiency.[159]
The following table shows the main economic indicators for the period 2000–2024 according to theCroatian Bureau of Statistics.[160][161][162] The purchasing power parity (PPP) conversion factors are based on IMF estimates.[163] Croatian government debt values are published by theCroatian National Bank.[164] Indicators for 2024-2027 are provided by theIMF, specifically the World Economic Outlook (April 2024).[165]
| Year | Population(Mil.) | GDP (in Bil. EUR nominal) | GDP (Bil. USD nominal) | GDP-per-capita(nominal. EUR) | GDP-per-capita(nominal, USD) | GDP (Bil., USD PPP) | GDP-per-capita(PPP, USD) | Exchange Rate(USD/EUR) | PPP(National currency units/USD) | Inflation(%) | GDP growth(real %) | Government debt(% GDP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.426 | 24.0 | 21.8 | 5,351 | 4,929 | 47.7 | 10,786 | 0.9236 | 0.503 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 35.4 |
| 2001 | 4.300 | 25.8 | 23.3 | 6,044 | 5,414 | 50.1 | 11,655 | 0.8956 | 0.514 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 36.6 |
| 2002 | 4.302 | 28.3 | 27.1 | 6,688 | 6,293 | 56.0 | 12,771 | 0.9456 | 0.505 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 36.5 |
| 2003 | 4.303 | 31.2 | 35.0 | 7,206 | 8,130 | 58.9 | 13,682 | 1.1312 | 0.529 | 1.8 | 5.5 | 37.9 |
| 2004 | 4.305 | 33.6 | 42.0 | 7,847 | 9,752 | 63.2 | 14,675 | 1.2439 | 0.532 | 2.1 | 4.1 | 40.0 |
| 2005 | 4.310 | 36.2 | 45.8 | 8,539 | 10,620 | 66.7 | 15,439 | 1.2441 | 0.543 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 40.9 |
| 2006 | 4.311 | 39.4 | 50.9 | 9,405 | 11,795 | 75.9 | 17,596 | 1.2556 | 0.520 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 38.5 |
| 2007 | 4.310 | 43.2 | 60.6 | 10,272 | 14,043 | 84.2 | 19,491 | 1.3705 | 0.513 | 2.9 | 4.9 | 37.2 |
| 2008 | 4.310 | 46.5 | 71.0 | 11,216 | 16,419 | 90.4 | 20,924 | 1.4708 | 0.514 | 6.1 | 1.9 | 39.1 |
| 2009 | 4.305 | 44.4 | 63.4 | 10,549 | 14,663 | 87.1 | 20,147 | 1.3948 | 0.510 | 2.4 | -7.3 | 48.4 |
| 2010 | 4.295 | 44.3 | 60.7 | 10,615 | 14,062 | 86.1 | 19,965 | 1.3257 | 0.514 | 1.1 | -1.3 | 57.3 |
| 2011 | 4.281 | 45.0 | 63.4 | 10,608 | 14,758 | 90.3 | 21,013 | 1.3920 | 0.498 | 2.3 | -0.1 | 63.7 |
| 2012 | 4.268 | 44.5 | 57.4 | 10,430 | 13,400 | 91.7 | 21,398 | 1.2848 | 0.486 | 3.4 | -2.3 | 69.4 |
| 2013 | 4.256 | 44.7 | 59.0 | 10,423 | 13,869 | 94.3 | 22,135 | 1.3281 | 0.474 | 2.2 | -0.4 | 80.3 |
| 2014 | 4.238 | 44.6 | 58.4 | 10,386 | 13,783 | 94.8 | 22,366 | 1.3285 | 0.470 | -0.2 | -0.4 | 83.9 |
| 2015 | 4.204 | 45.7 | 50.7 | 10,755 | 11,944 | 98.1 | 23,339 | 1.1095 | 0.466 | -0.5 | 2.5 | 83.3 |
| 2016 | 4.174 | 47.3 | 52.4 | 11,324 | 12,557 | 105.4 | 25,262 | 1.1069 | 0.449 | -1.1 | 3.6 | 79.8 |
| 2017 | 4.125 | 49.5 | 55.9 | 12,101 | 13,657 | 112.3 | 27,201 | 1.1297 | 0.441 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 76.7 |
| 2018 | 4.088 | 51.9 | 61.3 | 12,896 | 15,245 | 118.3 | 28,909 | 1.1810 | 0.439 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 73.3 |
| 2019 | 4.065 | 54.8 | 61.3 | 13,678 | 15,333 | 130.4 | 30,585 | 1.1195 | 0.420 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 71.1 |
| 2020 | 4.048 | 50.5 | 57.6 | 12,408 | 14,205 | 123.1 | 28,911 | 1.1422 | 0.410 | 0.1 | -8.6 | 87.3 |
| 2021 | 3.879 | 58.2 | 68.8 | 15,006 | 17,747 | 143.0 | 34,533 | 1.1827 | 0.407 | 2.6 | 13.1 | 78.3 |
| 2022 | 3.857 | 68.0 | 71.5 | 17,637 | 18,544 | 155.9 | 40,573 | 1.0530 | 0.418 | 10.8 | 6.3 | 70.4 |
| 2023 | 3.856 | 78.0 | 84.4 | 20,239 | 21,878 | 186.7 | 48,586 | 1.0824 | 0.418 | 8.3 | 3.3 | 83.9 |
| 2024 | 3.866 | 85.5 | 92.5 | 22,111 | 23,933 | 190.0 | 49,137 | 1.0824 | 0.45 | 3.0 | 3.8 | - |
| 2025f | 3.829 | 86.0 | 92.3 | 22,462 | 24,111 | 183.2 | 47,860 | 1.0734 | 0.469 | 2.2 | 2.7 | |
| 2026f | 3.822 | 90.5 | 97.1 | 23,680 | 25,391 | 191.8 | 50,180 | 1.0722 | 0.472 | 2.2 | 2.7 | |
| 2027f | 3.816 | 94.9 | 101.6 | 24,877 | 26,633 | 200.5 | 52,563 | 1.0705 | 0.473 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
| Counties of Croatia by GDP, in millionEuro | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
 Bjelovar-Bilogora | 520 | 569 | 639 | 645 | 688 | 698 | 800 | 804 | 953 | 917 | 834 | 823 | 786 | 790 | 789 | 809 | 855 | 874 | 925 |
 Brod-Posavina | 564 | 628 | 687 | 713 | 779 | 771 | 849 | 918 | 1,032 | 952 | 914 | 917 | 895 | 888 | 853 | 879 | 917 | 969 | 1,016 |
 Dubrovnik-Neretva | 573 | 630 | 676 | 754 | 883 | 977 | 1,083 | 1,292 | 1,340 | 1,267 | 1,248 | 1,208 | 1,202 | 1,234 | 1,260 | 1,313 | 1,403 | 1,532 | 1,587 |
 Istria | 1,420 | 1,614 | 1,814 | 1,980 | 2,182 | 2,291 | 2,482 | 2,729 | 2,842 | 2,768 | 2,773 | 2,762 | 2,635 | 2,631 | 2,666 | 2,747 | 2,947 | 3,106 | 3,162 |
 Karlovac | 586 | 713 | 785 | 758 | 777 | 835 | 943 | 1,048 | 1,107 | 998 | 969 | 978 | 948 | 961 | 934 | 961 | 1,008 | 1,031 | 1,035 |
 Koprivnica-Križevci | 723 | 762 | 830 | 845 | 853 | 855 | 988 | 1,046 | 1,069 | 998 | 935 | 926 | 906 | 919 | 905 | 916 | 961 | 991 | 979 |
 Krapina-Zagorje | 569 | 655 | 681 | 706 | 729 | 815 | 858 | 947 | 974 | 868 | 807 | 815 | 803 | 823 | 837 | 867 | 928 | 990 | 1,021 |
 Lika-Senj | 235 | 250 | 309 | 384 | 522 | 407 | 429 | 417 | 491 | 445 | 416 | 405 | 382 | 388 | 379 | 388 | 402 | 427 | 436 |
 Međimurje | 510 | 562 | 644 | 654 | 691 | 737 | 841 | 892 | 1,034 | 977 | 933 | 941 | 929 | 1,088 | 959 | 986 | 1,045 | 1,109 | 1,142 |
 Osijek-Baranja | 1,352 | 1,459 | 1,668 | 1,700 | 1,872 | 2,043 | 2,249 | 2,600 | 2,834 | 2,642 | 2,507 | 2,514 | 2,421 | 2,438 | 2,375 | 2,436 | 2,544 | 2,581 | 2,572 |
 Požega-Slavonia | 325 | 355 | 380 | 420 | 451 | 464 | 478 | 508 | 554 | 504 | 497 | 482 | 458 | 461 | 433 | 440 | 453 | 466 | 499 |
 Primorje-Gorski Kotar | 2,111 | 2,138 | 2,261 | 2,543 | 2,685 | 3,066 | 3,371 | 3,560 | 4,060 | 3,820 | 3,822 | 3,905 | 3,981 | 3,849 | 3,849 | 3,854 | 3,961 | 4,177 | 4,270 |
 Sisak-Moslavina | 925 | 938 | 972 | 989 | 1,033 | 1,137 | 1,335 | 1,262 | 1,435 | 1,447 | 1,451 | 1,439 | 1,434 | 1,306 | 1,221 | 1,268 | 1,247 | 1,266 | 1,309 |
 Split-Dalmatia | 1,924 | 2,118 | 2,318 | 2,529 | 2,898 | 3,061 | 3,427 | 3,934 | 4,115 | 3,804 | 3,788 | 3,695 | 3,578 | 3,583 | 3,581 | 3,712 | 3,913 | 4,133 | 4,278 |
 Šibenik-Knin | 423 | 450 | 511 | 581 | 659 | 748 | 765 | 902 | 923 | 802 | 859 | 856 | 835 | 851 | 852 | 862 | 903 | 988 | 1,027 |
 Varaždin | 894 | 996 | 1,139 | 1,175 | 1,166 | 1,229 | 1,347 | 1,451 | 1,637 | 1,549 | 1,463 | 1,456 | 1,436 | 1,467 | 1,462 | 1,506 | 1,601 | 1,718 | 1,865 |
 Virovitica-Podravina | 357 | 406 | 438 | 458 | 471 | 476 | 555 | 590 | 615 | 546 | 516 | 526 | 504 | 496 | 455 | 460 | 485 | 500 | 536 |
 Vukovar-Syrmia | 624 | 686 | 762 | 816 | 864 | 928 | 1,079 | 1,109 | 1,260 | 1,171 | 1,090 | 1,092 | 1,049 | 1,048 | 999 | 1,031 | 1,076 | 1,120 | 1,171 |
 Zadar | 627 | 733 | 829 | 982 | 1,055 | 1,166 | 1,238 | 1,443 | 1,618 | 1,478 | 1,405 | 1,383 | 1,366 | 1,386 | 1,395 | 1,445 | 1,527 | 1,671 | 1,797 |
 Zagreb County | 1,284 | 1,272 | 1,583 | 1,653 | 1,823 | 2,059 | 2,128 | 2,419 | 2,653 | 2,555 | 2,398 | 2,449 | 2,439 | 2,450 | 2,466 | 2,549 | 2,651 | 2,832 | 3,011 |
 City of Zagreb | 6,912 | 7,806 | 8,569 | 9,458 | 10,400 | 11,717 | 12,954 | 14,059 | 15,439 | 14,561 | 15,586 | 15,383 | 15,055 | 14,778 | 14,754 | 15,206 | 15,818 | 16,782 | 17,544 |
| Source:Croatian Bureau of Statistics[166] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Counties of Croatia by GDP-per-capita, inEuro | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Bjelovar-Bilogora | 4,007 | 4,383 | 4,951 | 5,042 | 5,417 | 5,539 | 6,395 | 6,489 | 7,756 | 7,522 | 6,907 | 6,888 | 6,657 | 6,766 | 6,829 | 7,107 | 7,647 | 7,958 | 7,986 |
| Brod-Posavina | 3,425 | 3,812 | 4,171 | 4,345 | 4,766 | 4,731 | 5,223 | 5,660 | 6,384 | 5,921 | 5,731 | 5,789 | 5,691 | 5,700 | 5,539 | 5,810 | 6,195 | 6,726 | 6,607 |
| Dubrovnik-Neretva | 4,886 | 5,373 | 5,738 | 6,378 | 7,442 | 8,197 | 9,025 | 10,698 | 11,024 | 10,351 | 10,174 | 9,855 | 9,812 | 10,083 | 10,297 | 10,737 | 11,500 | 12,608 | 13,277 |
| Istria | 7,184 | 8,160 | 9,117 | 9,880 | 10,813 | 11,267 | 12,116 | 13,221 | 13,691 | 13,285 | 13,297 | 13,270 | 12,684 | 12,665 | 12,811 | 13,199 | 14,165 | 14,915 | 15,570 |
| Karlovac | 4,181 | 5,082 | 5,635 | 5,491 | 5,666 | 6,139 | 6,989 | 7,830 | 8,341 | 7,598 | 7,458 | 7,615 | 7,461 | 7,651 | 7,541 | 7,868 | 8,373 | 8,701 | 8,301 |
| Koprivnica-Križevci | 5,955 | 6,269 | 6,858 | 7,025 | 7,134 | 7,181 | 8,335 | 8,878 | 9,108 | 8,545 | 8,052 | 8,020 | 7,890 | 8,039 | 7,969 | 8,149 | 8,660 | 9,066 | 8,711 |
| Krapina-Zagorje | 4,089 | 4,702 | 4,919 | 5,129 | 5,323 | 5,972 | 6,313 | 7,008 | 7,250 | 6,479 | 6,049 | 6,142 | 6,091 | 6,287 | 6,439 | 6,721 | 7,265 | 7,830 | 7,919 |
| Lika-Senj | 4,219 | 4,493 | 5,582 | 6,965 | 9,466 | 7,446 | 7,927 | 7,783 | 9,277 | 8,515 | 8,091 | 7,984 | 7,652 | 7,874 | 7,812 | 8,134 | 8,571 | 9,297 | 8,878 |
| Međimurje | 4,472 | 4,930 | 5,644 | 5,729 | 6,056 | 6,459 | 7,375 | 7,830 | 9,086 | 8,583 | 8,196 | 8,273 | 8,176 | 9,592 | 8,480 | 8,751 | 9,328 | 9,989 | 10,302 |
| Osijek-Baranja | 4,247 | 4,582 | 5,239 | 5,354 | 5,914 | 6,480 | 7,174 | 8,353 | 9,162 | 8,578 | 8,183 | 8,249 | 7,990 | 8,105 | 7,965 | 8,270 | 8,779 | 9,098 | 8,684 |
| Požega-Slavonia | 3,904 | 4,255 | 4,572 | 5,066 | 5,479 | 5,658 | 5,874 | 6,286 | 6,897 | 6,330 | 6,314 | 6,194 | 5,971 | 6,081 | 5,774 | 5,973 | 6,307 | 6,681 | 6,620 |
| Primorje-Gorski Kotar | 7,123 | 7,210 | 7,622 | 8,575 | 9,051 | 10,326 | 11,337 | 11,959 | 13,642 | 12,847 | 12,873 | 13,185 | 13,474 | 13,061 | 13,103 | 13,204 | 13,686 | 14,559 | 14,797 |
| Sisak-Moslavina | 4,884 | 4,952 | 5,158 | 5,285 | 5,552 | 6,156 | 7,292 | 6,966 | 8,018 | 8,184 | 8,321 | 8,372 | 8,465 | 7,832 | 7,459 | 7,899 | 7,939 | 8,284 | 7,868 |
| Split-Dalmatia | 4,422 | 4,866 | 5,278 | 5,723 | 6,508 | 6,820 | 7,593 | 8,684 | 9,059 | 8,361 | 8,323 | 8,121 | 7,866 | 7,876 | 7,876 | 8,184 | 8,655 | 9,183 | 9,636 |
| Šibenik-Knin | 3,855 | 4,094 | 4,631 | 5,254 | 5,946 | 6,733 | 6,863 | 8,081 | 8,262 | 7,202 | 7,788 | 7,855 | 7,764 | 7,998 | 8,086 | 8,267 | 8,776 | 9,737 | 9,713 |
| Varaždin | 4,952 | 5,516 | 6,327 | 6,550 | 6,525 | 6,890 | 7,564 | 8,165 | 9,233 | 8,758 | 8,298 | 8,281 | 8,193 | 8,412 | 8,434 | 8,752 | 9,389 | 10,176 | 10,899 |
| Virovitica-Podravina | 3,887 | 4,416 | 4,793 | 5,029 | 5,222 | 5,329 | 6,253 | 6,703 | 7,048 | 6,326 | 6,037 | 6,213 | 6,012 | 5,979 | 5,542 | 5,704 | 6,135 | 6,480 | 6,525 |
| Vukovar-Syrmia | 3,277 | 3,604 | 4,018 | 4,330 | 4,617 | 4,985 | 5,825 | 6,012 | 6,853 | 6,401 | 6,016 | 6,094 | 5,856 | 5,961 | 5,772 | 6,082 | 6,498 | 6,999 | 6,730 |
| Zadar | 4,050 | 4,726 | 5,289 | 6,193 | 6,579 | 7,186 | 7,534 | 8,676 | 9,640 | 8,752 | 8,281 | 8,114 | 7,985 | 8,084 | 8,146 | 8,478 | 9,003 | 9,901 | 10,803 |
| Zagreb County | 4,327 | 4,283 | 5,279 | 5,459 | 5,966 | 6,686 | 6,859 | 7,745 | 8,443 | 8,089 | 7,565 | 7,703 | 7,660 | 7,687 | 7,748 | 8,050 | 8,434 | 9,083 | 9,710 |
| City of Zagreb | 8,962 | 10,114 | 11,091 | 12,238 | 13,418 | 15,082 | 16,642 | 18,005 | 19,709 | 18,526 | 19,765 | 19,453 | 18,986 | 18,578 | 18,479 | 18,992 | 19,711 | 20,879 | 22,695 |
| Source: Croatian Bureau of Statistics[166] | |||||||||||||||||||
Since its independence in 1991 and its transformation into a market economy, Croatia has led the way for regional peers with a reform agenda that paved the way for its EU accession in 2013. Croatia also plays a central role in the OECD's South East Europe Regional Programme, engaging in project collaboration and sharing policies and good practices in the regional policy dialogue and peer learning activities. Croatia co-organises the OECD Dubrovnik Talks as part of its annual Dubrovnik Forum, playing a leading role advancing social, economic and environmental reforms in South East Europe.
Croatia is a high-income country, ranking as the 42nd richest economy per capita out of 145 studied. Its 3.84 million inhabitants have a GDP per capita of $21,520 ($46,005 PPP; 2023). GDP per capita growth has averaged 4.8% over the past five years, above regional averages.
But keeping it simple, there's little difference in performance between the performance in terms of GDP and GDP per capita for the US (or Croatia, which tops the table on both measures).
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