The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency (ebook reader 8 inch .txt) 📕

and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, 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 signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks

People
Croatia

Population:

4,491,543 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.8% (male 363,551/female 345,132) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 1,501,949/female 1,517,962) 65 years and over: 17% (male 295,229/female 467,720) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.8 years male: 38.9 years female: 42.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.043% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

9.64 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

11.66 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 6.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.13 years male: 71.49 years female: 78.97 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.41 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 10 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:

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

Languages:

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

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: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2004)

Government
Croatia

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; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December 2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005), Djurdja ADLESIC (since 12 January 2008), Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008) 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 16 January 2005 (next to be held in January 2010); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote - Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR 34% in the second round

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 56, HNS 7, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts 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 [Ivo
SANADER]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian
Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or
HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC];
Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC]; Independent
Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian
Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party
of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: human rights groups

International organization participation:

ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
EAPC, EBRD, FAO, 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), NSG, OAS
(observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A. BRADTKE embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered)

Economy
Croatia

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. Since 2000, however, Croatia's economic fortunes have begun 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$69.59 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$51.36 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,500 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 7.2% industry: 31.7% services: 61.2% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

1.749 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32.8% services: 64.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate:

11.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

11% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

29 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):

30.1% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $22.56 billion expenditures: $23.92 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

47.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

9% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

9.33% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$11.61 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$31.86 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$45.7 billion (31 December 2007)

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:

5.3% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

12.41 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

15.57 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

3.306 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports:

8.374 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Oil - production:

23,620 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

101,800 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

43,680 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

112,200 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

79.15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

1.58 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

2.73 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

1.103 billion cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

28.54 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$4.85 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$12.62 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:

Italy 19.3%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.9%, Germany 10.2%, Slovenia 8.4%, Austria 6.2% (2007)

Imports:

$25.99 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

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

Imports - partners:

Italy 16.1%, Germany 14.4%, Russia 10.1%, China 6.2%, Slovenia 6%,
Austria 5.3% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $125.4 million (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$13.67 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$46.3 billion (30 June 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$23.13 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$3.161 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$29.01 billion (2006)

Currency (code):

kuna (HRK)

Currency code:

HRK

Exchange rates:

kuna (HRK) per US dollar - 5.3735 (2007), 5.8625 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003)

Communications
Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.825 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5.035 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the telecommunications network has improved steadily since the mid-1990s; the number of fixed telephone lines holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions exceeds the population domestic: more than 90 percent of local lines are digital 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 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)