Croatia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Republic of Croatia Republika Hrvatska (Croatian)
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: "Lijepa naša domovino" ("Our Beautiful Homeland")
Show globe Show map of Europe Location of Croatia (dark green) – on the European continent (green & dark grey) – in the European Union (green)
Capital and largest city	Zagreb 45°48′47″N 15°58′39″E / 45.81306°N 15.97750°E / 45.81306; 15.97750
Official languages	Croatian
Writing system	Latin
Ethnic groups (2021)	91.6% Croats 3.2% Serbs 5.2% others
Religion (2021)	87.4% Christianity 79.0% Catholicism 3.3% Orthodoxy 5.1% other Christian 6.4% no religion 2.3% other 3.9% undeclared
Demonym(s)	Croatian
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic

• President	Zoran Milanović
• Prime Minister	Andrej Plenković
• Speaker of the Parliament	Gordan Jandroković

Legislature	Sabor
Establishment history

• Duchy	7th century
• Kingdom	925
• Croatia in personal union with Hungary	1102
• Joined Habsburg Monarchy	1 January 1527
• Secession from Austria-Hungary	29 October 1918
• Creation of Yugoslavia	4 December 1918
• Declaration of independence	25 June 1991
• Joined NATO	1 April 2009
• Joined the European Union	1 July 2013

Area
• Total	56,594 km² (21,851 sq mi) (124th)
• Water (%)	1.09
Population
• 2023 estimate	3,861,967 (128th)
• 2021 census	3,871,833 (128th)
• Density	68.4/km² (177.2/sq mi) (152nd)
GDP (PPP)	2024 estimate
• Total	$187.19 billion (79th)
• Per capita	$48,811 (41st)
GDP (nominal)	2024 estimate
• Total	$89.67 billion (74th)
• Per capita	$23,380 (51st)
Gini (2020)	▼ 28.3 low
HDI (2022)	0.878 very high · 39th
Currency	Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	+385
ISO 3166 code	HR
Internet TLD	.hr and .eu

Croatia ( kroh-AY-shə) is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of Central Europe, and Southern Europe, being influenced by powers from both regions at varying points in its history. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. It was one of the republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It became independent in 1991. It joined the European Union on 1 July 2013.

History
Geography
- Climate
- Biodiversity
Politics
- Administrative divisions
Economy
Education
Tourism
- Related pages
Images for kids
See also

History

In earlier times, the land now known as Croatia was inhabited by different kinds of humans including Neanderthals and Neolithic cultures. In Roman times, seafaring pirates known to the Romans as the Dalmatian Tribes lived there, as the Histri, Liburni and the Delmatae. The Romans conquered and annexed the territory in 9 AD, calling it the province of "Dalmatia," named after these tribes. During more than 400 years of Roman rule, the province of Dalmatia would become Romanized. The Roman invaders mixed with the natives and their descendants adopted a Roman lifestyle even after the collapse of the Roman state in 476 AD.

In the early seventh century AD, pagan West Slavs named the Croats (where Croatia gets its name) came to live in the former province of Dalmatia when they conquered the people already living there. However, they would soon be influenced by Roman Catholic Christian missionaries who completed the process of Christianization in the early 9th century. From the time of the crowning of Tomislav in 925 as the first King of Croatia, Croatia would become its own independent Catholic kingdom until 1102, when a Hungarian prince inherited the Croatian throne. The Hungarians would rule as Kings of Croatia until the early modern period, when the last Hungarian king of Croatia Louis II was killed at the Battle of Mohacs in 1526 and the kingdom chose the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand as king the next year.

Croatia would remain as a part of the empire of Austria-Hungary under Ferdinand's descendants until 1918. In 1918 it became a part of Kingdom of Slovenians, Croats and Serbs, later named Yugoslavia which was occupied in World War II. After a short war with Italy a fascist dictatorship formed the Independent State of Croatia in 1941, but it was not independent from the control of Nazi Germany (see also Jasenovac concentration camp).

In 1945, Croatia became a part of new Yugoslavia (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) which was non-aligned after breaking connections with Eastern Bloc. It collapsed in 1991 as initially Slovenia, than Croatia, later other republics claimed independence and became parliamentary democracies. War with Yugoslavia made a strong impact on society in economic, political and cultural terms. Civil society and media that came out of anti-war struggle in Croatia grew against nationalism, media and civil freedoms, later also corruption.

The country's democratic development around 2000, made it possible for Croatia to finally join Slovenia as only the second republic to become the European Union member on 1 July 2013.

In recent decades Croatia is increasingly popular tourist destination, especially the coastal regions of Dalmatia and Istria.

Geography

A map of Croatia

Croatia is in Central and Southeast Europe, bordering Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south-east, Montenegro to the south-east, the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and Slovenia to the northwest. It lies mostly between latitudes 42° and 47° N and longitudes 13° and 20° E. Part of the territory in the extreme south surrounding Dubrovnik is a practical exclave connected to the rest of the mainland by territorial waters, but separated on land by a short coastline strip belonging to Bosnia and Herzegovina around Neum. Croatia is divided into 21 counties.

Croatia is the 127th largest country in the world. The highest point is the Dinara peak at 1,831 metres (6,007 feet). Thousands of islands are part of Croatia. 48 have people living there year-round. The largest islands are Cres and Krk. Major rivers are the Sava, Drava, Kupa and Danube.

There are many deep caves in Croatia. 49 of which are deeper than 250 m (820.21 ft). Croatia's most famous lakes are the Plitvice lakes.

Climate

Most of Croatia has a moderately warm and rainy continental climate. Average temperature ranges between −3 °C (27 °F) (in January) and 18 °C (64 °F) (in July). The coldest parts of the country are Lika and Gorski Kotar. The warmest are at the Adriatic coast.

Biodiversity

There are several ecoregions in Croatia. The coastline, forests, mountains, and rivers give Croatia diverse flora and fauna. There are more than a thousand endemic species.

Croatia is home to the only known aquatic cave vertebrate—the olm.

There are 444 protected areas of Croatia. Those include eight national parks, two strict reserves, and ten nature parks. The oldest national park in Croatia is the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Politics

Croatia adopted its constitution in 1990. It declared independence from Yugoslavia on 8 October 1991.

The President of the Republic is the head of state. The President is directly elected to a five-year term. The Constitution limits the President to a maximum of two terms. The Prime Minister of Croatia is the head of government.

Administrative divisions

County	Seat	Area (km²)	Population at 2011 Census
Bjelovar-Bilogora	Bjelovar	2,652	119,743
Brod-Posavina	Slavonski Brod	2,043	158,559
Dubrovnik-Neretva	Dubrovnik	1,783	122,783
Istria	Pazin	2,820	208,440
Karlovac	Karlovac	3	128,749
Koprivnica-Križevci	Koprivnica	1,746	115,582
Krapina-Zagorje	Krapina	1,224	133,064
Lika-Senj	Gospić	5,350	51,022
Međimurje	Čakovec	730	114,414
Osijek-Baranja	Osijek	4,152	304,899
Požega-Slavonia	Požega	1,845	78,031
Primorje-Gorski Kotar	Rijeka	3,582	296,123
Sisak-Moslavina	Sisak	4,463	172,977
Split-Dalmatia	Split	4,534	455,242
Šibenik-Knin	Šibenik	2,939	109,320
Varaždin	Varaždin	1,261	176,046
Virovitica-Podravina	Virovitica	2,068	84,586
Vukovar-Syrmia	Vukovar	2,448	180,117
Zadar	Zadar	3,642	170,398
Zagreb County	Zagreb	3,078	317,642
City of Zagreb	Zagreb	641	792,875

Economy

Salt mine in Ston

Croatia is one of the richest countries of the Balkan Peninsula and of the former Yugoslavia's countries. But Croatia had also the highest cost prices of the whole Central Europe. The average monthly salary/wages in Croatia standing on 739 euro or nearly US$1000.

The retirement age for men is 65 years and for women 60 years. The health care enjoys relative strong protection for the country's inhabitants.

Education

Education is free and required until the child reaches the age of 15. Many choose to continue their studies in high school until the age of 18.

Tourism

After the war that devastated the country, Croatia has rebuilt its infrastructure, revitalizing its image as a Mediterranean country with crystal clear waters, medieval cities that mix western and eastern architecture, respect for the environment and traditions with the arrival of tourism. Dubrovnik has become the most characteristic symbol of this new Croatia that is strongly committed to European tourism. It is developing a type of tourism based on sustainability, in which culture, gastronomy and nature coexist with the visitor, offering them the experience of discovering Croatia as part of it.

There are many reasons to visit Croatia. Its six UNESCO World Heritage sites : Dubrovnik's Old Town (undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe), the Diocletian's Palace in Split, the historic core of Trogir, the Cathedral of St. James of Sibenik, the Plitvice Lakes National Park, or the Episcopal Ensemble of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Center of Porec (Istria).

Nature is another attractive source of tourism in Croatia. Its eight National Parks and ten Natural Parks with their varied fauna and flora show all their splendor, with a coastline that winds from the Istria Peninsula to the south of Dalmatia, leaving beautiful coves, beaches, and cliffs. The islands, such as Hvar or Korcula, in Dalmatia or Rab and Losinj in Kvarner Bay, which are sometimes grouped together in archipelagos as interesting as those of Brijuni or Kornati, they host millions of tourists. More than a thousand islands and islets that make up the Adriatic Coast, a paradise for those who love sailing and seek to cross the Adriatic by Sailboat.

The variety of the tourist offer in Croatia goes beyond the beautiful cities Dubrovnik, Zagreb or Split.

Images for kids

The 1st century-built Pula Arena was the sixth largest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire
Kingdom of Croatia c. 925, during the reign of King Tomislav
Coronation of King Tomislav by Oton Iveković
Croatian Ban Nikola Šubić Zrinski is honoured as a national hero for his defence of Szigetvár against the Ottoman Empire
Ban Josip Jelačić at the opening of the first modern Croatian Parliament (Sabor), June 5, 1848. The tricolour flag can be seen in the background.
The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within Austria-Hungary created in 1868 following the Croatian–Hungarian Settlement.
Stjepan Radić, leader of the Croatian Peasant Party who advocated federal organisation of the Yugoslavia, at the assembly in Dubrovnik, 1928
German dictator Adolf Hitler with Quisling and dictator of the Independent State of Croatia Ante Pavelić at the Berghof outside Berchtesgaden, Germany
Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac with the Croatian communist leader Vladimir Bakarić at the celebration of May Day, shortly before Stepinac was arrested by the Communists and taken to court
People of Zagreb celebrating liberation on 12 May 1945 by Croatian Partisans
Josip Broz Tito led SFR Yugoslavia from 1944 to 1980; Pictured: Tito with the US president Richard Nixon in the White House, 1971
Croatia became the 28th EU member country on 1 July 2013
Satellite image
Bora is a dry, cold wind which blows from the mainland out to sea, whose gusts can reach hurricane strength, particularly in the channel below Velebit, e.g. in the town of Senj
Bottlenose dolphins are protected under Croatian law with Adriatic Dolphin project as the longest ongoing study of a single resident bottlenose dolphin community in the Mediterranean Sea
Wooden trail through nature park Kopački Rit in Osijek-Baranja County
Telašćica Nature Park is one of 444 protected areas
Honor guard in the front of Banski Dvori in Zagreb welcoming Pedro Sánchez Prime Minister of Spain and Andrej Plenković Prime Minister.
Justices of the Constitutional Court of Croatia in 2009
President Zoran Milanović on NATO summit on 24 March 2022. The accession of Croatia to NATO took place in 2009
Croatian Air Force and US Navy aircraft participate in multinational training, 2002
Croatian Army forces during “Immediate Response 15”, Military Training Area “Eugen Kvaternik”, Slunj, Croatia, 2015.
Varaždin, capital of Croatia between 1767 and 1776, is the seat of Varaždin county; Pictured: Old Town fortress, one of 15 Croatia's sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list
Dubrovnik is one of Croatia's most popular tourist destinations.
Zlatni Rat beach on the Island of Brač is one of the foremost spots of tourism in Croatia
Pelješac Bridge connects the peninsula of Pelješac and through it the southernmost part including Dubrovnik with the Croatian mainland
HŽ series 6112 manufactured by the Croatian company Končar Group, operated by Croatian Railways
Map of the Shtokavian, Chakavian and Kajkavian dialects in Croatia by municipality
The Baška tablet is the oldest Glagolitic monument in Croatia. It documents the donation of land gifted by Croatian King Dmitar Zvonimir to the Benedictine monastery of St Lucy
University of Zagreb is the largest Croatian university and the oldest university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe (1669)
National and University Library
University Hospital Centre Zagreb is the largest hospital in Croatia and the teaching hospital of the University of Zagreb
Historic centre of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Site since 1997
Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč, example of early Byzantine architecture, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.
Historical nucleus of Split with the 4th-century Diocletian's Palace was inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979
Radio Zagreb, now a part of Croatian Radiotelevision, was the first public radio station in Southeast Europe.
Teran wine from Istria region
Croatia national football team came in second at the 2018 World Cup in Russia