Croatia

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Croatia's Information


Capital	Zagreb
Languages	Croatian (official) 95.6%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3% (including Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Albanian), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Croat 90.4%, Serb 4.4%, other 4.4% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Romani), unspecified 0.8% (2011 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic 86.3%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.5%, not religious or atheist 3.8% (2011 est.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Area	56,594.00 km²
Water Area	620.00 km²
Land Area	55,974.00 km²
Population	4,313,707.00 More of the population lives in the northern half of the country, with approximately a quarter of the populace residing in and around the capital of Zagreb; many of the islands are sparsely populated
Location	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km, Hungary 348 km, Montenegro 19 km, Serbia 314 km, Slovenia 600 km
GDP(PPP)	$94,240,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$22,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Italy, Slovenia, and Germany.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are transport equipment, machinery, textiles, and chemicals.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Germany, Italy, and Slovenia.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels, and lubricants.
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

Where is Croatia?

Located in Southeastern Europe on the Adriatic Sea, Croatia has a 2,237.00 km border with Bosnia and Herzegovina (956 km), Hungary (348 km), Montenegro (19 km), Serbia (314 km) and Slovenia (600 km). It has a 5,835.00 km coastline. Croatia has a dispute with Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning small sections of maritime access. Disputes with Slovenia also exist.

The capital city of Croatia is Zagreb. The city is located on the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain along the bank of the Sava river. Zagreb was established between the 1st and the 5th century AD. Zagreb is divided into 17 city districts. The city covers an area of 247 square miles while the metro area extends to 1,436 square miles. The city’s population is estimated at 810,000 with a density of 3,200 per square mile. Zagreb is not only an important hub for millions of passengers traveling across Europe but is also an important tourist destination in itself. The Mimara Museum is named after a private collector who donated thousands of priceless artifacts. Zagreb experiences an oceanic climate classified as Cfb under the Köppen climate classification. The city experiences four separate seasons. The average temperature during the winter is 1 degrees Celsius and 22.0 degrees Celsius during the summer.

Geography

Croatia has a mean elevation of 331 m above sea level.

It has both a Meditterean and a continental climate with the continental climate more prominent. Its terrain is diverse, with flat plains, low mountains, and some highlands.

Population

Croatia has a population of 4,313,707 making it the 127th largest in the world. The majority of the population lives in the northern part of the country.

Croatian is the official language. The major ethnic groups are Croat, Serb, and other. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic.

The official language of Croatia is Croatian, which is also the 24th official language of the European Union. Croatian is also spoken in Serbia and Herzegovina and the Vojvodina principality of Serbia. There are 30 letters in the Croatian alphabet. Croatian is native to 95.6% of Croats while 1.2% are Serbians. No minority language in Croatian makes up more than 0.5% of the population. Several minority languages spoken in the country are Italian, Hungarian, Slovak, Rusyn, German, English, Ukrainian, Romani, and Yiddish and Hebrew

Government

Croatia is an independent country. It became independent with the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991. Its constitution was last ratified in 1990.

Croatia is a parliamentary representative democratic republic. The prime minister is the head of government while the president is the head of state, commander-in-chief and the country's representative in internal and external matters. The Croatian parliament building is located in St. Mark's Square in the country’s capital of Zagreb, along with the presidential palace. The president of Croatia is elected by popular vote. The constitution stipulates that a candidate must garner more than 50% of the vote. The president is elected to a five-year term which is renewable once.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Croatia's GDP is $94,240,000,000.00 (USD) with $22,400.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 84th largest economy and its citizens the 77th richest in the world. The currency of Croatia is the Kuna (HRK).

Its major export partners are Italy, Slovenia, and Germany. Its main exports are transport equipment, machinery, textiles, and chemicals. Its major import partners are Germany, Italy, and Slovenia. Its major imports include machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels, and lubricants.

Flag

The Croatian flag underwent several changes due to shifting political events in the country’s past. After socialist Croatia was established in 1949, the Pan-Slavic colors (blue, white, and red) were adopted alongside the Yugoslav guerrilla star at the center. After independence, the star was replaced by the Croatian Coat of Arms. The National flag of Croatia (Trobojnica) consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue colors, and the country’s coat of arms at the center. It was adopted on December 21, 1990. The red and white colors were associated with the Kingdom of Croatia, white and blue represent the Kingdom of Slavonia, while red and blue were associated with the Kingdom of Dalmatia. The three kingdoms are historically constituents of the Croatian Kingdom. Nationally, white stands for peace and honesty, red is bravery and power, while the blue color represents vigilance, loyalty and truth. On top of the shield are five arms representing the Kingdoms of Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria and Slavonia (left to right). The flag of Croatia was designed by Miroslav Šutej. Miroslav was a Croatian painter and graphic artist