Croatia

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups and religions
- Languages
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance, trade, and services
- Labour and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health, welfare, and housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Croatia to the Ottoman conquests
- Ragusa and the Croat Renaissance in Dalmatia
- Croatian national revival
- Croatia in Austria-Hungary
- From World War I to the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes
- Croatia in Yugoslavia, 1918–41
- World War II
- Croatia in Yugoslavia, 1945–91
- Independent Croatia

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Map of Croatia and surrounding countries showing political boundaries, major cities including Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, and neighboring nations such as Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The Adriatic Sea borders Croatia to the west, and a small inset locator map highlights Croatia's position in Europe.

Zagreb, Croatia

Map highlighting Croatia in southeastern Europe, showing its location along the Adriatic Sea and its borders with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The capital city, Zagreb, is marked, and surrounding countries such as Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, and Greece are also labeled.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Map of Croatia highlighting its physical features, including major mountain ranges such as the Velebit and Velika Kapela Mountains, rivers like the Sava and Drava, and notable national parks including Plitvicka Lakes and Krka River. The map also shows Croatia's coastline along the Adriatic Sea and its many islands, as well as surrounding countries. An inset locator map in the corner marks Croatia's position in Europe.

Aerial view of the harbor in Pula, Croatia, showing a marina with docked boats, an industrial shipyard with cranes, and the city and green islands surrounding the bay.

How griffon vultures find food

At a Glance

default image

Croatia summary

Croatia: Media

country, Europe

Videos

How griffon vultures find food

How griffon vultures find food

Griffon vultures searching for food on Croatia's Adriatic coast.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

White storks' annual return to a Croatian village

White storks' annual return to a Croatian village

White storks returning to a village in Croatia after wintering in Africa.

Video: Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz

Images

Croatia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Croatia and surrounding countries showing political boundaries, major cities including Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, and neighboring nations such as Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The Adriatic Sea borders Croatia to the west, and a small inset locator map highlights Croatia's position in Europe.

Croatia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb, Croatia.

© zatletic/Fotolia

Map highlighting Croatia in southeastern Europe, showing its location along the Adriatic Sea and its borders with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The capital city, Zagreb, is marked, and surrounding countries such as Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, and Greece are also labeled.

Croatia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia

The walled old city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, on the Adriatic Sea.

Dennis Jarvis (CC-BY-2.0) (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Map of Croatia highlighting its physical features, including major mountain ranges such as the Velebit and Velika Kapela Mountains, rivers like the Sava and Drava, and notable national parks including Plitvicka Lakes and Krka River. The map also shows Croatia's coastline along the Adriatic Sea and its many islands, as well as surrounding countries. An inset locator map in the corner marks Croatia's position in Europe.

Croatia

Physical features of Croatia.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Dinaric Alps

Dinaric Alps

The Dinaric Alps rising from the Dalmatian coast at Makarska, a resort town south...

Leo de Wys Inc./Van Phillips

Aerial view of the harbor in Pula, Croatia, showing a marina with docked boats, an industrial shipyard with cranes, and the city and green islands surrounding the bay.

Pula

The harbor of Pula, Croatia, on the Istria peninsula.

© iunewind —iStock/Getty Images

People browse and buy fresh produce at outdoor market stalls in Dubrovnik, Croatia, with red and white umbrellas and stone buildings in the background.

Dubrovnik

Market in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

© Philippehalle/Dreamstime.com

St. Stephen's Cathedral with twin spires rises above red-roofed buildings in central Zagreb, Croatia, with an outdoor cafe visible to the right.

Zagreb

Cathedral of St. Stephen, Zagreb, Croatia.

© Graksi/Dreamstime.com

Panoramic view of Zagreb, Croatia, showing red-roofed buildings, a blue funicular car, and the city skyline under a partly cloudy sky.

Zagreb

Zagreb, Croatia.

© OPIS/Shutterstock.com

View of Sibenik, Croatia, showing a hillside covered with stone buildings with red-tiled roofs, a waterfront with boats, and a fortress surrounded by trees at the top.

Šibenik

Šibenik, Croatia.

© InavanHateren/Shutterstock.com

Small fishing boats are docked along the waterfront of a Croatian village with stone buildings, red-tiled roofs, and green shutters, set against a backdrop of hills and trees.

Croatia: fishing village

Fishing village in Croatia.

RJ Lerich/Shutterstock

Croatia

Croatia

Dancers in Turopolje, Croatia, in 1987 performing a kolo in a cross-hand hold.

© Elsie Ivancich Dunin

Stone courtyard of Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia, featuring arched colonnades and ornate classical architecture with a central entrance and bell tower.

Split: Palace of Diocletian

Palace of Diocletian, Split, Croatia.

© Tuomas Lehtinen/Shutterstock.com

Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb, Croatia

Croatian National Theatre and Arts and Crafts Museum, Zagreb, Croatia.

© Photos.com/Jupiterimages

Luka Modric of Croatia, wearing a red and white checkered jersey and captain's armband, controls the ball as a Ukrainian player approaches during a World Cup qualifying match.

Luka Modrić

Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić (right) during a FIFA World Cup qualifying match...

© Vladyslav Moskovenko/Dreamstime.com

Plitvička Lakes

Plitvička Lakes

Plitvička Lakes, Croatia.

Donar Reiskoffer

Ban Josip Jelacic Square in Zagreb, Croatia, with the equestrian statue of Ban Jelacic at the center, surrounded by historic buildings and people in the plaza.

Zagreb: Ban Josip Jelačić Square

Statue of Josip Jelačić, Ban Josip Jelačić Square, Zagreb, Croatia.

© Goga/Shutterstock.com

Ante Pavelić

Ante Pavelić

Ante Pavelić (centre right) greeting Adolf Hitler at the Berghof (Hitler's chalet)...

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Muzej Revolucije Narodnosti Jugoslavije (85432)

Dayton Accords

Dayton Accords

Slobodan Milošević (third from left), Alija Izetbegović (fourth from left), and Franjo...

Staff Sgt. Brian Schlumbohm/U.S. Air Force

Stipe Mesić and George W. Bush

Stipe Mesić and George W. Bush

Stipe Mesić (right) with U.S. Pres. George W. Bush, 2008.

Eric Draper/The White House

Jadranka Kosor speaking at a United Nations podium with UN microphones, wearing a black blazer and white top, with a flag blurred in the background.

Jadranka Kosor

Jadranka Kosor.

Jenny Rockett/UN Photo

Croatia

Croatia

Desperate migrants trying to board a train at the border between Croatia and Serbia,...

Giulio Piscitelli/contrasto/Redux

Map of Europe color-coded to show the expansion of the European Union by year of joining, distinguishing original 1993 members, later additions in 1995, 2004, 2007, and 2013, as well as candidate countries and the United Kingdom as a former member. Country names are labeled within their borders.

European Union

Map of Europe with European Union member states.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Croatia

Croatia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of Croatia

The instrumental version of the national anthem of Croatia.

Interactives

Croatia: Ethnic composition

Croatia: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Croatia: Religious affiliation

Croatia: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Croatia: Urban-rural

Croatia: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Croatia: Age breakdown

Croatia: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Croatia: Major import sources

Croatia: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Croatia: Major export destinations

Croatia: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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