Croatia Facts and Culture

What is Croatia famous for?

• Family: Rural Croatian families traditionally include grandparents, parents, and two or more children. The father or grandfather has a dominant role... More
• Personal Apperance: It is important for clothing to be neat and clean. In general, adults do not wear shorts in public, except... More
• Recreation: Nogomet or soccer is the most popular sport.  Other sports include basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming and hiking. Many young people... More
• Diet: Seafood and vegetables are most poplar in coastal towns. Dishes made from chicken, beef, fish, pork, and lamb are common... More
• Food and Recipes: Breakfast is light and usually accompanied by black coffee. Lunch is the main meal of the day and consists of... More
• Visiting: Croatians enjoy visiting one another to socialize. Most visits are arranged in advance, but unexpected guests are also welcomed. When... More
• Dating: The youth begin dating around age 15, beginning with small groups. Rural people get married in their early twenties and... More

What is the capital of Croatia?

Capital	Zagreb
Government Type	parliamentary republic
Currency	kuna (HRK)
Total Area	21,851 Square Miles 56,594 Square Kilometers
Location	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Language	Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German)
GDP - real growth rate	1.9%
GDP - per capita (PPP)	$22,400.00 (USD)

What is the population of Croatia?

Ethnic Groups	Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Slovene 0.3%, Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin 0.1%, others 4.1%
Languages	The Croatian language has thirty letters, each with a distinct sound.
Nationality Noun	Croat(s), Croatian(s)
Population	4,227,746
Population Growth Rate	-0.11%
Population in Major Urban Areas	ZAGREB (capital) 686,000
Urban Population	57.800000

What type of government does Croatia have?

Executive Branch	chief of state: President Zoran MILANOVIC (since 18 February 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Andrej PLENKOVIC (since 19 October 2016); Deputy Prime Ministers Tomo MEDVED (since 23 July 2020), Davor BOZINOVIC (since 12 July 2019), Oleg BUTKOVIC (since 15 July 2022), Branko BACIC (since 17 January 2023), Anja SIMPRAG (since 29 April 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 December 2019 with a runoff on 5 January 2020 (next to be held in 2024); the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president and approved by the Assembly election results: 2019: Zoran MILANOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Zoran MILANOVIC (SDP) 52.7%, Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC (HDZ) 47.3% 2015: Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC (HDZ) 50.7%, Ivo JOSIPOVIC (Forward Croatia Progressive Alliance) 49.3%
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal
Citizenship	citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Croatia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
National Holiday	Statehood Day (National Day), 30 May (1990); note - marks the day in 1990 that the first modern multi-party Croatian parliament convened
Constitution	history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1990 amendments: proposed by at least one fifth of the Assembly membership, by the president of the republic, by the Government of Croatia, or through petition by at least 10% of the total electorate; proceedings to amend require majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; passage by petition requires a majority vote in a referendum and promulgation by the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2014
Independence	25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia); 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; notable earlier dates: ca. 925 (Kingdom of Croatia established); 1 December 1918 (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Yugoslavia) established)

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What environmental issues does Croatia have?

Overview	Croatia covers 56,500 km2 (21,829 mi2) of mainland and somewhat less than 32,000 km2 (12,316 mi2) of sea. The Adriatic coastline, which includes 1,185 islands, islets, and reefs -- of which only 66 are inhabited -- is 5,740 km (3,566 miles) long, and is famed for its clear waters. The highest peak is the Dinara Mountain at 1,831 m (5951 feet) above sea level. The republic swings around like a boomerang from the Pannonian Plains of Slavonia between the Sava, Drava, and Danube Rivers, across hilly central Croatia to the Istrian Peninsula, then south through Dalmatia along the rugged Adriatic coast. Croatia’s geography is diverse with its rocky coastline, densely wooded mountains, plains, lakes, and rolling hills. In an effort to preserve its environment, Croatia maintains eight national parks.
Climate	Zagreb's climate is predominately continental, with hot and dry summers and cold winters. Rainy weather, with accompanying fog, is common in the fall from October through December. In winter, from December to March, snowfalls are common, occasionally heavy, and temperatures often dip below freezing. On the coast, the climate is typically Mediterranean with long, hot, dry summers and moderate but windy winters.
Border Countries	Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south) 25 km, Slovenia 670 km
Environment - Current Issues	air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife
Environment - International Agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, 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: none of the selected agreements
Terrain	geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

How big is the Croatia economy?

Economic Overview	Though still one of the wealthiest of the former Yugoslav republics, Croatia’s economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war. The country's output during that time collapsed, and Croatia missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve 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 remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Croatia experienced an abrupt slowdown in the economy in 2008; economic growth was stagnant or negative in each year between 2009 and 2014, but has picked up since the third quarter of 2014, ending 2017 with an average of 2.8% growth. Challenges remain including uneven regional development, a difficult investment climate, an inefficient judiciary, and loss of educated young professionals seeking higher salaries elsewhere in the EU. In 2016, Croatia revised its tax code to stimulate growth from domestic consumption and foreign investment. Income tax reduction began in 2017, and in 2018 various business costs were removed from income tax calculations. At the start of 2018, the government announced its economic reform plan, slated for implementation in 2019. Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Croatian economy, comprising 19.6% of Croatia’s GDP. Croatia is working to become a regional energy hub, and is undertaking plans to open a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal by the end of 2019 or early in 2020 to import LNG for re-distribution in southeast Europe. Croatia joined the EU on July 1, 2013, following a decade-long accession process. Croatia has developed a plan for Eurozone accession, and the government projects Croatia will adopt the Euro by 2024. In 2017, the Croatian government decreased public debt to 78% of GDP, from an all-time high of 84% in 2014, and realized a 0.8% budget surplus - the first surplus since independence in 1991. The government has also sought to accelerate privatization of non-strategic assets with mixed success. Croatia’s economic recovery is still somewhat fragile; Croatia’s largest private company narrowly avoided collapse in 2017, thanks to a capital infusion from an American investor. Restructuring is ongoing, and projected to finish by mid-July 2018.
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
Currency Name and Code	kuna (HRK)
Export Partners	Italy 13.4%, Slovenia 12.5%, Germany 11.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.9%, Austria 6.6%, Serbia 4.9%
Import Partners	Germany 15.5%, Italy 13.1%, Slovenia 10.7%, Austria 9.2%, Hungary 7.8%

What current events are happening in Croatia?
Source: Google News

What makes Croatia a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Croatia is a well-developed parliamentary democracy and became a member of the European Union (EU) on July 1, 2013. Facilities for tourism are available throughout the country, and the Adriatic coast is a popular tourist destination.

Crime

While violent crime is rare, there have been isolated attacks targeting specific persons or property, which may have been racially motivated or prompted by lingering ethnic tensions from Croatia's war for independence. Foreigners do not appear to be singled out by criminals. We advise you to safeguard your belongings in public areas, especially in bus or railroad stations, airports, and gas stations, and on public transportation. As in many countries, outward displays of wealth may increase your chances of being targeted by thieves.

We urge U.S. citizens to avoid going to so-called "gentlemen's clubs." A few such establishments have presented foreign customers with grossly inflated bar bills, sometimes in the thousands of dollars, and threatened those customers who refuse to pay.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Croatia, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own, and criminal penalties vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States; you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods, for example. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Croatia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

Languages

The Croatian language has thirty letters, each with a distinct sound.

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Health-care facilities in Croatia, although generally of Western caliber, are under severe budgetary strain. Some medicines are in short supply in public hospitals and clinics. There are numerous private medical and dental practitioners, and private pharmacies stock a variety of medicines not readily available through public health facilities. Tick-borne encephalitis, a disease preventable with a three-shot vaccination series, is found throughout inland Croatia, but is not prevalent along the coast.

Safety and Security

Although hostilities in all parts of the country ended in 1995, de-mining of areas along former confrontation lines is not complete. We estimate that de-mining operations will continue until at least 2018. Mine-affected areas are well-marked with Croatian-language warning signs using the international symbol for mines—a skull and crossbones inside a red, upside-down triangle. Be cautious in former conflict areas, including Eastern Slavonia, Brodsko-Posavska County, Karlovac County, areas around Zadar, and in more remote areas of the Plitvice Lakes National Park, and stay on known safe roads and areas. Mine-clearance work may lead to the closure of roads in former conflict areas.

While civil disorder is rare in Croatia, there are occasional strikes, protests and other public demonstrations. As all demonstrations can potentially turn confrontational or even violent, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid these events whenever possible, and to exercise caution when in the vicinity of any such gathering.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

While in Croatia, you may encounterroad conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Road conditions and maintenance in Croatia vary widely. Modern highways link Zagreb with Rijeka and Split. Construction work is still ongoing between Split and Dubrovnik, causing delays and road closures. Highway tolls are higher than those in the United States and can be paid by cash or credit card. Information on tolls is available from the Croatian Motorways website. Primary roads, including roads along the coast, are generally adequate, but most have only one lane in each direction. Coastal roads are narrow and congested, and tend to be slippery when wet. Rock slides are also possible on roads along the coast, as well as through the mountain regions of Lika and Gorski Kotar. There is heavy congestion on major routes on weekends (towards the coast, for example) and in major cities during rush hours. Congestion on coastal routes, at border crossings, and at tunnels is especially heavy in the summer months. Drivers should be prepared for sudden slowdowns when approaching tunnels at any time of year.

Drivers tend to be aggressive in Croatia. Passing on curves or in oncoming lanes is common on highways and poses a higher risk of accidents. Accidents, when they do happen, very often involve fatalities. Drivers traveling though former conflict areas should stay on paved roads to reduce the risk of encountering unmarked mines and unexploded ordnance left over from the 1991-1995 war. In Zagreb, motorists and pedestrians alike should also pay special attention to trams (streetcars), which in downtown areas may travel at a high rate of speed through the narrow, congested streets. Additionally, drivers in towns and cities should be aware that pedestrians crossing streets in designated white striped crosswalks have the right of way. Drivers must stop to allow these pedestrians to cross.

Right turns on red lights are strictly forbidden in Croatia unless an additional green light (in the shape of an arrow) allows it. At unmarked intersections, right of way is always given to the vehicle entering from the right. The use of front seat belts is obligatory, and passengers in vehicles equipped with rear seat belts are required to use them. Special seats are required for infants, and children under age 12 may not sit in the front seat of an automobile. The use of cellular phones while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited unless the driver is using a hands-free device. By law, headlights of vehicles must be used all winter, as well as during fog and other inclement weather.

According to Croatian law, a driver may drive with a blood alcohol level of up to 0.05 percent; however it is illegal for a professional driver and those younger than 24 years of age to drive with a blood alcohol level greater than 0.00 percent. A driver with an alcohol level greater than 0.00 may be found guilty if involved in an accident. Police routinely spot-check motorists for drinking and driving and administer breath-analyzer tests at the scene of even the most minor accident. Drivers who refuse to submit to a breath-analyzer test are automatically presumed to have admitted to driving while intoxicated. In case of accidents resulting in death or serious injury, Croatian law requires police to take blood samples to test blood alcohol levels. Punishment for traffic violations can be severe, including fines up to 2,000 euros and even prison sentences.

Within Croatia, emergency road help and information may be reached 24 hours a day by dialing 1987, a service of the Croatian Automobile Association (HAK), staffed by English-speaking operators. The police can be reached by dialing 112 or 192, and the ambulance service by dialing 194. Additional road condition and safety information may be obtained from HAK at ( 385 1) 464-0800 (English-speaking operators available 24 hours), or ( 385 1) 661-1999. Croatian Radio broadcasts programs in foreign languages designed for tourists in Croatia on several frequencies. A daily program is broadcast in English at 8:05 pm on channel one, lasting approximately 10 minutes. For a list of frequencies, see the Croatian Radio website.

During the summer season, approximately mid-June through mid-September, channel two of the Croatian Radio broadcasts foreign news, traffic information, and other important information in English and German, in addition to their normal reporting. See the Croatian Radio website for a list of frequencies.

According to Croatian law, U.S. citizens visiting Croatia for tourism or business may use a U.S. driver's license for up to three months, but should also have an International Driver’s Permit. U.S. citizens with an approved extended tourist visa or a permit for permanent residence may continue to use a U.S. driver's license for up to twelve months; however, a Croatian driver's license is required for stays longer than twelve months. A driver must be at least 23 years old and have a valid driver's license in order to rent a car. Foreigners who have been granted temporary residence in Croatia and who are in possession of a vehicle registered abroad (with valid registration documents and insurance) may use their car a maximum of three months following the day of entry into Croatia, after which period the vehicle must be re-registered in Croatia. For specific information concerning Croatian driver's permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, please contact the Croatian National Tourist Office, P.O. Box 2651, New York NY 10108.

In cases of traffic accidents involving a foreign-registered vehicle, the investigating police officer on the scene is required to issue a vehicle damage certificate to the owner of the foreign-registered vehicle. This certificate is necessary to cross the border. Upon written request, the police station in the area where the accident occurred will issue a Traffic Accident Investigation Record.