Croatia is a European country that belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire until World War I ended. In 1918 together, the Croats Serbs and the Slovenes formed a Kingdom, which was later recognised in the year 1929 as Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia basked in its moment throughout World War II after which Croatia declared itself independent in 1991 and statehood in 25 June 1991. Now Croatia is part of the European Union (EU) which it joined as at July 2013, United Nations (UN) and NETO which it also joined as at April 2009. The country practises parliamentary democracy with a written constitution, it consists of 20 counties with Zagreb as its capital (CIA).
GEOGRAPHY
Croatia is a developed Mediterranean country located in southeast Europe; it’s known to be part of the Balkans (may be called a Baltic country). It shares boarders with its neighbouring countries Slovenia, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (CIA). ‘Croatia has an area of 21,851 square miles (56,594 sq km).’ It also has a varied topography with flat plains along its border with Hungary and low mountains near its coastline. Croatia’s area includes its mainland as well as over nine thousand small islands in the Adriatic Sea. The highest point in the country is Dinara at 6,007 feet (1,831 m) the climate of Croatia is both Mediterranean and continental depending on location. The continental areas of the country have hot summers and cold winters, while the Mediterranean areas have mild, wet winters and dry summers. The latter regions are along Croatia’s coast. Croatia’s capital city Zagreb is located away from the coast and has an average July high temperature of 80??F (26.7??C) and an average January low temperature of 25??F (-4??C) (Briny).’ This means the climate varies. The continental areas are faced with hot summers and cold winters meanwhile the Mediterranean areas experience wet winters and dry summers, it all depends on the location.
Furthermore, in Western Europe to the Aegean Sea and also the Turkish Straits, Croatia controls most land routes. Its terrain is geographically diverse comprising of highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands and also flat plains across the Hungarian Boarder (CIA).’ The Croatian coast has a total of 1,244 islands, islets, rocks and reefs (Geography of Croatia).’ It’s slightly smaller than West Virginia (CIA)
A country’s geography determines its Natural resources. Like other countries, Croatia has its Natural Resources that aid the country and its people. It comprises of: some coal, oil, mica, salt, hydropower, natural asphalt, silica, bauxite, low-graded iron ore, calcium and gypsum (CIA). These Natural resources eventually help the country’s economy improve when they’re used efficiently by the government to develop the country by for instance using coal or hydropower to create its electricity. Another option is exporting them. An example of an exportable resource that would do well to Croatia’s economy is oil.
According to the world factbook, one of the environmental issues the Croats face is air pollutions resulting in acid rains caused by metallurgical plants. These acid rains destroy forests; coastal pollution from waste produced by industries and domestic waste (CIA). Due to these issues ,Croatia has undergone international agreements they’re 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 (CIA).’ So far, the only significant Natural hazard the Croats face is destructive earthquakes (CIA).
ECONOMY
Known to be one of the Wealthiest countries in the Yugoslavian era, Croatia’s economy crashed during the war in 1991-95. The country’s output during that time was so bad it missed the waves of investments in eastern and central Europe after the fall of the berlin wall. However Croatia’s economy started improving with a moderate steady and satisfying GDP between the years of 2000 and 2007. As at 2008, Croatia experienced an economic slowdown that it has not completely recovered from. Serious problems still remain including a challenging investment climate, an uneven regional development, the issue of high unemployment rate. And Croatia is also faced with reduced foreign investments (CIA). The world fact book also mentions that ‘On 1 July 2013 Croatia joined the EU, following a decade-long application process. Croatia will be a member of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism until it meets the criteria for joining the Economic and Monetary Union and adopts the euro as its currency. EU accession has increased pressure on the government to reduce Croatia’s relatively high public debt, which triggered the EU’s excessive deficit procedure for fiscal consolidation. Zagreb has cut spending since 2012, and the government also raised additional revenues through more stringent tax collection and by raising the Value Added Tax. The government has also sought to accelerate privatization of non-strategic assets, with mixed success (CIA).’ Now Amanda Briny explains Croatia’s position after a series of economic problems. ‘ Croatia’s main industries are chemicals and plastics manufacturing, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminium, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining and food and beverages. Tourism is also a major part of Croatia’s economy. In addition to these industries agriculture represents a small part of the country’s economy and the main products of that industry are wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes, livestock and dairy products (CIA World Factbook) (Briny).’ The 2015 index of Economic Freedom gives detailed information on Croatia’s situation in the 2015 index. ‘Croatia’s economic freedom score is 61.5, making its economy the 81st freest in the 2015 Index. Its overall score is 1.1 points better than last year, reflecting improvements in five of the 10 economic freedoms including freedom from corruption, fiscal freedom, and labour freedom. Croatia has registered its highest score ever in the 2015 Index, but it continues to lag behind many other emerging economies in the region, and its overall score remains below the regional average. Despite its accession to the European Union in 2013, Croatia still suffers some of the difficulties facing other transitional economies. An independent judiciary has not been fully established, and there are delays and backlogs in adjudicating cases. High levels of corruption persist in business, education, and basic government services. Land registry offices need further reform to guarantee clearly defined property rights.
An uncertain civic environment and fiscal pressures will continue to challenge efforts to build on Croatia’s modest improvements in economic freedom over the past five years. Reforms to open up the investment regime should help the country to integrate more fully into the European market (2015 Index of Economic Freedom:Croatia).’
The world fact book gives an estimate of Croatia’s GDP- Composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture covers 5%, industry covers 25.8% and services cover69.2% (2013 est.) (CIA).
Agriculture is another source of revenue in Croatia. Products such as dairy products, arable crops which include wheat, sunflower, rapeseed, sugar beet, vegetables and grapes for wine are produced for feeding and export purposes (CIA).
Industries also partake in the production of machine tools, textiles, tourism, food and beverages, fabricated metals, aluminium, chemicals and plastic, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, wood products, construction materials, petroleum refining and shipbuilding. Industrial production growth rate was -1.8% (2013 estimate.) (CIA).
PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
According to the July 2014 estimate, Croatia’s population is 4,470,534 (CIA).Croatian is the official language of the Croats; it is spoken by 95.5% of the population, Serbian is spoken by 1.2% of the population, others including Hungarian, Czech, Albanian are spoken by 3% of the population, 0.2 are unspecified. 2011 estimate (CIA). When it comes to ethnic groups, ‘Croat 90.4%, Serb 4.4%, other 4.4% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma), unspecified 0.8% (2011 est.) (CIA).’
Religion is a belief practised worldwide. it’s a way of life In Croatia, their religion comprises of the Roman Catholic, the Orthodox, the Muslim and others(not religious or atheist).the Roman Catholics cover 86% of the population, the Orthodox covers 4.4%, the Muslims cover 1.5% , others 1.5%, unspecified cover 2.5%, not religious or atheist 3.8%.2011 estimate (CIA). This shows that the Roman Catholic are the dominating religion in the country due to the fact that it’s practised by 86% of the population.
Every situation is faced by a certain population. Each country’s population comprises of the young, the middle aged and of course the old, birth and death rates, infant mortality and so much more. It’s no different in Croatia. Estimates have been carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Age structure’0-14 years: 14.5% (male 332,079/female 314,842)
15-24 years: 12.1% (male 275,957/female 263,796)
25-54 years: 41.1% (male 910,591/female 928,434)
55-64 years: 14.5% (male 315,791/female 334,017)
65 years and over: 17.4% (male 320,898/female 474,129) (2014 est.) (CIA).”
‘Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 50 %
Youth dependency ratio: 22 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 27.9 %
Potential support ratio: 3.6 (2014 est.) (CIA).’
‘Birth rate:
9.49 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 201
Death rate: 12.13 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 26
Net migration rate: 1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 populations (2014 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 54
Urbanization: urban population: 57.8% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) (CIA).’
‘Maternal mortality rate: 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
Country comparison to the world: 142
Infant mortality rate: total: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births
Country comparison to the world: 172
Male: 5.99 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 76.41 years
Country comparison to the world: 79
Male: 72.81 years
Female: 80.2 years (2014 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.45 children born/woman (2014 est.) (CIA).’
Health expenditures: 7.8% of GDP (2010)
Country comparison to the world: 66
Physicians density: 2.72 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
Hospital bed density: 6 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.9%
Male: 99.5%
Female: 98.3% (2011 est.)
GOVERNMENT
Croatia operates under parliamentary democracy (CIA). With its executives, legislatives and its judiciary. ‘Executive branch: chief of state: President Ivo JOSIPOVIC (since 18 February 2010)
Head of government: Prime Minister Zoran MILANOVIC (since 23 December 2011); First Deputy Prime Minister Vesna PUSIC (since 16 November 2012)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary assembly
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2014); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the assembly
Election results: Ivo JOSIPOVIC elected president; percent of vote in the second round – Ivo JOSIPOVIC 60%, Milan BANDIC 40%
Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sabor (151 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms; each of 10 electoral districts elect 14 members, Croatian citizens abroad vote as an electoral district and elect 3 members, national minorities vote as an electoral district and elect 8 members)
Elections: last held on 4 December 2011 (next to be held in late 2015)
election results: percent of vote by party/coalition – Kukuriku 40.0%, HDZ-led Coalitiion 23.8%, Croatian Laborists-Labor Party 5.1%, HSS 3.0%, HDSSB 2.9%, Independent list of Ivan Grubisic 2.8%, HCSP-HSP AS 2.8%, other 19.6%; number of seats by party/coalition – Kukuriku 80 (SDP 61, HNS 13, IDS 3, HSU 3), HDZ-led coalition 47 (HDZ 44, HGS 2, DC 1), Croatian Laborists-Labor Party 6, HDSSB 6, SDSS 3, Independent list of Ivan Grubisic 2, HSS 1, HCSP-HSP AS 1, other 5
note: seats by party as of 25 March 2014 – SDP 58, HDZ 42, HNS 13, HDSSB 7, Croatian Laborists – Labor Party 6, HSU 4, SDSS 3, HGS 2, IDS 2, BDSH 1, DC 1, HSS 1, HSP AS 1, ORaH 1, independents 9
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and vice president, 25 civil department justices, and 16 criminal department justices)
Judge selection and term of office: president of Supreme Court nominated by president of Croatia and elected by Croatian Sabor for a 4-year term; other Supreme Court justices appointed by National Judicial Council; all judges serve until age 70
subordinate courts: Administrative Court; county, municipal, and specialized courts; note – there is an 11-member Constitutional Court with jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues but is outside Croatia’s judicial system (CIA).’
Croatia has 19 political parties. Each political party has a head as mentioned in details in the world fact book. ‘Political parties and leaders:
Bosniak Democratic Party of Croatia or BDSH [Medzad HODZIC]
Croatian Civic Party or HGS [Zeljko KERUM]
Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Vladimir SISLJAGIC]
Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Tomislav KARAMARKO]
Croatian Laborists – Labor Party [Dragutin LESAR]
Croatian Party of Rights – dr. Ante Starcevic or HSP AS [Ruza TOMASIC]
Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Branko HRG]
Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA]
Croatian People’s Party – Liberal Democrats or HNS [Vesna PUSIC]
Croatian Pure Party of Rights or HCSP [Josip MILJIC]
Democratic Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]
HDZ-led Coalition [Tomislav KARAMARKO] (includes HDZ, HGS, and DC)
Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC]
Independent List of Ivan Grubisic [Ivan GRUBISIC]
Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]
Kukuriku Coalition [Zoran MILANOVIC] (includes SDP, HNS, IDS, and HSU)
Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]
Sustainable Development for Croatia or ORaH [Mirela HOLY] (CIA).’
Furthermore, Croatia is a member of various international organizations such as
‘ Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU, FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC (CIA).’