Croatia : Country overview

Geography

• Full country name: Republic of Croatia
• Population: 4.5 million
• Border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. 
• Climate: Mediterranean and continental with hot summers and cold winters. The coast tends to get dry summers and mild winters.
• Terrain: the area of land along the Hungarian border consists of flat plains, while there are low mountains and highlands along the coastline.
• Natural hazards: earthquakes.

Living in Croatia

• Cost of living: slightly less than the UK with general costs such as rent, entertainment and food costing less, but this has been rising over the last few years. Rental prices vary depending on location. A three-bed flat next to the beach on the Adriatic Coast costs around €1,200 per month while a two-bed house in the same area costs around €1,800 a month. Croatians expect foreigners to pay more so research thoroughly before deciding on somewhere. 
• Utilities: natural gas is used widely in Croatia with LPG tanks supplying it. These can be bought from vendor outlets or from vendors who visit the neighbourhoods. Empty tanks are exchanged for free.
• Internet domain: .hr
• Health: healthcare in Croatia compares well to that in the UK and is of a high standard. Due to a reciprocal agreement, UK citizens do not need to pay for emergency treatment. An EHIC (European health insurance card) should entitle you to the same treatment as a Croatian citizen, but it is still advisable to get travel or health insurance for while you are in Croatia.   
• Laws and customs: carry a passport at all times in case identification is required. Drugs-related offences and violation of local laws are dealt with by fines and jail sentences.

Economy and finance

• Currency: Kuna (hrk)
• Type of economy: developed western market economy.
• Health of economy: Croatia’s economy has been growing with an increase in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. It does still face problems however, in the form of a high unemployment rate, uneven regional development and an increasing trade deficit. The long-term growth prospects are strong but there is a risk to the economic stability in the medium term, as a result of Croatia’s high foreign debt and over-reliance on its tourism revenue, amongst other factors.
• Unemployment rate: 17.6%  
• Main exports: transport equipment, machinery, foodstuff, clothing and chemicals.

Culture

• People: Croatians 89%, Serbians 5%, other 6% (includes Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech and Roma). 
• Major religion: Roman Catholic (around 87%).
• History: see BBC Timeline: Croatia  
• Local etiquette: a proud and friendly nation with similar greetings and social etiquette to the rest of Europe.

Politics

• Type of government: parliamentary democracy. 
• Major political parties: a multi-party system; the main parties are the Croatian Democratic Union, the Social Democratic Party of Croatia, Croatian People’s Party, Croatian Peasant Party-Croatian Liberal Party coalition.

Travel advice

Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)  website.