Croatia is a Central European country with a population of just over 4 million people. It has a long history, having been part of the Roman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Yugoslavia, and since 1991 an independent nation. The country is known for its stunning coastline along the Adriatic Sea and its diverse culture.
Croatians are known for their hospitality and friendliness. They also have strong family values, with extended family members often living together in the same home or nearby. Religion plays an important role in Croatian society, with more than 85% of the population identifying as Catholic. Education is highly valued in Croatia and children typically attend school from ages 7 to 18. The education system includes both public schools and private institutions offering specialized courses such as mathematics or foreign languages.
The economy of Croatia is largely market-based and has become increasingly integrated with that of Europe since joining the European Union in 2013. Agriculture accounts for a significant part of GDP but industry and services are growing rapidly due to foreign investment in tourism, energy, transport infrastructure, IT industries and more recently renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar power plants. Tourism is one of Croatia’s biggest industries due to its unique cultural heritage sites, beautiful landscapes and crystal clear waters along its coastline on the Adriatic Sea. In recent years, there has been an increase in visitors from all over the world who come to enjoy Croatia’s unspoiled beaches and historic cities like Dubrovnik or Split.
Demographics of Croatia
Croatia is a small but diverse country with a population of just over 4 million people. The majority of the population, roughly 81%, are Croats, while other ethnicities include Serbs, Bosniaks, Hungarians and Italians. The official language is Croatian but many people also speak English and German.
According to wholevehicles.com, the population of Croatia is aging due to low fertility rates and emigration. In 2019 the median age was 42.9 years old, with only 14% of the population under the age of 15. Life expectancy in Croatia is 78.3 years for men and 84.7 for women.
The capital city of Zagreb is home to around 790,000 people, making it the largest city in Croatia by far. Other major cities include Split (178,192), Rijeka (128,624) and Osijek (108,048). The majority of Croatians live in urban areas – 68% – while 32% live in rural areas or smaller towns and villages throughout the country.
Religion plays an important role in Croatian society with 85% identifying as Catholic Christians while Orthodox Christians make up 4%. Muslims account for 1%, while 6% identify as having no religion or being atheist/agnostic.
The education system in Croatia consists of public schools as well as private institutions offering specialized courses such as mathematics or foreign languages from ages 7 to 18 years old. Education is highly valued in Croatia with 86% literacy rate among adults aged 15-24 years old according to UNESCO data from 2018-2019.
Poverty in Croatia
Poverty in Croatia is a major issue, with roughly 17.3% of the population living below the poverty line as of 2018. This number has increased over the years due to the economic crisis in 2008, which caused a decrease in wages and employment opportunities.
The main indicators of poverty in Croatia are low income, lack of access to basic services and inadequate housing conditions. The poverty rate is higher among rural areas where unemployment is higher than in urban areas, and among certain minority ethnic groups such as Serbs, Roma and Bosniaks.
The government has implemented various measures to reduce poverty such as increasing minimum wages, providing tax credits for low-income families and increasing social benefits such as pensions and health insurance. However, these measures have not been enough to reduce poverty levels significantly.
In addition to economic factors, there are also social factors that contribute to poverty in Croatia such as gender inequality, discrimination against certain ethnic groups and lack of access to quality education. Women are particularly vulnerable to poverty due to lower pay compared with men for similar work and fewer job opportunities available for them.
There are various organizations working towards reducing poverty in Croatia such as Caritas Croatia which provides food assistance programs for families living below the poverty line. Other initiatives include providing financial literacy courses for young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds so they can better manage their finances and gain employment opportunities.
Labor Market in Croatia
According to Countryvv, the labor market in Croatia is diverse and dynamic, with a variety of sectors and occupations available. According to the World Bank, the employment rate in Croatia was 68.9% in 2018, which is slightly lower than the European Union average of 71%. The unemployment rate was 8.3%, which is also lower than the EU average of 7.2%.
The main industries in Croatia are tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. Tourism makes up a significant portion of the economy, accounting for over 20% of GDP and employing a large number of people. Agriculture is also an important industry, with major crops including wheat, corn and potatoes. Manufacturing is another major sector that produces products such as electronics, machinery and textiles.
In terms of occupations, the most common jobs are in services (37%), followed by industry (25%) and agriculture (12%). The service sector includes jobs such as retail salespersons, cashiers and waiters/waitresses; while industry includes roles such as machinists, welders and electricians; and agriculture includes roles such as farmers/ranchers and farm workers.
The government has implemented various measures to improve working conditions for employees in Croatia by increasing wages for certain sectors such as hospitality or retail; providing tax breaks for companies that hire young people or persons with disabilities; introducing flexible working hours; providing parental leave benefits; setting minimum wage levels; providing training opportunities for workers; ensuring health insurance coverage; introducing anti-discrimination laws; promoting gender equality at work etc.
Overall, the labor market in Croatia offers a wide range of job opportunities across different sectors for both skilled and unskilled workers. The government’s efforts to improve working conditions have resulted in better pay for employees as well as more job security which has helped reduce poverty levels across the country.
