Economy - overview: | Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav average. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way. Unemployment remains high, at about 18 percent, with structural factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. Growth, while impressively about 3% to 4% for the last several years, has been stimulated, in part, through high fiscal deficits and rapid credit growth. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform. |
GDP - per capita | $11,600 (2005 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate (%) | 3.2% (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 8.1%, industry: 31%, services: 60.8% (2005 est.) |
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 |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA $166.5 million (2002) |
Debt - external | $29.28 billion (30 June 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line (%) | 11% (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 2.7%, industry 32.8%, services 64.5% (2004) |