The total population in Croatia was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.04 million people (-1.04 percent). The total population is estimated to amount to 3.8 million people in 2029. According to the International Monetary Fund, the total population of a country consists of all persons falling within the scope of the census.Find more key insights for the total population in countries like Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania.

In 1800, the population of the region making up present-day Croatia was just over 1.2 million. Croatia's population grew relatively consistently throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, despite the region suffering around 200,000 fatalities in each of the World Wars. The lack of clearly defined boundaries, mass displacement and general disorganization have made it very difficult for historians to estimate the total number of fatalities suffered by Croatia and by ethnic Croats in this time; additionally, the various ethnic groups within Yugoslavia at the time committed a number of atrocities against one another, which has exacerbated this.

In spite of these events, the population of Croatia would continue to grow steadily until the early 1990s, when it was one of six parts of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. In the wake of communism's demise in Southern Europe in the late 20th century, Croatia claimed its sovereignty in 1991, which set in motion the Croatian War of Independence with Serbia. War was waged for four years, and saw the deaths of more than 20,000 people, while several hundred thousand were displaced. In the quarter century since the war's end, Croatia has emerged as a high-income, developing country, with a booming tourism and hospitality industry. However the population has continued to drop as a result of declining birth rates, and large-scale economic migration (particularly influenced by the financial crisis of 2008 and Croatia's accession to the European Union in 2013).

Chart and table of Croatia population from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Croatia HR: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data was reported at 7.385 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.398 % for 2022. Croatia HR: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.317 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.325 % in 1997 and a record low of 4.066 % in 1960. Croatia HR: Population: Male: Ages 40-44: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Croatia – Table HR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 40 to 44 as a percentage of the total male population.;United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;;

The total population in Croatia was estimated at 3.9 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Croatia Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The annual population growth in Croatia increased by 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous year. Therefore, the population growth in Croatia reached a peak in 2023 with -0.06 percent. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly lower population growth than the preceding years.Annual population growth refers to the change in the population over time, and is affected by factors such as fertility, mortality, and migration.Find more key insights for the annual population growth in countries like Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Croatia HR: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 69.317 Person/sq km in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 72.332 Person/sq km for 2020. Croatia HR: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 76.922 Person/sq km from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2021, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.206 Person/sq km in 1994 and a record low of 69.317 Person/sq km in 2021. Croatia HR: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Croatia – Table HR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.;Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.;Weighted average;

This statistic shows the median age of the population in Croatia from 1950 to 2100. The median age is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. In 2020, the median age of the Croatian population was 44.2 years.

Population, female (% of total population) in Croatia was reported at 51.78 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Croatia - Population, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Population ages 25-29, male (% of male population) in Croatia was reported at 5.8755 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Croatia - Population ages 25-29, male (% of male population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

This statistic shows the age structure in Croatia from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, about 14.14 percent of Croatia's total population were aged 0 to 14 years.

Population ages 15-64, male (% of male population) in Croatia was reported at 65.59 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Croatia - Population ages 15-64, male (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for Croatia (POPTOTHRA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2023 about Croatia and population.

Population ages 15-64, male in Croatia was reported at 1220752 Persons in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Croatia - Population ages 15-64, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Croatia HR: Population: Total data was reported at 3,853,200.000 Person in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,855,641.000 Person for 2022. Croatia HR: Population: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 4,378,559.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,777,368.000 Person in 1990 and a record low of 3,853,200.000 Person in 2023. Croatia HR: Population: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Croatia – Table HR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.;Sum;Relevance to gender indicator: disaggregating the population composition by gender will help a country in projecting its demand for social services on a gender basis.

This statistic shows development of the foreign-born population in Croatia from 2013 until 2016. There has been an overall decrease of over 26 thousand foreign-born residents in Croatia. The peak was in 2013 at approximately 574 thousand people before descending annually until 2016.

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. Please make sure you have read our Mapping Populations overview page before choosing and downloading a dataset.

Datasets are available to download in Geotiff and ASCII XYZ format at a resolution of 30 arc-seconds (approximately 1km at the equator)

-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020: Population density datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 – derived from the corresponding Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 population count datasets by dividing the number of people in each pixel by the pixel surface area. These are produced using the unconstrained top-down modelling method.
-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted: Population density datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 – derived from the corresponding Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 population UN adjusted count datasets by dividing the number of people in each pixel, adjusted to match the country total from the official United Nations population estimates (UN 2019), by the pixel surface area. These are produced using the unconstrained top-down modelling method.

Data for earlier dates is available directly from WorldPop.

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00674

Abstract

The 2011 Croatia Population and Housing Census took place between 1 and 28 April 2011 according to the situation as on 31 March 2011 at midnight, which shall be deemed the census moment. It is necessary to determine this moment because of changes that affect Census units.

The 2011 Census was implemented on the basis of the Act on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2011 (NN, No. 92/10), which regulates the content, preparation, organisation and implementation of the Census, obligations of state and other bodies included in the Census, enumeration period, processing, keeping and releasing of results and the way of providing finances for the Census.

In line with Article 21 of the Act, the Census has been carried out on the basis of official data from the Register of Spatial Units, which were provided by the State Geodetic Administration. According to the situation as on 31 March 2011, the Republic of Croatia had 21 counties (including the City of Zagreb), 127 towns, 429 municipalities and 6 756 settlements.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household;
• Indivudual.

Universe

In line with the Act, the Census included three units: population, households and dwellings and other housing units that are not dwellings by definition but were used for habitation at the census moment.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Key information about Croatia population

• The Croatia population reached 3.9 million people in Jun 2021, compared with the previously reported figure of 4.0 million people in Jun 2020
• The data reached an all-time high of 4.8 million people in Jun 1990 and a record low of 3.9 million people in Jun 2021

CEIC extends history for annual Population. Croatian Bureau of Statistics provides Mid-year Population. Population prior to 1968 is sourced from the World Bank. Population is in annual frequency, ending in June of each year.


Further information about Croatia population data

• In the latest reports, Croatia Unemployment Rate increased to 7.3 % in Mar 2023
• Monthly earnings of the Croatia population was 1,695.8 USD in Apr 2023
• Croatia Labour Force Participation Rate dropped to 52.1 % in Mar 2023

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. Please make sure you have read our Mapping Populations overview page before choosing and downloading a dataset.


Bespoke methods used to produce datasets for specific individual countries are available through the WorldPop Open Population Repository (WOPR) link below. These are 100m resolution gridded population estimates using customized methods ("bottom-up" and/or "top-down") developed for the latest data available from each country. They can also be visualised and explored through the woprVision App.
The remaining datasets in the links below are produced using the "top-down" method, with either the unconstrained or constrained top-down disaggregation method used. Please make sure you read the Top-down estimation modelling overview page to decide on which datasets best meet your needs. Datasets are available to download in Geotiff and ASCII XYZ format at a resolution of 3 and 30 arc-seconds (approximately 100m and 1km at the equator, respectively):

- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 ( 1km resolution ): Consistent 1km resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020.
- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020.
- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019)
-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted ( 1km resolution ): Consistent 1km resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019).
-Unconstrained global mosaics 2000-2020 ( 1km resolution ): Mosaiced 1km resolution versions of the "Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020" datasets.
-Constrained individual countries 2020 ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using constrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for 2020.
-Constrained individual countries 2020 UN adjusted ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using constrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for 2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019).

Older datasets produced for specific individual countries and continents, using a set of tailored geospatial inputs and differing "top-down" methods and time periods are still available for download here: Individual countries and Whole Continent.

Data for earlier dates is available directly from WorldPop.

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00645