Population growth in Croatia
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Croatia decreased from four million to four million inhabitants. This is a reduction by -5.8 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Croatia was recorded in 1994 with 1.12 percent. The biggest decrease in 2001 with -3.77 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Croatia rose by 1.52 years from 2012 to 2021 from 42.38 to 43.90 years (median value).
Around 58 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This trend of urbanization is declining, decreasing by -3.2 percent per year.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Croatia
Population development in Croatia since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants) On average, 2.7 people live together per household in Croatia.| Year | Population Croatia | Change Croatia | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.17 M | 0.65 % | 17.8 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 4.20 M | 0.71 % | 17.2 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 4.23 M | 0.69 % | 16.5 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 4.25 M | 0.64 % | 16.2 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 4.28 M | 0.66 % | 16.6 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 4.31 M | 0.70 % | 16.5 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 4.34 M | 0.65 % | 15.5 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 4.37 M | 0.62 % | 15.0 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 4.39 M | 0.59 % | 14.5 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 4.41 M | 0.47 % | 13.8 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 4.43 M | 0.43 % | 14.6 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 4.45 M | 0.44 % | 14.8 ‰ | 10.8 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 4.47 M | 0.44 % | 15.1 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 4.49 M | 0.46 % | 15.0 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 4.51 M | 0.48 % | 14.9 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 4.54 M | 0.53 % | 14.8 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 4.56 M | 0.52 % | 14.9 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 4.58 M | 0.47 % | 15.0 ‰ | 10.6 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 4.59 M | 0.30 % | 15.1 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 4.60 M | 0.11 % | 14.8 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 4.61 M | 0.25 % | 14.6 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 4.63 M | 0.49 % | 14.4 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 4.66 M | 0.52 % | 14.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 4.68 M | 0.47 % | 13.9 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 4.70 M | 0.45 % | 13.3 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 4.72 M | 0.43 % | 12.8 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 4.74 M | 0.39 % | 12.5 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 4.76 M | 0.33 % | 12.3 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 4.77 M | 0.25 % | 11.7 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 4.78 M | 0.21 % | 11.6 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 4.69 M | -1.85 % | 11.1 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 4.58 M | -2.41 % | 10.3 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 4.60 M | 0.54 % | 10.6 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 4.65 M | 1.12 % | 10.4 ‰ | 10.6 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 4.62 M | -0.69 % | 10.9 ‰ | 10.9 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 4.56 M | -1.36 % | 11.8 ‰ | 11.1 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 4.53 M | -0.49 % | 12.2 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 4.53 M | -0.06 % | 10.4 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 4.51 M | -0.43 % | 10.0 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 4.47 M | -0.98 % | 9.8 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 4.30 M | -3.77 % | 9.2 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 4.30 M | 0.06 % | 9.0 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 4.30 M | 0.03 % | 8.9 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 4.30 M | 0.03 % | 9.1 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 4.31 M | 0.13 % | 9.6 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 4.31 M | 0.02 % | 9.3 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 4.31 M | -0.02 % | 9.4 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 4.31 M | -0.01 % | 9.9 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 4.31 M | -0.10 % | 10.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 4.30 M | -0.23 % | 9.8 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 4.28 M | -0.34 % | 9.6 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 4.27 M | -0.31 % | 9.8 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 4.26 M | -0.28 % | 9.4 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 4.24 M | -0.41 % | 9.3 ‰ | 12.0 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 4.20 M | -0.82 % | 8.9 ‰ | 12.9 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 4.17 M | -0.70 % | 9.0 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 4.12 M | -1.19 % | 8.9 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 4.09 M | -0.89 % | 9.0 ‰ | 12.9 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 4.07 M | -0.55 % | 8.9 ‰ | 12.7 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 4.05 M | -0.43 % | 8.9 ‰ | 14.1 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 3.90 M | -3.67 % | 9.4 ‰ | 16.2 ‰ | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Croatia
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2021 in the graph: The population in Croatia decreased by about 148,680 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 16.2 per 1,000 people (~ 65,600 deaths) and the birth rate was 9.4 per 1,000 people (~ 38,000 births). As a result, around 121,080 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 53,650 in Croatia. The number of births was 37,858 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison