We Continue to Persistently Decline, Croatia Among the Oldest Nations in Europe

According to estimates from the State Bureau of Statistics (DZS), Croatia had 4,174,349 inhabitants in mid-last year, with a continued decline in the population, decreasing by 29,255 people or 0.7 percent compared to the previous year’s estimate.

>>>Research: New Fathers Getting Older, Mothers Close Behind

All counties recorded a decrease in the total population except for Zagreb, where a relative increase of 0.35 percent was noted compared to the previous year’s estimate. The largest relative decline in population was recorded in Vukovar-Srijem County, at 2.02 percent.

Of the total population, there are 2,159,512 women and 2,014,837 men, which translates to 51.7 percent compared to 48.3 percent. This ratio is consistent in most counties, with the lowest share of female population in Lika-Senj County at 50.1 percent, and the highest in Zagreb at 53.2 percent.

Croats Among the Oldest Nations in Europe

In 2016, the continuous aging of the population continued, with the average age of the total population being 42.8 years (men 41, women 44.5), placing us among the oldest nations in Europe.

The aging process is significantly contributed to by the long-term decline in the share of the young population under 19 years – this share at the national level was 20.1 percent, while at the county level, the lowest was in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County at 16.8 percent, and the highest in Brod-Posavina County at 22.3 percent.

The share of the fertile contingent in the total female population is continuously declining, reaching 42.4 percent last year.

The highest population aged 65 and over in relation to the total population is in Lika-Senj County at 24.6 percent, while the lowest is in Međimurje County at 17.2 percent.

In Croatia, 51 percent of the population lives in just five counties, the most in Zagreb, 802,338 or 19.2 percent, and in Split-Dalmatia County, 452,035 or 10.8 percent. The least populated are Požega-Slavonia County, 71,920 or 1.7 percent, and Lika-Senj County, 46,888 or 1.1 percent.