water: 4,460 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Coastline:
515 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
81 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.93 cu km/yr (24%/12%/65%)
per capita: 51 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated
People ::Cote d'Ivoire
Population:
21,058,798 country comparison to the world: 57 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 4,215,912/female 4,146,077)
15-64 years: 56.6% (male 5,942,642/female 5,720,108)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 296,074/female 296,255) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.4 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.105% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 47
Birth rate:
31.48 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
Death rate:
10.43 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 51
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population NA country comparison to the world: 75
Urbanization:
urban population: 49% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 24 male: 73.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.19 years country comparison to the world: 195 male: 55.27 years
female: 57.13 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.01 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
480,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
38,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian
Ethnic groups:
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)
Religions:
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
Languages:
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.7%
male: 60.8%
female: 38.6% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years
male: 10 years
female: 5 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 89
Government ::Cote d'Ivoire
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
note: pronounced coat-div-whar
former: Ivory Coast
Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators
Capital:
name: Yamoussoukro
geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 17 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative divisions:
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-HuitMontagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
Independence:
7 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 23 July 2000
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alassane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); note - former President Laurent GBAGBO has refused to cede power
head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April 2007); note - on 4 December 2010, Gilbert Marie N'GBO AKE was also appointed to the position by former president GBAGBO
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - under the current power-sharing agreement the prime minister and the president share the authority to appoint ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 October and 28 November 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alassane OUATTARA elected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA 54.1%, Laurent GBAGBO 45.9%; note - President OUATTARA was declared winner by the election commission and took the oath of office on 4 December, Prime Minister SORO resigned from the incumbent administration and was subsequently appointed to the same position by OUATTARA; former president GBAGBO refused to cede and on 5 December appointed Gilbert Marie N'GBO AKE as Prime Minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held on 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (elections originally scheduled for 2005 have been repeatedly postponed by the government)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
note: a Senate was scheduled to be created in October 2006 elections that never took place
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: JudicialChamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and AdministrativeChamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number ofmembers
Political parties and leaders:
Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; DemocraticParty of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian PopularFront or FPI [Pascale Affi N'GUESSAN]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT[Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the Future or MFA [InnocentAugustin ANAKY]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [AlassaneOUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI[Toikeuse MABRI]; over 144 smaller registered parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoireor FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy andPeace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLEGOUDE]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS (suspended), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77,IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF,OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yao Charles KOFFI
chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 22 49 40 00
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future
note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
National anthem:
name: "L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan)
lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO
note: adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital
Economy ::Cote d'Ivoire
Economy - overview:
Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country is also producing gold. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by more than 2% in 2008 and around 4% per year in 2009-10. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999, but registered a slight improvement in 2009-10. Power cuts caused by a turbine failure in early 2010 slowed economic activity. Cote d'Ivoire in 2010 signed agreements to restructure its Paris Club bilateral, other bilateral, and London Club debt. Cote d'Ivoire's long term challenges include political instability and degrading infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$37.8 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $36.48 billion (2009 est.)
$35.01 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$22.38 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93 4.2% (2009 est.)
2.3% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194 $1,800 (2009 est.)
$1,700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.2%
industry: 21.3%
services: 50.6% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
7.617 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 68%
industry and services: NA (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
note: unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war
Population below poverty line:
42% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 34% (2002)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2002) country comparison to the world: 44 36.7 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
9.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Public debt:
63.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 66.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 0.9% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 101 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
NA% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$5.094 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 87 $4.959 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$7.653 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $7.437 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.448 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $5.308 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$6.141 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 73 $7.071 billion (31 December 2008)
$8.353 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
Industries:
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Electricity - production:
5.275 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Electricity - consumption:
3.231 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - exports:
772 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
58,950 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Oil - exports:
115,700 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Oil - imports:
80,960 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Oil - proved reserves:
250 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Natural gas - production:
1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Natural gas - consumption:
1.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Current account balance:
$534 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52 $1.67 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$10.25 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $10.5 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 13.92%, France 10.75%, US 7.79%, Germany 7.2%, Nigeria 6.99%, Ghana 5.56% (2009)
Imports:
$7.015 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $6.318 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Nigeria 20.75%, France 14.19%, China 7.18%, Thailand 5.09% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.985 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $3.267 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$11.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $11.34 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 506.04 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006)
Communications ::Cote d'Ivoire
Telephones - main lines in use:
282,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 117
Telephones - mobile cellular:
13.346 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 53
Telephone system:
general assessment: well developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed-lines have increased since that time with two fixed-line providers operating over open-wire lines, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optics; 90% digitalized
domestic: with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased sharply to roughly 65 per 100 persons
international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
state-owned television operates 2 stations; no private terrestrial TV stations, but satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio operates 2 stations; some private radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.ci
Internet hosts:
9,865 (2010) country comparison to the world: 121
Internet users:
967,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 103
Transportation ::Cote d'Ivoire
Airports:
27 (2010) country comparison to the world: 121
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
Pipelines:
condensate 86 km; gas 180 km; oil 92 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 660 km country comparison to the world: 108 narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2008)
Roadways:
total: 80,000 km country comparison to the world: 60 paved: 6,500 km
unpaved: 73,500 km
note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006)
Waterways:
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2008) country comparison to the world: 67
Ports and terminals:
Abidjan, Espoir, San-Pedro
Military ::Cote d'Ivoire
Military branches:
Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSCI): Army, Navy, AirForce (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,094,762
females age 16-49: 4,895,446 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,242,965
females age 16-49: 3,069,569 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 240,989
female: 237,180 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 97
Transnational Issues ::Cote d'Ivoire
Disputes - international:
despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict still leaves displaced hundreds of thousands of Ivorians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; the March 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of hiding in neighboring states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 25,615 (Liberia)
IDPs: 709,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
Cote d'Ivoire is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international trafficking and the majority of victims are children; women and girls are trafficked from northern areas to southern cities for domestic servitude, restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation; boys are trafficked internally for agricultural and service labor and transnationally for forced labor in agriculture, mining, construction, and in the fishing industry; women and girls are trafficked to and from other West and Central African countries for domestic servitude and forced street vending
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cote d'Ivoire is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2007, particularly with regard to its law enforcement efforts and protection of sex trafficking victims; in addition, Ivoirian law does not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and Cote d'Ivoire has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Croatia (Europe)
Introduction ::Croatia
Background:
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. In April 2009, Croatia joined NATO; it is a candidate for eventual EU accession.
Geography ::Croatia
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia andHerzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 56,594 sq km country comparison to the world: 126 land: 55,974 sq km
water: 620 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,982 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 455 km
Coastline:
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Terrain:
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Dinara 1,831 m
Natural resources:
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 25.82%
permanent crops: 2.19%
other: 71.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
105.5 cu km (1998)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, AirPollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; most Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia - some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks
People ::Croatia
Population:
4,486,881 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 358,360/female 340,098)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,506,364/female 1,522,789)
65 years and over: 17% (male 295,960/female 465,838) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.2 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 43 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.061% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 204
Birth rate:
9.63 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201
Death rate:
11.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Net migration rate:
1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.055 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 175 male: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.58 years country comparison to the world: 80 male: 71.95 years
female: 79.4 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.43 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 10 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: tickborne encephalitis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
adjective: Croatian
Ethnic groups:
Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian,Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)
Languages:
Croatian (official) 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.1%
male: 99.3%
female: 97.1% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 112
Government ::Croatia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
conventional short form: Croatia
local long form: Republika Hrvatska
local short form: Hrvatska
former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia
Government type:
presidential/parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Zagreb
geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 16 00 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska, Brodsko-Posavska,Dubrovacko-Neretvanska (Dubrovnik-Neretva), Istarska (Istria),Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka, Krapinsko-Zagorska,Licko-Senjska (Lika-Senj), Medimurska, Osjecko-Baranjska,Pozesko-Slavonska (Pozega-Slavonia), Primorsko-Goranska,Sibensko-Kninska, Sisacko-Moslavacka, Splitsko-Dalmatinska(Split-Dalmatia), Varazdinska, Viroviticko-Podravska,Vukovarsko-Srijemska, Zadarska, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka
Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia
Constitution:
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001
Legal system:
based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivo JOSIPOVIC (since 18 February 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Jadranka KOSOR (since 6 July 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Bozidar PANKRETIC (since 6 July 2009), Darko MILINOVIC (since 13 November 2009), Domagoj Ivan MILOSEVIC (since 29 December 2010), Petar COBANKOVIC (since 29 December 2010), Slobodan UZELAC (since 12 January 2008), Gordan JANDROKOVIC (since 29 December 2010)
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 January 2010 (next to be held in December 2015); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the assembly
election results: Ivo JOSIPOVIC elected president; percent of vote in the second round - Ivo JOSIPOVIC 60%, Milan BANDIC 40%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sabor (153 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 November 2007 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; number of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 57, HNS 6, HSS 6, HDSSB 3, IDS 3, SDSS 3, other 9
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts are appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the Assembly
Political parties and leaders:
Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB[Vladimir SISLJAGIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [JadrankaKOSOR]; Croatian Party of the Right or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; CroatianPeasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party orHSU [Silvano HRELJA]; Croatian People's Party or HNS [RadimirCACIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Darinko KOSOR];Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STANIMIROVIC];Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; SocialDemocratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zoran MILANOVIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: human rights groups
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU(applicant), FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer),NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS,UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC
chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY
embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street, 10010 Zagreb
mailing address: use street address
telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue - the Pan-Slav colors - superimposed by the Croatian coat of arms; the coat of arms consists of one main shield (a checkerboard of 13 red and 12 silver (white) fields) surmounted by five smaller shields that form a crown over the main shield; the five small shields represent five historic regions, they are (from left to right): Croatia, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia
note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia
National anthem:
name: "Lijepa nasa domovino" (Our Beautiful Homeland)
lyrics/music: Antun MIHANOVIC/Josip RUNJANIN
note: adopted 1972; "Lijepa nasa domovino," whose lyrics were written in 1835, served as an unofficial anthem beginning in 1891
Economy ::Croatia
Economy - overview:
Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6% led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit and uneven regional development. The state retains a large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff public and political resistance. 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. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform. While long term growth prospects for the economy remain strong, Croatia will face significant pressure as a result of the global financial crisis. Croatia's high foreign debt, anemic export sector, strained state budget, and over-reliance on tourism revenue will result in higher risk to economic stability over the medium term.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$78.52 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79 $79.64 billion (2009 est.)
$84.54 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$59.92 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 -5.8% (2009 est.)
2.4% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $17,700 (2009 est.)
$18,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.8%
industry: 27.2%
services: 66% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
1.762 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 31.3%
services: 63.6% (2008)
Unemployment rate:
17.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 16.1% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
17% (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 23.1% (2005 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2008) country comparison to the world: 116 29 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Public debt:
55% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 46.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 2.4% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 51 9% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.55% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 10.07% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money: