PopulationTracker

Croatia population

Current population of Croatia

3,887,253

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
18
Deaths today
29
Change today (UTC)
+5
World rank
131st of 218
0.05% of world population
Population
3,876,200
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+0.26%
2025
Density
69 /km²
2023
Land area
55,960 km²
Urban population
58%
2025
Median age
45.3 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
1.46
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
78.9 yrs
2024
Net migration
−3,481
2025
Capital
Zagreb
Region
Europe & Central Asia

Population of Croatia: overview

Croatia has a population of 3,876,200 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 131st largest in the world. Croatia is part of the Europe & Central Asia region and its capital is Zagreb.

Growth has slowed to 0.26% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 10,000 additional people over the past year.

Population density is moderate — about 69 people per km², spread across 55,960 km² of land. A slim urban majority has emerged, with 58% of people living in cities.

At a median age of 45.3 years, Croatia has one of the oldest populations on Earth. Fertility is well below replacement, at 1.46 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 78.9 years (2024).

UN projections point downward: 3.23 million people by 2050, 17% fewer than today. The 2030 projection is 3,725,770.

Croatia population, 1960–2025 and projections

01M2M3M4M5M19601980200020202040projected2025: 3.88M1960: 4,140,1811961: 4,167,2921962: 4,196,7121963: 4,225,6751964: 4,252,8761965: 4,280,9231966: 4,310,7011967: 4,338,6831968: 4,365,6281969: 4,391,4901970: 4,412,2521971: 4,431,2751972: 4,450,5641973: 4,470,1611974: 4,490,6601975: 4,512,0821976: 4,535,9341977: 4,559,5711978: 4,581,0851979: 4,594,7781980: 4,599,7821981: 4,611,5091982: 4,634,2341983: 4,658,2541984: 4,680,2851985: 4,701,4171986: 4,721,4461987: 4,739,7451988: 4,755,2071989: 4,767,2601990: 4,777,3681991: 4,689,0221992: 4,575,8181993: 4,600,4631994: 4,652,0241995: 4,620,0301996: 4,557,0971997: 4,534,9201998: 4,532,1351999: 4,512,5972000: 4,468,3022001: 4,299,6422002: 4,302,1742003: 4,303,3992004: 4,304,6002005: 4,310,1452006: 4,311,1592007: 4,310,2172008: 4,309,7052009: 4,305,1812010: 4,295,4272011: 4,280,6222012: 4,260,3682013: 4,233,9222014: 4,201,5982015: 4,151,7252016: 4,106,8672017: 4,041,4072018: 3,988,7752019: 3,949,3902020: 3,914,2062021: 3,878,9812022: 3,855,6412023: 3,859,6862024: 3,866,2002025: 3,876,2002030: 3,725,7702050: 3,234,160
Population of Croatia by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
20253,876,200+0.26%+10,000
20243,866,200+0.17%+6,514
20233,859,686+0.10%+4,045
20223,855,641−0.60%−23,340
20213,878,981−0.90%−35,225
20203,914,206−0.89%−35,184
20193,949,390−0.99%−39,385
20183,988,775−1.31%−52,632
20174,041,407−1.61%−65,460
20164,106,867−1.09%−44,858
20154,151,725−1.19%−49,873
20144,201,598−0.77%−32,324
20104,295,427−0.23%−9,754
20054,310,145+0.13%+5,545
20004,468,302−0.99%−44,295
19954,620,030−0.69%−31,994
19904,777,368+0.21%+10,108
19854,701,417+0.45%+21,132
19804,599,782+0.11%+5,004
19754,512,082+0.48%+21,422
19704,412,252+0.47%+20,762
19654,280,923+0.66%+28,047
19604,140,181––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

Croatia population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Croatia
YearProjected populationvs today
20303,725,770−3.9%
20503,234,160−16.6%

Croatia population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 13.7% of Croatia's population is under 15, 62.7% is of working age (15–64), and 23.6% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%1%1%2%2%3%3%4%4%0-4 male: 84,001 (2.2%)0-4 female: 79,274 (2.1%)0-45-9 male: 87,865 (2.3%)5-9 female: 82,930 (2.2%)10-14 male: 99,757 (2.6%)10-14 female: 93,465 (2.4%)10-1415-19 male: 106,287 (2.8%)15-19 female: 100,966 (2.6%)20-24 male: 100,381 (2.6%)20-24 female: 94,915 (2.5%)20-2425-29 male: 110,219 (2.9%)25-29 female: 103,903 (2.7%)30-34 male: 107,945 (2.8%)30-34 female: 102,355 (2.7%)30-3435-39 male: 118,789 (3.1%)35-39 female: 114,558 (3.0%)40-44 male: 135,425 (3.5%)40-44 female: 131,373 (3.4%)40-4445-49 male: 137,566 (3.6%)45-49 female: 135,196 (3.5%)50-54 male: 131,365 (3.4%)50-54 female: 132,242 (3.4%)50-5455-59 male: 131,902 (3.4%)55-59 female: 138,945 (3.6%)60-64 male: 132,121 (3.4%)60-64 female: 145,881 (3.8%)60-6465-69 male: 126,697 (3.3%)65-69 female: 148,106 (3.8%)70-74 male: 107,537 (2.8%)70-74 female: 133,980 (3.5%)70-7475-79 male: 70,790 (1.8%)75-79 female: 104,540 (2.7%)80-84 male: 39,122 (1.0%)80-84 female: 70,620 (1.8%)80-8485-89 male: 21,549 (0.6%)85-89 female: 49,605 (1.3%)90-94 male: 6,619 (0.2%)90-94 female: 22,262 (0.6%)90-9495-99 male: 997 (0.0%)95-99 female: 5,348 (0.1%)100+ male: 61 (0.0%)100+ female: 704 (0.0%)100+

Croatia population FAQ

What is the population of Croatia in 2026?

Croatia's population is estimated at about 3.89 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 3,876,200 (2025). Croatia ranks 131st in the world by population.

Is the population of Croatia growing or shrinking?

Croatia's population is growing at about 0.26% per year, an increase of roughly 10,000 people over the past year.

How densely populated is Croatia?

Croatia has about 69 people per square kilometre across a land area of 55,960 km².

What share of the world's population lives in Croatia?

Croatia is home to about 0.05% of the world's population.

What is Croatia's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Croatia's population at 3,234,160 in 2050, passing through 3,725,770 in 2030.

What is the median age in Croatia?

The median age in Croatia is 45.3 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.