Croatian population decreases by 9 pct in ten years

Croatia has a population of 3,888,529 in 2021, down by 396,360 inhabitants, or 9.25 percent from the last census in 2011, the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics said in a statement on Friday.

Over the past 30 years since its independence, the Croatian population has decreased by 895,736, the statement said, noting that throughout Croatia, there are only three cities, namely Zagreb, Split and Rijeka, have more than 100,000 inhabitants.

The population decrease is blamed mainly on the low fertility rate and emigration, according to local media reports.

The national population census was conducted in 2021 and the Central Bureau of Statistics is expected to publish other results of the census later.