Croatia (Republic of Croatia)

Croatia Republic of Croatia
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	58th best
Capital	Zagreb
Land Area	55 960km21
Location	Europe, Mediterranean
Population	4.4m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	77.50yrs (2017)3
GNI	$20 291 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	HR, HRV, 1915
Internet Domain	.hr6
Currency	Kuna (HRK)7
Telephone	+3858

1. Overview
2. Croatia National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

“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, along with a majority of Croatia's ethnic Serb population. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. In April 2009, Croatia joined NATO; Croatia signed the EU Accession Treaty in December 2011 and ratified the Treaty in January, 2012.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Croatia´s rare blend of glamour and authenticity make it Europe´s `it´ destination, where beaches vie for attention with cultural treasures, ancient architecture and time-tested folk traditions. Croatia has been touted as the `new this´ and the `new that´ for years since its re-emergence on the tourism scene, but it´s now clear that it´s a unique destination that holds its own and then some: this is a country with a glorious 1778km-long coast and a staggering 1244 islands. The Adriatic coast is a knockout: its sapphire waters draw visitors to remote islands, hidden coves and traditional fishing villages, all while touting the glitzy beach and yacht scene. Istria captivates with its gastronomic delights and wines, and the bars, clubs and festivals of Zagreb, Zadar and Split remain little-explored gems. Eight national parks showcase primeval beauty with their forests, mountains, rivers, lakes and waterfalls. You can end your journey in dazzling, historic Dubrovnik in the south – just the right conclusion to any trip. Best of all, Croatia hasn´t given in to mass tourism: there are pockets of unique culture and plenty to discover off the grid.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Croatia National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
42	UAE	42
43	Hungary	43
44	Latvia	44
45	Croatia	45
46	Argentina	45
47	Bahrain	47
48	Montenegro	48
49	Russia	49
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
55	Andorra	60.0
56	Mongolia	59.7
57	Seychelles	59.6
58	Croatia	59.6
59	Liechtenstein	59.3
60	Mexico	59.1
61	Romania	58.9
62	Suriname	58.8
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
169	Belgium	38.1
170	Switzerland	38.3
171	Canada	38.5
172	Croatia	39.7
173	Malta	39.9
174	France	40.5
175	Austria	40.5
176	Greece	41.3
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
31	Micronesia	19.7
32	Belarus	18.4
33	Eritrea	18.0
34	Croatia	17.1
35	Liechtenstein	17.1
36	Cyprus	17.0
37	Marshall Islands	16.6
38	Ireland	16.1
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
78	Latvia	1.50
79	Czech Rep.	1.50
80	Spain	1.50
81	Croatia	1.49
82	Dominican Rep.	2.51
83	Lithuania	1.49
84	Kazakhstan	2.52
85	Ukraine	1.48
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
27	Lebanon	17.8
28	Cyprus	17.5
29	Gambia	16.6
30	Croatia	15.9
31	Austria	15.6
32	Spain	15.2
33	Belize	15.0
34	Latvia	15.0
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
41	Dominica	77.85
42	Panama	77.76
43	Poland	77.62
44	Croatia	77.50
45	Uruguay	77.35
46	UAE	77.12
47	Estonia	77.01
48	Mexico	76.97
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
119	Ireland	4.6m
120	Central African Rep.	4.6m
121	New Zealand	4.5m
122	Croatia	4.4m
123	Georgia	4.3m
124	Lebanon	4.3m
125	Palestine	4.3m
126	Liberia	4.2m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Croatia's population is predicted to fall to 4 185 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an incresingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.49. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
28	UK	0.13
29	Estonia	0.13
30	Poland	0.14
31	Croatia	0.14
32	Belarus	0.14
33	Montenegro	0.16
34	New Zealand	0.16
35	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.16
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
49	Bermuda	1944
50	Jamaica	1944
51	Slovenia	1945
52	Croatia	1945
53	Italy	1945
54	Senegal	1945
55	Indonesia	1945
56	Japan	1945
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Croatia is on the way towards ending gender inequality.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
30	USA	65
31	Argentina	66
32	Chile	70
33	Croatia	70
34	Singapore	70
35	Montenegro	71
36	Greece	71
37	Italy	72
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
42	Trinidad & Tobago	9
43	Albania	8
44	Dominican Rep.	7
45	Croatia	7
46	Kyrgyzstan	7
47	Cambodia	7
48	Moldova	6
49	Italy	6
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₂:

Christian	93.4%
Muslim	1.4%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	5.1%

By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 94.9% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (7%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 95.2% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 70% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

• "Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)₂₃.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better24
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
42	Lithuania	77%
43	Latvia	76%
44	Lebanon	76%
45	Croatia	74%
46	Hong Kong	74%
47	Cayman Islands	74%
48	Macau	73%
49	Israel	73%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio25
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
74	Iran	0.1
75	Zambia	0.1
76	Panama	0.1
77	Croatia	0.1
78	Costa Rica	0.1
79	Serbia	0.1
80	Liechtenstein	0.0
81	Cyprus	0.0
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
27	Bosnia & Herzegovina	8.6
28	Saudi Arabia	8.8
29	France	8.9
30	Croatia	9.5
31	Israel	9.7
32	Canada	9.8
33	Kuwait	9.8
34	Portugal	9.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita26
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
171	Ireland	11.9
172	France	12.2
173	Australia	12.2
174	Croatia	12.2
175	Korea, S.	12.3
176	Latvia	12.3
177	Finland	12.3
178	Poland	12.5
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %27
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
48	Rwanda	96.1
49	Sao Tome & Principe	96.0
50	Malaysia	96.0
51	Croatia	95.9
52	Nicaragua	95.9
53	Tunisia	95.7
54	Japan	95.7
55	Portugal	95.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better28
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
158	Switzerland	1 634
159	Serbia	1 644
160	Cyprus	1 688
161	Croatia	1 709
162	Japan	1 713
163	Hungary	1 759
164	Estonia	1 775
165	Ukraine	1 854
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k29
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
73	France	33.2
74	Moldova	35.7
75	Switzerland	36.2
76	Croatia	36.4
77	Estonia	37.9
78	Serbia	38.1
79	Finland	39
80	Belgium	39.1
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties30
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
13	Uruguay	23
14	Italy	22
15	Denmark	22
16	Croatia	22
17	Belgium	22
18	Austria	22
19	Brazil	21
20	Montenegro	21
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank31
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
41	Singapore	40
42	Uruguay	42
43	Georgia	43
44	Croatia	44
45	Montenegro	44
46	Panama	46
47	Mongolia	47
48	Bahamas	48
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better32
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
60	Sierra Leone	2635
61	Mauritius	2647
62	Serbia	2659
63	Croatia	2661
64	Central African Rep.	2661
65	Tonga	2670
66	Mauritania	2676
67	Bosnia & Herzegovina	2686
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries