ZAGREB, 29 Aug (Hina) -According to population estimates, Croatia had 3,866,233 inhabitants in mid-2024, which is an increase of 0.2% or 6,547 more people compared with the 2023 estimate, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) said on Friday.
The biggest rise in total population was recorded in Istria County, with relative growth of 1.66%, followed by Zadar County (1.27%) and Zagreb County (1.14%). A further seven counties also saw growth.
Croatia has 20 counties and the City of Zagreb with that status.
In the remaining counties, the total number of inhabitants fell, with the largest relative depopulation in Požega-Slavonia County (1.51%), Virovitica-Podravina (1.27%) and Vukovar-Srijem (1.15%).
By gender, women made up 51.3% of the population and men 48.7%.
The ageing trend continued last year, DZS noted.
Croatia country among oldest nations in Europe
The average Croatian is 44.5 years old, placing the country among the oldest nations in Europe. The average age of men is 42.8, and of women 46.2.
Just under one-fifth of the population (19%) is under the age of 19. The highest proportion of young people is in Međimurje County (21.3%) and the lowest in Primorje-Gorski Kotar (16.5%). The share of women of childbearing age in 2024 was 39.8% of the female population.
More than half of Croatian citizens (52.5%) live in five counties, chiefly the City of Zagreb (20%) and Split-Dalmatia County (11.1%). The smallest populations were recorded in Lika-Senj and Požega-Slavonia counties.
