The Republic of Croatia is located in central Europe and is bordered by five countries: the Republic of Slovenia to the northwest and west, the Republic of Hungary to the north and northeast, the Republic of Serbia to the east, the Republic of Montenegro to the south, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south and southeast, and the Adriatic Sea to the west that separates it from Italy.

The area of ​​the Republic of Croatia is 56,594 square km, with a length of the Croatian coast about 1,778 km. There are a number of large, small and medium islands located in the Croatian territorial waters, numbering 1,185 islands, of which 66 are inhabited.

Croatia is divided geographically into three regions: the plains in the north and east with a continental climate, the coastal regions in the west with a Mediterranean climate, and the cold mountainous regions in the center and south of the country. The terrain varies in Croatia, where there are some mountains in the western regions towards the sea coast, while the eastern and northern regions are characterized by flat agricultural plains. Many rivers pass through Croatia such as the Danube, the Sava River, the Drava River, the Cuba River, the Mora River and others.

 

Official name: Republic of Croatia - Republika Hrvatska

Abbreviation of name: HR in Croatian since its official name is Hrvatska

Population: about 4 million.

Capital: Zagreb, with a population of about 800,000.

The official currency is the Croatian kuna: and its symbol is kn (1 euro = 7,5 kuna)

Administrative division: 21 counties.

Unemployment rate: It is practically estimated at 7.4%, according to the reports of July 2021.

Demographics: The majority are Croats, representing about 85% of the population.

National minorities: Serbs, Bosniaks, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians and Romany

National Anthem: Our Beautiful Home Lijepa naša

Religions: The majority religion is Catholicism, along with some other religions such as Serbian Orthodoxy about 4.3% and Islam 1.28% (that is, about 60,000 Muslims).

 

 The authorities

 The authorities in Croatia are divided into three separate and independent authorities:

 

Legislative authority represented by the Croatian Parliament.

 

An executive authority represented by the Croatian government, the office of the President of the Republic and the institutions affiliated with them.

 

Judicial authority represented in the various courts (the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Commercial Court and the courts that follow them according to jurisdiction).

 

Brief History

After the collapse of the communist regimes in Eastern Europe in the late eighties of the last century, the socialist republics that made up the Yugoslav Federation at the time, especially the Socialist Republic of Croatia, began a reform movement to liberate society and the economy at the hands of some Croatian politicians who held some high positions.

In 1989 the political parties began to establish and organize themselves on the basis of anti-communism, and in 1990 the first free and multi-party elections were held.

The international recognition of Croatia began in October of 1991, Slovenia, Latvia and Ukraine recognized the independence of Croatia, followed by Iceland and in early 1992, Germany, Italy, the Vatican and the fifteen European Union countries at the time (before expanding it to 27 countries).

Croatia was admitted to the United Nations in August 1992, and its international borders, which were its administrative borders during the time of the Yugoslav Federation until 1991, were recognized.

 After the war, Croatia determined the main pillars of its foreign policy, which is joining the European Union and joining NATO (the two goals that were actually achieved), in addition to participating in all international and regional agreements that support the security and safety of the region and working to strengthen its political and economic relations with the rest of the world, especially countries

The neighborhood, which is still the border disputes, especially between them, dominate the scene.

 

The political system

The political system in Croatia is a republican, democratic, parliamentary system in which the three branches of the legislative, executive and judicial branches are completely free and independent.

 

President of the Republic

 The President of the Republic enjoys many of the powers stipulated in the Croatian Constitution, such as dissolving parliament, calling for regular or early elections, and naming candidates for parliamentary parties to form a government. Administration of Croatian foreign policy, appointment of ambassadors, etc. The presidential term is limited to five years, which can be renewed, according to the constitution, through free and direct elections, for a second presidential term only, so that the combined term of the presidency does not exceed 10 years.

 The President of the Republic, Honorable Mr. Zoran Milanović.

 

 

Prime Minister

The Prime Minister derives his constitutional powers from Parliament, the highest legislative authority in the country, as it usually represents the candidate of the party that holds the largest number of parliamentary seats.

The Head of Government appoints the members of his government before submitting them to Parliament for confidence. He also exercises his duties by representing the Republic of Croatia in all internal and international forums.

The head of government and what is available from the ministers attend a session of the Croatian Parliament approximately monthly or whenever required in order to question them.

Croatian Prime Minister Mr. Andrej Plenković.

 

Croatian Parliament

 The Croatian Parliament, or the so-called "SABOR" (Croatian - SABOR), consists of no less than 100 and no more than 160 deputies according to the Croatian constitution. The number of its members according to complementary laws is 151 deputies representing 14 constituencies, 10 deputies are elected for each of them, in addition to representatives of expatriates (3) and ethnic minorities (8), bringing the number to 151. The Croatian parliament has the right to amend the constitution in addition to enacting laws and withdrawing confidence. From the government and then dismissing it, as well as approving the general budget, declaring a state of war and sending Croat soldiers abroad and others.

The Speaker of Parliament is Mr. Gordan Jandroković.