Croatia’s declaration of independence in 1991 was followed by four years of war and the best part of a decade of authoritarian nationalism under President Franjo Tudjman.
By early 2003 it had made enough progress in shaking off the legacy of those years to apply for EU membership, becoming the second former Yugoslav republic after Slovenia to do so.
Following protracted accession talks, Croatia joined the EU in 2013. It adopted the euro in 2023.
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA: FACTS
- Capital: Zagreb
- Area: 56,594 sq km
- Population: 3.8 million
- Language: Croatian
- Life…
