• GDP: US$34 billion (2005).
• Main exports: Capital goods, chemicals and manufactured goods.
• Main imports: Food, fuel and energy and capital goods.
• Main trade partners: EU and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

After Slovenia, Croatia was the most developed republic of the former Yugoslavia. The Croatian economy recovered well after the break-up of Yugoslavia and several years of civil war.

Industry is the most important sector in the economy, producing textiles, chemicals, processed foods, finished metal goods and construction materials. Agriculture, which produces maize, wheat and sugar beet, is important for domestic purposes but has never contributed significantly to the export economy. Mineral deposits of exploitable size include oil, coal and natural gas. 

Croatia also has an important tourism industry, based on the Dalmatian coast: after being all but wiped out by the civil war, it has recovered and prospered; it now accounts for 22% of GDP and around 150,000 jobs and is largely responsible for Croatia’s recent economic progress.

Annual GDP growth in 2005 was an impressive 11%. Inflation is around 3% and unemployment around 18%.

Croatia tends towards formal business protocol, but this image of Western-style efficiency is often belied by the fact that things go very slowly on account of the cumbersome bureaucracy. Communication, however, is no problem as English and German are widely used as second languages. Business cards including professional or academic titles should be exchanged just after formal introductions. There are also a large number of local agents, advisers, consultants and, to a lesser extent, lawyers, willing to act for foreign companies, but none should be engaged before being thoroughly checked in advance. Croatia has created a more liberal framework for foreign investments so that foreign investors are guaranteed special rights and incentives for investing in Croatia.

Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600.

Croatian Chamber of Economy
Rooseveltov trg 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (01) 456 1555.
Website: www.hgk.hr

Zagreb Convention Bureau
Kaptol 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: (01) 489 8555.
Website: www.zagreb-convention.hr

Congress and Incentive Office Dubrovnik
Cvijete Zuzoric 1/1, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Tel: (020) 324 999.
website: www.visitdubrovnik.hr/convention

The Croatian National Tourist Office (website: www.croatia.hr) can also offer advice through its Convention Bureau.

Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Opatija and Split are established conference destinations. Conventions are generally held in hotels. Plans have been mooted to build dedicated international congress centres in Dubrovnik, Split and Opatija.