Croatia's population is projected to be 2,195,109 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3,822,345 | -0.53% | 130 |
| 2025 | 3,848,160 | -0.54% | 130 |
| 2020 | 3,953,958 | -0.81% | 130 |
| 2019 | 3,986,334 | -0.96% | 130 |
| 2018 | 4,024,868 | -1.33% | 130 |
| 2017 | 4,079,200 | -1.38% | 130 |
| 2015 | 4,183,729 | -0.55% | 127 |
| 2010 | 4,301,145 | -0.06% | 124 |
| 2005 | 4,313,946 | -0.06% | 118 |
| 2000 | 4,326,105 | -1.3% | 118 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3,822,345 | -0.53% | 130 |
| 2032 | 3,677,460 | -0.64% | 133 |
| 2037 | 3,560,763 | -0.64% | 135 |
| 2042 | 3,438,936 | -0.69% | 137 |
| 2047 | 3,311,885 | -0.75% | 138 |
| 2052 | 3,182,597 | -0.79% | 141 |
| 2057 | 3,054,624 | -0.82% | 142 |
| 2062 | 2,927,566 | -0.85% | 142 |
| 2067 | 2,805,558 | -0.85% | 142 |
| 2072 | 2,690,488 | -0.83% | 142 |
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Zagreb has a metropolitan area population of 755,938, comprising 19.78%% of Croatia's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zagreb | 755,938 | 19.78% |
| 2 | Split | 152,472 | 3.99% |
| 3 | Rijeka | 98,914 | 2.59% |
| 4 | Osijek | 90,933 | 2.38% |
| 5 | Zadar | 68,730 | 1.8% |
| 6 | Velika Gorica | 59,889 | 1.57% |
| 7 | Pula - Pola | 49,782 | 1.3% |
| 8 | Karlovac | 46,488 | 1.22% |
| 9 | Slavonski Brod | 45,824 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Varazdin | 42,281 | 1.11% |
As of 2026, Croatia has a total population of 3,822,345, ranking as the 130th most populous nation in the world.
Croatia has a net population change of approximately -69 people per day, driven by 84 births, 146 deaths, and net emigration of 7 people.
Croatia represents 0.05% of the total global population and 0.51% of Europe's population.
Croatia has a population density of 68.3 people per km² (approximately 176.9 per mi²), making it the 147th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 69.47% of the population resides in urban areas, a figure that is decreasing annually.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Croatia is Croat (90.4%) , followed by Serb (4.4%) .
As of 2026, Roman Catholic is the largest religion in Croatia, comprising 86.3% of the population.
