Annual demographic statistics are crucial for the study and definition of a wide range of policies, and especially for the implementation of social and economic measures at the national and regional level. They are necessary for the creation of a series of indicators, serve as an important basis for creating macroeconomic policies by those carrying out social and economic activities as well as form a fundamental determinant of current and future social, economic and demographic development.

According to population censuses, in the period from 1971 to 2021, the number of inhabitants was increasing, until 1991. The data of the next three Censuses show a decrease in the number of inhabitants, and in 2021 it was the lowest and amounted to 3 871 833. The same applies to the number of families. The lowest number of families was recorded (1 104 395) in the 2021 Census. Comparing the structure of households in Censuses from 1971 to 2021, a constant decrease in household size (average number of household members) can be observed, for example in 1971 an average of 3.4 persons lived in one household, while in 2021 this figure amounted to 2.7.

Census data show a continuous aging of the population. According to the 1971 Census, the average age of the total population was 34.0 years (for men 32.4 years and women 35.5 years), while according to the 2021 Census, the average age of the total population was 44.3 years (for men 42.6 years and women 46.0 years), which puts the population of Croatia among the oldest nations in Europe.

It is important to mention that the data from the 2011 Census and the 2021 Census are not directly comparable with the data from earlier censuses.

According to the mid-year population estimates, from 2019 to 2022 the number of inhabitants was continuously decreasing, whereas in 2023 it increased by 0.1% compared to the previous year.

The share of women in the total population of the Republic of Croatia was 51.6%, while the share of men was 48.4%. The share of youth (0 – 19 years of age) in the total population of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 19.1%, while the share of the population aged 65 and over reached 22.9%. The share of the fertile contingent (15 - 49 years) in the total female population amounted to 39.8% in 2023.

Life expectancy at birth in 2023 increased compared to previous years and it reached 78.6 years. The data for 2023 show that life expectancy at birth was 81.7 years for women and 75.4 years for men, which is a difference of 6.3 years.

In 2023, as compared to the previous year, a decrease of 5.1% was recorded in the number of live births, that is, 1 713 less children were born than in 2022. Out of the total of 32 325 births in 2023, there were 32 170 live births and 155 stillbirths.

The number of deaths in 2023 decreased compared to the previous year. There were 10.0% less deaths, and 5 704 less persons died compared to the previous year. The total number of deaths in 2023 was 51 275.

The natural increase rate in 2023 in the Republic of Croatia was negative at -5.0 (-19 105 persons).

There were 17 306 marriages in 2023, which was 768 less marriages compared to 2022, or a decrease of 4.2%. At the same time, there were 4 407 final court decisions related to divorces, which was 401 less divorces compared to 2022, or a decrease of 8.3%.

In 2023, 69 396 persons immigrated to the Republic of Croatia, which is an increase in the number of immigrants of 19.7% compared to the previous year. The number of emigrants decreased in 2023 by 15.3% compared to the previous year, that is, 39 218 persons emigrated abroad.

The Republic of Croatia had a positive net migration with foreign countries, which amounted to 30 178.

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