Croatia: health and care

What is the life expectancy in Croatia?

Life expectancy at birth in Croatia was 78.9 years in 2024, according to Eurostat: 76.0 years for men and 81.8 years for women. It was 78.5 years in 2023.

Eurostat calculates life expectancy from the deaths and population data supplied by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. It is the number of years a newborn would live if death rates by age stayed as they were in that year. Women in Croatia live almost six years longer than men on these figures.

Official sources: Eurostat: Life expectancy by age and sex

How many people die in Croatia each year?

50,007 people died in Croatia in 2025, 2.1% fewer than in 2024, according to the DZS release on natural change in population. There were 32,479 live births, so the population fell by 17,528 through natural change, a rate of -4.5 per 1,000. Births outnumbered deaths in only 43 towns and municipalities.

The vital index, live births per 100 deaths, was 64.9. Infant deaths numbered 102, a rate of 3.1 per 1,000 live births. Croatia's population still rose in 2025 because more people immigrated than emigrated.

Official sources: DZS: Natural Change in Population, 2025

How many doctors are there in Croatia?

Croatia had 15,865 practising physicians in 2024, according to Eurostat health personnel data, up from 15,480 in 2023. There were 10,232 practising nurses with EU-recognised qualifications and 1,472 midwives.

"Practising" counts professionals who provide care directly to patients. The nurse figure covers only nurses with qualifications recognised under EU rules, so it is lower than the total number of nursing staff. National figures by speciality and county are in the Croatian Health Statistics Yearbook published by the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

Official sources: Eurostat: Health personnel · Croatian Institute of Public Health

What is the infant mortality rate in Croatia?

Croatia's infant mortality rate was 3.1 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, down from 3.2 in 2024, according to the DZS release on natural change in population. 102 babies died before their first birthday, and 52 of them died in the first week of life.

Because the numbers are small, county rates swing from year to year: in 2025 they ranged from 1.2 in Bjelovar-Bilogora to 8.5 in Slavonski Brod-Posavina. There were also 121 stillbirths, which are not counted as infant deaths.

Official sources: DZS: Natural Change in Population, 2025

What is life expectancy in Croatia?

The UN Population Division puts life expectancy at birth in Croatia at 78.9 years in 2024. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Europe & Central Asia median: 79.5 years; Croatia is 28th highest of 52. Worldwide: 46th of 193.

How many babies die in Croatia?

According to the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, the infant mortality rate in Croatia was 4.1 per 1,000 in 2024. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 5.8 per 1,000; its low point was 2021, at 3.9 per 1,000. Europe & Central Asia median: 3.4 per 1,000; Croatia is 18th highest of 51. Worldwide: 151st of 192.

What is the maternal mortality rate in Croatia?

In 2023, the maternal mortality ratio in Croatia was 3.0 per 100,000, according to the WHO. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Europe & Central Asia median: 6.0 per 100,000; Croatia is 43rd highest of 51. Worldwide: 180th of 192.

What share of GDP does Croatia spend on health care?

In 2023, current health spending in Croatia was 7.1% of GDP, according to the WHO. The peak was 8.1% of GDP in 2021 and the low 6.4% of GDP in 2013. Europe & Central Asia median: 7.5% of GDP; Croatia is 32nd highest of 51. Worldwide: 78th of 191.

How much of health care in Croatia do patients pay for?

9.4%: that is out-of-pocket health spending in Croatia for 2023, according to the WHO. The peak was 14.5% in 2008 and the low 8.8% in 2013. Europe & Central Asia median: 22.0%; Croatia is 48th highest of 51. World rank, highest first: 170th of 191.

What is the doctor to patient ratio in Croatia?

The WHO puts the number of doctors per 1,000 people in Croatia at 3.9 per 1,000 in 2022. That is the highest since at least 2005. It is 19th highest of 42 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 3.7 per 1,000. Worldwide: 25th of 125.

What is hospital capacity in Croatia?

According to the WHO, hospital beds per 1,000 people in Croatia was 5.6 per 1,000 in 2023. Its high point since 2005 was 2011, at 6.0 per 1,000; its low point was 2009, at 5.5 per 1,000. Europe & Central Asia median: 4.2 per 1,000; Croatia is 5th highest of 23. Of 73 countries with 2023 data, 8th highest.

What is the measles vaccination rate in Croatia?

90.0%: that is measles vaccination among children aged 12 to 23 months in Croatia for 2024, according to WHO and UNICEF. Since 2005 it has ranged from 89.0% (2017) to 96.0% (2005). Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 94.0%, and Croatia placed 33rd highest of 51. Of 191 countries with 2024 data, 92nd highest.