Croatia on the cusp of a demographic crisis, report warns

According to a report in the Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List, Croatia appears to be on the brink of an accelerated demographic decline, which could have dire consequences for its growth and development in the coming decades.

At the end of 2023 and during the first two months of 2024, Croatia experienced a marked increase in negative natural growth. The gap between the declining number of births and the rising number of deaths reached -2757 in January and -2182 in February. The average monthly natural decrease throughout 2023 was -1600.

"The data indicates that Croatia began an era of natural decline at the beginning of 2024," states "Jutarnji list."

Local media suggests that "Croatia has long been approaching the threshold of a demographic crisis, and now it finds itself firmly in the midst of one".

The Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS) notes that Croatia's fertility rate is around 1.6, ranking it in the middle among EU member states. However, considering Europe's ageing population, this offers little solace to Croatians.

"Wealthier nations may be better equipped to handle the economic fallout from demographic challenges. If Croatia continues to overlook this issue, it risks grappling with severe social issues, including the potential collapse of its healthcare and pension systems," "Jutarnji list" cautions.