Europe & Central Asia · EU · NATO
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
48.0%
-9.9 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
13.8%
-3.5 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
9.00%
+1.3 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
1.50%
-1.1 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
5.00%
-1.2 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
1.70%
+0.2 pts since 1995
Gross debt · 2025
56.3%
of GDP · +33 pts since 1998
Population · 2025
3.9m
-16.1% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Croatia yet.
Welfare fell from 17.3% to 13.8% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Healthcare fell from 7.7% to 5.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2008, then rose to 9.0% by 2024.
Defence fell from 2.6% to 1.0% of GDP between 1995 and 2021, then rose to 1.5% by 2024.
Education fell from 6.2% to 4.8% of GDP between 1995 and 2016, then rose to 5.0% by 2024.
Debt interest rose from 1.5% to 3.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2014, then fell to 1.7% by 2024.
Total spending fell from 57.9% to 44.3% of GDP between 1995 and 2017, then rose to 48.0% by 2024.
Gross debt rose from 23.3% to 86.5% of GDP between 1998 and 2020, then fell to 56.3% by 2025.
Population fell from 4.6 million in 1995 to 3.9 million in 2025; the UN projects 3.3 million by 2050.