THE WORLD, CONNECTEDGeopolitical Relationship Atlas
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP

Italy and Croatia

Italy and Croatia coordinate a broad Adriatic relationship including minorities, fisheries, energy and maritime security. The February 2024 ministerial declaration also addressed radio interference and scientific cooperation, alongside shared Ukraine and Gaza positions.

Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08

Bilateral context

The sixth ministerial coordination committee meeting was held in Zagreb on 27 February 2024.

What merchandise trade shows

In 2025, goods trade between Italy and Croatia totalled 9,589.8 million current USD.

Documented trade sectors

Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Italy to Croatia, at 1,046.1 million USD in 2025.

Bilateral indicators

Blank cells: data unavailable.

Indicators of the relationship between Italy and Croatia
IndicatorValuePeriod
Goods trade9,589.83 M USD2025 · Comtrade
Goods: Italy to Croatia6,230.8 M USD2025 · Comtrade
Goods: Croatia to Italy3,359.03 M USD2025 · Comtrade
Services trade
Export share: Italy to Croatia
Export share: Croatia to Italy
Investment stock: Italy in Croatia
Investment stock: Croatia in Italy
Definitions and sources

Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.

Goods trade
2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter ITA. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Goods: Italy to Croatia
2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter ITA. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Goods: Croatia to Italy
2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter ITA. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.

Country comparison

Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.

Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.

Economic and demographic comparison of Italy and Croatia
IndicatorItalyCroatia
Nominal GDP2.55 trillion USD2025 · WB105.06 billion USD2025 · WB
GDP per capita43,308.64 USD2025 · WB27,103.91 USD2025 · WB
GDP growth0.54 %2025 · WB3.4 %2025 · WB
Policy interest rate2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE
Inflation · annual average1.53 %Annual average · 2025 · WB3.69 %Annual average · 2025 · WB
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
Unemployment6.39 %ILO est.2025 · WB5 %ILO est.2025 · WB
Budget balance (% of GDP)-3.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF-2.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Gross public debt (% of GDP)137.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF55.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Current account balance (% of GDP)1.15 %2025 · WB-2.08 %2024 · WB
Population58,915,656World Bank est.2025 · WB3,876,2002025 · WB
Area302,070 km²2023 · WB88,070 km²2023 · WB
Military expenditure
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Definitions, dates and sources

Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.

Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0

Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.

Nominal GDP
Current USDItaly: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
GDP per capita
Current USD per personItaly: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
GDP growth
Annual real change (%)Italy: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
Policy interest rate
Central bank instrument (%)Italy: 2026-09-16 · ECB: deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank · ECB deposit facility rate, shared by euro-area members; not an independent national rate.
Inflation · annual average
Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Italy: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
Unemployment
% of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionItaly: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
Budget balance
General government (% of GDP)Italy: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Croatia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
Gross public debt
General government (% of GDP)Italy: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Croatia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
Current account balance
% of GDPItaly: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2024 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
Population
PeopleItaly: 2025 · World Bank · World Bank est. · Extrapolated estimate identified by the World Bank; not a census for the reference year.Croatia: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
Area
Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceItaly: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Croatia: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
Military expenditure
Current USD per year; SIPRI series
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship

What they buy and sell

Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.

Italy to Croatia

2025

Selected products exported from Italy to Croatia
Product or sectorValue / share
Mineral fuels and oils1,046.1 M USD2025 · Source
Machinery and mechanical appliances577.1 M USD2025 · Source
Electrical and electronic equipment270.8 M USD2025 · Source
Vehicles and components219.5 M USD2025 · Source
Meat and edible offal117.3 M USD2025 · Source
Dairy products, eggs and honey61.3 M USD2025 · Source
Pharmaceutical products47.7 M USD2025 · Source
Metal ores0.454 M USD2025 · Source

Selection of eight chapters, not an exhaustive ranking. Same reporter, year and coverage as the total. Unpublished chapters are not imputed. UN Comtrade

Croatia to Italy

2025

Selected products exported from Croatia to Italy
Product or sectorValue / share
Electrical and electronic equipment323.6 M USD2025 · Source
Machinery and mechanical appliances235.5 M USD2025 · Source
Mineral fuels and oils150.8 M USD2025 · Source
Vehicles and components56 M USD2025 · Source
Pharmaceutical products37.9 M USD2025 · Source
Meat and edible offal21.2 M USD2025 · Source
Dairy products, eggs and honey14.4 M USD2025 · Source
Metal ores0.563 M USD2025 · Source

Selection of eight chapters, not an exhaustive ranking. Same reporter, year and coverage as the total. Unpublished chapters are not imputed. UN Comtrade

How trade has changed

Billions of current USD · full calendar years

TotalItaly to CroatiaCroatia to Italy
Goods trade between Italy and CroatiaGoods; full calendar years 2021–2025; same reporter ITA; current USD without inflation adjustment. Complete data in the table following the chart.0510152020212022202320242025

Goods; full calendar years 2021–2025; same reporter ITA; current USD without inflation adjustment. UN Comtrade · Accessed: 2026-10-08.

View chart figures
Millions of current USD
PeriodTotalItaly to CroatiaCroatia to Italy
20216,872.64,346.92,525.7
202210,842.35,841.95,000.4
20239,035.75,997.53,038.3
20248,9056,043.72,861.3
20259,589.86,230.83,359

Connections between people

The agenda included fisheries sustainability, underwater heritage, university mobility and the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley project. [1]

Residents, study and travel

Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.

Indicators of human connections between Italy and Croatia
IndicatorValuePeriod / source
Residents from Italy living in Croatia
Residents from Croatia living in Italy
Study and training: Italy in Croatia
Study and training: Croatia in Italy
Academic stays: Italy in Croatia
Academic stays: Croatia in Italy
Travel: Italy to Croatia
Travel: Croatia to Italy
What each figure measures

Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.

Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.

Underlying ties

History, institutions and long-standing issues.

The scale of both economies

Nominal GDP for Italy is 2,551.6 billion USD (2025), compared with 105.1 for Croatia (2025). The reference populations are 58.92 and 3.88 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Italy was 24.29 times that of Croatia in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Recent developments

Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08

Bilateral context

The sixth ministerial coordination committee meeting was held in Zagreb on 27 February 2024. Both countries reaffirmed protection of historical minorities and Adriatic cooperation, also with Slovenia. [1]

Cooperation and bilateral issues

Ratification of exclusive economic zone delimitation was forthcoming, not completed according to that text. The agenda included fisheries sustainability, underwater heritage, university mobility and the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley project. It recorded progress since 2022 in resolving Italian television interference and proposed addressing FM interference on Croatia's coast. In security, they sought coordination against maritime drug trafficking and people smuggling. They reaffirmed support for Ukraine and, on Gaza, condemned Hamas attacks and called for hostages' release, humanitarian aid and a pause in hostilities. These are declaration priorities, not fully implemented outcomes. [1]

What merchandise trade shows

In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Italy and Croatia) totalled 9,589.8 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 6,230.8 million; those in the opposite direction, 3,359 million. The difference between the two flows was 2,871.8 million, in favour of Italy. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]

Five years of trade trends

The consistent series shows 6,872.6 million USD in 2021 and 9,589.8 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +39.5 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 10,842.3 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [2]

Documented trade sectors

Within the selected chapters, mineral fuels and oils stands out in shipments from Italy to Croatia, at 1,046.1 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Croatia to Italy, at 323.6 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [3]

Sources and data

Periods and scope of the figures

Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.

  1. Bilateral relations — ITA-HRV

    www.esteri.it · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08

  2. UN Comtrade annual data; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded

    UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08

  3. Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record

    UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08

  4. NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  5. Official series — gdp

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  6. SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  7. Official series — population

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

Additional sources on products and human connections
  • UN Comtrade

    2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.