January 14, 2022 - More on the Croatian census 2021, as the pace of emigration in Osijek means that there are now only three Croatian cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants.

As previously reported on TCN, the Central Bureau of Statistics published the first results of the 2021 census in the morning. Index.hr has some further information from the Croatian census 2021 regarding the cities in Croatia.

The results contain data on the total number of enumerated persons and on the total number of inhabitants, households and housing units at the level of the Republic of Croatia, level 2 statistical regions, counties, cities, municipalities and settlements. Croatia lost 396,360 people in 10 years. Only three cities have more than 100,000 inhabitants - Zagreb, Split and Rijeka.

Osijek fell below 100,000 inhabitants

The fourth largest city in Croatia is still Osijek, but it has fallen below 100,000 inhabitants - now there are 96,848. In 2011, Osijek had 108,048 inhabitants. Rijeka lost 14.6 percent of its population, and Split 13.7 percent.

The ten largest cities in Croatia are: Zagreb (769,944 inhabitants), Split (161,312 inhabitants), Rijeka (108,622 inhabitants), Osijek (96,848 inhabitants), Zadar (70,829 inhabitants), Velika Gorica (61,198 inhabitants), Pula (52,411 inhabitants), Slavonski Brod (50,039 inhabitants), Karlovac (49,594 inhabitants) and Varaždin (43,999 inhabitants).

A historical demographic catastrophe

The population of Croatia has been declining since 1991, when it had a population of 4,784,265. In the decades before that year, the population grew: in 1981 there were 4,601,469 inhabitants in Croatia, in 1961 4,159,696, in 1953 3,936,022, in 1948 3,779,858, and in 1931 3,430,270 inhabitants.

Since the 1948 census, Croatia has not recorded such a low number. Since 1991, it has lost 895,736 inhabitants, almost all of Zagreb. In the last ten years, ie since the last census, which was held in 2011, 396,360 inhabitants have been lost, almost 10%.

The real population is probably smaller

In reality, this number is even lower because many were counted, although they work abroad most of the year, and some may have moved away altogether, but their families are still counted in Croatia. All parts of Croatia have lost inhabitants, mostly Slavonia.

There is no county in Croatia that has recorded population growth. Vukovar-Srijem lost almost every fifth inhabitant (more than 19%), Sisak-Moslavina and Brod-Posavina 17.53%, and the smallest decline was in Zagreb, Dubrovnik-Neretva and Zadar counties.

ZAGREB, 27 Sept 2021 - Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) director Lidija Brković said on Monday that self-enumeration, which was supposed to end at midnight on Sunday, was extended until midnight today because yesterday the system was slow "due to extremely high interest."

She told the press that over 100,000 citizens had self-enumerated since 3 pm on Sunday and dismissed journalists' claims that the system crashed yesterday.

Due to the prolongation, the second stage of the population census will begin on Tuesday, instead of today, with 8,000 census-takers visiting households across the country. Despite the prolongation, the census is expected to end on 17 October as planned.

Since 13 September, over 1.42 million citizens have completed census questionnaires online on their own, which Brković said surpassed expectations. The City of Zagreb accounts for over 50% of them.

She said 4,000 census-takers did not have a COVID certificate and that free testing would be ensured for them three times a week.

Brković added that citizens were free to ask census-takers to show them their certificates as well as DZS accreditation.

For more about the 2021 self-enumeration, be sure to check the official website HERE.

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

September the 25th, 2021 - You still need to answer the door when an enumerator comes knocking, even if you've signed the 2021 Croatian census online. We've entered the 21st century, but don't worry, we're still not quite there yet...

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Lidija Brkovic, the director general of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) told HTV that people still need to answer the enumerator's knock at their door, as they'll come anyway.

''An enumerator will receive between 200 and 250 addresses, which he is obliged to visit,'' said Lidija Brkovic, adding that the code you received after you were completed the Croatian census online is used by the Central Bureau of Statistics as a coverage control list, so they still need to be presented with it.

"For example, if a building has several floors, the enumerator can't know which apartments are listed, which has yet to be listed or which apartment is empty," she said, explaining why the code people are given after completing the Croatian census online is very important. The enumerator will knock on your door, she said, also because maybe not everyone in the same apartment has been enumerated and maybe some aspects weren't clear, so questions can be asked for the sake of clarity.

Enumerators are expected to have COVID certificates, meaning they have either contracted COVID and since recovered, they've been fully vaccinated - or they have returned a recent negative test. In addition, they're obliged to respect all of the current epidemiological measures, so they'll maintain social distancing and they'll wear masks. It is recommended that enumerators do their work outside of people's apartments, which is why the Central Bureau of Statistics hopes for good weather, Brkovic added.

You can completed the 2021 Croatian census online until Sunday, September 26th, 2021. After Sunday, a little less than eight thousand enumerators are set to go out into the field.

"Given that fake enumerators appeared and some citizens had unfortunately experienced unpleasant situations, I'd like to warn people once again that the authorised enumerators of the Central Bureau of Statistics will go to the field only on Monday," said Brkovic.

Almost a million people have already registered themselves through the e-Citizens (e-Gradjani) system so far, most of them being in Zagreb.

Bernard Grsic, State Secretary of the Central State Office for the Development of Digital Society, called on people to enumerate themselves online in the next few days in order to make things easier for enumerators. Getting a credential to access the e-Citizens platform, he says, isn't complicated. 

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

September the 14th, 2021 - The Croatian 2021 census is now officially underway, and for the first time ever, the ability to complete it online via the e-Citizens (e-Gradjani) system has been made available to the population. Over 100,000 Croatian residents have now successfully completed their Croatian e-Census.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the very first phase of the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings, which will last until September the 26th, started yesterday through the E-citizens system. More than 100,000 citizens were successfully registered by 20:00 yesterday, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported.

The first phase is followed by the second phase of the census from September the 27th to October the 17th, when almost 8,000 enumerators are set to go out into the field to enumerate those who didn't enumerate themselves online, and to control and correct mistakes made by citizens' self-enumeration. But just how will the accuracy of the data that people provide by filling in the Croatian e-Census or during the field phase of the 2021 census be controlled?

The reference point of the census is the 31st of August 2021, and according to the concept of people's usual place of residence, the census will include all citizens who lived in their place of residence for a year or came to live in a place of residence with the intention of staying for at least one year.

The census questionnaire consists of three parts - persons, households and dwellings - and contains 38 questions. One household member can list all members of their household through the e-Citizens system as part of the Croatian e-Census.

There's a penalty for inaccurate and incomplete results...

After completing the self-enumeration, people will receive a control code which they will then photograph or print out and give to the enumerator when he knocks on their doors. They don't have to admit the enumerator into their homes after filling in the Croatian e-Census, it is enough to give them the aforementioned control code. 

A fine of 2,000 to 5,000 kuna will be imposed on people who refuse to provide data during the Croatian 2021 census, either via the Croatian e-Census or in person, as well as to those who provided inaccurate and/or incomplete data during the carrying out of the census.

It's very easy to sit and talk about fines, but just how will the CBS control whether people have provided accurate and complete data, given that the census is based on statements and that the enumerator has absolutely no right to request any personal documents or doubt the accuracy of the data?

Although more than 1000 controllers monitor the work of the field enumerators, they control the accuracy and coverage of the collected data, how they will control the accuracy of all data during the data processing procedure? On top that, what will happen to the list of empty apartments, houses and cottages and are they even entered into the records?

"The State Bureau has repeatedly stated that the data provided by persons should be complete and accurate. Enumerators will familiarise household members with this. The enumerator can't check the accuracy of the data during the enumeration process because the census is based on a statement. However, during data processing, the Office will pair data with data from administrative databases and control the accuracy and reliability of the data. People living outside Croatia aren't listed. Persons who have a household in Croatia can enumerate members of their household in Croatia independently via e-Citizens or during the second phase of enumeration by giving that data to the enumerator. Housing units that are empty will be listed as empty apartments,'' the CBS told Vecernji list.

Croatian demographer Marin Strmota says that this census will not be comparable to any taken in the past in any case.

"I don't know what the mechanisms will be for checking the accuracy of the data collected by the census and with which databases in the Central Bureau of Statistics are networked. It's also unclear how it will be controlled when it comes to the listing of fictitious residents, for example, are the IP addresses from which citizens filled in the census questionnaire visible? If the control mechanisms aren't good, manipulations are possible,'' stated Strmota.

After the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings, we'll finally be able find out if Croatia has less than four million inhabitants. The first results of the census will be published sixty days after the end of the census carried out in the field, writes Vecernji list.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

September the 3rd, 2021 - The Croatian census is due to be carried out in two weeks, and every single resident of Croatia needs to partake. If you refuse to do so, a fine of between 2,000 and 5,000 kuna could be issued to you.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, every inhabitant single legal resident of the Republic of Croatia is subject to the Croatian Census Act, according to which every person who refuses to be enumerated faces a fine of two to five thousand kuna.

Lidija Brkovic, the director of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), spoke for local portal Glas Slavonije about the Croatian census, which is set to begin in two weeks following a coronavirus-induced delay earlier on in the year.

"The Croatian census is based on an individual statement, and the enumerator has no right to ask for documents or check the answers that a person gives. Every resident of Croatia is subject to is the Act on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2021, which provides for the issuing of fines from 2,000 to 5,000 kuna for a misdemeanor of a natural person if they refuse to provide their data for the census. People can have full confidence in the Central Bureau of Statistics because all the data collected by the Bureau remains an official secret,'' assured Brkovic.

Two phases of the 2021 Croatian census - online and offline

The Croatian census will be conducted in two phases - the first will be a ''self-census'' of residents online through the e-Citizens (e-Gradjani) system, followed by a field census of those who didn't register online. The fieldwork begins on September the 27th and will run through until October the 17th, 2021.

“The first phase of self-enumeration through the e-Citizens system will last from September the 13th to the 26th, and just one person in the household who uses the system is enough and will be able to enumerate all members of their household. If more than one household member uses the e-Citizens system, it still must only be one person listing all of the household members,'' said Brkovic.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

January 31, 2021 – Long in preparation and last undertaken way back in 2011, media reports that the much anticipated 2021 Croatian census may now be postponed indefinitely

Preparations for the 2021 Croatian census have been long in the making. Plans have been ongoing since 2016. The last census was undertaken back in 2011 and the population has been impacted by both immigration and emigration since then. But, nobody is exactly sure by how much. This information was just some of the vital data people had hoped would be delivered by the 2021 Croatian census. But, now that may not happen. Some Croatian media is now saying the Croatian census has been postponed indefinitely.

Just one month ago the director of the Central Bureau of Statistics, Lidija Brković, said before the Parliamentary Committee for Local Self-Government that all preparations were being carried out with a view to the Croatian census taking place as scheduled. In an interview with N1 at the beginning of December, Boris Milosevic, Croatia's deputy prime minister (in whose department the Croatian census lies), also said the same.

But the census will not begin as planned on 1st April 2. N1 is currently reporting that it has been postponed indefinitely.

The coordinator for the census in the Central Bureau of Statistics, Damir Plesac, said that the main reason is the coronavirus. The Central Bureau of Statistics does not yet know for how long the Croatian census will be postponed because, as Plesac says, it will depend on epidemiological measures and the decision of the government and parliament, which must change the Census Act.

Croatian media ascertain from his answers that the census might not be expected to be completed before June 2021. To the question “is it weeks or months of delay?” Mr Plesac answered that it would be months.

Most of the Croatian census will therefore be moved until after the local elections in May. In their coverage of the census's indefinite postponement, the national portal Index reminds that some campaigning taking place in the run-up to these elections is focussing heavily on the numerical and demographical information that the Croatian census would provide.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.