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Austria vs Czechia
Croatia vs Serbia
Side-by-side comparison of Croatia and Serbia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Croatia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,101 years
Serbia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,246 years
In short
Croatia scores 65.8 in the NationsTree Index (44th in the world) and Serbia scores 49.6 (90th), a gap of 16.2 points. Their trees are 9.0 m and 8.6 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Serbia has 69% more people than Croatia. Croatia and Serbia have a similar land area. The economy of Serbia is 12% larger than that of Croatia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Croatia 3.9 million and Serbia 6.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $50,946 in Croatia and $33,910 in Serbia (2025, international dollars). People in Croatia live on average 3.0 years longer (78.9 vs 76.0 years).
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Croatia ranks higher in the world on 28 and Serbia on 7. Croatia is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, tourism and society & health. Serbia is clearly stronger in military.
As a nation, Serbia is the older of the two (statehood since 780, 1,246 years), compared with Croatia (since 925). Over the last five years Croatia improved faster (direction score 56 vs 8 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Croatia and Serbia.
Croatiabetter
74.7%
57th of 144
Serbia
24.1%
122nd of 144
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Croatiabetter
9,778
46th of 183
Serbia
1,261
119th of 183
Secondary enrolmentSociety & health
Croatiabetter
105.0%
41st of 173
Serbia
89.8%
107th of 173
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Croatiabetter
77.6
67th of 207
Serbia
59.9
138th of 207
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
Croatiabetter
71.3
55th of 205
Serbia
50.1
125th of 205
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Serbia overtook Croatia in GDP (PPP) in 2000 and has stayed ahead since.
Croatia overtook Serbia in life expectancy in 1998 and has stayed ahead since.
Croatia has been ahead of Serbia in the NationsTree Index in every year since 2000.
Croatia has been ahead of Serbia in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1995.
Serbia has been ahead of Croatia in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
CroatiaSerbia All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Croatia | Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 88,070115th/216 · 2024 | 88,490114th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 55,960124th/216 · 2024 | 87,589112th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 3.9 m130th/217 · 2025 | 6.5 m109th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.26%156th/217 · 2025 | -0.57%203rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 69.1136th/216 · 2024 | 75.2132nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 57.8%135th/217 · 2025 | 62.6%118th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 13.7%202nd/217 · 2025 | 14.3%193rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 23.6%10th/217 · 2025 | 23.1%14th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $105.06 bn73rd/210 · 2025 | $99.95 bn76th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $197.48 bn80th/199 · 2025 | $222.08 bn77th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $171.22 bn80th/199 · 2025 | $180.78 bn78th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $27,10462nd/210 · 2025 | $15,26285th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $50,94651st/199 · 2025 | $33,91075th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $25,36056th/201 · 2025 | $13,48083rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.4%102nd/210 · 2025 | 2.0%145th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.7%110th/180 · 2025 | 3.9%119th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.0%87th/187 · 2025 | 7.1%127th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 56.3%104th/189 · 2025 | 42.2%68th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.0%107th/192 · 2025 | -2.2%84th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.8%129th/197 · 2025 | 3.3%125th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 19.0%131st/200 · 2025 | 22.3%110th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 10.1%95th/192 · 2025 | 12.7%69th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 60.9%79th/200 · 2025 | 59.7%89th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $50.40 bn66th/182 · 2025 | $54.29 bn62nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $55.70 bn66th/182 · 2025 | $58.58 bn63rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 48.0%56th/183 · 2025 | 54.3%48th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 53.0%73rd/183 · 2025 | 58.6%58th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 101.0%62nd/183 · 2025 | 112.9%46th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 12.1%43rd/170 · 2025 | 2.6%2007 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 63.5%51st/171 · 2025 | 65.9%2007 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 15.3%90th/171 · 2025 | 18.6%2007 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 4.4%70th/171 · 2025 | 10.3%2007 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 11.7%57th/168 · 2024 | 4.5%2007 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -3.5%121st/191 · 2025 | -4.9%138th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.8%73rd/196 · 2025 | 3.9%54th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.7%124th/209 · 2021 | 1.7%101st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.28%65th/197 · 2021 | 0.42%55th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.18%53rd/197 · 2021 | 0.10%60th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.24%22nd/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.66%50th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.22%90th/209 · 2021 | 0.33%77th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 15.2%75th/206 · 2024 | 29.0%31st/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 9,77846th/183 · 2022 | 1,261119th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 21.6 m12th/194 · 2020 | 446,000129th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $5.63 bn28th/175 · 2020 | $1.42 bn60th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 23.4%30th/168 · 2020 | 5.6%80th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 678,00072nd/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 78.959th/217 · 2024 | 76.0100th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.646th/196 · 2024 | 5.443rd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.9132nd/174 · 2022 | 3.1057th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.620th/145 · 2023 | 5.816th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 92%86th/193 · 2024 | 95%59th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 95.7%26th/153 · 2023 | 93.1%38th/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 105.0%41st/173 · 2023 | 89.8%107th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 71.1%2014 | 62.5%21st/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 37.7%11th/217 · 2025 | 36.8%13th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.1%81st/193 · 2023 | 8.0%62nd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.2%2001 | 99.3%12th/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 81.2%23rd/150 · 2023 | 70.6%47th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.88941st/193 · 2023 | 0.83362nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.125th/108 · 2023 | 32.839th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.3%23rd/108 · 2023 | 1.1%52nd/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 87.3%67th/150 · 2024 | 75.0%82nd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 74.7%57th/144 · 2021 | 24.1%122nd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 83.6%88th/186 · 2024 | 87.7%71st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12283rd/210 · 2024 | 12481st/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 29.662nd/208 · 2024 | 33.448th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.0054th/164 · 2022 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,61746th/82 · 2021 | 3,34838th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 1.7 m85th/161 · 2023 | 3.9 m66th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.83148th/203 · 2024 | — |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 34.1%73rd/212 · 2021 | 27.2%89th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 15.889th/200 · 2023 | 19.3111th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 34.8%96th/214 · 2024 | 39.2%81st/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,23353rd/149 · 2024 | 2,37049th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 68.152nd/205 · 2025 | 53.0105th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 50.686th/207 · 2025 | 35.9142nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 65.676th/207 · 2025 | 53.3119th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 77.667th/207 · 2025 | 59.9138th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 63.059th/205 · 2025 | 56.588th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 71.355th/205 · 2025 | 50.1125th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.720th/145 · 2023 | 1.353rd/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $2.10 bn65th/156 · 2025 | $2.78 bn58th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%63rd/156 · 2025 | 2.8%36th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.1%104th/154 · 2025 | 6.4%55th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 20,000106th/170 · 2020 | 32,00086th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.17%58th/168 · 2020 | 1.01%66th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 141.0 m43rd/163 · 2025 | 146.0 m41st/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 53.0 m33rd/65 · 2024 | 39.0 m36th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.39%33rd/110 · 2023 | 0.94%43rd/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 6280th/137 · 2024 | 13967th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 5,50455th/197 · 2023 | 5,17360th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Croatia or Serbia?
Serbia has the larger population: 6.5 m (2025) compared with 3.9 m for Croatia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Croatia or Serbia?
Serbia is larger: 88,490 km² (2024) compared with 88,070 km² for Croatia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Croatia or Serbia?
Serbia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $222.08 bn intl. (2025) compared with $197.48 bn intl. for Croatia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Croatia or Serbia?
Croatia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $50,946 intl. (2025) compared with $33,910 intl. for Serbia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Croatia or Serbia?
Croatia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.9 years (2024) compared with 76.0 years for Serbia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Croatia or Serbia?
Serbia spends more on the military: $2.78 bn (2025) compared with $2.10 bn for Croatia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Croatia or Serbia?
Croatia: 65.8 points (44th in the world); Serbia: 49.6 points (90th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Lithuania
Slovakia
Turkmenistan
Azerbaijan
BulgariaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Croatia vs Serbia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/croatia-vs-serbia. Data as of 26 October 2026.