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Iraq ↑ 54
Austria vs Czechia
Croatia vs Slovakia
Side-by-side comparison of Croatia and Slovakia 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
Slovakia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 33 years
In short
Croatia scores 65.8 in the NationsTree Index (44th in the world) and Slovakia scores 59.9 (57th), a gap of 5.9 points. Their trees are 9.0 m and 10.0 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Slovakia has 40% more people than Croatia. Croatia has 80% more land area than Slovakia. The economy of Slovakia is 35% larger than that of Croatia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Croatia 3.9 million and Slovakia 5.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $50,946 in Croatia and $49,309 in Slovakia (2025, international dollars). People in Croatia live on average 0.6 years longer (78.9 vs 78.4 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Croatia ranks higher in the world on 24 and Slovakia on 13. Croatia is clearly stronger in tourism. Slovakia is clearly stronger in main industries.
As a nation, Croatia is the older of the two (statehood since 925, 1,101 years), compared with Slovakia (since 1993). Over the last five years Croatia improved faster (direction score 56 vs 3 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Croatia and Slovakia.
Croatiabetter
3.4%
102nd of 210
Slovakia
0.8%
180th of 210
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Croatiabetter
81.2%
23rd of 150
Slovakia
54.5%
70th of 150
Safely managed drinking waterInfrastructure & digital
Croatia
87.3%
67th of 150
Slovakiabetter
99.6%
24th of 150
Renewable freshwater per personNatural resources
Croatiabetter
9,778
46th of 183
Slovakia
2,320
96th of 183
Secondary enrolmentSociety & health
Croatiabetter
105.0%
41st of 173
Slovakia
93.2%
87th of 173
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Croatia overtook Slovakia in GDP per person (PPP) in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Croatia overtook Slovakia in the NationsTree Index in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
Croatia overtook Slovakia in life expectancy in 2001 and has stayed ahead since.
Slovakia has been ahead of Croatia in GDP (PPP) and 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
CroatiaSlovakia 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 | Slovakia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 88,070115th/216 · 2024 | 49,030129th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 55,960124th/216 · 2024 | 48,080129th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 3.9 m130th/217 · 2025 | 5.4 m122nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.26%156th/217 · 2025 | -0.15%183rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 69.1136th/216 · 2024 | 112.895th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 57.8%135th/217 · 2025 | 53.2%148th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 13.7%202nd/217 · 2025 | 15.6%171st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 23.6%10th/217 · 2025 | 19.0%42nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $105.06 bn73rd/210 · 2025 | $154.53 bn60th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $197.48 bn80th/199 · 2025 | $266.95 bn75th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $171.22 bn80th/199 · 2025 | $220.29 bn75th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $27,10462nd/210 · 2025 | $28,54459th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $50,94651st/199 · 2025 | $49,30956th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $25,36056th/201 · 2025 | $26,41054th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.4%102nd/210 · 2025 | 0.8%180th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.7%110th/180 · 2025 | 4.0%122nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.0%87th/187 · 2025 | 5.4%99th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 56.3%104th/189 · 2025 | 61.4%118th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.0%107th/192 · 2025 | -4.5%141st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.8%129th/197 · 2025 | 1.6%155th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 19.0%131st/200 · 2025 | 28.1%63rd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 10.1%95th/192 · 2025 | 16.2%36th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 60.9%79th/200 · 2025 | 59.8%86th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $50.40 bn66th/182 · 2025 | $131.50 bn43rd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $55.70 bn66th/182 · 2025 | $131.73 bn41st/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 48.0%56th/183 · 2025 | 85.1%15th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 53.0%73rd/183 · 2025 | 85.2%17th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 101.0%62nd/183 · 2025 | 170.3%13th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 12.1%43rd/170 · 2025 | 3.6%82nd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 63.5%51st/171 · 2025 | 88.9%6th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 15.3%90th/171 · 2025 | 4.7%141st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 4.4%70th/171 · 2025 | 1.8%112th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 11.7%57th/168 · 2024 | 10.6%60th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -3.5%121st/191 · 2025 | -3.6%123rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.8%73rd/196 · 2025 | 1.3%127th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.7%124th/209 · 2021 | 0.2%149th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.28%65th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%112th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.18%53rd/197 · 2021 | 0.01%84th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.01%56th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.01%83rd/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.22%90th/209 · 2021 | 0.20%93rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 15.2%75th/206 · 2024 | 27.1%36th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 9,77846th/183 · 2022 | 2,32096th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 21.6 m12th/194 · 2020 | 15.3 m17th/194 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $5.63 bn28th/175 · 2020 | $1.30 bn63rd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 23.4%30th/168 · 2020 | 1.4%143rd/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 678,00072nd/107 · 2020 | 5.2 m29th/107 · 2019 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 78.959th/217 · 2024 | 78.463rd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.646th/196 · 2024 | 6.352nd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.9132nd/174 · 2022 | 3.7038th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.620th/145 · 2023 | 5.621st/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 92%86th/193 · 2024 | 96%48th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 95.7%26th/153 · 2023 | 99.4%6th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 105.0%41st/173 · 2023 | 93.2%87th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 71.1%2014 | 88.6%2009 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 37.7%11th/217 · 2025 | 29.1%42nd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.1%81st/193 · 2023 | 7.4%79th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.2%2001 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 81.2%23rd/150 · 2023 | 54.5%70th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.88941st/193 · 2023 | 0.88044th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 30.125th/108 · 2023 | 23.82nd/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.3%23rd/108 · 2023 | 0.5%36th/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 | 99.6%24th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 74.7%57th/144 · 2021 | 83.4%46th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 83.6%88th/186 · 2024 | 89.8%57th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12283rd/210 · 2024 | 14041st/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 29.662nd/208 · 2024 | 33.847th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.0054th/164 · 2022 | 3.3043rd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,61746th/82 · 2021 | 3,62636th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 1.7 m85th/161 · 2023 | 1,925157th/161 · 2022 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.83148th/203 · 2024 | 5.51158th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 34.1%73rd/212 · 2021 | 17.9%114th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 15.889th/200 · 2023 | 13.771st/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 34.8%96th/214 · 2024 | 40.3%79th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,23353rd/149 · 2024 | 2,92538th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 68.152nd/205 · 2025 | 64.361st/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 50.686th/207 · 2025 | 49.290th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 65.676th/207 · 2025 | 66.174th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 77.667th/207 · 2025 | 77.368th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 63.059th/205 · 2025 | 62.064th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 71.355th/205 · 2025 | 73.351st/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.720th/145 · 2023 | 1.148th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $2.10 bn65th/156 · 2025 | $3.12 bn55th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%63rd/156 · 2025 | 2.0%60th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.1%104th/154 · 2025 | 4.2%103rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 20,000106th/170 · 2020 | 18,000110th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.17%58th/168 · 2020 | 0.67%97th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 141.0 m43rd/163 · 2025 | 445.0 m24th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 53.0 m33rd/65 · 2024 | 9.0 m48th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.39%33rd/110 · 2023 | 1.03%40th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 6280th/137 · 2024 | 16764th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 5,50455th/197 · 2023 | 5,33258th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Croatia or Slovakia?
Slovakia has the larger population: 5.4 m (2025) compared with 3.9 m for Croatia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Croatia or Slovakia?
Croatia is larger: 88,070 km² (2024) compared with 49,030 km² for Slovakia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Croatia or Slovakia?
Slovakia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $266.95 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 Slovakia?
Croatia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $50,946 intl. (2025) compared with $49,309 intl. for Slovakia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Croatia or Slovakia?
Croatia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.9 years (2024) compared with 78.4 years for Slovakia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Croatia or Slovakia?
Slovakia spends more on the military: $3.12 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 Slovakia?
Croatia: 65.8 points (44th in the world); Slovakia: 59.9 points (57th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Lithuania
Serbia
Turkmenistan
Azerbaijan
Belarus
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 Slovakia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/croatia-vs-slovakia. Data as of 26 October 2026.