Bulgaria Bulgaria vs Croatia Croatia development indicators, 2024

Indicator
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Value
Croatia
Croatia, Value
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Rank
Croatia
Croatia, Rank
Bulgaria Bulgaria as % of
Croatia Croatia
Current account balance (% of GDP) -1.79 -1.13 71 63 158 %
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) 55.8 49.8 33 39 112 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) 3.12 5.04 40 21 61.9 %
GDP per capita (current US$) 17,412 23,931 62 50 72.8 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$) 41,086 48,575 56 46 84.6 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) 53.5 52.9 49 52 101 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) 2.45 2.97 97 80 82.3 %
Net migration 524 -5,186 74 139
Population, total 6,444,366 3,866,300 110 129 167 %

Demography and Health

Bulgaria has a crude birth rate of 8.9 per 1,000 people, slightly higher than Croatia's 8.3, ranking it 45th compared to Croatia's 54th. However, Bulgaria suffers from a higher crude death rate of 15.7 per 1,000 people, significantly above Croatia's 13.3, resulting in Bulgaria ranking 9th globally while Croatia is 21st. The life expectancy at birth in Bulgaria is 75.7 years, which is lower than Croatia's 78.5 years, placing Bulgaria at 69th rank while Croatia ranks 56th. The under-5 mortality rate is also higher in Bulgaria at 6.1 per 1,000 live births versus Croatia's 4.6, illustrating healthcare challenges in Bulgaria. Interestingly, both countries exhibit a prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5%, indicating a similar level of food security for the population. In terms of health expenditure, Bulgaria spends 7.7% of its GDP, marginally higher than Croatia's 7.2%. Despite this, Bulgaria's domestic general government health expenditure per capita (PPP) is considerably lower at $1,607 compared to Croatia's $2,580, suggesting disparities in healthcare investment.

Economy

Bulgaria's GDP per capita is recorded at $17,412, significantly lower than Croatia's $23,931, reflecting a lower standard of living. In terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), Bulgaria's GDP per capita stands at $41,086, whereas Croatia's is $48,575. Bulgaria's economy is heavily reliant on exports, accounting for 55.8% of its GDP, ranking 68th globally, while Croatia's exports represent 49.8% of its GDP, ranking 74th. The inflation rate in Bulgaria is 2.4%, which is lower than Croatia's 3%, indicating relatively better price stability. Moreover, Bulgaria's unemployment rate is 4.3%, which is notably lower than Croatia's 6.1%, suggesting a more favorable labor market in Bulgaria.

Trade and Investment

Bulgaria's foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows are 3.1% of its GDP, placing it at rank 56, whereas Croatia stands higher at 5%, ranking 25th. Both countries show a high level of import dependency, with Bulgaria's imports at 53.5% of GDP compared to Croatia's 52.9%. Furthermore, Bulgaria's high-technology exports amount to $3.2 billion, which exceeds Croatia's $1.7 billion, indicating a stronger position in high-tech sectors, ranking 57th against 72nd. Despite a higher FDI in Croatia, Bulgaria's exports indicate a dynamic trade environment.

Governance and Institutions

When examining governance indicators, Bulgaria faces several challenges. Its control of corruption index is at -0.1, reflecting a poorer perception of corruption compared to Croatia's score of 0.2. In terms of government effectiveness, Bulgaria scores 0, significantly lower than Croatia's 0.7, suggesting less effective policy making and implementation. Similarly, Bulgaria's political stability index is 0.3, whereas Croatia has a higher score of 0.6, indicating better stability. On the rule of law front, Bulgaria's index is at 0, compared to Croatia's 0.4, representing a weaker legal framework. Despite these, Bulgaria’s unemployment rate indicates potential benefits from governance reforms to enhance economic policies.

Infrastructure and Technology

In the realm of infrastructure, Bulgaria holds a logistics performance index of 3.1, slightly better than Croatia's 3.0, suggesting marginally better trade and transport-related infrastructure. The percentage of individuals using the Internet in Bulgaria is 80.4%, compared to Croatia's 83.2%, indicating a relatively high level of digital connectivity in both nations. On the innovation front, Bulgaria is commendable for its number of patent applications by residents, totaling 165 and ranking 18th globally, while Croatia ranks 23rd with 77 patent applications, showcasing Bulgaria’s potential for innovation and technological advancement.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmentally, Bulgaria faces significant challenges, with a water stress level of 37.5%, starkly higher than Croatia's 1.5%, indicating a far more serious issue regarding freshwater resource management. Bulgaria's renewable energy consumption is at 20.4% of total final energy consumption, which is substantially lower than Croatia's 34.1%, positioning Bulgaria 14th while Croatia ranks 7th. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, Bulgaria's per capita emissions are 8.3 tons of CO2e, higher than Croatia’s 6.5 tons, reflecting a concerning environmental impact. These figures highlight the need for both countries to pursue more sustainable practices and innovate in renewable resources to tackle growing environmental challenges.