Croatia vs Romania development indicators, 2024

Indicator	Croatia, Value	Romania, Value	Croatia, Rank	Romania, Rank	Croatia as % of Romania
Current account balance (% of GDP)	-1.13	-8.36	63	99	13.6 %
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)	49.8	35.6	39	70	140 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP)	5.04	1.92	21	57	263 %
GDP per capita (current US$)	23,931	20,072	50	57	119 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$)	48,575	48,712	46	45	99.7 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)	52.9	41.7	52	67	127 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %)	2.97	5.72	80	35	51.9 %
Net migration	-5,186	-28,466	139	182	18.2 %
Population, total	3,866,300	19,069,340	129	66	20.3 %

Demography and Health

Croatia has a slightly lower birth rate at 8.3 per 1,000 people compared to Romania's 8.0. However, Croatia's death rate is higher at 13.3 versus Romania's 12.7. In terms of life expectancy, Croatians live longer on average, with a life expectancy of 78.5 years compared to Romania's 76.6 years. Croatia also performs better on the mortality rate for under-5 children, with 4.6 per 1,000 live births against Romania’s 6.6. Both countries exhibit a similar prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5% of the population. In terms of healthcare, Croatia spends a higher percentage of GDP on current health expenditures (7.2%) compared to Romania (5.7%).

Economy

Croatia's economy shows a stronger reliance on exports, with 49.8% of its GDP derived from exports of goods and services, in contrast to Romania's 35.6%. Croatia's GDP per capita also surpasses that of Romania at $23,931 compared to $20,072. When comparing GDP per capita on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, Croatia is at $48,575 while Romania is slightly higher at $48,712. In terms of inflation, Croatia has a lower rate at 3% versus Romania’s 5.7%, indicating a more stable economic environment. Croatia also has a current account balance of -1.1% of GDP, which is better than Romania's -8.4%.

Trade and Investment

In terms of foreign direct investment (FDI), Croatia attracts more investment relative to its GDP with net inflows of 5% compared to Romania’s 1.9%. Croatia's exports of high-technology goods are lower at $1.7 billion, whereas Romania has a significant $9.7 billion. Additionally, Croatia’s imports of goods and services account for 52.9% of GDP, whereas Romania's are lower at 41.7%. Croatia holds a better position with its logistics performance index rated at 3, ahead of Romania's 2.9.

Governance and Institutions

When considering governance, Croatia ranks higher in control of corruption at 0.2 compared to Romania's 0. This indicates a less corrupt environment in Croatia. Similarly, Croatia shows greater government effectiveness (0.7) compared to Romania (-0.1). However, both countries face challenges with political stability, with Croatia at 0.6 and Romania at 0.4. The rule of law and regulatory quality indicators show Croatia slightly ahead, both scoring 0.4 and 0.6 respectively versus Romania’s 0.4 and 0.3.

Infrastructure and Technology

In terms of internet penetration, Croatia has 83.2% of its population using the internet, while Romania leads with 89.2%. Croatia has a notable performance in patent applications with 77 per 1,000 residents, ranking higher than Romania, which has 772 in total. However, Croatia's logistics performance index is somewhat stronger at 3 versus Romania’s 2.9, indicating better trade and transport-related infrastructure.

Environment and Sustainability

Regarding environmental sustainability, Croatia outperforms Romania in renewable energy consumption, achieving 34.1% of total final energy consumption compared to Romania's 23.6%. The level of water stress is also more favorable in Croatia, with only 1.5% of freshwater withdrawal compared to Romania's 7.4%. Moreover, Croatia's emissions of greenhouse gases per capita stand at 6.5 tons, which are higher than Romania's 5.6 tons, indicating increased environmental pressures in Croatia.