The foreign relations of Croatia is primarily formulated and executed via its government which guides the state's interactions with other nations, their citizens, and foreign organizations. Active in global affairs since the 9th century, modern Croatian diplomacy is considered to have formed following their independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. As an independent state, Croatia established diplomatic relations with most world nations – 189 states in total – during the 1990s, starting with Germany (1991) and ending most recently with Liberia (2024). Croatia has friendly relations with most of its neighboring countries, namely Slovenia, Hungary, and Montenegro. They maintain colder, more tense relations with Serbia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina due to historic nation-building conflict and differing political ideologies.
Lovran is a village and a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia. It is situated in eastern Istria, on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay. Its name derives from Laurel, as shown in the coat of arms.
The Istrian–Dalmatian exodus was the post-World War II exodus and departure of local ethnic Italians as well as ethnic Slovenes and Croats from Yugoslavia. The emigrants, who had lived in the now Yugoslav territories of the Julian March, Kvarner and Dalmatia, largely went to Italy, but some joined the Italian diaspora in the Americas, Australia and South Africa. These regions were ethnically mixed, with long-established historic Croatian, Italian, and Slovene communities. After World War I, the Kingdom of Italy annexed Istria, Kvarner, the Julian March and parts of Dalmatia including the city of Zadar. At the end of World War II, under the Allies' Treaty of Peace with Italy, the former Italian territories in Istria, Kvarner, the Julian March and Dalmatia were assigned to now Communist-helmed Federal Yugoslavia, except for the Province of Trieste. The former territories absorbed into Yugoslavia are part of present-day Croatia and Slovenia.
The Italian language is an official minority language in Croatia, with many schools and public announcements published in both languages. Croatia's proximity and cultural connections to Italy have led to a relatively large presence of Italians in Croatia.
The foreign, diplomatic, economic, and political relations between Croatia and the United States were established on April 7, 1992 following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. After Croatia's debut as an independent state in 1996, the U.S. established the country as its most important political connection to Southeast Europe. Modern relations are considered to be warm and friendly, with stalwart bilateral collaboration. The Croatian diaspora in the U.S. is estimated to be around 500,000 which, in part, informs the foreign policy of Croatia. The two nations have strong connectivity through tourism, immigration, foreign aid, and economic mutualism.
Croatia–Romania relations are the foreign relations between Croatia and Romania. Both nations are members of the European Union and NATO. Both countries established relations on 29 August 1992.
Croatia–Ukraine relations are foreign relations between Croatia and Ukraine. The countries established diplomatic relations on 18 February 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Kyiv and an honorary consulate in Donetsk. Ukraine has an embassy in Zagreb and honorary consulates in Malinska and Split. Croatia supports Ukraine's European Union and NATO membership.
Italy–Yugoslavia relations are the cultural and political relations between Italy and Yugoslavia in the 20th century, since the creation of Yugoslavia in 1918 until its dissolution in 1992. Relations immediately after the end of World War I, and shortly before the rise of fascism in Italy, were severely affected and constantly tense due to the dispute over Dalmatia and the city-port of Fiume (Rijeka). Relations during the interwar years were hostile because of Italian demands for Yugoslav territory, contributing to decision by Italy and Germany to invade Yugoslavia during World War II. After lingering tensions after the war over the status of the Free Territory of Trieste, relations improved during the Cold War.
The foreign relations between Croatia and France are bound together by shared history, political development, geography, religion and cultural commonalities. With an extensive history between the two states, modern relations commenced in 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the independence of Croatia. Relations are warm and friendly with robust bilateral collaboration. The two nations have strong connectivity through tourism, immigration, foreign aid, and economic mutualism.
The foreign relations between Croatia and Slovenia are bound together by shared history, neighboring geography and common political ideologies. Both states established diplomatic relations in 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the independence of Croatia. Modern relations are warm and friendly. The two states have disputes over their border and sovereign rights over certain nuclear and economic assets. The countries share 670 km (420 mi) of common border. They are perennially each other's largest trading partners on an import-export basis.
Croatia–Kosovo relations refer to the bilateral relations of Croatia and Kosovo. Diplomatic relations among two countries were established on 30 June 2008, following Kosovo's declaration of independence. Croatia has an embassy in Pristina, and Kosovo has one in Zagreb. Both countries were part of Yugoslavia from 1918 to 1991. Relations between the two countries are described as very good and friendly.
Croatia and India officially established diplomatic relations on 9 July 1992 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia.
A bilateral relationship exists between Croatia and Austria. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on January 15, 1992, following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia.
The foreign relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Croatia are bound together by shared history, language, neighboring geography and cultural commonalties. They established diplomatic relations in 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and independence of Croatia. The two countries share a 932-kilometer (579 mi) border – the second longest external land border in the European Union (EU). Modern relations between the two states are functional but remain tense after ineffective 21st-century attempts at détente.
Istrian Italians are an ethnic group from the Adriatic region of Istria in modern northwestern Croatia and southwestern Slovenia. Istrian Italians descend from the original Latinized population of Roman Histria, from the Venetian-speaking settlers who colonized the region during the time of the Republic of Venice, and from the local Croatian people who culturally assimilated.
Italians of Croatia are an autochthonous historical national minority recognized by the Constitution of Croatia. As such, they elect a special representative to the Croatian Parliament. There is the Italian Union of Croatia and Slovenia, which is a Croatian-Slovenian joint organization with its main site in Rijeka, Croatia and its secondary site in Koper, Slovenia.
China and Croatia established diplomatic relations on May 13, 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Beijing and a general consulate in Hong Kong. China has an embassy and a Confucius Institute in Zagreb.
Diplomatic relations between the republics of Croatia and Ireland were established on 27 January 1995 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia. Ireland recognised Croatia as an independent state on 15 January 1992. Croatia is represented in Ireland through consulate and embassy in Dublin, while Ireland is represented in Croatia through its embassy and consulate in Zagreb. Both countries are full members of Council of Europe and of the European Union. In 2019, Croatian community in Ireland was around 20,000 people.
Croatia–North Macedonia relations are foreign relations between Croatia and North Macedonia. Two countries established diplomatic relations on 30 March 1992. Croatia is represented in North Macedonia via its embassy in Skopje and honorary consul in Strumica while North Macedonia is represented in Croatia via its embassy and the Cultural and Informational Center in Zagreb as well as consulate in Rijeka and honorary consul in Zadar. Croatia supports North Macedonia's European Union membership. Before their independence in early 1990s, both countries were constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as the SR Croatia and SR Macedonia respectively. Croatia was one of the first countries in the world to recognize the independence of the country during the period in which Zagreb itself awaited international recognition. During the long-lasting Macedonia naming dispute (1991–2019) and before the signature of the Prespa agreement Croatia was the first country in the world to recognize North Macedonia under its constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia instead of appellation "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Today, both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, and of the NATO. Croatia is an EU member and North Macedonia is an EU candidate. Since 2006 North Macedonia is a member state of the Central European Free Trade Agreement while Croatia was a member of the area between 2003 and 2013. Croatia strongly supports accession of North Macedonia to the European Union and also supported its NATO membership, being one of the first countries to ratify the membership protocol. Trade between the two countries reached 221 million euros in 2020.
