Croatia Military - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes Coast Guard), Air Force and Air Defense Forces; Military Police Force (2023)

note: the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for internal security, including law enforcement (Croatia Police) and border security

Military expenditures

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

2% of GDP (2021)

1.7% of GDP (2020)

1.6% of GDP (2019)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 2,000 joint/other) (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Croatia has acquired some limited numbers of more modern weapon systems from Western suppliers, including France, Germany, and the US (2023)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2022)

note: as of 2021, women comprised nearly 15% of the military's full-time personnel

Military deployments

150 Kosovo (KFOR/NATO) (2023)

note: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe

Military - note

Croatia joined NATO in 2009

NOTE: The information regarding Croatia on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Croatia 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Croatia 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.