According to computergees, Croatia is located in the southeastern region of Europe, bordered by Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south and Montenegro to the southeast. Croatia also has a long coastline along the Adriatic Sea. It is situated between latitudes 42° and 47° N, and longitudes 13° and 20° E.
The capital of Croatia is Zagreb, which is located in the northwest part of Croatia in Central Croatia. Zagreb is home to more than a million people and also serves as an important cultural center for Eastern Europe. Other major cities include Split along the coast of Dalmatia in Central Croatia, Rijeka in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County near Istria in Northwestern Croatia, Osijek in Slavonia near Hungary’s border in Eastern Croatia and Dubrovnik along the coast of Dalmatia at the very southern tip of Croatia.
Manufacturing Sector in Croatia
The manufacturing sector in Croatia is a significant part of the country’s economy, making up approximately 30% of its GDP. The vast majority of the sector’s activities are concentrated in the north and central parts of the country, with an emphasis on food processing and light industry. Croatia is home to major automotive and pharmaceutical companies, as well as several smaller-scale manufacturing operations. The most important sectors include food processing, chemical production, textiles, electronics, and automotive manufacturing.
Food processing is one of the most important sectors in Croatian manufacturing. It accounts for a large portion of exports from Croatia and employs thousands of workers across the country. Major food products produced in Croatia include dairy products, olive oil, processed meats, canned fruits and vegetables, fruit juices and jams. The country is also known for its production of wines and spirits such as rakija and pelinkovac. Chemical production is another key sector in Croatian manufacturing with a focus on plastics and rubber products as well as paints, dyes, fertilizers and other chemicals. Textiles are also an important part of Croatian manufacturing with factories producing garments such as underwear, hosiery, sweaters and outerwear for both domestic consumption and export markets. Electronics are also produced in Croatia with smartphones being one of the main categories being manufactured there. Finally there is automotive manufacturing which has become increasingly important over recent years with major car manufacturers like Renault now having factories based in Croatia producing vehicles for worldwide markets.
Mining Sector in Croatia
The mining sector in Croatia is a significant part of the country’s economy, contributing to over 10% of its GDP. The majority of mining activity is concentrated in the central and eastern parts of Croatia, with an emphasis on coal and non-metallic minerals. Croatia has large reserves of coal and lignite which are mainly used for power generation. Other minerals mined in the country include copper, zinc, lead, silver, magnesium, limestone and marble.
Coal is by far the most important mineral extracted in Croatia with most production coming from open-pit mines located mainly in Slavonia and near Sisak. The coal extracted from these mines is mainly used for energy production but some is also exported to other countries. Non-metallic minerals are also mined in Croatia including copper which is found mainly near Đurđevac and zinc which is found near Požega. There are also a number of smaller operations mining lead and silver as well as magnesium which is used for industrial purposes such as steel production. Limestone and marble are also mined in several locations around Croatia for use in construction projects such as road building and concrete production.
The mining sector employs thousands of people across the country with many miners working on a contract basis rather than being directly employed by companies operating mines or quarries. Safety standards have improved over recent years with stricter regulations being implemented to protect miners working at depths below 1km below ground level as well as those involved in surface operations.