In the early 7th century the Croats arrived in the area of present-day Croatia. They organized the state into two duchies by the 9th century.
Tomislav became the first king by 925 AD, elevating Croatia to the status of a kingdom. The Kingdom of Croatia retained its sovereignty for nearly two centuries, reaching its peak during the rule of Kings Peter Krešimir IV and Dmitar Zvonimir.
Croatia entered a personal union with Hungary in 1102. In 1527, faced with Ottoman conquest the Croatian Parliament elected Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg to the Croatian throne.
In 1918, after World War I, Croatia was included in the short-lived State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs which seceded from Austria–Hungary and merged into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
A fascist Croatian puppet state existed during World War II. After the war, Croatia became a founding member and a federal constituent of Second Yugoslavia, a socialist state.
In June 1991, Croatia declared independence, which came into effect on 8 October of the same year.
Croatia today has a very high Human Development Index.
The International Monetary Fund classified Croatia as an emerging and developing economy, and the World Bank identified it as a high income economy.
Croatia is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, NATO, the World Trade Organization, CEFTA and a founding member of the Union for the Mediterranean.
Croatia joined the European Union in 2013 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2023.
The service sector dominates Croatia's economy, followed by the industrial sector and agriculture.
Tourism is a significant source of revenue during the summer, with Croatia ranked the 18th most popular tourist destination in the world.
Internal sources produce a significant portion of energy in Croatia; the rest is imported.
Croatia provides a universal health care system and free primary and secondary education, while supporting culture through numerous public institutions and through corporate investments in media and publishing.
The nation prides itself in its cultural, artistic and scientific contributions to the world, as well as in its cuisine, wines and sporting achievements
