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Population in Croatia compared to Syria: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Croatia was 3,876,200 in 2025 vs 25,620,427 people in Syria in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Croatia's population is 3,849,788 people compared to 26,956,472 in Syria.

Population statistics:

  • Syria's population is 7 times bigger than Croatia's.
  • Croatia is ranked the 130th most populous country in the world, while Syria is the 56th.
  • The countries together account for 0.37% of the world: 0.05% for Croatia vs 0.32% for Syria.
  • For the last 10 years, Croatia has had an average growth rate of -0.73% per year vs +2.19% in Syria.
  • Since 2006, the population of Croatia has decreased from 4.31M people to 3.85M (10.7% decline), while Syria has grown from 19.6M to 27M (37.3% growth).

Croatia vs Syria: population by year and forecast

Croatia
Factual

Projection
Syria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Croatia Syria
2100 2,158,545 44,500,028
2099 2,176,440 44,570,009
2098 2,194,539 44,629,837
2097 2,212,602 44,692,566
2096 2,231,114 44,747,012
2095 2,249,667 44,774,686
2094 2,268,376 44,824,294
2093 2,286,882 44,853,295
2092 2,305,583 44,882,700
2091 2,324,254 44,895,349
2090 2,342,729 44,926,869
2089 2,361,668 44,925,891
2088 2,380,831 44,920,667
2087 2,399,709 44,928,298
2086 2,418,760 44,947,658
2085 2,438,113 44,913,669
2084 2,457,815 44,878,845
2083 2,477,556 44,850,592
2082 2,497,595 44,790,014
2081 2,517,715 44,723,244
2080 2,538,164 44,624,321
2079 2,559,092 44,567,127
2078 2,580,179 44,529,618
2077 2,601,778 44,484,155
2076 2,623,507 44,400,339
2075 2,645,523 44,306,882
2074 2,667,391 44,209,517
2073 2,689,518 44,102,028
2072 2,712,201 43,965,642
2071 2,734,759 43,821,617
2070 2,757,112 43,678,154
2069 2,780,455 43,530,683
2068 2,804,383 43,348,487
2067 2,828,363 43,154,741
2066 2,852,669 42,944,885
2065 2,877,009 42,695,249
2064 2,901,213 42,445,036
2063 2,926,228 42,198,056
2062 2,951,475 41,949,014
2061 2,976,903 41,695,586
2060 3,002,483 41,410,547
2059 3,027,959 41,097,942
2058 3,053,643 40,815,606
2057 3,079,155 40,534,091
2056 3,105,119 40,224,053
2055 3,130,769 39,918,930
2054 3,156,282 39,584,624
2053 3,182,091 39,242,144
2052 3,207,640 38,940,206
2051 3,233,551 38,629,604
2050 3,259,702 38,307,069
2049 3,285,684 37,986,965
2048 3,311,657 37,682,780
2047 3,337,645 37,391,752
2046 3,363,102 37,081,479
2045 3,388,731 36,744,441
2044 3,414,541 36,428,225
2043 3,439,695 36,090,851
2042 3,464,688 35,729,021
2041 3,489,565 35,352,033
2040 3,513,946 34,947,817
2039 3,538,129 34,533,772
2038 3,562,371 34,091,760
2037 3,586,606 33,612,993
2036 3,609,771 33,134,445
2035 3,632,470 32,608,669
2034 3,656,066 32,062,309
2033 3,679,626 31,477,500
2032 3,703,646 30,883,996
2031 3,728,250 30,248,264
2030 3,752,014 29,592,787
2029 3,776,079 28,871,638
2028 3,799,610 28,141,821
2027 3,824,370 27,355,002
2026 3,849,788 26,535,554
2025 3,876,200 25,620,427
2024 3,866,200 24,672,760
2023 3,859,686 23,594,623
2022 3,855,641 22,462,173
2021 3,878,981 21,628,839
2020 3,914,206 21,049,429
2019 3,949,390 20,353,534
2018 3,988,775 19,577,845
2017 4,041,407 19,224,668
2016 4,106,867 19,193,834
2015 4,151,725 19,424,618
2014 4,201,598 20,273,659
2013 4,233,922 21,666,917
2012 4,260,368 22,759,763
2011 4,280,622 22,878,098
2010 4,295,427 22,482,421
2009 4,305,181 21,976,969
2008 4,309,705 21,636,564
2007 4,310,217 20,884,125
2006 4,311,159 19,637,022
2005 4,310,145 18,814,091
2004 4,304,600 18,336,875
2003 4,303,399 17,889,296
2002 4,302,174 17,468,332
2001 4,299,642 17,051,338
2000 4,468,302 16,637,888
1999 4,512,597 16,228,061
1998 4,532,135 15,820,413
1997 4,534,920 15,417,542
1996 4,557,097 15,018,104
1995 4,620,030 14,616,801
1994 4,652,024 14,208,583
1993 4,600,463 13,795,686
1992 4,575,818 13,385,571
1991 4,689,022 12,980,821
1990 4,777,368 12,579,208
1989 4,767,260 12,179,060
1988 4,755,207 11,782,264
1987 4,739,745 11,388,923
1986 4,721,446 11,002,844
1985 4,701,417 10,625,672
1984 4,680,285 10,258,398
1983 4,658,254 9,904,809
1982 4,634,234 9,572,511
1981 4,611,509 9,260,189
1980 4,599,782 8,957,663
1979 4,594,778 8,661,909
1978 4,581,085 8,372,759
1977 4,559,571 8,090,501
1976 4,535,934 7,817,320
1975 4,512,082 7,554,364
1974 4,490,660 7,302,160
1973 4,470,161 7,060,321
1972 4,450,564 6,826,024
1971 4,431,275 6,598,094
1970 4,412,252 6,380,609
1969 4,391,490 6,175,166
1968 4,365,628 5,978,742
1967 4,338,683 5,790,198
1966 4,310,701 5,609,047
1965 4,280,923 5,435,267
1964 4,252,876 5,269,087
1963 4,225,675 5,110,467
1962 4,196,712 4,959,340
1961 4,167,292 4,815,466
1960 4,140,181 4,673,500

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/croatia/syria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Croatia decreased by 204,292 people (a 4.74% decline), while Syria lost 443,188 people (a 2.26% decline).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Croatia lost 257,079 people (a 6.26% decline), while Syria's population increased by 7,762,638 people (a 40.4% growth).

Croatia was ranked 120th most populous country in 2006 and is 130th in 2026. Syria was ranked 58th in 2006 and ranked 56th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Croatia's population will shrink by 15.3% to 3,259,702 people with a rank change from 130th to 138th. The population of Syria will increase by 42.1% to 38,307,069 people and rank change from 56th to 53rd.

Syria is projected to reach its peak in 2086 at 44.9M people, while Croatia's population already peaked in 1990 at 4.78M people and is projected to decrease to 2.16M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Croatia
Factual

Projection
Syria
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Croatia Syria
2100 -0.82% -0.16%
2099 -0.82% -0.13%
2098 -0.82% -0.14%
2097 -0.83% -0.12%
2096 -0.82% -0.06%
2095 -0.82% -0.11%
2094 -0.81% -0.06%
2093 -0.81% -0.07%
2092 -0.8% -0.03%
2091 -0.79% -0.07%
2090 -0.8% 0.002%
2089 -0.8% 0.01%
2088 -0.79% -0.02%
2087 -0.79% -0.04%
2086 -0.79% 0.08%
2085 -0.8% 0.08%
2084 -0.8% 0.06%
2083 -0.8% 0.14%
2082 -0.8% 0.15%
2081 -0.81% 0.22%
2080 -0.82% 0.13%
2079 -0.82% 0.08%
2078 -0.83% 0.1%
2077 -0.83% 0.19%
2076 -0.83% 0.21%
2075 -0.82% 0.22%
2074 -0.82% 0.24%
2073 -0.84% 0.31%
2072 -0.82% 0.33%
2071 -0.81% 0.33%
2070 -0.84% 0.34%
2069 -0.85% 0.42%
2068 -0.85% 0.45%
2067 -0.85% 0.49%
2066 -0.85% 0.58%
2065 -0.83% 0.59%
2064 -0.85% 0.59%
2063 -0.86% 0.59%
2062 -0.85% 0.61%
2061 -0.85% 0.69%
2060 -0.84% 0.76%
2059 -0.84% 0.69%
2058 -0.83% 0.69%
2057 -0.84% 0.77%
2056 -0.82% 0.76%
2055 -0.81% 0.84%
2054 -0.81% 0.87%
2053 -0.8% 0.78%
2052 -0.8% 0.8%
2051 -0.8% 0.84%
2050 -0.79% 0.84%
2049 -0.78% 0.81%
2048 -0.78% 0.78%
2047 -0.76% 0.84%
2046 -0.76% 0.92%
2045 -0.76% 0.87%
2044 -0.73% 0.93%
2043 -0.72% 1.01%
2042 -0.71% 1.07%
2041 -0.69% 1.16%
2040 -0.68% 1.2%
2039 -0.68% 1.3%
2038 -0.68% 1.42%
2037 -0.64% 1.44%
2036 -0.62% 1.61%
2035 -0.65% 1.7%
2034 -0.64% 1.86%
2033 -0.65% 1.92%
2032 -0.66% 2.1%
2031 -0.63% 2.21%
2030 -0.64% 2.5%
2029 -0.62% 2.59%
2028 -0.65% 2.88%
2027 -0.66% 3.09%
2026 -0.68% 3.57%
2025 0.26% 3.84%
2024 0.17% 4.57%
2023 0.1% 5.04%
2022 -0.6% 3.85%
2021 -0.9% 2.75%
2020 -0.89% 3.42%
2019 -0.99% 3.96%
2018 -1.3% 1.84%
2017 -1.59% 0.16%
2016 -1.08% -1.19%
2015 -1.19% -4.19%
2014 -0.76% -6.43%
2013 -0.62% -4.8%
2012 -0.47% -0.52%
2011 -0.34% 1.76%
2010 -0.23% 2.3%
2009 -0.1% 1.57%
2008 -0.01% 3.6%
2007 -0.02% 6.35%
2006 0.02% 4.37%
2005 0.13% 2.6%
2004 0.03% 2.5%
2003 0.03% 2.41%
2002 0.06% 2.45%
2001 -3.77% 2.48%
2000 -0.98% 2.53%
1999 -0.43% 2.58%
1998 -0.06% 2.61%
1997 -0.49% 2.66%
1996 -1.36% 2.75%
1995 -0.69% 2.87%
1994 1.12% 2.99%
1993 0.54% 3.06%
1992 -2.41% 3.12%
1991 -1.85% 3.19%
1990 0.21% 3.29%
1989 0.25% 3.37%
1988 0.33% 3.45%
1987 0.39% 3.51%
1986 0.43% 3.55%
1985 0.45% 3.58%
1984 0.47% 3.57%
1983 0.52% 3.47%
1982 0.49% 3.37%
1981 0.25% 3.38%
1980 0.11% 3.41%
1979 0.3% 3.45%
1978 0.47% 3.49%
1977 0.52% 3.49%
1976 0.53% 3.48%
1975 0.48% 3.45%
1974 0.46% 3.43%
1973 0.44% 3.43%
1972 0.44% 3.45%
1971 0.43% 3.41%
1970 0.47% 3.33%
1969 0.59% 3.29%
1968 0.62% 3.26%
1967 0.65% 3.23%
1966 0.7% 3.2%
1965 0.66% 3.15%
1964 0.64% 3.1%
1963 0.69% 3.05%
1962 0.71% 2.99%
1961 0.65% 3.04%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/croatia/syria | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Croatia grew by 0.26%, while Syria's population grew by 3.84%.

Live population counters

Croatia Syria
Current population
3849788
26956472
Population rank 130/197 56/197
Percent of world population 0.05% 0.32%
One net population change
52.7 minutes
33.4 seconds
One birth every
16.4 minutes
55.2 seconds
One death every
10.3 minutes
4.32 minutes
Daily growth/decline +27 +2,596
Annual growth/decline +10,000 +947,667
Annual growth/decline rate +0.26% +3.84%
Population growth rate rank 147/197 5/197
One migration net change every
2.52 hours
1.25 minutes
Annual migration change -3,481 +421,693
Net migration rank 112/196 3/196
Foreign-born residents 527,831 896,042
Foreign-born residents rank 78/195 64/195
Foreign-born share of population 13.6% 3.6%
Foreign-born share rank 50/195 110/195

Natural population change vs migration

Croatia
Natural

Migration
Syria
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Croatia Syria
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -3,481 - 421,693
2024 -18,944 -5,186 449,784 546,494
2023 -19,298 10,202 402,713 757,309
2022 -23,134 11,681 369,750 735,142
2021 -26,377 -4,517 350,560 211,220
2020 -21,137 -8,552 327,992 269,050
2019 -15,798 -13,239 293,762 500,985
2018 -15,556 -25,016 242,530 514,102
2017 -16,974 -44,557 237,214 -287,501
2016 -14,374 -32,144 236,007 -124,063
2015 -17,022 -27,501 253,977 -827,496
2014 -11,344 -13,127 333,116 -1,457,679
2013 -10,585 -6,245 419,341 -2,081,303
2012 -9,799 -4,794 475,520 -999,267
2011 -9,846 -17,463 543,950 -256,888
2010 -8,591 -3,995 558,666 -54,359
2009 -7,319 1,358 559,314 -52,703
2008 -8,188 6,495 576,593 -402,393
2007 -10,335 8,893 529,162 801,514
2006 -8,669 10,852 480,616 682,911
2005 -9,022 10,629 468,960 13,382
2004 -9,040 15,445 461,209 10,881
2003 -12,480 12,556 457,000 -33,920
2002 -10,325 10,306 453,967 -35,096
2001 -8,599 19,298 451,503 -36,383
2000 -6,255 -47,629 446,211 -34,425
1999 -6,769 -47,418 439,261 -31,394
1998 -4,985 -47,931 433,447 -26,025
1997 3,175 -52,897 429,887 -31,571
1996 3,190 -53,688 430,765 -30,197
1995 0 -51,882 430,172 -28,122
1994 -930 -50,444 426,996 -12,630
1993 -2,301 -49,615 420,244 -8,828
1992 -4,576 -47,865 412,878 -4,063
1991 -2,813 -31,968 410,830 -10,154
1990 3,344 9,538 409,177 -6,620
1989 3,337 8,471 406,111 -8,379
1988 5,707 7,242 404,285 -8,426
1987 6,161 6,956 399,159 -8,335
1986 8,499 6,261 390,821 -9,485
1985 10,343 5,550 379,231 -6,221
1984 10,764 5,757 366,768 -5,245
1983 10,714 6,323 355,375 -9,729
1982 15,756 7,475 319,664 -721
1981 15,680 4,872 330,237 -24,536
1980 17,939 -5,486 332,464 -33,114
1979 21,136 -5,740 324,943 -32,793
1978 20,157 -7,329 316,724 -30,567
1977 22,798 -7,339 306,630 -28,275
1976 22,226 -7,400 294,267 -26,268
1975 21,658 -7,366 282,299 -24,389
1974 22,453 -8,076 270,735 -24,242
1973 21,904 -8,335 254,687 -17,502
1972 17,802 -7,277 249,027 -17,610
1971 19,941 -5,608 239,610 -15,167
1970 16,767 -2,359 230,117 -19,594
1969 16,688 -2,796 219,114 -18,749
1968 21,828 -2,799 209,454 -16,968
1967 26,032 -3,518 199,223 -14,618
1966 33,192 -6,341 191,122 -13,434
1965 31,251 -5,253 182,560 -12,704
1964 25,942 -2,090 174,549 -12,044
1963 31,270 -1,289 166,555 -11,817
1962 30,216 -2,176 159,155 -11,641
1961 36,255 -6,567 151,485 -11,237
1960 34,778 -21,768 143,687 0

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/croatia/syria | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 57.6% of the population change in Croatia is from natural causes (a loss of 188,614 people) and 42.4% is from migration (a loss of 138,829 people). In Syria 58% is from natural causes (a gain of 3,164,289 people) and 42% is from migration (a gain of 2,295,242 people).

As of 2024, 527,831 residents or 13.6% of the population were not native-born in Croatia, compared to 896,042 people or 3.6% in Syria.

Biggest cities by population

Croatia
City Population
Zagreb 767K
Split 161K
Rijeka 108K
Osijek 96.3K
Zadar 70.8K
Velika Gorica 61.1K
Pula 52.2K
Slavonski Brod 49.9K
Karlovac 49.4K
Sibenik 42.6K
Syria
City Population
Damascus 2.69M
Aleppo 2M
Homs 775K
Latakia 709K
Hama 697K
Raqqa 300K
Deir ez-Zor 272K
Al-Hasakah 188K
Qamishli 184K
Idlib 165K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/croatia/syria | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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