Croatia
Country profile
Croatia is part of the former Yugoslav Republic. Croatia, with a total area of 56,542 square kilometres, shares land borders
with Slovenia and Hungary on the north, Serbia on the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina on the south and east,
and Montenegro on the south, as well as a sea border with Italy to the west.
Its shape resembles that of a crescent or a horseshoe.
At its south-west end, its mainland territory is split in two non-contiguous parts by the short Adriatic Sea coastline of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, around Neum.
Croatia has a population of 4,443,350 (World Bank 2005) with a population density of 79 people per square kilometre. The economy is service-based, with its service sector accounting for 67 per cent of its total GDP The industrial sector is dominated by shipbuilding, food processing and the chemical industry.
The industrial sector represents 27 per cent of Croatia's total economic output, and agriculture represents 6 per cent.
The economy expanded by 5.6 per cent in 2002, stimulated by a credit boom led by newly privatized and foreign-capitalized banks, some capital investment (most importantly road construction), further growth in tourism, and gains by small and medium-sized private enterprises. These trends have continued, with credit growth fueling strong demand in construction and services, resulting in 4.8 per cent GDP growth in 2006.
Risk assessment
Disaster-related data for Croatia is available from 1989 onwards in the EM-DAT database. Hazard and vulnerability analysis is attempted mainly using this data for the period 1989-2006. Flood, transport accidents, extreme temperature, wildfire, windstorm, earthquake and drought were the hazards reported by EM-DAT during the period 1989-2006 (figure 17). By category, the highest number of events during this period was flood events, followed by wildfires and transport accidents. There was an increasing incidence of natural hazards in the country between 1989 and 2003. The last three years (2004-2006), however, have recorded fewer events compared to the previous five years. There were eight events reported during the period 1989-2003. The number of disasters related to technological hazards is not sufficient to extrapolate a trend. An analysis of the number of events, along with deaths, victims and economic losses, shows that the country is highly vulnerable to drought and drought-related hazards. The number of deaths is highest due to transport accidents, followed by extreme temperature. In terms of severity, or impact, the country has faced the highest risk from technological hazards (transport accidents). Floods and earthquakes have affected a relatively larger number of people, but economic losses have not been reported in the EM-DAT database. Drought and extreme temperature caused the highest economic losses. The hazard data is not sufficient for derivation of any relation between the number of events, deaths, affected population and economic loss. The number of events and victims is highest for floods, while transport accidents show the highest number of deaths, and droughts caused the highest economic losses. Analysis of data over time shows a steady increase in the incidence of events between 1989 and 2003. The number of deaths and victims show a decreasing trend. Economic losses are reported only during 1999-2003 period. Among all the hazards, there is a high frequency of occurrence of flood and drought in the country for the period 1989-2006. At an average, nine people were killed every year due to disaster; and as per UNDP statistics, each year 30,928 people were exposed to earthquake and 108,929 people were exposed to flood. Reported economic loss is high for drought-related hazards, at USD 408 million. As per the National Geophysical Data Center, earthquake has caused an economic loss of more than USD 5 million in the country during the last 33 years. The annual average economic loss is about 0.5 per cent of the country's GDP.
Distribution of Hazards
The seismicity of Croatia is unevenly distributed. Most of the earthquakes occur in the coastal area (the Dinarides). The Pannonian Basin exhibits a typical intraplate-seismicity, characterized by rare occurrence of large events. Several strong earthquakes of Intensity IX or X on the MCS scale occurred in Croatia before 1900, in the Dubrovnik area. Among eight historical earthquakes of Intensity IX or X (MCS) in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the strongest and most important is the great Dubrovnik earthquake of 1667 (I=X on MCS). The main shock of the Kupa Valley earthquake, on 8 October 1909, is probably the most intense earthquake that occurred in Croatia, with a magnitude at the source of VIII (MCS). A. Mohorovicic was able to prove the existence of a discontinuity between the crust and mantle. The Biokovo Mountain earthquakes are one of the most important series of earthquakes that occurred in the last century (in 1962^ In this zone, the two largest earthquakes had a magnitude of 5.9 and 6.1. These earthquakes caused huge damage in the Biokovo area, and practically define the earthquake hazard zone. The Ston-Slano earthquakes of 1996 (main shock magnitude 6) completely destroyed three villages, and caused heavy damage in a number of southern Dalmatian cities. It is the largest seismic series in the greater Dubrovnik area since the 1667 earthquake. The Jabuka Island earthquake (2003), one of the strongest ever recorded within the Adriatic micro-plate, occurred near Jabuka Island in the centre of the Adriatic Sea. The main shock, with a magnitude of 5.5, was preceded b foreshocks and followed by aftershocks in large numbers.
scale occurred in Croatia before 1900, in the Dubrovnik area. Among eight historical earthquakes of Intensity IX or X (MCS) in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the strongest and most important is the great Dubrovnik earthquake of 1667 (I=X on MCS). The main shock of the Kupa Valley earthquake, on 8 October 1909, is probably the most intense earthquake that occurred in Croatia, with a magnitude at the source of VIII (MCS). A. Mohorovicic was able to prove the existence of a discontinuity between the crust and mantle. The Biokovo Mountain earthquakes are one of the most important series of earthquakes that occurred in the last century (in 1962^ In this zone, the two largest earthquakes had a magnitude of 5.9 and 6.1. These earthquakes caused huge damage in the Biokovo area, and practically define the earthquake hazard zone. The Ston-Slano earthquakes of 1996 (main shock magnitude 6) completely destroyed three villages, and caused heavy damage in a number of southern Dalmatian cities. It is the largest seismic series in the greater Dubrovnik area since the 1667 earthquake. The Jabuka Island earthquake (2003), one of the strongest ever recorded within the Adriatic micro-plate, occurred near Jabuka Island in the centre of the Adriatic Sea. The main shock, with a magnitude of 5.5, was preceded b foreshocks and followed by aftershocks in large numbers.
The February 2003 drought in Croatia particularly affected Vukovar-Srijem county. Reported damages due to the drought were around USD 330 million. The wildfires of August 2000 affected the Split, Metkovik and Slano (Omis) regions, and caused losses of USD 177.5 million; from 18 to 23 July 2003, wildfires also affected the Dubrovonik region, incurring losses of USD 20 million. Global Fire Monitoring Center data shows that the country had 256 fire events, affecting 10,000 hectares, between 1990 and 1997. The country is also prone to extreme temperature. In June 2000,; severe heat wave affected the Zagreb, Split, Osijek and Rijek areas, killing 40 people and affecting 200 (EM-DAT).
Observations
Reviewing the country's existing legislation shows that its disaster-related legalization is oriented more towards crisis management than towards preparedness or mitigation. As 63 per cent of the GDP is contributed by the service sector, technological hazards can have direct impact on the economy of the country. Proper land-use planning to reduce the impact of floods on life and assets is required. Croatia is a member of the Sava River project for flood management, along with Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia. The incorporation of risk reduction measures into the development plans of various sectors seems weak in the country. Croatia does not have proper hazard mapping/ assessment, or vulnerability or capacity assessment. Croatia has a history of earthquake events, most notably the Zagreb earthquake of 1880 and the Pokupsko earthquake of 1909. However, even though the country has building codes against seismic risks, there is no legal enforcement. The country does not have seismic risk preparedness in place. There are non-governmental organizations, humanitarian and volunteer organizations, environmental groups and local departments providing service in disaster management in the country. Improving efficiency, however, will require a harmonized and coordinated mode of operation during crisis management.