The Zagreb County is located in the central part of north-western Croatia, and it has nine cities and 25 municipalities, and more than 300,000 inhabitants. This specific geographical county’s position that surrounds the City of Zagreb from the west, south and east, forming the so-called “Zagreb Ring”, and the proximity to the border with Slovenia, makes this area an important crossroads of European transport routes. The immediate vicinity of Zagreb forms a unique economic unit and makes everyday business easier for entrepreneurs. The county occupies the area through which passes all road, rail, air, energy, and infrastructure corridors in the direction to the west (Slovenia, Italy), east (Serbia, BiH), north (Austria, Hungary) and south (Adriatic Sea). The Franjo Tuđman Airport, the main and largest airport in the country, is located in the Zagreb County.
The county is an area of extremely rich heritage and natural beauty (a large number of protected natural areas, two nature parks: Medvednica and Žumberak-Samoborsko Gorje, and the unique special ornithological reserve Crna Mlaka). Forests and mountains are intertwined with numerous hiking, walking and cycling trails. There is also a renovated the St. Barbara Mine in the village of Rude with a mining-botanical educational trail, and the Grgos Cave (protected geomorphological natural monument) in the village of Otruševec. Numerous restaurants and well-equipped mountain lodges are offered to mountaineers, recreationists and nature lovers who want to refresh themselves.
The Zagreb County area includes valuable, preserved natural potentials such as groundwater, geothermal springs, mineral resources, forests, soil for ecological agriculture, etc. Additional benefits for investments are qualified labour force, developed crafts, accessibility of local administration, excellent living conditions, etc. The area, with the ongoing support of the county government, provides opportunities for investments in energy systems (biogas facilities, renewable energy, hydroelectric and solar power plants, wood industry, etc.), food industry (meat processing, and fruit and vegetable industry), agriculture (viticulture, vegetable growing, fruit growing, freshwater fishing), and tourism (medical and thermal).
The regional government makes it easier for entrepreneurs to do business in the Zagreb County with a series of incentive measures. The Zagreb County creates preconditions for attracting new investors with investments in communal infrastructure. In this regard, the most important larger project is the Regional Water Supply System of Zagreb County – Zagreb East worth 173 million Euro, which is mostly financed from EU funds.
The Zagreb County has significant capital investments (in education, a wood-technological business incubator in Ivanić-Grad worth 1.1 million Euro, of which 99.7 percent of the funds were received non-refundable from the European Fund for Regional Development), which opens up new jobs and as the ways of helping entrepreneurs. In addition, some of the significant projects in the county are the Deanovec Data Center worth 120 million euros, the Zelina Aqua Park worth 10 million euros and the production and research the Rimac Campus, an investment worth more than 200 million euros.
[Source: Zagreb County Entrepreneurship Center Ltd., July 2022]
Main Indicators
GDP
EUR
|
3.195.433.000 |
Population
|
299.985 |
Men |
145.228 |
Women |
154.757 |
Age 0-14 |
44.605 |
Age 15+ |
255.380 |
GDP Per Capita
EUR
|
10.317,00 |
Area Size
km²
|
3.060 |
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics: GDP (2020), Population (2021), Area size (2021)
Gross Value Added by ActivitiesEUR
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2020
Infrastructure
Motorways
km
|
134 |
Broadband Connections
number and density
|
59.194 / 58% |
Number of issued building permits
|
792 |
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics: Motorways (2021), Building permits (2022), Croatian Regulatory Agency for Network Industries: Broadband Connections (2021)
Investments
|
Amount |
Foreign Direct Investments
million EUR
|
2.662 |
Source: Croatian National Bank, 1993 - 2022
Foreign Direct Investment by Activitymil. EUR
Activity |
Amount |
Financial service activities, except for insurance and pension funds
|
573,50 |
Retail trade, except trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles
|
531,40 |
Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers
|
289,80 |
Real estate activities
|
188,10 |
Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
|
156,90 |
Other
|
922,70 |
Source: Croatian National Bank, 1993 - 2022
Foreign Direct Investment by Countrymil. EUR
Country |
Amount |
Germany
|
850,70 |
United States
|
299,80 |
Netherlands
|
274,30 |
France
|
244,50 |
Austria
|
164,30 |
Other
|
828,90 |
Source: Croatian National Bank, 1993 - 2022
Gross Investment in new Fixed Assets, by Location of Investment Constructions and Types of Assets
Asset type |
Amount (EUR, 000) |
Buildings, spaces and structures |
330.474 |
Machinery and equipment with fittings |
136.269 |
Transport equipment |
29.482 |
Cultivated biological resources |
3.819 |
Intellectual property products |
15.861 |
Total
|
525.646
|
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2021
Biggest Investors
Source: Financial Agency, data for 2022
Maximum Investment Incentives' Intensity according to the Investment Promotion Act
Large enterprises |
Medium enterprises |
Small and micro-enterprises |
50% |
60% |
70% |
Source: 2022-2027 Regional Aid Map for Croatia
International Trade
Export by Activity000 EUR
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2022
Import by Activity000 EUR
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2022
Export by Country000 EUR
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2022
Import by Country000 EUR
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2022
Education
Eduction level |
Number of pupils |
Kindergartens and Other Legal Entities Implementing Preschool Education Programmes
|
11.508 |
Basic Schools, Beginning of School Year
|
24.963 |
Upper Secondary Schools, Beginning of School Year
|
6.344 |
Students Enrolled on Professional and University Study, According to Place of Permanent Residence
|
11.280 |
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2021/22
Number of High School Studends Who Have Completed Their Education
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2019/20
Number of Students and Institutions by Educational Sectors
Educational Sector |
Number of Institutions |
Number of Students |
Economics, trade and business administration
|
7 |
1.222 |
Electrical engineering and computing
|
7 |
1.126 |
Mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and metallurgy
|
9 |
834 |
Tourism and catering
|
5 |
547 |
Personal, security and other services
|
7 |
381 |
Transport and logistics
|
3 |
185 |
Geology, mining, petroleum and chemical technology
|
1 |
62 |
Agriculture, food and veterinary
|
3 |
50 |
Forestry, wood processing and wood processing
|
1 |
16 |
Source: Ministry of Science and Education, data for 2021/22
Students Who Graduated From University Study or Completed Professional Studys
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2021
Institutions of Higher Education and Graduated Students
Name |
Students who graduated from or completed university or professional study |
Polytechnic in Velika Gorica
|
324 |
College Ivanić-Grad, Ivanić Grad
|
21 |
University of Applied Sciences Baltazar, Zaprešić
|
465 |
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2021
Business Indicators of Enterprises
Activity |
Number of Business Entities |
Number of Persons Employed |
Average Monthly Gross Earnings per Person in Paid Employment (EUR) |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
|
364 |
956 |
1.100 |
Mining and quarrying
|
22 |
1.132 |
1.699 |
Manufacturing
|
2.404 |
16.676 |
1.342 |
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
|
76 |
577 |
1.667 |
Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
|
81 |
1.802 |
1.242 |
Construction
|
2.549 |
7.633 |
1.076 |
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
|
4.221 |
16.242 |
1.350 |
Transportation and storage
|
904 |
8.714 |
1.341 |
Accommodation and food service activities
|
1.377 |
1.651 |
985 |
Information and communication
|
748 |
913 |
2.101 |
Financial and insurance activities
|
96 |
779 |
1.921 |
Real estate activities
|
297 |
406 |
1.324 |
Professional, scientific and technical activities
|
1.882 |
2.681 |
1.634 |
Administrative and support service activities
|
576 |
1.168 |
1.025 |
Public administration and defence, compulsory social security
|
305 |
5.202 |
1.630 |
Education
|
240 |
6.724 |
1.372 |
Human health and social work activities
|
292 |
3.147 |
1.473 |
Arts, entertainment and recreation
|
1.362 |
610 |
1.304 |
Other service activities
|
2.935 |
754 |
1.090 |
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2022
Unemployed
|
Rate |
Unemployment Rate
|
6,70% |
Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, data for 2021
Unemployed by Activity
Activity |
Number |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing |
99 |
Mining and quarrying |
24 |
Manufacturing |
824 |
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply |
9 |
Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities |
62 |
Construction |
412 |
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles |
722 |
Transportation and storage |
172 |
Accommodation and food service activities |
330 |
Information and communication |
109 |
Financial and insurance activities |
62 |
Real estate activities |
28 |
Professional, scientific and technical activities |
180 |
Administrative and support service activities |
293 |
Public administration and defence, compulsory social security |
129 |
Education |
231 |
Human health and social work activities |
200 |
Arts, entertainment and recreation |
62 |
Other service activities |
259 |
Not classified |
890 |
Total |
5.097 |
Source: Croatian Employment Service, data for 2022
Registered unemployed by occupation
Source: Croatian Employment Service, data for 2022
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