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Religious belonging and religious demography

Religious belonging – Census data 2001-2021

2001 2011 2021 2021* Population – total 4,437,460 4,284,889 3,871,833 3,871,833 Catholics 87.97% 86.28% 78.97% 83.03% Orthodox 4.42 4.44 3.32 3.36 Protestants 0.27 0.34 0.26 0.33 Other (...)

	2001	2011	2021	2021*
Population – total	4,437,460	4,284,889	3,871,833	3,871,833
Catholics	87.97%	86.28%	78.97%	83.03%
Orthodox	4.42	4.44	3.32	3.36
Protestants	0.27	0.34	0.26	0.33
Other Christians	0.24	0.30	4.83	0.66
Muslims	1.28	1.47	1.32
Jews	0.01	0.01	0.01
Eastern religions	0.02	0.06	0.09
Other religions, movements and worldviews	0.01	0.06	0.96	0.37
Agnostics and sceptics	0.03	0.76	1.68
Not religious and atheists	2.22	3.81	4.71
Not declared	2.95	2.17	1.72
Unknown	0.58	0.29	2.14

Source: Croatian Bureau of Statistics

According to the Census data, Croatia can be considered a highly religious country in Europe. Most of the population belongs to the Catholic Church, followed by members of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Islamic Community. Other religions are marginally present. In addition, there has not been much change in the 2001-2021 period, although a slight rise of agnostics and sceptics, as well as not religious and atheists, is noticeable. However, the comparison between these data and those from 1991 (not shown in the table) indicated the major recomposition in the structure of religious belonging. Specifically, the share of Catholics rose from 76.5% in 1991 to 87.97% in 2001, and the share of Orthodox fell from 11.1% in 1991 to 4.42% in 2001. That reflected the desintegration of former Yugoslavia and the Croatian War for Independence after Croatia proclaimed independence in 1991. As a result, many Orthodox left the country while Catholics from other parts of former Yugoslavia (particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia) migrated to Croatia.

*The Census 2021 was done according to somewhat different rules compared to previous Censuses, which wrongly indicated that the share of “other religions, movements and worldviews” rose from 0.06% in 2011 to 0.96% in 2021. However, many respondents who chose that category identified themselves simultaneously as members of traditional religions. Hence, the last column presents the re-calculation based on those who undeniably identified as Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, or other Christians. The author did the re-calculation.

D 11 April 2023 ASiniša Zrinščak

Comparison of censuses 2001 and 2011

2001 2011 Number % Number % Population - total 4.437.460 100 4.284.889 100 Catholics 3.903.551 87,97 3.697.143 86,28 Orthodox 195.969 4,42 190.143 4,44 Protestants 11.824 0,27 14.653 (...)

	2001		2011
	Number	%	Number	%
Population - total	4.437.460	100	4.284.889	100
Catholics	3.903.551	87,97	3.697.143	86,28
Orthodox	195.969	4,42	190.143	4,44
Protestants	11.824	0,27	14.653	0,34
Other Christians	10.569	0,24	12.961	0,30
Muslims	56.777	1,28	62.977	1,47
Jews	495	0,01	536	0,01
Oriental religions	969	0,02	2.550	0,06
Other religions, movements and life philosophies	524	0,01	2.555	0,06
Agnostics and sceptics	1.547	0,03	32.518	0,76
Not religious and atheists	98.376	2,22	163.375	3,81
Not declared	130.985	2,95	93.018	2,17
Unknown	25.874	0,58	12.460	0,29

The comparison between 2001 and 2011 indicates the stability of the religious belonging. However, when comparing these data with those from 1991 (when the Census contained data on religious belonging for the first time since 1953) a major recomposition in the structure of religious belonging can be observed. Specifically, the share of Catholics rose from 76.5% in 1991 to 87.83% 2001, and the share of Orthodox fell from 11.1% in 1991 to 4.44% in 2011. That shift is a result of the fall of former Yugoslavia, and of the Croatian war for independence which ensued, after the country proclaimed its independence in 1991. As a result, many Orthodox then left the country while many Catholics from other parts of former Yugoslavia (particularly from Bosnia, Herzegovina and Serbia) migrated to Croatia.

D 26 November 2013 ASiniša Zrinščak