List of cities and towns in Croatia

An urbanized area in Croatia can gain the status of grad (which can be translated as town or city as there is no distinction between the two terms in Croatian) if it meets one of the following requirements:

  1. is the center of a county (županija), or
  2. has more than 10,000 residents, or
  3. is defined by an exception (where the necessary historical, economic or geographic reasons exist)

A city (town) represents an urban, historical, natural, economic and social whole. The suburbs comprising an economic and social whole with the city, connected with it by daily migration movements and daily needs of the population of local significance, may also be included into the composition of a city as unit of local self-government.[1]

Grad (city/town) is the local administrative equivalent of općina (translated as "municipality"), with the only distinction being that the former usually comprise urban areas whereas the latter commonly consist of a group of villages. Both municipalities and city/towns often comprise more than one settlement, as the administrative territory of a grad may include suburban villages or hamlets near the city/town in question. Settlements (naselja) are the third-level spatial units of Croatia,[2][3] and the smallest unit for which the decennial census data are published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics but are not administrative entities, i.e. they are governed by the municipal or city/town council of the local administrative unit they belong to.

Croatian cities are administratively subdivided into "city districts" (gradski kotari/gradske četvrti) and/or "local committees" (mjesni odbori) with elected councils. The City of Zagreb, as the capital, not being part of any county, is subdivided into both city districts and local committees.[4]

  • In December 1992 there were 70 cities and towns and 419 municipalities in Croatia organized into 20 counties (plus the city of Zagreb which is both a city and a county).[5]
  • In 2001 there were 122 cities and towns (excluding Zagreb) and 423 municipalities. This was the territorial division used for the 2001 census.[5]
  • In 2006 a revision was made, which listed a total of 127 cities and towns and 429 municipalities in Croatia. This division was used for the 2011 census.[6]
  • In 2013 the municipality of Popovača was upgraded to town, bringing the total to 128 cities and towns and 428 municipalities.[7]

According to the Constitution, the city of Zagreb, as the capital of Croatia, has a special status. As such, Zagreb performs self-governing public affairs of both city and county.[8]

Tasks and organization

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Cities (in English these would be called "towns"), within their self-governing scope of activities, perform the tasks of local significance, which directly fulfil the citizens' needs, and which were not assigned to the state bodies by the Constitution or law, particularly the tasks referring to urban design of settlements and dwelling, zoning and urban planning, communal activities, child care, social welfare, primary health care, personality development and primary education, culture, physical culture and sports, consumers protection, protection and improvement of the natural environment, fire and civil defence, local transport.[1]

"Big cities" ("big city" is a Croatian legal term, in English these would be just "cities"), i.e. cities with more than 35,000 inhabitants that are also economic, financial, cultural, public health, scientific or traffic centres and cities that are county seats, in addition to these tasks, are also responsible for tasks regarding public roads maintenance and issuing of building and location permits.[1]

City government

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City council (Gradsko vijeće) is the representative body of citizens and the body of local self-government. The councillors are elected for a four-year term on the basis of universal suffrage in direct elections by secret ballot using proportional system with d'Hondt method. The executive head of the city is the mayor (gradonačelnik), also elected in direct elections by majoritarian vote (two-round system) for a four-year term (together with one or two deputy mayors).[9] The mayor (with the deputy mayor/s) can be recalled by a referendum. City administrative departments and services manage administrative procedures in their areas of jurisdiction. The mayor names heads (principals) of the departments and services, who are chosen on the basis of a public competition.[1]

List of cities and towns

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The following is a complete list of all officially designated 128 cities/towns in Croatia, sorted by population according to the 2021 population census. At the time of the 2001 census, there had been 123 cities/towns in the country and four former municipalities were administratively upgraded to towns prior to the 2011 census: Vodnjan (in 2003), Kutjevo, Otok, and Sveta Nedelja (in 2006). In addition, the table includes data for Popovača, also a former municipality which was re-designated as town in the administrative revision in April 2013.[7]

The Municipal column in the table lists total population within the geographical boundary of the local administrative subdivision. This means that the figure often includes other smaller settlements such as villages or hamlets located on the outskirts or near the city/town proper. In contrast, the Town/City proper column lists only population of the city/town proper, without the smaller settlements which administratively belong to the city. Both numbers are given as in some cases the figures may vary dramatically (for example Velika Gorica with nearby settlements has a population of around 61,000 but the town proper has only 30,000 residents).

The town of Kaštela is a unique exception in that it only exists as an administrative unit - it is legally treated as an agglomeration of seven separate settlements with populations ranging from 3,000 to 7,000, none of which is actually called "Kaštela". Its town council is located in Kaštel Sućurac.

Another set of exceptions arises from the special status of the City of Zagreb, which is considered both a county and a city, and is further subdivided into city districts, local committees and settlements. Unlike its other districts, the district of Sesvete still has the status of a standalone settlement with a population of about 55,000. This would make it a large city in itself, but it does not have the administrative status of a city.[10][11]

  ¤ County seat. There is a total of 21 counties of Croatia but only 20 county seats - the capital Zagreb doubles as a county (called City of Zagreb or Grad Zagreb) and the seat of the separate Zagreb County (Zagrebačka županija) which surrounds Zagreb but does not actually include the capital city.
City / town County Municipal Town/City proper
2021 pop.[12] Rank 2021 pop.[13] Rank
Zagreb ¤   Zagreb 767,131
1
663,592
1
Split ¤   Split-Dalmatia 160,577
2
149,830
2
Rijeka ¤   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 107,964
3
107,964
3
Osijek ¤   Osijek-Baranja 96,313
4
75,535
4
Zadar ¤   Zadar County 70,779
5
67,309
5
Velika Gorica   Zagreb County 61,075
6
30,036
11
Pula   Istria County 52,220
7
52,220
6
Slavonski Brod ¤   Brod-Posavina 49,891
8
45,005
7
Karlovac ¤   Karlovac County 49,377
9
41,869
8
Varaždin ¤   Varaždin County 43,782
10
36,187
9
Šibenik ¤   Šibenik-Knin 42,599
11
31,115
10
Dubrovnik ¤   Dubrovnik-Neretva 41,562
12
26,922
14
Sisak ¤   Sisak-Moslavina 40,121
13
27,859
13
Kaštela   Split-Dalmatia 37,794
14
Samobor   Zagreb County 37,435
15
16,911
20
Bjelovar ¤   Bjelovar-Bilogora 36,316
16
24,392
15
Vinkovci   Vukovar-Srijem 30,842
17
28,111
12
Koprivnica ¤   Koprivnica-Križevci 28,580
18
22,262
16
Čakovec ¤   Međimurje 27,122
19
15,078
23
Solin   Split-Dalmatia 24,862
20
20,996
18
Zaprešić   Zagreb County 24,133
21
18,768
19
Đakovo   Osijek-Baranja 23,577
22
16,875
21
Sinj   Split-Dalmatia 23,452
23
10,771
31
Vukovar ¤   Vukovar-Srijem 23,175
24
22,255
17
Požega ¤   Požega-Slavonia 22,294
25
16,867
22
Petrinja   Sisak-Moslavina 19,950
26
12,963
26
Kutina   Sisak-Moslavina 19,601
27
12,012
28
Virovitica ¤   Virovitica-Podravina County 19,302
28
13,486
25
Križevci   Koprivnica-Križevci 18,949
29
10,522
32
Sveta Nedelja   Zagreb County 18,221
30
1,363
116
Dugo Selo   Zagreb County 17,676
31
11,097
30
Poreč   Istria County 16,607
32
8,841
37
Metković   Dubrovnik-Neretva 15,235
33
13,971
24
Sveti Ivan Zelina   Zagreb County 14,602
34
2,583
93
Jastrebarsko   Zagreb County 14,562
35
5,312
60
Našice   Osijek-Baranja 14,291
36
7,307
43
Omiš   Split-Dalmatia 14,139
37
5,985
50
Makarska   Split-Dalmatia 13,301
38
12,809
27
Ivanić-Grad   Zagreb County 12,982
39
8,452
39
Vrbovec   Zagreb County 12,981
40
4,551
63
Rovinj   Istria County 12,968
41
11,629
29
Ivanec   Varaždin County 12,723
42
4,997
61
Umag   Istria County 12,699
43
6,751
44
Trogir   Split-Dalmatia 12,393
44
10,107
34
Ogulin   Karlovac County 12,246
45
7,374
42
Novi Marof   Varaždin County 11,795
46
1,810
111
Nova Gradiška   Brod-Posavina 11,690
47
9,820
35
Knin   Šibenik-Knin 11,633
48
8,262
40
Krapina ¤   Krapina-Zagorje 11,530
49
4,201
64
Slatina   Virovitica-Podravina County 11,503
50
8,722
38
Gospić ¤   Lika-Senj 11,502
51
6,362
46
Novska   Sisak-Moslavina 11,137
52
5,922
51
Opatija   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 10,619
53
5,701
54
Labin   Istria County 10,424
54
5,806
53
Popovača   Sisak-Moslavina 10,255
55
3,633
75
Duga Resa   Karlovac County 10,212
56
5,380
57
Kastav   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 10,202
57
10,202
33
Daruvar   Bjelovar-Bilogora 10,105
58
7,440
41
Crikvenica   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 9,980
59
6,239
49
Valpovo   Osijek-Baranja 9,784
60
6,332
47
Benkovac   Zadar County 9,680
61
2,484
94
Imotski   Split-Dalmatia 9,153
62
4,008
69
Županja   Vukovar-Srijem 9,153
62
9,153
36
Pleternica   Požega-Slavonia 9,138
64
2,895
88
Belišće   Osijek-Baranja 8,884
65
5,354
58
Zabok   Krapina-Zagorje 8,656
66
3,408
80
Vodice   Šibenik-Knin 8,649
67
6,592
45
Garešnica   Bjelovar-Bilogora 8,624
68
3,294
85
Ludbreg   Varaždin County 8,477
69
3,463
78
Otočac   Lika-Senj 8,332
70
3,852
73
Pazin ¤   Istria County 8,279
71
3,981
70
Ploče   Dubrovnik-Neretva 8,220
72
4,711
62
Trilj   Split-Dalmatia 8,182
73
1,906
109
Donji Miholjac   Osijek-Baranja 8,031
74
5,330
59
Beli Manastir   Osijek-Baranja 7,973
75
6,327
48
Bakar   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 7,573
76
1,187
119
Mali Lošinj   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 7,537
77
5,561
56
Đurđevac   Koprivnica-Križevci 7,378
78
5,834
52
Rab   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 7,161
79
364
126
Glina   Sisak-Moslavina 7,116
80
4,028
68
Pakrac   Požega-Slavonia 7,086
81
4,151
66
Prelog   Međimurje 7,027
82
4,042
67
Lepoglava   Varaždin County 6,945
83
3,400
81
Čazma   Bjelovar-Bilogora 6,930
84
2,417
95
Krk   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 6,816
85
3,935
71
Drniš   Šibenik-Knin 6,276
86
2,752
90
Buzet   Istria County 5,999
87
2,339
99
Senj   Lika-Senj 5,973
88
4,164
65
Pregrada   Krapina-Zagorje 5,927
89
1,870
110
Mursko Središće   Međimurje 5,855
90
3,321
84
Vodnjan   Istria County 5,838
91
3,133
87
Ozalj   Karlovac County 5,837
92
1,053
121
Oroslavje   Krapina-Zagorje 5,834
93
3,253
86
Vrgorac   Split-Dalmatia 5,698
94
2,132
103
Biograd na Moru   Zadar County 5,601
95
5,601
55
Zlatar   Krapina-Zagorje 5,574
96
2,825
89
Varaždinske Toplice   Varaždin County 5,537
97
1,606
112
Korčula   Dubrovnik-Neretva 5,415
98
2,659
91
Grubišno Polje   Bjelovar-Bilogora 5,367
99
2,588
92
Donja Stubica   Krapina-Zagorje 5,326
100
2,121
104
Delnice   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 5,135
101
3,861
72
Lipik   Požega-Slavonia 5,127
102
1,967
106
Ilok   Vukovar-Srijem 5,045
103
3,842
74
Otok   Vukovar-Srijem 4,899
104
3,571
76
Kutjevo   Požega-Slavonia 4,870
105
1,941
107
Orahovica   Virovitica-Podravina County 4,537
106
3,384
82
Buje   Istria County 4,441
107
2,087
105
Novi Vinodolski   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 4,328
108
3,336
83
Supetar   Split-Dalmatia 4,325
109
3,415
79
Slunj   Karlovac County 4,224
110
1,576
114
Kraljevica   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 4,066
111
2,415
96
Hvar   Split-Dalmatia 3,979
112
3,519
77
Novigrad   Istria County 3,889
113
2,292
101
Vrbovsko   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 3,876
114
1,257
118
Novalja   Lika-Senj 3,680
115
2,415
96
Obrovac   Zadar County 3,453
116
793
122
Skradin   Šibenik-Knin 3,349
117
508
124
Čabar   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 3,226
118
325
127
Pag   Zadar County 3,175
119
2,322
100
Opuzen   Dubrovnik-Neretva 2,838
120
2,355
98
Stari Grad   Split-Dalmatia 2,772
121
1,921
108
Cres   Primorje-Gorski Kotar 2,716
122
2,185
102
Nin   Zadar County 2,705
123
1,101
120
Klanjec   Krapina-Zagorje 2,548
124
506
125
Vis   Split-Dalmatia 1,918
125
1,582
113
Hrvatska Kostajnica   Sisak-Moslavina 1,879
126
1,439
115
Vrlika   Split-Dalmatia 1,728
127
718
123
Komiža   Split-Dalmatia 1,394
128
1,261
117

See also

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Sources

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  • Croatian Parliament (2013-02-18). "Zakon o lokalnoj i područnoj (regionalnoj) samouoravi (pročišćeni tekst)". Narodne novine (in Croatian) (19/2013). Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  • Croatian Parliament (2012-12-21). "Zakon o lokalnim izborima". Narodne novine (in Croatian) (144/2012). Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  • "The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia (consolidated text)". Croatian Parliament. Archived from the original on 2015-11-02. Retrieved 2016-10-04.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Zakon o lokalnoj i područnoj (regionalnoj) samoupravi (pročišćeni tekst)" [Local and Regional Self-Government Act (consolidated text)]. Narodne novine (in Croatian). No. 19/2013. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  2. ^ Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata Q119585703.
  3. ^ "Zakon o područjima županija, gradova i općina u Republici Hrvatskoj". Narodne novine (in Croatian). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  4. ^ "Local self - government". City of Zagreb Official Website. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Explanation on changes of the territorial constitution of the Republic of Croatia from 1991 to 2001". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2001. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2002. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Notes on Methodology". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Popovača dobila status grada". Poslovni dnevnik (in Croatian). 12 April 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  8. ^ The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia (consolidated text) - Croatian Parliament Archived 2015-11-02 at the Wayback Machine.Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Zakon o lokalnim izborima" [Local Elections Act]. Narodne novine (in Croatian). No. 144/2012. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: City of Zagreb". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
  11. ^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Districts of City of Zagreb, 2011 Census". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
  12. ^ "POPULATION BY AGE AND SEX, BY SETTLEMENTS, 2021 CENSUS". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.|title=Population by Age and Sex, by settlements, 2021 Census}}
  13. ^ "POPULATION BY AGE AND SEX, BY SETTLEMENTS, 2021 CENSUS". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.|title=Population by Age and Sex, by settlements, 2021 Census}}
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