More about North-West Croatia
The North-west of Croatia is an economically successful area with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Croatia.
Most businesses, many of them leading companies in their fields in Croatia and even beyond, are located in Zagreb area.
Key industrial sectors include information and communication (ICT), food, agriculture and forestry industry, research and development, business services, tourism, cultural and creative industries.
The population of the area to be covered by the new Agency is about 1.3 million.
The region has an above average number of people with academic qualifications compared to the rest of Croatia.
Whilst the Zagreb area are economically strong there are remain pockets of social deprivation both within the Karlovac and Krapinsko-zagorska counties and across a number of the rural wards of individual districts.
Traditional industries like agriculture, forestry and, more recently, eco-tourism play an important role in that area.
In total, Croatia consists of 20 counties and the city of Zagreb which was also given the status of a county totaling 21 counties, and these counties are administrative areas within Croatia.
The area which will be covered by the Agency includes three counties in North-western Croatia, namely Zagreb County, Karlovac County and Krapinsko-zagorska County and the City of Zagreb (capital of Croatia).
In total, the area covered by the new agency include 20 smaller towns and 68 small municipalities according to current administrative organisation of Croatia.
Total area covered is approximately 8.500 km2.
This area has abundant natural resources and high potential for renewable energy sources utilisation.
Specifically, in the area there are vast natural forest resources of cca 300.000 ha, which coupled with the large number of wood processing companies and the long tradition of fuelwood use in households ensure a fertile ground for biomass projects development.
Apart from biomass, considerable geothermal resources are present in the area which are currently being utilised only for space heating in some of the spa and recreation facilities.
Considering the continental climate conditions and long heating season, there are plenty of opportunities for replacement of fossil fuels heating systems with geothermal systems.
In the Karlovac County there is an abundance of small river flows and utilisation of small hydro power plants has a long tradition in the area.
The first hydro power plants were built in the turn from 19th to 20th century.
Currently there are several small hydro power plants in the category of several MW of installed capacity and quite a few opportunities exist for the instalment of new plants.
The Zagreb area have very high potential for the implementation of measures to increase energy efficiency (RUE), considering the high population density, large number of public and residential buildings and industrial facilities.
There is a wide spectrum of different economic activities present in the area, with the following standing out as the most important:
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Trade
In relation with the whole economics of the Republic of Croatia, the following products are produced: beer, quality wines, meat, milk and textile products, pumps, diesel engines, eating sets and utensils, construction carpentry and fittings and many others.
Most important branches of industry are: production of electric machines and devices, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, food and drink processing, tobacco production and processing.
Thanks to its exceptional geotraffic and transit situation together with industry, handicraft and trade, important potentials are hidden in tourism.
Bathing in clean waters, rowing and rafting, hunting and fishing, skiing on the slopes of mountain Bjelolasica, mounting ways, bicycle tracks, caves and many other natural values of this area are giving unlimited possibilities for rest and recreation.
In conclusion, this is a relatively advanced and wealthy region with average GDP per capita of 13.824 eur (purchasing power parity), in comparison with the Croatian average GDP per capita of 11.600 eur (2005 data).
There is an expressed interconnection of people, industry and businesses within the three neighbouring counties, and many people are living in one county and travelling to work in another.
The University of Zagreb in 2005 had more than 55.000 students, many of whom come from the neighbouring counties of the area.
It is expected that after graduation most of these students will return to work to their hometowns, thus making another linkage and strengthening the bonds between three counties forming the area to be covered by the Agency.
