<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 21 counties (zupanijas, zupanija—singular): Bjelovar-Bilogora, City of Zagreb, Dubrovnik-Neretva, Istra, Karlovac, Koprivnica-Krizevci, Krapina-Zagorje, Lika-Senj, Medimurje, Osijek-Baranja, Pozega-Slavonija, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Sibenik, Sisak-Moslavina, Slavonski Brod-Posavina, Split-Dalmatia, Varazdin, Virovitica-Podravina, Vukovar-Srijem, Zadar-Knin, Zagreb
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> NA June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Statehood Day, 30 May (1990)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> adopted on 2 December 1990
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on civil law system
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Franjo TUDJMAN (since 30 May 1990); election last held 4 August 1992 (next to be held NA 1995); Franjo TUDJMAN reelected with about 56% of the vote; his opponent Dobroslav PARAGA got 5% of the vote
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Nikica VALENTIC (since 3 April 1993); Deputy Prime Ministers Mato GRANIC (since 8 September 1992), Ivica KOSTOVIC (since NA), Vladimir SEKS (since September 1992), Borislav SKEGRO (since NA)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
<item><hi format=bold>House of Districts (Zupanije Dom):</hi> elections last held 7 and 21 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 1997); seats—(68 total; 63 elected, 5 presidentially appointed) HDZ 37, HSLS 16, HSS 5, Istrian Democratic Assembly 3, SPH-SDP 1, HNS 1
<item><hi format=bold>House of Representatives (Predstavnicke Dom):</hi> elections last held 2 August 1992 (next to be held NA August 1996); seats—(138 total) HDZ 85, HSLS 14, SPH-SDP 11, HNS 6, Dalmatian Action/Istrian Democratic Assembly/ Rijeka Democratic Alliance coalition 6, HSP 5, HSS 3, SNS 3, independents 5
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Stjepan MESIC, chairman of the executive council; Croatian People's Party (HNS), Savka DABCEVIC-KUCAR, president; Serbian People's Party (SNS), Milan DUKIC; Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), leader NA; Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen BUDISA, president; Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), leader NA; Dalmatian Action/Istrian Democratic Assembly/Rijecka Democratic Alliance coalition; Social Democratic Party of Croatia-Party of Democratic Changes (SPH-SDP), Ivica RACAN
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> NA
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> CE (guest), CEI, CSCE, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador Petr A. SARCEVIC