Croatia records 924 more births in first seven months of 2026

The Ministry of Demography and Immigration said on Tuesday that 924 more children were born in Croatia in the first seven months of this year than during the same period last year. 

In July alone, more than 3,000 children were born—the first time in six years that the monthly figure has exceeded that mark.

The Ministry described the figures as encouraging, while stressing that they should be viewed with caution given the long-term nature of demographic trends. It said a single set of figures cannot be interpreted as a reversal of the country’s demographic decline, but can indicate the direction in which current measures are having an effect.

The positive shift was recorded during a period in which Croatia further strengthened its maternity and parental benefits and expanded housing programs for young families.

“Behind each of these numbers stands a family and a new life. We see this information primarily as an obligation. The demographic challenges that have accumulated over decades will not be resolved in one year or one mandate. That is why we view these indicators with caution, but also with justified optimism,” Demography and Immigration Minister Ivan Šipić said.

Šipić said the Ministry’s goal is to create a Croatia in which families are at the center of public policy, adding that the government will continue investing in housing security for young families.

The Ministry said its policies are aimed at increasing the number of births, encouraging young families to remain in Croatia and attracting Croatian citizens who have emigrated to return to the country.

The ultimate goal, it said, is to ensure that the decision to have children is not a matter of sacrifice, but a choice supported by the state.