Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, located in the northwestern part of the Republic of Croatia, offers an ideal combination of natural beauty, a favorable geostrategic position, developed infrastructure, and a high quality of life, which make it attractive for investment and business development. Primorje-Gorski Kotar County has attracted the largest amount of foreign direct investment in the last five years after the city of Zagreb.
This county combines attractive coastal and urbanized areas with green mountainous areas, creating an attractive economic framework with broad opportunities for the development of various sectors. Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the City of Rijeka offer a dynamic business environment based on a rich centuries-old tradition of industrial production combined with the development of new technologies.
The backbone of the economy in the county is made up of the sectors of transport, energy, maritime and shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals and metal products, tourism, wood processing industry, service sector and trade, real estate business, and the application of new technologies in cooperation with the university community. The manufacturing industry accounts for more than 20% of the gross added value in the County, making it one of the most productive regions in this part of Europe. According to the latest census, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is, after the City of Zagreb, the region with the highest percentage of highly educated population in Croatia.
The County consists of 36 local government units, consisting of 14 cities and 22 municipalities, and 510 settlements. The regional center and the third largest city in the Republic of Croatia is the City of Rijeka, the business, administrative, economic, and cultural center of the County. Primorje-Gorski Kotar County has an exceptional geostrategic position in the Adriatic region, as a traffic intersection of routes connecting parts of Western and Central European countries with the Mediterranean Sea and connecting Croatia with Italy, Slovenia, and other European markets.
The city of Rijeka is one of the most important maritime and logistics centers in Croatia and the Adriatic Sea. The Port of Rijeka, as the largest Croatian port, provides easy access to international markets and is one of the most important transport hubs in the region. The expansion and modernization of the Port of Rijeka is a key infrastructure project that will provide Rijeka with the greenest and most technologically advanced terminal in this part of Europe, which will bring the Rijeka traffic route and the entire port and transport system of the Republic of Croatia a leading position in the northern Adriatic and the wider region, and improve the country’s logistics capacities and trade connectivity.
The county is also well connected by road infrastructure, with a direct highway to Zagreb, and indirectly with the markets of Central Europe, with strong connections with Italy and Slovenia making the county even more attractive to international investors.
The University of Rijeka represents a key infrastructure for the economic development of the city and the entire region with more than 15,000 students studying at 16 faculties that produce highly qualified experts in key industries such as information technology, biotechnology, engineering, maritime, healthcare, and tourism that directly support the competitiveness and sustainability of the economy.
The University of Rijeka recognizes the importance of innovation for economic development through its research centers and incubators such as StepRi – the University of Rijeka Science and Technology Park and, for example, the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity of the University of Rijeka, which provide space for the development of new entrepreneurial ideas, spin-off companies, and startups. The aforementioned cooperation between the academic community and industry stimulates the emergence of new technologies and products and offers a wealth of opportunities for companies that want to grow and achieve competitive advantages through investments in research and development, new technologies, and educational infrastructure.
There is also a significant number of vocational and trade schools’ competence centers and human resources training centers, which makes Primorje-Gorski Kotar County an ideal environment for investing in industries that require highly educated workers.
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County has a developed infrastructure for business, including business zones, industrial parks, and technology centers. The County is home to the Bakar Industrial Zone, which is also the best-equipped and largest business and trade zone in the Republic of Croatia. The Bakar Industrial Zone covers an area of 500 ha, and 17 km of transport infrastructure, while 220 business entities employ more than 5,500 employees. The industrial zone is in a constant process of development, which primarily consists of preparing construction land, i.e. planning plateaus for the construction of new business entities, as well as building new infrastructure.
In the western part of the County, along the border with Slovenia, the development and commissioning of the Miklavija Business Zone, one of the most attractive and largest business zones in Croatia, is underway. There are also a number of small business zones operating in the County, which form the backbone of the development of economic infrastructure at the regional and local levels.
Rijeka is traditionally one of the leading centers of the maritime industry in Croatia and a leading center for ship design with a developed maritime innovation ecosystem and port infrastructure, which creates many business opportunities in the shipping, logistics, and transport sectors, especially through investments in green technologies, such as environmentally friendly ships, autonomous vessels, solar energy systems for ships, etc. Thanks to its geographical position, quality infrastructure, and favorable business conditions, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County represents an excellent opportunity for investments in the maritime sector. Whether it is shipbuilding, maritime transport, logistics, tourism, or industries related to the sea, it offers a wide range of opportunities for investment and business development.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is also home to the only Croatian LNG terminal located on the island of Krk, which enables the import, storage, and distribution of liquid natural gas and represents a key infrastructure project for improving Croatia’s energy security of strategic importance for European Union and the Republic of Croatia.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is increasingly emerging as an attractive area for investments in the digital economy sector. The County has a modern infrastructure that enables the successful development of advanced technologies. Rijeka, as the largest city in the County, is home to several technology centers, incubators, and coworking spaces that provide opportunities for start-ups and innovative projects, positioning the County as a center for the development of new technologies and innovations. This is helped by a technical and highly educated workforce, with an emphasis on information technology, research and development, and innovative industries. Rijeka and the surrounding areas are recording an increase in start-ups and entrepreneurial infrastructure, and the County is becoming increasingly recognizable on the European technological map.
Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is one of the most attractive and diverse Croatian counties, whose wealth and diversity are reflected in three different geographical units: the forested Gorski Kotar, the “green heart of Croatia” with its rich flora and fauna and traditionally strong forestry and wood processing economic area, Primorje, an area with a typical Mediterranean climate that stretches from the eastern slopes of Učka, across the largest city of Rijeka to the Vinodol area and the Kvarner islands with several large, inhabited islands, Krk, Cres, Lošinj and Rab.
The county’s coastline is characterized by favorable climatic conditions and a strategic position in Central Europe. The total length of the coastline is 1,065 km, of which 133 km is on the mainland and 932 km is on the island coast.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Croatia, known as the Kvarner destination. Rijeka, with its historical and cultural sights, and numerous tourist destinations such as Opatija, the Crikvenica Riviera, the Kvarner Islands, and Gorski Kotar, attracts a large number of tourists. In addition to classic tourism, there are rich prerequisites for the development of ecotourism, an extremely attractive opportunity for investors in the tourism sector.
Kvarner is a recognizable nautical destination with great development potential. Currently, there are eight marinas in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County with a total capacity of almost 3,400 berths, and the construction of new ones is planned, including Porto Baroš, the first “smart nautical marina” in Croatia.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County is an attractive tourist destination for health and quality of life. The Health tourism cluster, which brings together members from the medical, tourism, university, and business sectors, provides the opportunity to invest in a quality offer of services in the segments of preventive and personalized medicine, rehabilitation, aesthetic medicine, lifestyle medicine, and active and healthy aging.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County invests more and more in projects related to renewable energy sources, ecological production, and sustainable development, and has great potential in the field of solar energy, wind power plants, bioenergy, and the ecological agricultural sector.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County provides support to potential investors through numerous subsidy programs that provide a favorable business framework. The county also offers incentives for research and development and facilitates access to European and state funds for projects in the sector of renewable energy sources, innovation, tourism, and industry.
The County of Primorje-Gorski Kotar presents development projects of the public and private sectors through the Investment Catalog of the County of Primorje-Gorski Kotar.
The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County offers a wealth of opportunities for investors in various sectors. Given its strategic location, developed infrastructure, high quality of life, and educated workforce, PGŽ represents an excellent framework for investments in numerous industries, from tourism to new technologies and green projects. For investors seeking long-term business success, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County offers everything needed for successful business development.
[Source: Public institution “Regional Development Agency of Primorje-Gorski kotar County“, April 2025]
| GDP EUR | 5.520.565.000 |
| Population | 265.223 |
| Men | 127.857 |
| Women | 137.366 |
| Age 0-14 | 32.120 |
| Age 15+ | 233.103 |
| GDP Per Capita EUR | 20.892,00 |
| Area Size km² | 3.588 |
| Motorways km | 138 |
| Broadband Connections number and density | 84.577 / 77% |
| Number of issued building permits | 865 |
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Foreign Direct Investments million EUR | 3.429 |
| Activity | Amount |
|---|---|
| Financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding | 1.398,50 |
| Proprietary investments in real estate | 1.113,81 |
| Construction of buildings | 227,67 |
| Retail trade, except trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles | 215,39 |
| Real estate activities | 179,07 |
| Other | 294,27 |
| Country | Amount |
|---|---|
| Austria | 1.768,85 |
| Slovenia | 410,46 |
| Germany | 289,56 |
| Italy | 263,77 |
| Netherlands | 104,04 |
| Other | 592,03 |
| Asset type | Amount (EUR, 000) |
|---|---|
| Buildings, spaces and structures | 455.595 |
| Machinery and equipment with fittings | 390.969 |
| Transport equipment | 91.089 |
| Cultivated biological resources | 3.878 |
| Intellectual property products | 13.521 |
| Total | 970.638 |
| Company | Activity | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Rijeka Gateway d.o.o. | TRANSPORT AND STORAGE | https://www.apmterminals.com/en/rijeka |
| PLODINE d.d. | WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE | http://www.plodine.hr |
| Imperial Riviera d.d. | ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE ACTIVITIES | http://www.imperial-riviera.hr |
| KD VODOVOD I KANALIZACIJA d.o.o. | WATER SUPPLY; WASTEWATER REMOVAL, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION | http://www.kdvik-rijeka.hr |
| RIVA'S HOTELS & RESORTS d.o.o. | ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE ACTIVITIES | http://- |
| KATARINA LINE d. o. o. | ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICE ACTIVITIES | http://www.katarina-line.com |
| JADROLINIJA | TRANSPORT AND STORAGE | http://www.jadrolinija.hr |
| RUNE Crow d. o. o. | CONSTRUCTION | http://- |
| LUKA RIJEKA d. d. | TRANSPORT AND STORAGE | http://www.lukarijeka.hr |
| Large enterprises | Medium enterprises | Small and micro-enterprises |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 50% | 60% |
| Eduction level | Number of pupils |
|---|---|
| Kindergartens and Other Legal Entities Implementing Preschool Education Programmes | 9.151 |
| Basic Schools, Beginning of School Year | 18.889 |
| Upper Secondary Schools, Beginning of School Year | 9.379 |
| Students Enrolled on Professional and University Study, According to Place of Permanent Residence | 6.459 |
| Educational Sector | Number of Institutions | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism and catering | 9 | 1.169 |
| Electrical engineering and computing | 4 | 981 |
| Mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and metallurgy | 12 | 892 |
| Economics, trade and business administration | 6 | 770 |
| Health and social work | 2 | 745 |
| Transport and logistics | 3 | 468 |
| Personal, security and other services | 4 | 331 |
| Construction and geodesy | 2 | 326 |
| Graphic technology and audio-visual design | 2 | 260 |
| Forestry, wood processing and wood processing | 2 | 166 |
| Agriculture, food and veterinary | 5 | 154 |
| Geology, mining, petroleum and chemical technology | 1 | 88 |
| Textiles and leather | 1 | 3 |
| Name | Students who graduated from or completed university or professional study |
|---|---|
| Business School Par, Rijeka | 15 |
| Polytechnic of Rijeka | 350 |
| Faculty of Civil Engineering, Rijeka | 131 |
| Faculty of Engineering, Rijeka | 495 |
| Faculty of Health Studies, Rijeka | 279 |
| Faculty of Law, Rijeka | 237 |
| Department of Mathematics, University of Rijeka | 86 |
| Department of Physics, University of Rijeka | 33 |
| Faculty of Maritime Studies, Rijeka | 317 |
| Faculty of Medicine, Rijeka | 154 |
| Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka | 86 |
| University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics | 545 |
| Faculty of Dental Medicine, Rijeka | 30 |
| Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Opatija | 498 |
| Faculty of Informatics and Digital Technologies, University of Rijeka | 85 |
| Faculty of Teacher Education, Rijeka | 99 |
| Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Rijeka | 343 |
| University in Rijeka | 45 |
| Academy of Applied Arts, Rijeka | 86 |
| Activity | Number of Business Entities | Number of Persons Employed | Average Monthly Gross Earnings per Person in Paid Employment (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 182 | 1.135 | 1.627 |
| Mining and quarrying | 6 | 72 | 1.888 |
| Manufacturing | 1.250 | 10.845 | 1.772 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 53 | 993 | 2.136 |
| Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 86 | 2.697 | 1.626 |
| Construction | 2.108 | 7.797 | 1.460 |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 2.476 | 16.266 | 1.574 |
| Transportation and storage | 698 | 8.426 | 1.807 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 1.609 | 8.471 | 1.528 |
| Information and communication | 606 | 2.482 | 2.210 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 74 | 1.872 | 2.007 |
| Real estate activities | 958 | 755 | 1.424 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 2.236 | 5.747 | 1.940 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 938 | 4.139 | 1.391 |
| Public administration and defence, compulsory social security | 218 | 5.183 | 2.276 |
| Education | 285 | 9.572 | 2.129 |
| Human health and social work activities | 377 | 8.748 | 2.588 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1.821 | 2.217 | 1.693 |
| Other service activities | 3.772 | 1.436 | 1.456 |
| Rate | |
|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4,80% |
| Activity | Number |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 74 |
| Mining and quarrying | 3 |
| Manufacturing | 521 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 2 |
| Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 74 |
| Construction | 360 |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 712 |
| Transportation and storage | 218 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 792 |
| Information and communication | 82 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 66 |
| Real estate activities | 50 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 230 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 359 |
| Public administration and defence, compulsory social security | 122 |
| Education | 221 |
| Human health and social work activities | 242 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 92 |
| Other service activities | 227 |
| Not classified | 728 |
| Total | 5.175 |
| Name | Contact | Website |
|---|---|---|
| • Supporting institutions: | ||
| Regional Development Agency of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County | info@prigoda.hr | https://prigoda.hr/en/ |
| STEP-RI Science and Technology Park of the University of Rijeka | step-ri@uniri.hr | https://www.step.uniri.hr/ |
| Startup Incubator Rijeka | startup@rijeka.hr | https://startup.rijeka.hr/ |
| KASTAV SMART START KASPI business incubator | info@kaspi.hr | https://kaspi.hr/en/ |
| Hubazzia - Business Incubator of the City of Opatija | hubbazia@opatija.hr | https://hubbazia.opatija.hr/ |
| Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development | hbor-rijeka@hbor.hr | https://www.hbor.hr/en |
| HAMAG-BICRO - Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments | marina.sabic@hamagbicro.hr | https://en.hamagbicro.hr/ |
| Croatian Employment Service - Regional office Rijeka | hzz.rijeka@hzz.hr | https://www.hzz.hr/en/ |
| • Links to sites useful to foreign investors: | ||
| Bakar Industrial Zone | tajnistvo@ind-zone.hr | https://www.ind-zone.hr/en/home-page/ |
| Investment catalogue of the Primorje Gorski Kotar County | https://investpgz.hr/en/novosti/ | |
| Regional Digital Innovation Platform for the transfer of knowledge between the academic community and the economy in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County | damir.medved@uniri.hr | https://rimap.uniri.hr/ |
| Interactive map of all business zones in Primorje Gorski Kotar County | https://investpgz.hr/en/poslovne-zone/ | |
| University of Rijeka | https://uniri.hr/en/home/ | |
| AIRI – Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity | jlerga@airi.uniri.hr | https://airi.uniri.hr/ |
| University of Rijeka Technology Transfer Office | https://uniri.hr/znanost-i-istrazivanje/inovacije-i-valorizacija-znanja/ | |
| Projects and Technology Transfer Office, Faculty of Engineering Rijeka | https://riteh.uniri.hr/ustroj/strucne-sluzbe/ured-za-projekte/ | |
| European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) | damir.medved@uniri.hr | https://edihadria.eu/en/ |
| • Clusters: | ||
| Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster | https://www.kvarnerhealth.hr/en/homepage/ | |
| Maritime Innovation Cluster | info@marinn.co | https://marinn.co/ |
