Zadar County is located in the central part of the Croatian Adriatic coast and due to its geographic location, has a key role in connecting the northern and southern parts of the Republic of Croatia. The total area of the county is 7.276 km2. The land area is 3.646 km2, and the sea area is 3.630 km2. Zadar County is one of the largest and most diverse counties in the Republic of Croatia. The City of Zadar is the administrative center of the County.
The length of the Zadar County coastline makes 22% of the total Croatian coastline, or about 1.200 km of coastline, with 150 islands and islets of which 18 are permanently inhabited, with Zadar County accounting for 11,6% of Croatian territorial waters. Considering its natural and geographical features, the County is divided into seven spatial-developmental and geomorphological units, namely: Zadar Urban Region, Zadar Islands, Ravni Kotari Coastal Area, Sub-Velebit Canal Area, Bukovica, Lika-Pounje Area and the Island of Pag (part of the island).
Zadar County has 34 units of local self-government, 6 of which are Cities (Zadar, Benkovac, Biograd na Moru, Obrovac, Pag and Nin) and 28 Municipalities (Bibinje, Galovac, Gračac, Jasenice, Kali, Kolan, Kukljica, Lišane Ostrovičke, Novigrad, Pakoštane, Pašman, Polača, Poličnik, Posedarje, Povljana, Preko, Privlaka, Ražanac, Sali, Stankovci, Starigrad, Sukošan, Sveti Filip i Jakov, Škabrnja, Tkon, Vir, Vrsi and Zemunik Donji). The total population of Zadar County is 160.340 (according to the 2021 Census). The largest city and the administrative center of the County is Zadar, the fifth largest city in Croatia. Zadar is the urban centre of northern Dalmatia and the administrative, economic, cultural and political centre of the region. It is a city with three thousand years old history, and rich cultural tradition and heritage.
The City of Zadar is also a major university center in Croatia. The University of Zadar was founded in the year 1396 and is one of the oldest universities in Europe. The University of Zadar has 27 university departments attended by around 6.000 students. To organize and promote scientific and research work, the University had established four scientific and research centers as special organizational units. In addition, two teaching centers operate at the University: the Centre for Gymnastics and Student Sports and the Centre for Foreign Languages.
An indented coastline with numerous islands and islets, crystal clear sea and beautiful and diverse vegetation are some of the natural resources that Zadar County abounds with. Paklenica National Park, three Nature Parks (Telašćica, Velebit and Vrana Lake) and numerous protected natural areas are special features of the wealth of Zadar County. All these natural beauties, along with the wealth of cultural and historical heritage, are the foundation of successful tourism as the main economic branch in the development of Zadar County.
Zadar County has particularly significant potential in the development of nautical tourism. Out of a total of 206 nautical tourism ports in the country, 56 are in Zadar County, and those include marinas, anchorages, moorings and dry marinas. With an area of 1.155.124 m2 of water area intended for nautical tourism, our county is the largest nautical destination in Croatia, while with a capacity of a total of 4.298 berths, it leads in total capacity.
In addition to tourism, the food processing industry, fishing, mariculture and seafaring are key economic branches for the overall development of Zadar County.
Zadar County is a leader in fishing and mariculture in Croatia, and this sector is one of the most important export assets. More than 50% of the total fish catch on the Croatian side of the Adriatic is caught and landed in Zadar County. There are 61 shellfish, white fish, aquaculture juvenile and tuna farms in Zadar County. As many as 3 of the 4 tuna farms registered in the Republic of Croatia are located in the County. Zadar County is also a leader in the farming of white fish, especially gilthead sea bream and sea bass. Fish processing in Zadar County has a centuries-old tradition. The first fish canning factories on the Adriatic were precisely in Zadar, and the fish processing capacities in Zadar County occupy an important place in the Croatian fishing industry.
Zadar County, with its favorable climate and large areas of quality agricultural land, has important prerequisites for agricultural production, that is the cultivation of various agricultural crops. The Ravni Kotari area is one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the Republic of Croatia and certainly the most significant region of Adriatic Croatia in terms of the share of arable agricultural land.
Thanks to the fertile Ravni Kotari, Zadar County has great agricultural potential with a special emphasis on organic production. At the same time, great efforts are made to preserve and revitalize indigenous varieties and traditional products that are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet. Top-quality wines, top-rated olive oils and cheeses are produced here, and quality fruits and vegetables are grown here.
Zadar County is a leader in Croatia in terms of investment potential in renewable energy sources, especially in the field of using wind energy potential. The first wind farm in the Republic of Croatia was built in Zadar County. In Croatia, there are currently a total of 24 wind farms supplying electricity to the Croatian power system, of which 8 are in Zadar County. The total installed capacity of wind farms is 216,85 MW. In total, wind farms in Zadar County deliver approximately 617 GWh of electricity to the Croatian electricity system annually, which is almost 33,8% of the total GWh of electricity produced and delivered by all wind farms in Croatia. The County is already considered a center for wind energy, and trends also indicate a significant development of large solar power plants in the Zadar County area.
It is estimated that the approximate total area most suitable for the development of solar power plants is about 22.529 hectares (ha). Considering the existing solar power plants, approximately two hectares of land are needed to accommodate the installed power of 1 MW of solar energy. Therefore, it is evident that there is great investment potential in the energy sector in the Zadar County area.
Zadar County allows potential investors investments in infrastructurally equipped business zones that are ready to welcome investors.The port of Gaženica and Zadar Airport are located in the vicinity of the business zones. The industrial warehouse and cargo-port area is optimally located in relation to the city and the main traffic routes of the highway, railway, sea and air transport. The fishing and ferry port for cruises, the cargo, RO-RO and container port and the Gaženica passenger port, enable the simultaneous loading and unloading of passengers, cars and cargo.
Zadar Airport is located only 7 km from the Port of Gaženica and is directly connected by the four-lane road D424 Zadar, 17,6 km to the A1 motorway (Zadar II – Sveti Rok – Bosiljevo – Zagreb), and from Zagreb by motorway to all neighboring European countries. It is connected to more than 60 destinations by air flights and has a capacity for 1,2 million passengers.
Zadar Airport will also be able to accept aircraft for long flights thanks to the extended take-off and landing project, which envisages a complete reconstruction and expansion of the 700-meter-long take-off and landing runway. In addition, the modernization of the railway and its connection with the port of Gaženica are planned, with the goal of achieving the transport intermodality.
[Source: Public institution ZADRA NOVA – Zadar County Development Agency, March 2025]
| GDP EUR | 2.724.452.374 |
| Population | 164.323 |
| Men | 81.009 |
| Women | 83.314 |
| Age 0-14 | 23.439 |
| Age 15+ | 140.884 |
| GDP Per Capita EUR | 16.607,08 |
| Area Size km² | 3.646 |
| Motorways km | 74 |
| Broadband Connections number and density | 45.421 / 76% |
| Number of issued building permits | 1.616 |
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Foreign Direct Investments million EUR | 1.716 |
| Activity | Amount |
|---|---|
| Proprietary investments in real estate | 902,83 |
| Water transport | 366,35 |
| Metal production | 199,06 |
| Sports activities and entertainment and recreational activities | 59,79 |
| Real estate business | 32,02 |
| Other | 156,15 |
| Country | Amount |
|---|---|
| Austria | 581,47 |
| Germany | 281,08 |
| Slovenia | 222,70 |
| Slovakia | 150,05 |
| Czechia | 123,52 |
| Other | 356,37 |
| Asset type | Amount (EUR, 000) |
|---|---|
| Buildings, spaces and structures | 284.314 |
| Machinery and equipment with fittings | 128.939 |
| Transport equipment | 53.348 |
| Cultivated biological resources | 9.347 |
| Intellectual property products | 15.471 |
| Total | 509.595 |
| Company | Activity | Website |
|---|---|---|
| KOMUNALAC d.o.o. | WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE; WASTE MANAGMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES | http://- |
| PUNTA SKALA d.o.o. | ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE ACTIVITIES | http://www.falkensteiner.com |
| LUCA d.o.o. | ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICE ACTIVITIES | http://- |
| ZRAČNA LUKA ZADAR d.o.o. | TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE | http://www.zadar-airport.hr |
| VODOVOD-VIR d.o.o. | WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE; WASTE MANAGMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES | http://- |
| VODOVOD d.o.o. | WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE; WASTE MANAGMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES | http://www.vodovod-zadar.hr |
| ALUFLEXPACK NOVI d.o.o. | MANUFACTURING | http://www.aluflexpack.com |
| TURISTHOTEL d.o.o. | ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE ACTIVITIES | http://www.turisthotel.com.hr |
| CROMARIS d.d. | BUSINESS ENTITY WITHOUT ACTIVITY IDENTIFICATION | http://www.cromaris.hr |
| DALMALAND d.o.o. | ARTS, SPORTS AND RECREATION | http://www.dalmaland.com |
| 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 | 6.302 |
| Basic Schools, Beginning of School Year | 13.275 |
| Upper Secondary Schools, Beginning of School Year | 6.684 |
| Students Enrolled on Professional and University Study, According to Place of Permanent Residence | 4.279 |
| Educational Sector | Number of Institutions | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and metallurgy | 6 | 870 |
| Economics, trade and business administration | 5 | 780 |
| Tourism and catering | 3 | 647 |
| Health and social work | 1 | 392 |
| Electrical engineering and computing | 2 | 390 |
| Agriculture, food and veterinary | 1 | 373 |
| Transport and logistics | 2 | 279 |
| Personal, security and other services | 2 | 265 |
| Graphic technology and audio-visual design | 1 | 181 |
| Construction and geodesy | 2 | 120 |
| Forestry, wood processing and wood processing | 2 | 74 |
| Textiles and leather | 1 | 46 |
| Geology, mining, petroleum and chemical technology | 1 | 43 |
| Name | Students who graduated from or completed university or professional study |
|---|---|
| University of Zadar | 1.044 |
| Activity | Number of Business Entities | Number of Persons Employed | Average Monthly Gross Earnings per Person in Paid Employment (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 220 | 1.949 | 1.476 |
| Mining and quarrying | 24 | 236 | 1.511 |
| Manufacturing | 581 | 3.878 | 1.470 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 46 | 360 | 2.071 |
| Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 59 | 1.488 | 1.496 |
| Construction | 1.300 | 4.481 | 1.292 |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 953 | 7.419 | 1.433 |
| Transportation and storage | 501 | 2.674 | 1.688 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 1.044 | 3.915 | 1.408 |
| Information and communication | 191 | 662 | 2.004 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 17 | 1.228 | 2.196 |
| Real estate activities | 546 | 400 | 1.389 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 756 | 1.829 | 1.747 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 723 | 2.016 | 1.354 |
| Public administration and defence, compulsory social security | 190 | 4.035 | 2.208 |
| Education | 166 | 5.248 | 2.012 |
| Human health and social work activities | 179 | 3.698 | 2.328 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1.039 | 1.123 | 1.638 |
| Other service activities | 1.620 | 589 | 1.337 |
| Rate | |
|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5,80% |
| Activity | Number |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 85 |
| Mining and quarrying | 6 |
| Manufacturing | 247 |
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 3 |
| Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 31 |
| Construction | 202 |
| Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 397 |
| Transportation and storage | 174 |
| Accommodation and food service activities | 579 |
| Information and communication | 42 |
| Financial and insurance activities | 30 |
| Real estate activities | 19 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | 113 |
| Administrative and support service activities | 163 |
| Public administration and defence, compulsory social security | 88 |
| Education | 173 |
| Human health and social work activities | 119 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 41 |
| Other service activities | 215 |
| Not classified | 421 |
| Total | 3.148 |
| Name | Contact | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Zadar County Development Agency ZADRA NOVA | zadra@zadra.hr | https://invest.zadra.hr/en/ |
| The institution for development of competence, innovation and specialisation of Zadar County INOVAcija | info@inovacija-zadar.hr | http://www.inovacija-zadar.hr/ |
| Agency for Rural Development of Zadar County AGRRA | ivica.pintur@agrra.hr | http://www.agrra.hr/ |
| Innovative Zadar Ltd. | info@inzad.hr | http://http/www.inzad.hr |
