ities.[citation needed] The official and common language, Croatian, is a South Slavic language, using the Latin alphabet. According to the 2001 census, 96.1 per cent of the population speak Croatian as their first language.[6] [edit] Law Croatia has a three-tiered judicial system, consisting of the Supreme Court, county courts, and municipal courts. The Constitutional Court rules on matters regarding the Constitution. [edit] Economy Main article: Economy of Croatia Dubrovnik's Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and major tourist attraction The Croatian economy has a stable functioning market economy which is one of the most advanced of South-Eastern Europe. International Monetary Fund data shows that Croatian nominal GDP stood at US$50.053 billion, or US$11,271 per capita, in 2007.[1] The IMF forecast for 2008 is US$54.950 billion, or US$12,374 per capita.[1] In purchasing power parity terms, total GDP was US$69.866 billion in 2007, equivalent to US$15,733 per capita.[1] For 2008, it is forecast to be US$74.419 billion, or US$16,758 per capita.[1] According to Eurostat data, Croatian PPS GDP per capita stood at 53.4 per cent of the EU average in 2007, and is forecast to reach 54.1 per cent in 2008.[7] Real GDP growth in 2007 was 6.0 per cent.[8] The average gross salary in 2007 was 6,634 kuna per month.[9] In 2007, the International Labour Organization-defined unemployment rate stood at 9.1 per cent, after falling steadily from 14.7 percent in 2002.[10] The registered unemployment rate is higher, though, standing at 14.7 percent in December 2007.[11] In 2007, 7.2 percent of economic output was accounted for by agriculture, 32.8 percent by industry and 60.7 percent by the service sector.[6] According to 2004 data, 2.7 percent of the workforce were employed in agriculture, 32.8 percent by industry and 64.5 in services.[6] The industrial sector is dominated by shipbuilding, food processing and the chemical industry. Tourism is a notable source of income during the summer, with over 10 million foreign tourists in 2006 generating a revenue of €8 billion.[12] Croatia is ranked as the 18th most popular tourist destination in the world.[12] In 2006 Croatia exported goods to the value of USD$10.4 billion (FOB) (US$19.7 billion including service exports).[12] Of particular concern is the backlogged judiciary system, combined with inefficient public administration, especially issues of land ownership and corruption. Another main problem includes the large and growing national debt which has reached over 30 billion dollars.[citation needed] The country has been preparing for membership in the European Union, its most important trading partner. In February 2005, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU officially came into force. [edit] Education Rectorate building of the University of Zagreb Main article: Education in Croatia Primary education in Croatia starts at the age of six or seven and consists of eight grades. Secondary education is provided by gymnasiums and vocational schools. Croatia has seven universities, the University of Zagreb, University of Split, University of Rijeka, University of Osijek, University of Zadar, University of Dubrovnik and the University of Pula. The University of Zagreb was founded in 1669 and is therefore the oldest in Southeastern Europe. There are also polytechnic higher education institutions. [edit] Transport Croatian Railways headquarters in Zagreb Main article: Transport in Croatia Croatia has an extensive rail network, although due to historical circumstances, the Istria region is not accessible by train without passing through neighbouring Slovenia. Train services are operated by Croatian Railways (Croatian: Hrvatske željeznice). Major airports are located in in Zagreb, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, Rijeka (on the island of Krk), Osijek, Bol, Lošinj and Pula. Croatia Airlines is the national airline and flag carrier. An extensive system of ferries, operated by Jadrolinija, serves Croatia's many islands and links coastal cities. Ferry services are also available to Italy. [edit] Culture Main article: Culture of Croatia Arena, the Roman amphitheatre in Pula Croatian culture is the result of a thirteen century-long history which has seen the development of many cities and monuments. The country includes six World Heritage sites and eight national parks. Croatia is also the birthplace of a number of historical figures included among the notable people are three Nobel prize winners, and numerous inventors. Some of the world's first fountain pens came from Croatia. Croatia also has a place in the history of clothing as the origin of the necktie (kravata). The country has a long artistic, literary and musical tradition. Also of interest is the diverse nature of Croatian cuisine. [edit] Sport Main article: Sport in Croatia Sports popular in Croatia include association football, tennis, basketball, waterpolo and handball. The Croatian national football team finished third in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The country failed in its joint bid with Hungary to co-host the 2012 European Championships. Tennis player Goran Ivaniševic is one of the country's most recognisable sportsmen, and won the 2001 men's singles title at Wimbledon. The national basketball team finished third at the 1994 FIBA World Championship, second at the 1992 Summer Olympics and third at EuroBasket 1993 and 1995. [edit] See also Hvar Island Communications in Croatia Holidays in Croatia Military of Croatia Protected areas of Croatia Tourism in Croatia Transport in Croatia Sport in Croatia Croatian War of Independence List of Croatians Law enforcement in Croatia International rankings of Croatia Banovina of Croatia [edit] References ^ a b c d e f g h i World Economic Outlook Database. International Monetary Fund (October 2007). Retrieved on 2008-03-09. ^ Važniji datumi iz povijesti saborovanja. Hrvatski Sabor. Retrieved on 2008-04-23. ^ "Croatia marks Storm anniversary", BBC News, 2005-08-05. Retrieved on 2008-04-23.  ^ Croatia: Operation "Storm" - still no justice ten years on. Amnesty International (2005-08-04). Retrieved on 2008-04-23. ^ Milan Babic - Initial Indictment. ICTY. Retrieved on 2007-06-12. ^ a b c d e f Croatia. CIA World Factbook (2008-03-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-09. ^ GDP per capita in PPS. Eurostat. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. ^ Real GDP growth rate. Eurostat. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. ^ Statistical Information 2007. Republic of Croatia Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. ^ Unemployment rate – total. Eurostat. Retrieved on 2008-03-09. ^ Bulletin 134. Croatian National Bank (February 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-22. ^ a b c UNWTO World Tourism Barometer (October 2007). Retrieved on 2008-04-23. [edit] Further reading Branka Magaš. "Croatia Through History: The Making of a Modern European State" Saqi. November 2007, 680pp. Agicic et al., Povijest i zemljopis Hrvatske, prirucnik za hrvatske manjinske škole (History and Geography of Croatia, a handbook for Croatian minority schools), Biblioteka Geographica Croatica, 292 pages, Zagreb:2000 (ISBN 953-6235-40-4) (Croatian) Ivo Banac, The National Question in Yugoslavia: Origins, History, Politics Cornell University Press, 1984. Mirjana Kasapovic (ur.), Hrvatska politika 1990.-2000. Zagreb: Hrvatska politologija 2001. Pavol Demes and Joerg Forbrig (eds.), Reclaiming Democracy: Civil Society and Electoral Change in Central and Eastern Europe. German Marshall Fund, 2007. ISBN 978-80-969639-0-4 Sharon Fisher, Political Change in Post-Communist Slovakia and Croatia: From Nationalist to Europeanist. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006 ISBN 1 4039 7286 9 [edit] External links Croatia Portal Find more about Croatia on Wikipedia's sister projects: Dictionary definitions Textbooks Quotations Source texts Images and media News stories Learning resources About Croatia Croatian National Tourist Board Croatian Tourist Forum The Government of the Republic of Croatia Wikimedia Atlas of Croatia Croatia travel guide from Wikitravel Croatia at the Open Directory Project    Geographic locale v • d • e Countries of Europe Albania · Andorra · Armenia2 · Austria · Azerbaijan1 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus2 · Czech Republic · Denmark3 · Estonia · Finland · France1 · Georgia1 · Germany · Greece  · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy1 · Kazakhstan1 · Kosovo5 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macedonia4 · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands3 · Norway3 · Poland · Portugal3 · Romania · Russia1 · San Marino · Serbia · 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