Karlovac County

Karlovac County (Croatian: Karlovačka županija) is a county in central Croatia, with the administrative center in Karlovac. It borders Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia.

Karlovac County Karlovačka županija (Croatian)
County
Flag Coat of arms
Karlovac County within Croatia
Country	Croatia
County seat	Karlovac
Government
• Župan (Prefect)	Martina Furdek-Hajdin (HDZ)
Area [1]
• Total	3,626 km2 (1,400 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Total	112,195
• Density	31/km2 (80/sq mi)
Area code	047
ISO 3166 code	HR-04
HDI (2022)	0.850[3] very high · 12th
Website	http://www.kazup.hr/

The city of Karlovac is a fort from the times of the Military Frontier with the Ottoman Empire. It was built as a six-side star fort in the 16th century at the point of confluence of four rivers. The town blossomed in the 18th and 19th century after being made a free town, with the development of roads between Pannonian Basin to the Adriatic Sea, and waterways along the Kupa river. The city is making use of its crucial geostrategic point in Croatia.

The county itself extends towards the north to the water springs of Jamnica, and towards the south all the way down to the mountainous regions of Gorski Kotar and Lika, in particular to the Bjelolasica mountain which features the largest winter sport recreation center in the country.

County day is celebrated on the 25 April.^[4] Patron saint of the County is Saint Joseph, who is also patron of Karlovac.^[4]

Administrative division

Karlovac County is divided:

• City of Karlovac (county seat)
• City of Ogulin
• Town of Duga Resa
• Town of Ozalj
• Town of Slunj
• Municipality of Barilović
• Municipality of Bosiljevo
• Municipality of Cetingrad
• Municipality of Draganić
• Municipality of Generalski Stol
• Municipality of Josipdol
• Municipality of Kamanje
• Municipality of Krnjak
• Municipality of Lasinja
• Municipality of Netretić
• Municipality of Plaški
• Municipality of Rakovica
• Municipality of Ribnik
• Municipality of Saborsko
• Municipality of Tounj
• Municipality of Vojnić
• Municipality of Žakanje

Demographics

Population pyramid of Karlovac County per 2011 Census.

Historical populations of Karlovac County

Year Pop. ±% 1857 165,697 —     1869 175,170 +5.7% 1880 172,220 −1.7% 1890 188,904 +9.7% 1900 194,294 +2.9% 1910 197,959 +1.9% 1921 188,824 −4.6% 1931 213,633 +13.1% 1948 194,643 −8.9%	Year Pop. ±% 1953 201,748 +3.7% 1961 202,431 +0.3% 1971 195,096 −3.6% 1981 186,169 −4.6% 1991 184,577 −0.9% 2001 141,787 −23.2% 2011 128,899 −9.1% 2021 112,195 −13.0%
Source: Naselja i stanovništvo Republike Hrvatske 1857–2001, Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, 2005

As of the 2011 census, the county had 128,899 residents. The population density is 36 people per km².

Ethnic Croats form the majority with 86.1% of the population, followed by Serbs at 10.4%.^[5]

Karlovac County: Population trends 1857–2021

v

population	165697	175170	172220	188904	194294	197959	188824	213633	194643	201748	202431	195096	186169	184577	141787	128899	112596
	1857	1869	1880	1890	1900	1910	1921	1931	1948	1953	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021

Sources:Croatian Bureau of Statistics publications

County government

The current Prefect of Karlovac County is Martina Furdek-Hajdin (HDZ).^[6]

The county assembly is composed of 37 representatives from the following political parties:

Political party	Seats won	Government
Croatian Democratic Union	20 / 37	Government
Social Democratic Party of Croatia	8 / 37	Opposition
Homeland Movement	4 / 37	Opposition
We Can!	2 / 37	Opposition
Croatian Social Liberal Party	1 / 37	Government
New Left	1 / 37	Opposition

See also

• Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Gornji Karlovac
• Modruš-Rijeka County of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
• List of people from Karlovac County