- Currency Local
- HRK
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: en.wikipedia.org, glashrvatske.hrt.hr
Good to know
Good to Know
- Zadar is ethnically homogenous with 94.85% ethnic Croats per 2021 census; small but legally recognized minorities (Serbs, Bosniaks, Albanians) have minority councils with representation rights.
- The tech and startup ecosystem in Zadar is growing with two dedicated business incubators and several notable AI, API, and blockchain-focused companies founded or operating in the city.
- Zadar's current foreign-born population data is not publicly disaggregated at the city level; national-level data suggests approximately 12.7% of Croatia's population is foreign-born, with major sources from former Yugoslav countries and Ukraine.
- Digital nomad visa eligibility introduced in Croatia 2020 (extended to 18 months as of 2024), supporting remote workers and tech professionals considering Zadar as a base.
- University of Zadar (reopened 2002, originally founded 1396) supports IT and tech education locally, contributing to startup talent pipeline.
Ethnic Composition
- Data Source
- 2021 Croatian Census
Breakdown
Croat
- Percentage
- 94.85
- Count
- 67134
Serb
- Percentage
- 1.94
- Count
- 1371
Albanian
- Percentage
- 0.09
- Count Estimate
- minority with historic presence in region
Bosniak
- Percentage
- 0.09
- Count Estimate
- minority with legal minority council representation
Italian
- Percentage
- 0.09
- Count
- 63
Slovene
- Percentage
- under 1
- Count Estimate
- minority with legal minority representation
Infrastructure
- Support Programs
- Government-led innovation programs, mentoring, networking events, subsidized office space for max 5-year incubation
Business Incubators
Incubator Novi Bokanjac
- Operator
- Inovativni Zadar d.o.o.
- Description
- First incubator in Zadar, 28 business units including 5 production spaces
Incubator Bili Brig
- Launched
- 2023
- Operator
- Inovativni Zadar d.o.o.
- Description
- Modern facility for IT sector and creative industries startups
Notable Zadar Based Startups
Revuto
- Sector
- AI-powered subscription management software
Treblle
- Sector
- API observability and monitoring for developers
Unifty.io
- Sector
- Decentralized NFT infrastructure platform
- Founded
- 2020
DeepIT D.o.o.
- Sector
- Custom web and mobile application development
- Presence
- Based in Zagreb and Zadar
Evolutio IT
- Sector
- Native iOS, Android, and Web applications
- Presence
- Office in Zadar with team of 30+ developers
Rentlio
- Sector
- Cloud-based vacation rental management software
Population
- City Proper 2021 Census
- 70779
- Metro Area Note
- City proper population per 2021 Croatian Census; administrative area includes surrounding settlements and islands totaling 194 km²
Currency Local
HRK
Foreign Born Percentage
- Croatia National 2021
- 13
- Croatia National 2025
- 12.7
- Note
- City-specific data unavailable; using national context
- Historic Note
- Zadar historically had large Italian-speaking community (66% in 1921), declined sharply by late 20th century
Major Origin Nationalities Nationwide
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Serbia
- Ukraine
- Germany
- Italy
Regional Context
Zadar part of broader Croatian startup ecosystem (268 startups, $6.17M funding as of 2025), with Zagreb as primary hub but increasing opportunities outside capital
Startup Ecosystem
Developing
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Zadar
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.