Croatia (Croatian Hrvatska), country in southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Formerly one of the six republics of Yugoslavia, Croatia declared its independence in 1991. Zagreb is the capital and largest city.

Croatia is located on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea, across from Italy. The nation is shaped like the letter V lying on its side. Inside the V, to the southeast, is the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina (often called Bosnia); Croatia’s northern border faces Slovenia and Hungary; to the east lies the northern part of Serbia and Montenegro.