Editing Croatia (section)

=== Military ===
{{Main|Armed Forces of Croatia}}
{{Multiple image
| caption_align     = center
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = MORH T. Brandt 4.jpg
| image2            = 2nd Mechanized Battalion "Pume".jpg
| caption1          = [[Croatian Air Force|Croatian]] [[Dassault Rafale]] fighter, 191 Squadron of the [[Croatian Air Force]].
| caption2          = [[2nd Mechanized Battalion (Croatia)|2nd Mechanized Battalion]] largest of two mechanized infantry battalions within the [[Guards Armoured Mechanized Brigade (Croatia)|Guards Armoured Mechanized Brigade (GOMBR)]] of the [[Croatian Army]].
}}

The Croatian Armed Forces (CAF) consist of the [[Croatian Air Force and Air Defence|Air Force]], [[Croatian Army|Army]], and [[Croatian Navy|Navy]] branches in addition to the Education and Training Command and Support Command. The CAF is headed by the [[General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia|General Staff]], which reports to the [[Ministry of Defence (Croatia)|defence minister]], who in turn reports to the president. According to the constitution, the president is the [[commander-in-chief]] of the armed forces. In case of immediate threat during wartime, he issues orders directly to the General Staff.<ref name="CAFstructure">{{cite web|url=http://www.osrh.hr/prikaz_en.asp?idi=100&kati=2|title=Chain of Command in the CAF|publisher=Croatian Ministry of Defence|access-date=2 July 2012}}</ref>

Following the 1991–95 war, defence spending and CAF size began a constant decline. {{As of|2019}}, military spending was an estimated 1.68% of the country's GDP, 67th globally.<ref>{{Cite CIA World Factbook|country=Croatia|access-date=23 January 2021}}</ref> In 2005 the budget fell below the NATO-required 2% of GDP, down from the record high of 11.1% in 1994.<ref name="sipri">{{cite web|url=http://milexdata.sipri.org/ |title=SIPRI Military Expenditure Database |publisher=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]] |access-date=9 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328072123/http://milexdata.sipri.org/ |archive-date=28 March 2010 }}</ref> Traditionally relying on conscripts, the CAF went through a period of reforms focused on downsizing, restructuring and [[professionalisation]] in the years before [[Accession of Croatia to NATO|accession to NATO]] in April 2009. According to a presidential decree issued in 2006, the CAF employed around 18,100 active duty military personnel, 3,000 civilians and 2,000 voluntary conscripts between 18 and 30 years old in peacetime.<ref name="CAFstructure"/>

Until 2008 military service was obligatory for men at age 18 and conscripts served six-month tours of duty, reduced in 2001 from the earlier scheme of nine months. Conscientious objectors could instead opt for eight months of civilian service.<ref name="vojnirokkraci">{{cite news |url=http://www.monitor.hr/clanci/vojni-rok-u-hrvatskoj-kraci-nego-drugdje-u-europi-i-nato-u/11191/ |title=Vojni rok u Hrvatskoj kraći, nego drugdje u Europi i NATO-u|first=Milan|last=Jelovac|date=23 January 2001|newspaper=Vjesnik|language=hr|access-date=9 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127065234/http://www.monitor.hr/clanci/vojni-rok-u-hrvatskoj-kraci-nego-drugdje-u-europi-i-nato-u/11191/|archive-date=27 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Compulsory conscription was abolished in January 2008,<ref name="CIA"/> but is set to be reintroduced in January 2025 with two months of active duty. The decision was influenced by the rising tensions in Europe and the region, following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nova |first=Redazione Agenzia |date=2024-08-16 |title=Croatia: the Minister of Defense announces that compulsory conscription will return into force from 2025 |url=https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/Croatia's-defense-minister-announces-that-compulsory-conscription-will-be-back-in-force-from-2025/ |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=Agenzia Nova |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-19 |title=Another European country to reintroduce compulsory military draft as tensions soar |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/croatia-military-draft-russia-conscription-b2598298.html |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>

{{As of|2019|5}}, the Croatian military had 72 members stationed in foreign countries as part of United Nations-led international peacekeeping forces.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hrvatska u najviše misija UN-a|url=https://www.nacional.hr/hrvatska-u-najvise-misija-un-a/|access-date=23 January 2021|website=NACIONAL.HR|date=28 June 2019 |language=hr}}</ref> {{As of|2019}}, 323 troops served the NATO-led [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]] force in Afghanistan. Another 156 served with [[Kosovo Force|KFOR]] in Kosovo.<ref>{{cite web|title=GODIŠNJE IZVJEŠĆE O OBRANI za 2019. – podnositeljica: Vlada Republike Hrvatske|url=http://sabor.hr/hr/godisnje-izvjesce-o-obrani-za-2019-podnositeljica-vlada-republike-hrvatske|access-date=23 January 2021|website=Hrvatski sabor|date=3 September 2020|language=hr|archive-date=18 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218171225/https://sabor.hr/hr/godisnje-izvjesce-o-obrani-za-2019-podnositeljica-vlada-republike-hrvatske|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=3 September 2020|title=Godišnje izvješće o obrani za 2019.|url=https://vlada.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/2016/Sjednice/2020/Rujan/7%20sjednicaVRH/7%20-%2010%20novo.docx|access-date=|website=|publisher=[[Government of Croatia|Vlada Republike Hrvatske]]|page=95|language=hr}}</ref>

Croatia has a [[military industry|military-industrial]] sector that exported around 493&nbsp;million kunas (€65,176&nbsp;million) worth of military equipment in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Izvješće obavijeno tajnom: Prošla je godina za hrvatsku vojnu industriju bila najlošija u proteklih pet, pa i više|url=https://www.poslovni.hr/hrvatska/trump-je-bio-otrovna-pilula-za-nas-izvoz-oruzja-oporaviti-bi-ga-mogla-korona-4234487|access-date=23 January 2021|website=|language=hr}}</ref> Croatian-made weapons and vehicles used by CAF include the standard sidearm [[HS2000]] manufactured by [[HS Produkt]] and the [[M-84D]] battle tank designed by the [[Đuro Đaković factory]]. Uniforms and helmets worn by CAF soldiers are locally produced and marketed to other countries.<ref name="vojna ind">{{cite news|last=Franičević|first=Mile|date=6 March 2011|title=Hrvatski izvoz oružja i opreme lani narastao na 650 milijuna kuna|language=hr|newspaper=Vjesnik|url=http://www.vjesnik.hr/Article.aspx?ID=12C86DFB-1818-459C-B8E6-687AFABF57A2|url-status=dead|access-date=9 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404120455/http://www.vjesnik.hr/Article.aspx?ID=12C86DFB-1818-459C-B8E6-687AFABF57A2|archive-date=4 April 2012}}</ref>

According to the 2024 [[Global Peace Index]], Croatia is the 15th most peaceful country in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GPI-2024-web.pdf|title=2024 Global Peace Index}}</ref>