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Croatia–Italy relations refer to the bilateral relationship between Croatia and Italy. Diplomatic relations among two countries were established on January 17, 1992 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia.
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Croatia has an embassy in Rome, general consulates in Milan and Trieste, and consulates in Bari, Florence, Naples, and Padua. Italy has an embassy in Zagreb, general consulate in Rijeka, Vice Consulate in Buje, Pula and Split, as well as Italian Cultural Institute and Foreign Trade Institute in Zagreb.
Both countries are full members of NATO and the European Union.
Population
There are around 19,500 people of Italian descent living in Croatia. There are also around 6,000 Molise Croats in Italy.
In addition, there are around 21,000 registered immigrant Croatian workers in Italy.
Historically, the Dalmatian Italians constituted a significant population of Dalmatia.
Economy
Italy is the most important Croatian foreign trade partner in which Croatia exports about 14% of its total annual merchandise.
History and relations today
Although, Croatia and Italy were enemies during WW2, today the realations between the 2 countries can be described as "very friendly", and both countries wish to improve their relations
Fishing
A problem arose with the fishing zones in the Adriatic sea. Italy denied the right of Croatia to proclaim its Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone before January 1, 2008, because that would have broken an earlier agreement with Italy and Slovenia. At the same time Italy, without breaking the agreement, has proclaimed its own zone.