How many nuclear shelters are in Croatia

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When global tensions escalate, the same questions arise about nuclear shelters and emergency preparedness in Europe.

While some countries, like Switzerland and Finland, have well-developed systems in place, Croatia lags behind in terms of shelter availability and upkeep.

According to recent data, Croatia has a total of 2,040 shelters with a capacity for 367,965 people.

This covers only about 9.5% of the country’s population, based on the 2021 census.

The capital, Zagreb, has the highest concentration of shelters, with 1,055 located in the city, making up more than half of the total.

In Croatia, most shelters were built during the Yugoslav era. However, since 2015, there has been no legal obligation to plan or construct new ones.

Many of the existing shelters are in poor condition, particularly outside of Zagreb, where maintenance has been largely neglected.

For comparison, Switzerland has a long-standing law ensuring every citizen has a spot in a nuclear shelter. With a population of around 9 million, the country has shelters for everyone. Finland also has a well-maintained system, with enough public shelters to protect more than 4.5 million of its 5.6 million residents.

Germany, with a population of approximately 84 million, has 579 bunkers, primarily from the Second World War and the Cold War era, capable of sheltering about 480,000 people.

Many of the UK’s bunkers have been decommissioned or repurposed since the Cold War. Some have been sealed, while others serve as museums or have been adapted for different uses. Specific numbers of operational shelters are not readily available.