Croatia has been ranked as having the cleanest coastal bathing waters in Europe, according to a new report from the European Commission and the European Environment Agency. Released on Tuesday, the report assesses the water quality across 27 EU member states plus Albania and Switzerland, highlighting Croatia’s pristine coastal environments.
The analysis, based on last year’s data, found that 99.1% of Croatia’s coastal sites—886 out of 894 tested—were rated as excellent in terms of water quality. This places Croatia at the forefront in Europe, followed closely by Greece, Cyprus, and Austria for the highest proportion of excellent-rated bathing waters.
Under the Bathing Water Directive, European waters are evaluated using microbiological data to classify them as poor, sufficient, good, or excellent. The report underscores a broader trend where coastal waters consistently show better quality compared to inland waters across Europe.
In Croatia, out of 936 sites tested in 2023, 905 (96.7%) received an excellent rating, 22 were deemed good, and five were sufficient. Notably, no sites were classified as poor. This record underscores Croatia’s commitment to maintaining high environmental standards along its extensive Adriatic coastline.
