This is 0.5 percent more than in 2004, when GDP grew by 3.8 percent, and more than preliminary projections which spoke about a 3.6 and 3.7 percent growth rate.
Expressed in current prices, Croatia's GDP in 2005 amounted to 229 billion kuna. The Finance Ministry said that GDP per capita rose from EUR 6,400 in 2004 to almost EUR 7,000 in 2005.
Statistics for different consumption categories show that capital investments rose the most in relation to 2004 - by 4.8 percent.
Personal consumption rose by 3.4 percent, continuing the trend of decreasing personal consumption (in 2004 personal consumption grew by 3.9 percent, in 2003 by 4.6 percent and in 2002 by 7.7 percent).
After a negative growth rate in 2004, last year's government spending rose by 0.8 percent, while the export of goods and services grew by 4.6 percent, faster than the import, which rose by 3.5 percent.
The Finance Ministry said that the 2.2 percent rise in export of goods and services made the biggest positive contribution to GDP growth.
Personal consumption made up 2.1 percent of GDP growth, government spending made up 0.2 percent and gross investments 1.4 percent.
The import of goods and services contributed negatively to GDP growth, with 2.2 percent, but the high growth of exports of goods and services neutralised its negative effects.
The export-import ratio grew from 83.6 percent to 84.4 percent.
The highest real increase of added value in 2005 was registered in the sectors of finance (6.6 %), transport (6.5%), industry (5.5%), hotel and restaurant management (5.1%), commerce (4.2%) and construction (2.2%).
The Ministry says that the high growth of retail trade, the export of goods and services that was higher than the import of goods and services, and lower unemployment indicate the continuation of accelerated economic activity.
If the high growth of industrial production of 6.6 percent in this year's first two months is added, a high GDP growth rate may be expected also in the first quarter of 2006, the Ministry said.