ZAGREB, 24 April (Hina) - About 44% of people in Croatia read at least one book in the past year, up from 37% a year earlier, according to a survey presented at the opening of the Night of Books at the National and University Library in Zagreb.

The figure returns reading levels to those seen in 2020–2021.

Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek welcomed the rise but said more work is needed to promote reading and literacy.

She highlighted continued investment across the book sector, including around €5.5 million for 33 projects within a €35 million programme for cultural and creative industries.

The survey shows women, higher-income and highly educated citizens read more, as do residents of Zagreb and regions like Istria, Croatian Littoral and Gorski Kotar.

Books are most often bought (46%) or borrowed from libraries (40%), while one in four citizens receive them as gifts. One in four citizens bought a book in the past three months, though overall sales remain flat.

Online book purchases rose from 20% to 26%, especially among under-45s, while reading online content continues to grow, now reaching 77%.

E-books are read by 9% of respondents but purchased by just 1%.

Fiction remains the most popular genre. Borrowing from friends is declining, while 10% of readers photocopy or download books. About 17% attend book promotions and 16% visit book fairs, with satisfaction with library services increasing.

The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,000 respondents in March.