ZAGREB, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The latest data released by Croatian Bureau of Statistics showed only 36,647 children were born in the country last year, the lowest in the last 100 years, daily newspaper Jutarnji list reported on Tuesday.

This is the first time the number fell below 37,000, which is almost twice less than in 1960 when 76,156 children were born.

The southeastern European country now has approximately 4.16 million citizens.

"There are two reasons for such tragic numbers. First is the inadequate population policy and the second is the growing emigration of the younger population," demographer Andjelko Akrap from Zagreb's Faculty of Economics and Business told Xinhua on Tuesday.

He warned that the economic system in Croatia could collapse because of the negative demographic trend.

"The government must do more than it is doing right now. Current measures are not enough. It has to create security for its citizens and such conditions for people that would keep them in the country," Akrap explained.

According to Croatian Bureau of Statistics, 36,436 Croatian citizens migrated from the country last year.

The state secretary for demography at the Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy, Marin Strmota, resigned on Tuesday in the middle of a news conference after Minister of Demography Nada Murganic presented new demographic measures that journalists regarded the same as the one that was presented three months ago.

"I, as a demographer, don't believe these measures are enough," the state secretary said and announced his resignation, to the surprise of the minister.