The tamburitza (tamburica; diminutive of tambura) is the most popular instrument in Croatian and Serbian folk music. It is a string instrument related to the mandolin of Italy, the bandura of the Ukraine and the balalaika of Russia. The name derives from Turkish. It is first documented in the 14th century, and is said to have first entered Bosnia before being introduced to Slavonia and Bačka.

The first major composer for the tamburitza was Pajo Kolarić , who formed the first amateur tamburitza orchestra in Osijek in 1847. Kolarić's student, Mijo Majer , formed the first tamburitzan choir led by a conductor, the "Hrvatska Lira" in 1882. These orchestras soon spread to what is now Bosnia, Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Croatian composers for the tamburitza include Siniša Leopold and Julije Njikoš . The instrument has long been a symbol of the Croatian identity, and is associated with nationalism. The first Croat to study his people's folk music was Franjo Saver Kuhač . He was followed by Vinko Žganec, an associate of Bela Bartok's, who collected more than 19,000 Croatian folk songs.