Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosna i Hercegovina Босна и Херцеговина
Capital and largest city	Sarajevo
Official languages	Bosnian Croatian Serbian
Demonyms	Bosnian Herzegovinian
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
Legislature	Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Independence
• Independence declared	3 March 1992
• Dayton Agreement	14 December 1995
Area
• Total	51,209 km2 (19,772 sq mi)
Population
• 2013 census	3,531,159
Currency	Convertible mark (BAM)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	+387
ISO 3166 code	BA
Internet TLD	.ba

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Bosna i Hercegovina, Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in southeastern Europe. It occupies the western Balkans and borders Croatia to the north, west and southwest, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast. The country has a short coast on the Adriatic Sea around the town of Neum. Sarajevo is the capital and largest city.

Bosnia and Herzegovina covers 51,209 square kilometres. The 2013 census recorded 3,531,159 inhabitants. Most of the country is mountainous, with river valleys and forested uplands extending between the Dinaric Alps and the Sava basin. Bosnia occupies most of the northern and central territory, while Herzegovina forms the smaller southern region.

Geography

Bosnia and Herzegovina is largely covered by mountains, hills, forests and river valleys. The Dinaric Alps extend across the western, central and southern parts of the country. Maglić, near the border with Montenegro, is the highest mountain at 2,386 metres. Lower land is concentrated along the Sava in the north and in several river valleys through the interior.

The Sava forms much of the northern border with Croatia. Its principal tributaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina include the Una, Vrbas, Bosna and Drina. The Drina forms part of the eastern border with Serbia. The Neretva flows through Herzegovina and reaches the Adriatic coast in Croatia after passing through Mostar.

The central and northern regions have a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Higher mountain districts have shorter summers, regular snowfall and colder winters. Herzegovina has warmer and drier conditions, particularly in the lower Neretva valley and around Neum.

Sarajevo lies in a valley in the central part of the country. Other major cities include Banja Luka, Mostar, Tuzla, Zenica, Bijeljina, Bihać and Brčko. The country has a coastline of about 20 kilometres around Neum, separating two sections of the Croatian coast.

History

Illyrian communities inhabited the territory before Roman expansion during the final centuries BC. Most of the region became part of the Roman province of Dalmatia, while northern districts were administered through Pannonia. Roman roads and settlements connected the Adriatic coast with the Sava and Danube regions.

Slavic groups settled in the area during the sixth and seventh centuries. A Bosnian political territory developed during the medieval period and was ruled by bans before becoming a kingdom. Tvrtko I was crowned king in 1377. The medieval Bosnian state included much of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina and held territory along parts of the Adriatic coast.

Ottoman forces conquered the Bosnian kingdom in 1463 and completed their occupation of Herzegovina during the following decades. Bosnia became an Ottoman province with Sarajevo as an administrative and commercial centre. Towns including Sarajevo, Mostar, Travnik and Banja Luka expanded through trade, crafts and government activity. Islamic, Orthodox, Catholic and Jewish communities established religious and cultural institutions across the province.

Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878 following the Congress of Berlin. The territory remained formally under Ottoman sovereignty until Austria-Hungary annexed it in 1908. The administration constructed roads, railways, schools and government buildings while reorganizing taxation and provincial institutions.

On 28 June 1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo. The assassination led to the July Crisis. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July, beginning the main European conflict of the First World War.

After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918, Bosnia and Herzegovina became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The kingdom was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Its internal administrative divisions did not preserve Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single province during most of the interwar period.

Axis forces invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941. Bosnia and Herzegovina was placed within the Independent State of Croatia, while resistance movements operated throughout its mountains and rural districts. Partisan forces gained control of the territory before the end of the Second World War.

Bosnia and Herzegovina became one of the six constituent republics of socialist Yugoslavia in 1945. Sarajevo developed as an industrial, administrative and cultural centre. New factories, roads, housing districts and educational institutions were constructed across the republic. Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympic Games in February 1984.

Following the weakening of the Yugoslav federation, an independence referendum was held on 29 February and 1 March 1992. Independence was declared on 3 March. The Bosnian War began in April 1992 between Bosnian government forces, Bosnian Serb forces and Bosnian Croat forces. The war caused extensive destruction and displaced large parts of the population.

The Washington Agreement of 18 March 1994 ended the conflict between Bosniak and Bosnian Croat forces and established the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnian War ended through the Dayton Agreement, initialled on 21 November and signed on 14 December 1995. The agreement preserved Bosnia and Herzegovina as a single state consisting of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.

The Brčko District was established in 1999 as a self-governing administrative district under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Post-war reconstruction restored transport routes, housing, public services and industrial facilities throughout the country.

Government and administration

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a federal parliamentary republic. Its present constitutional system was established by the Dayton Agreement in 1995. The constitution defines the country as a democratic state consisting of two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. The Brčko District is a self-governing district belonging to both entities while remaining under the sovereignty of the state.

The collective Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina serves as the head of state. It has three members, consisting of one Bosniak, one Croat and one Serb. The Bosniak and Croat members are elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Serb member is elected from Republika Srpska.

The Council of Ministers performs the functions of the state government. It is led by a chairperson appointed by the Presidency and approved by the Parliamentary Assembly. State responsibilities include foreign affairs, foreign trade, customs, monetary policy, immigration, communications and inter-entity transport.

The Parliamentary Assembly is bicameral. It consists of the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples. The Constitutional Court rules on disputes between state institutions and reviews whether laws comply with the constitution.

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into ten cantons, each with its own government and assembly. Republika Srpska has a centralized entity government and is divided into cities and municipalities. Local government throughout the country is conducted through municipalities and officially designated cities.

Sarajevo is the national capital and the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Banja Luka is the administrative centre of Republika Srpska. Brčko is the seat of the Brčko District.

Economy and transport

The economy is based on services, manufacturing, trade, agriculture, energy, construction and tourism. Sarajevo is the principal administrative, financial and commercial centre. Banja Luka serves as the main commercial centre of northern and western Bosnia, while Tuzla, Zenica and Mostar have major industrial and regional functions.

Manufacturing includes metal products, machinery, vehicle components, furniture, timber products, chemicals, textiles, footwear and processed food. Zenica developed around iron and steel production, while Tuzla became a centre for mining, chemicals and energy. Forests support timber production and furniture manufacturing in several inland regions.

Agriculture is concentrated in the northern lowlands, river valleys and the warmer districts of Herzegovina. Farms produce maize, wheat, vegetables, plums, apples, grapes and livestock products. Vineyards and tobacco cultivation are established in Herzegovina.

Electricity is generated through hydroelectric and thermal power stations. Hydroelectric facilities operate along the Neretva, Drina, Vrbas and other rivers. Coalfields around Tuzla, Zenica, Kakanj, Gacko and Ugljevik support thermal power generation.

The main north–south transport corridor runs from the Sava through Doboj, Zenica, Sarajevo and Mostar toward the Adriatic coast. Railways follow the Bosna and Neretva valleys and connect inland industrial centres with the Croatian port of Ploče. Roads cross the borders with Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Sarajevo International Airport is the principal passenger airport. Banja Luka, Tuzla and Mostar also have airports. The Sava supports limited river freight in the north, while the port at Brčko provides access to the wider Danube river system.

Tourism is centred on Sarajevo, Mostar, the Adriatic coast at Neum, mountain resorts, rivers and historic towns. Winter tourism developed around Jahorina, Bjelašnica, Igman and Vlašić. Mostar is known for the Stari Most bridge and its historic centre.

Population and culture

The 2013 census recorded 3,531,159 inhabitants. Bosniaks accounted for 50.11 per cent of the population, Serbs for 30.78 per cent and Croats for 15.43 per cent. Roma, Jews, Montenegrins, Albanians and other communities also live in the country.

Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian are used by state institutions and public authorities. Bosnian and Croatian are normally written in the Latin alphabet. Serbian is written in both Cyrillic and Latin. Language use differs between entities, cantons and municipalities.

Islam, Serbian Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholicism are the principal religious traditions. Sarajevo contains mosques, Orthodox churches, Catholic churches and a historic synagogue. Religious buildings and institutions are also prominent in Mostar, Banja Luka, Travnik, Foča, Jajce and other towns.

The country's culture reflects medieval Bosnian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and South Slavic traditions. Historic architecture includes fortresses, monasteries, mosques, churches, bridges, markets and public buildings. Sarajevo and Mostar are the main cultural and tourism centres, while Banja Luka, Tuzla and Zenica support regional universities, theatres and museums.

The University of Sarajevo is the country's oldest and largest university. Other public universities operate in Banja Luka, Mostar, Tuzla, Zenica, Bihać and East Sarajevo. Football, basketball, handball, volleyball and winter sports are widely followed.

See also

• Balkans
• Southern Europe
• Adriatic Sea
• Yugoslavia
• Bosnian War
• Croatia
• Serbia
• Montenegro
• First World War
• Second World War