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Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Bosnia and Herzegovina



 
 
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian Latin
Bosnian language

Bosnian , sometimes referred as Bosniak/Bosniac language , is a South Slavic languages native to the Bosniaks and all other citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who consider it to be their mother tongue....
, Croatian
Croatian language

Croatian language is a South Slavic languages which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in neighbouring countries where Croats are Indigenous peoples, in Italian region of Molise, and parts of the Croats diaspora....
, Serbian Latin
Serbian language

name=Serbian|nativename=|pronunciation=['sr?pski?]|familycolor=Indo-European|map=|states=See below under "Official status", besides that in Croatia and as an immigrant's language spread over Central Europe and Western Europe, as well as Northern America...
: Bosna i Hercegovina; Bosnian Cyrillic
Bosnian language

Bosnian , sometimes referred as Bosniak/Bosniac language , is a South Slavic languages native to the Bosniaks and all other citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who consider it to be their mother tongue....
, Serbian Cyrillic
Serbian language

name=Serbian|nativename=|pronunciation=['sr?pski?]|familycolor=Indo-European|map=|states=See below under "Official status", besides that in Croatia and as an immigrant's language spread over Central Europe and Western Europe, as well as Northern America...
: ????? ? ???????????) is a country on the Balkan
Balkans

The Balkans is the historical name of a geographic subregion of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia....
 peninsula of South Eastern Europe with an area of 51,129 square kilometres (19,741 sq mi). Bordered by Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
 to the north, west and south, Serbia
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 to the east, and Montenegro
Montenegro

Montenegro , Montenegrin language/Serbian language: ???? ????, Crna Gora , ) is a country located in Balkans. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south....
 to the south, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked
Landlocked

A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land. As of 2008, there are 44 landlocked countries in the world....
, except for 26 kilometres of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges....
 coastline, centered around the town of Neum
Neum

Neum is the only seaside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around it there is 24.5 km of coastline which is the only access of this country to the Adriatic Sea....
.






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Timeline

1083   Bosnia is conquered by Duklja.

1154   Bosnia becomes an autonomous duchy.

1189   Ban Kulin wrote "The Charter of Kulin", which become a symbolic "birth certificate" of Bosnian statehood.

1461   Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is founded by the Ottomans

1566   The first bridge crossing the Neretva river at Mostar (in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina) is completed by the Ottoman Empire. The white marble bridge is now known as ''Stari Most'' (or "Old Bridge").

1943   Second session of AVNOJ, the Anti-fascist council of national liberation of Yugoslavia, is held in Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina, determining the post-war ordering of the country.

1950   "Cazin uprising" in town of Cazin (Bosnia)against Communist and their agrar reforms

1965   A mining accident in Kakanji, Bosnia and Herzegovina, results in 128 deaths.

1992   Bosnian Serbs declare their own republic within Bosnia and Herzegovina, in protest of the decision by Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats to seek EC recognition.

1992   The Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (without the presence of Serbian political delegates) proclaims independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.







Encyclopedia


Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian Latin
Bosnian language

Bosnian , sometimes referred as Bosniak/Bosniac language , is a South Slavic languages native to the Bosniaks and all other citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who consider it to be their mother tongue....
, Croatian
Croatian language

Croatian language is a South Slavic languages which is used primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in neighbouring countries where Croats are Indigenous peoples, in Italian region of Molise, and parts of the Croats diaspora....
, Serbian Latin
Serbian language

name=Serbian|nativename=|pronunciation=['sr?pski?]|familycolor=Indo-European|map=|states=See below under "Official status", besides that in Croatia and as an immigrant's language spread over Central Europe and Western Europe, as well as Northern America...
: Bosna i Hercegovina; Bosnian Cyrillic
Bosnian language

Bosnian , sometimes referred as Bosniak/Bosniac language , is a South Slavic languages native to the Bosniaks and all other citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who consider it to be their mother tongue....
, Serbian Cyrillic
Serbian language

name=Serbian|nativename=|pronunciation=['sr?pski?]|familycolor=Indo-European|map=|states=See below under "Official status", besides that in Croatia and as an immigrant's language spread over Central Europe and Western Europe, as well as Northern America...
: ????? ? ???????????) is a country on the Balkan
Balkans

The Balkans is the historical name of a geographic subregion of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia....
 peninsula of South Eastern Europe with an area of 51,129 square kilometres (19,741 sq mi). Bordered by Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
 to the north, west and south, Serbia
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 to the east, and Montenegro
Montenegro

Montenegro , Montenegrin language/Serbian language: ???? ????, Crna Gora , ) is a country located in Balkans. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south....
 to the south, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked
Landlocked

A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land. As of 2008, there are 44 landlocked countries in the world....
, except for 26 kilometres of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges....
 coastline, centered around the town of Neum
Neum

Neum is the only seaside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around it there is 24.5 km of coastline which is the only access of this country to the Adriatic Sea....
. The interior of the country is mountainous in the center and south, hilly in the northwest, and flat in the northeast. Bosnia
Bosnia (region)

Historically and geographically, the region known as Bosnia lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders....
 is the largest geographic region of the modern state with a moderate continental climate
Continental climate

Continental climate is a climate that is characterized by winter temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of snow cover each year, and relatively moderate precipitation occurring mostly in summer, although east coast areas may show an even distribution of precipitation....
, marked by hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Smaller Herzegovina
Herzegovina

Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, comprising 11.419 sq km or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country....
 is at the southern tip of the country, with a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate

A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide....
 and topography. Bosnia and Herzegovina's natural resources are highly abundant.

The country is home to three ethnic "constituent peoples": Bosniaks
Bosniaks

group = BosniaksBo?njaci|image = ...
, the most numerous population group of Bosnia, with Serbs in second and Croats in third. Regardless of ethnicity, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina is often identified in English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 as a Bosnian
Bosnians

Bosnians are people who reside in, or come from, Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is also used as a nationality. By the modern state definition a Bosnian can be anyone who holds a citizenship in the state, this includes but is not limited to members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats....
. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the distinction between a Bosnian and a Herzegovinian
Herzegovina

Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, comprising 11.419 sq km or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country....
 is maintained as a regional, rather than an ethnic distinction. The country is politically decentralized and comprises two governing entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina ....
 and Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska

Republika Srpska is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina which represent a lower level of governance in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the other entity is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, with District Brcko as a de facto third entity.

Formerly one of the six federal units constituting the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and in Slovene language: Socialisticna Federativna Republika Jugoslavija The Slovene language name also uses this Gaj?s Latin alphabet version with a slight difference in spelling....
, Bosnia and Herzegovina gained its independence during the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars

The Yugoslav Wars were a series of violent conflicts in the territory of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that took place between 1991 and 2001....
 of the 1990s. Bosnia and Herzegovina can be described as a federal democratic republic
Federal republic

A federal republic is a federation of states with a republic form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain all sovereignty that they do not yield to the federation....
 that is transforming its economy into a market-oriented system, and it is a potential candidate
Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union

The accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union faces many economic and political problems today. The nation has recently been making slow but steady progress, including co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at The Hague....
 for membership in the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
 and NATO. Additionally, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a member of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is the oldest international organisation working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democracy development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation....
 since April 24, 2002 and a founding member of the Mediterranean Union upon its establishment on July 13, 2008.

History


Pre-Slavic Period (until 958)

Bosnia has been inhabited at least since the Neolithic
Neolithic

The Neolithic period was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 Before the Christian Era in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age....
 age. In the early Bronze Age
Bronze Age

The Bronze Age is, with respect to a given prehistory, the period in that society when the most advanced metalworking included smelting copper and tin from naturally-occurring outcroppings of copper and tin ores, creating a bronze alloy by melting those metals together, and casting them into bronze artifact s....
, the Neolithic population was replaced by more warlike Indo-European tribes known as the Illyres or Illyrians
Illyrians

Illyrians has come to refer to a broad, ill-defined "Indo-European languages" group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans and even possibly Messapia in Southern Italy ....
. Celtic migrations in the fourth century BC and third century BC displaced many Illyrian tribes from their former lands, but some Celtic and Illyrian tribes mixed. Concrete historical evidence for this period is scarce, but overall it appears that the region was populated by a number of different peoples speaking distinct languages. Conflict between the Illyrians and Romans
Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC....
 started in 229 BC, but Rome would not complete its annexation of the region until AD 9. In the Roman period, Latin-speaking settlers from all over the Roman empire
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
 settled among the Illyrians and Roman soldiers were encouraged to retire in the region.

The land originally was part of the Illyria up until the Roman occupation. Following the split of the Roman Empire between 337 and 395, Dalmatia and Pannonia became parts of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire refers to the western half of the Roman Empire, from its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, today widely known as the Byzantine Empire....
. Some claim that the region was conquered by the Ostrogoths in 455. It subsequently changed hands between the Alans
Alans

The Alans or Alani were a group among the Sarmatians people, Eurasian nomads of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language which derived from Scytho-Sarmatian language and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian language....
 and Huns
Huns

The Huns were a confederation of Central Asian Eurasian nomads or semi-nomads, who had established an empire in Eurasia. The Huns may have stimulated the Migration Period, a contributing factor in the collapse of the Roman Empire....
. By the sixth century, Emperor Justinian had reconquered the area for the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire

Byzantine Empire and Eastern Roman Empire are conventional names used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on its capital of Constantinople....
. The Slavs, a people from eastern Europe (now territory of Ukraine), were conquered by the Avars
Eurasian Avars

The 'Avars' were a highly organized and powerful Turkic confederation. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit retinue of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turkic peoples groups....
 in the sixth century.

Medieval Bosnia (958–1463)

Bosna
Modern knowledge of the political situation in the west Balkans during the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages

The Early Middle Ages is a period in the history of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 to 1000....
 is patchy and confusing. Upon their arrival, the Slavs brought with them a tribal social structure, which probably fell apart and gave way to Feudalism
Feudalism

Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period , in its most classic sense refers to a Middle Ages European political system composed of a set of reciprocal law and military obligations among the warrior nobility, revolving around the three key concepts of lords, vassals, and fiefs....
 only with Frankish
Franks

The Franks or Frankish people were a West Germanic ethnic group first identified in the 3rd century as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River....
 penetration into the region in the late ninth century. It was also around this time that the south Slavs were Christianized. Bosnia, due to its geographic position and terrain, was probably one of the last areas to go through this process, which presumably originated from the urban centers along the Dalmatia
Dalmatia

Dalmatia is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern Croatia and spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the Bay of Kotor in the southeast....
n coast. The principalities of Serbia
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 and Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
 split control of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the ninth and tenth century, but by the High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages

The High Middle Ages was the periodization of history of Europe in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
 political circumstance led to the area being contested between the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary

The Kingdom of Hungary , which existed from 1000 to 1918, and then from 1920 to 1946, was a considerable state in Central Europe....
 and the Byzantine Empire. Following another shift of power between the two in the early twelfth century, Bosnia found itself outside the control of both and emerged as an independent state under the rule of local bans
Ban (title)

Ban is a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century....
.

The first notable Bosnian monarch, Ban Kulin
Ban Kulin

Ban Kulin was a powerful List of rulers of Bosnia who ruled from 1180 to 1204 first as a vassal of the Byzantine Empire and then of the Kingdom of Hungary....
, presided over nearly three decades of peace and stability during which he strengthened the country's economy through treaties with Dubrovnik
Republic of Ragusa

The Republic of Ragusa, or Republic of Dubrovnik, was a maritime republic centred on the city of Dubrovnik, known also as Ragusa , in Dalmatia, from the 14th century Anno Domini until 1808....
 and Venice
Republic of Venice

The Most Serene Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice . It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century AD until the year 1797....
. His rule also marked the start of a controversy with the Bosnian Church
Bosnian Church

The Bosnian Church is historically thought to be an indigenous branch of the Bogomils that existed in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Middle Ages....
, an indigenous Christian sect considered heretical by both the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
 and Serbian Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
 churches. In response to Hungarian attempts to use church politics regarding the issue as a way to reclaim sovereignty over Bosnia, Kulin held a council of local church leaders to renounce the heresy and embraced Catholicism in 1203. Despite this, Hungarian ambitions remained unchanged long after Kulin's death in 1204, waning only after an unsuccessful invasion in 1254. Bosnian history from then until the early fourteenth century was marked by the power struggle between the Šubic
Šubic

The ?ubic were one of the twelve tribes which constituted Croatian statehood in the Middle Ages; they held the county of Bribir in inland Dalmatia....
 and Kotromanic
House of Kotromanic

The Kotromanic dynasty was a Bosnian ruling house that ruled in the regions of Bosnia and the surrounding lands from the 13th century as Ban until the crowning with the History of Bosnia and Herzegovina#Medieval Bosnia and Serbia crowns in 1377 and then as Kings until the Ottoman Empire conquest of Bosnia in 1463....
 families. This conflict came to an end in 1322, when Stjepan II Kotromanic became ban. By the time of his death in 1353, he was successful in annexing territories to the north and west, as well as Zahumlje and parts of Dalmatia. He was succeeded by his nephew Tvrtko who, following a prolonged struggle with nobility and inter-family strife, gained full control of the country in 1367. Tvrtko crowned himself on October 26, 1377 as Stefan Tvrtko I "by the mercy of God King of Serbs
Serbs

Serbs are a South Slavs people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia....
, Bosnia
Bosnia (region)

Historically and geographically, the region known as Bosnia lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders....
 and the Seaside and the Western Lands".

Historians considered that he was crowned in the Serbian Orthodox
Serbian Orthodox Church

The Serbian Orthodox Church or the Church of Serbia is one of the autocephalyEastern Orthodox Church organization, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Orthodox Church of Constantinople, Greek Church of Alexandria, Church of Antioch, Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, and Russian Orthodox Church....
 Mileševa monastery
Mileševa monastery

Mile?eva is a Serbian Orthodox monastery located near Prijepolje, in southwest Serbia. It was founded by King Stefan Vladislav I of Serbia, in the years between 1234 and 1236....
. Another possibility, advanced by P. Andelic and based on archeological evidence, is that he was crowned in Mile near Visoko
Visoko during the Middle Ages

Archaeology excavations proved that the Visoko Valley was the center of a medieval Bosnian state and later kingdom. Many royal charters were written in Visoko and surrounding locations....
 in the church which was built in time of Stephen II Kotromanic's reign, where he was also buried alongside his uncle Stjepan II. Following his death in 1391 however, Bosnia fell into a long period of decline. The Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
 had already started its conquest of Europe
Ottoman wars in Europe

The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts....
 and posed a major threat to the Balkans
Balkans

The Balkans is the historical name of a geographic subregion of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia....
 throughout the first half of the fifteenth century. Finally, after decades of political and social instability, Bosnia officially fell in 1463. Herzegovina would follow in 1482, with a Hungarian-backed reinstated "Bosnian Kingdom" being the last to succumb in 1527.

Ottoman Era (1463–1878)

The Ottoman conquest of Bosnia marked a new era in the country's history and introduced drastic changes in the political and cultural landscape of the region. Although the kingdom had been crushed and its high nobility executed, the Ottomans nonetheless allowed for the preservation of Bosnia's identity by incorporating it as an integral province of the Ottoman Empire with its historical name and territorial integrity — a unique case among subjugated states in the Balkans. Within this sandžak (and eventual vilayet) of Bosnia, the Ottomans introduced a number of key changes in the territory's socio-political administration; including a new landholding system, a reorganization of administrative units, and a complex system of social differentiation by class and religious affiliation.

Ottomanbosnia
The four centuries of Ottoman rule also had a drastic impact on Bosnia's population make-up, which changed several times as a result of the empire's conquests, frequent wars with European powers, migrations, and epidemics. A native Slavic-speaking Muslim community emerged and eventually became the largest of the ethno-religious groups (mainly as a result of a gradually rising number of conversions to Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
), while a significant number of Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews

Sephardi Jews are a subgroup of Jews originating in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, usually defined in contrast to Ashkenazi or Mizrahi Jews....
 arrived following their expulsion
Spanish Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition was an ecclesiastical tribunal established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile....
 from Spain in the late fifteenth century. The Bosnian Christian communities also experienced major changes. The Bosnian Franciscans (and the Catholic
Catholicism

Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its Theology and doctrines, its Catholic liturgy, Ethics, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
 population as a whole) were protected by official imperial decree. The Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
 community in Bosnia, initially confined to Herzegovina and Podrinje, spread throughout the country during this period and went on to experience relative prosperity until the nineteenth century. Meanwhile, the schismatic Bosnian Church disappeared altogether.

As the Ottoman Empire thrived and expanded into Central Europe, Bosnia was relieved of the pressures of being a frontier province and experienced a prolonged period of general welfare and prosperity. A number of cities, such as Sarajevo and Mostar
Mostar

Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, were established and grew into major regional centers of trade and urban culture. Within these cities, various Sultans and governors financed the construction of many important works of Bosnian architecture (such as the Stari most
Stari most

Stari Most is a 16th century bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects two parts of the city....
 and Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque
Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque

The Gazi Husrev-Beg Mosque , often referred to as the Beg's Mosque, is a mosque in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is considered the most important Islamic structures in the country and one of the world's finest examples of Culture of the Ottoman Empire....
). Furthermore, numerous Bosnians played influential roles in the Ottoman Empire's cultural and political history during this time. Bosnian soldiers formed a large component of the Ottoman ranks in the battles of Mohács
Battle of Mohács

The Battle of Moh?cs was fought on August 29, 1526 near Moh?cs, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King of Hungary Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent....
 and Krbava field
Battle of Krbava field

The Battle of Krbava field , was fought between the Croatia in the union with Hungary and Ottoman Empire forces on September 9, 1493 in southern Croatia....
, two decisive military victories, while numerous other Bosnians rose through the ranks of the Ottoman military bureaucracy to occupy the highest positions of power in the Empire, including admirals, generals, and grand viziers. Many Bosnians also made a lasting impression on Ottoman culture, emerging as mystics, scholars, and celebrated poets in the Turkish, Arabic, and Persian languages.

However, by the late seventeenth century the Empire's military misfortunes caught up with the country, and the conclusion of the Great Turkish War
Great Turkish War

The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century....
 with the treaty of Karlowitz
Treaty of Karlowitz

The Treaty of Karlowitz was signed on January 26, 1699 in Sremski Karlovci , a town in modern-day Serbia, concluding the Great Turkish War of 1683–1697 in which the Ottoman side had finally been defeated at the Battle of Zenta....
 in 1699 once again made Bosnia the Empire's westernmost province. The following hundred years were marked by further military failures, numerous revolts within Bosnia, and several outbursts of plague. The Porte's efforts at modernizing
Ottoman military reform efforts

When Selim III came to the throne in 1789, an ambitious effort of military reform was launched, geared towards securing the Ottoman Empire. The sultan and those who surrounded him were conservative and desired to preserve the status quo....
 the Ottoman state were met with great hostility in Bosnia, where local aristocrats stood to lose much through the proposed reforms. This, combined with frustrations over political concessions to nascent Christian states in the east, culminated in a famous (albeit ultimately unsuccessful) revolt by Husein Gradašcevic
Husein Gradašcevic

Husein-kapetan Grada?cevic was a Bosniaks general who fought for Bosnia n autonomy in the Ottoman Empire. He is often referred to as "Zmaj od Bosne", meaning "Dragon of Bosnia"....
 in 1831. Related rebellions would be extinguished by 1850, but the situation continued to deteriorate. Later agrarian unrest eventually sparked the Herzegovinian rebellion
Herzegovinian rebellion

The Herzegovinian Rebellion of 1875 is the most significant of the rebellions against the Ottoman Empire in Herzegovina. The uprising was precipitated by the harsh treatment of the mostly Catholic and Orthodox population under the Bosnia beys and aghas of the Ottoman province of Bosnia Province, Ottoman Empire....
, a widespread peasant uprising, in 1875. The conflict rapidly spread and came to involve several Balkan states and Great Powers, which eventually forced the Ottomans to cede administration of the country to Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Kaiserlich und k?niglich Monarchy was a state in Central Europe ruled by the House of Habsburg, constitutionally a personal union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary....
 through the treaty of Berlin in 1878.

Austro-Hungarian Rule (1878–1918)

Austria Hungary 1911
Though an Austro-Hungarian side quickly came to an agreement with Bosniaks although tensions remained in certain parts of the country (particularly Herzegovina) and a mass emigration of predominantly Slavic dissidents occurred. Some think that it was a planned Austro-Hungarian takeover of the land called Herzegovina because many Croats from Croatia were settled there. However, a state of relative stability was reached soon enough and Austro-Hungarian authorities were able to embark on a number of social and administrative reforms which intended to make Bosnia and Herzegovina into a "model colony
Colony

In politics and in history, a colony is a Territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies....
". With the aim of establishing the province as a stable political model that would help dissipate rising South Slav nationalism
Nationalism

Nationalism refers to an ideology, a feeling, a form of culture, or a social movement that focuses on the nation. While there is significant debate over the historical origins of nations, nearly all Expert accept that nationalism, at least as an ideology and social movement, is a Modernity phenomenon originating in Europe....
, Habsburg rule did much to codify laws, to introduce new political practices, and generally to provide for modernisation. The Austro-Hungarian Empire built the three Roman Catholic churches in Sarajevo and these three churches are among the only 20 Catholic churches in the state of Bosnia. Although successful economically, Austro-Hungarian policy - which focused on advocating the ideal of a pluralist and multi-confessional Bosnian nation
Nation

A nation is a cultural and social community. In as much as most members never meet each other, yet feel a common bond, it may be considered an imagined community....
 (largely favored by the Muslims) - failed to curb the rising tides of nationalism. The concept of Croat and Serb nationhood had already spread to Bosnia and Herzegovina's Catholics and Orthodox communities from neighboring Croatia and Serbia in the mid nineteenth century, and was too well-entrenched to allow for the widespread acceptance of a parallel idea of Bosnian nationhood. By the latter half of the 1910s, nationalism was an integral factor of Bosnian politics, with national political parties corresponding to the three groups dominating elections. The idea of a unified South Slavic state
Yugoslavia

File:LocationYugoslavia2.pngYugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century....
 (typically expected to be spear-headed by independent Serbia) became a popular political ideology in the region at this time, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Austro-Hungarian government's decision to formally annex Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 (see Bosnian Crisis
Bosnian crisis

The Bosnian Crisis of 1908-1909, also known as the Annexation crisis, erupted into public view when on October 5, 1908, Bulgaria declared its independence and on October 6, 1908, Austria-Hungary announced the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
) added to a sense of urgency among these nationalists. Russia opposed this annexation. Eventually Russia recognised Austro-Hungary's sovereignty over Bosnia in return for Austria-Hungary's promise that it would recognise Russia's right to the Dardanelles
Dardanelles

.The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara....
 Straits in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
. Unlike Russia, Austro-Hungary did not keep their side of the bargain and did nothing to encourage Russia's recognition of the straights. The political tensions caused by all this culminated on June 28, 1914, when Serb nationalist youth Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip

Gavrilo Princip was a Yugoslav nationalist associated with the freedom movement Young Bosnia. Princip Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914....
 assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria

Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Austria and Royal Prince of Hungary and Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austria-Hungary throne....
, in Sarajevo; an event that proved to be the spark that set off World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
. Although some Bosnians died serving in the armies of the various warring states, Bosnia and Herzegovina itself managed to escape the conflict relatively unscathed.

The First Yugoslavia (1918–1941)

Tijentistesutjeska
Following the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the South Slav kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a monarchy stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918?1941....
 (soon renamed Yugoslavia). Political life in Bosnia at this time was marked by two major trends: social and economic unrest over property redistribution, and formation of several political parties that frequently changed coalitions and alliances with parties in other Yugoslav regions. The dominant ideological conflict of the Yugoslav state, between Croatian regionalism and Serbian centralization, was approached differently by Bosnia's major ethnic groups and was dependent on the overall political atmosphere. Even though there were over three million Bosnians in Yugoslavia, outnumbering Slovenes and Montenegrins combined, Bosnian nationhood was denied by the new Kingdom. Although the initial split of the country into 33 oblast
Oblast

Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic peoples countries and in some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"....
s erased the presence of traditional geographic entities from the map, the efforts of Bosnian politicians such as Mehmed Spaho
Mehmed Spaho

Mehmed Spaho was a prominent and influential Bosniak political figure.Spaho received his primary and secondary education in Sarajevo before he studied law in Vienna....
 ensured that the six oblasts carved up from Bosnia and Herzegovina corresponded to the six sanjaks from Ottoman times and, thus, matched the country's traditional boundary as a whole.

The establishment of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929, however, brought the redrawing of administrative regions into banates
Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a monarchy stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918?1941....
 that purposely avoided all historical and ethnic lines, removing any trace of a Bosnian entity. Serbo-Croat tensions over the structuring of the Yugoslav state continued, with the concept of a separate Bosnian division receiving little or no consideration. The famous Cvetkovic-Macek Agreement
Cvetkovic-Macek Agreement

The Cvetkovic-Macek Agreement was a political agreement on the internal divisions in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which was settled on August 26, 1939 by Yugoslav prime minister Dragi?a Cvetkovic and Vladko Macek, a Croat politician....
 agreement that created the Croatian banate in 1939 encouraged what was essentially a partition of Bosnia between Croatia and Serbia. However, outside political circumstances forced Yugoslav politicians to shift their attention to the rising threat posed by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born Germany politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party....
's Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the colloquial English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party , which established a Totalitarianism dictatorship that existed from 1933 to 1945....
. Following a period that saw attempts at appeasement
Appeasement

Appeasement is "the policy of settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and compromise, thereby avoiding the resort to an armed conflict which would be expensive, bloody, and possibly dangerous." The term is most often applied to the foreign policy of United Kingdom Prime Minister of t...
, the signing of the Tripartite Treaty, and a coup d'état
Coup d'état

A coup d??tat , often simply called a coup, is the sudden unconstitutional overthrow of a government by a part of the state establishment – usually the military – to replace the branch of the stricken government, either with another civil government or with a military government....
, Yugoslavia was finally invaded by Germany on April 6, 1941.

World War II (1941–1945)

Once the kingdom of Yugoslavia was conquered by Nazi forces in World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, all of Bosnia was ceded to the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia

The Independent State of Croatia was a puppet state of Nazi Germany. It was established on April 10, 1941, after the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was attacked by the Axis forces....
. The Nazi rule over Bosnia led to widespread persecution of Jewish, Serbian and Gypsy civilians. The Jewish population was nearly exterminated and roughly at least 200,000 Serbs died as a result of genocide perpetrated by the Germans and Croatian Ustasha. Many Serbs in the area took up arms and joined the Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)

The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans, were a communist-led World War II resistance movement engaged in the fight against Axis forces and their Collaboration during World War II in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Yugoslav People's Liberation War from 1941 to 1945....
 and Chetniks
Chetniks

The Chetnik movement or the Chetniks were a Serbs-nationalist/Monarchism paramilitary organization operating in the Balkans before and during World Wars....
; a nationalist and royalist resistance movement that conducted guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare

Guerrilla warfare is the Irregular warfare warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile Military tactics to combat a larger and less mobile formal army....
 against both the fascist Ustashe and the communist Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)

The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans, were a communist-led World War II resistance movement engaged in the fight against Axis forces and their Collaboration during World War II in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Yugoslav People's Liberation War from 1941 to 1945....
. The Chetniks received initial support from the UK and USA. Most Chetniks were Serbs and Montenegrins
Montenegrins

group=Montenegrins|pop=800,000|region1=|pop1=267,669 198,414 |ref1=|region2=|pop2=69,049 ca. 200,000 |ref2=|region3=|pop3=30,000:...
, although the army also included some Slovenes, Croats
Croats

Croats are a South Slavs nation mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 5 million Croats living in the southern Central Europe region, along the east bank of the Adriatic Sea and an estimated 9 million throughout the world....
, and Muslims by nationality
Muslims by nationality

Muslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims....
.

Starting in 1941, Yugoslav communists under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito

Josip Broz Tito, original name Josip Broz was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980. During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the People's Liberation Movement led by Yugoslav Partisans....
 organized their own multi-ethnic resistance group, the Partisans, who fought against both Axis and Chetnik forces. On November 25, 1943 the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia with Tito at its helm held a founding conference in Jajce
Jajce

Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity....
 where Bosnia and Herzegovina was reestablished as a republic within the Yugoslavian federation in its Habsburg borders. Military success eventually prompted the Allies
Allies of World War II

The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers of World War II during the World War II. Within the ranks of the Allies powers, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America were known as "The Big Three"....
 to support the Partisans, but Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito

Josip Broz Tito, original name Josip Broz was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980. During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the People's Liberation Movement led by Yugoslav Partisans....
 declined their offer to help and relied on his own forces instead. All the major military offensives by the antifascist movement of Yugoslavia against Nazis and their local supporters were conducted in Bosnia-Herzegovina and its peoples bore the brunt of fighting. Eventually the end of the war resulted in the establishment of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and in Slovene language: Socialisticna Federativna Republika Jugoslavija The Slovene language name also uses this Gaj?s Latin alphabet version with a slight difference in spelling....
, with the constitution of 1946
Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Constitution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the supreme law of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its predecessor, the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia ....
 officially making Bosnia and Herzegovina one of six constituent republics in the new state.

Socialist Yugoslavia (1945–1992)

Because of its central geographic position within the Yugoslavian federation, post-war Bosnia was strategically selected as a base for the development of the military defense industry. This contributed to a large concentration of arms and military personnel in Bosnia; a significant factor in the war
Bosnian War

The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly known as the Bosnian War, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995....
 that followed the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. However, Bosnia's existence within Yugoslavia, for the large part, was peaceful and prosperous. Though considered a political backwater of the federation for much of the 50s and 60s, the 70s saw the ascension of a strong Bosnian political elite fueled in part by Tito's leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement

The Non-Aligned Movement is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc....
 and Bosniacs serving in Yugoslavia's diplomatic corps. While working within the communist
Communism

Communism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarianism, classlessness, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general....
 system, politicians such as Džemal Bijedic
Džemal Bijedic

D?emal Bijedic was a Yugoslavia League of Communists of Yugoslavia politician from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the prime minister of Yugoslavia from 1971 until his death....
, Branko Mikulic
Branko Mikulic

Branko Mikulic was a communist politician and statesman in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Mikulic was one of the leading communist politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the communist rule in the former Yugoslavia....
 and Hamdija Pozderac
Hamdija Pozderac

Hamdija Pozderac was a Bosnians politician and the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1971 - 1974. He was also a vice president of the former Yugoslavia in late 1980s, and was in line to become the president of Yugoslavia just before he was forced to resign from politics in 1987....
 reinforced and protected the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina Their efforts proved key during the turbulent period following Tito's death in 1980, and are today considered some of the early steps towards Bosnian independence. However, the republic hardly escaped the increasingly nationalistic climate of the time unscathed. With the fall of communism and the start of the break-up of Yugoslavia, the old communist doctrine of tolerance began to lose its potency, creating an opportunity for nationalist elements in the society to spread their influence.

The Bosnian War (1992-1995)

The 1990 parliamentary elections led to a national assembly dominated by three ethnically-based parties, which had formed a loose coalition to oust the communists from power. Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
 and Slovenia
Slovenia

Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north....
's subsequent declarations of independence and the warfare that ensued placed Bosnia and Herzegovina and its three constituent peoples in an awkward position. A significant split soon developed on the issue of whether to stay with the Yugoslav federation (overwhelmingly favored among Serbs) or seek independence (overwhelmingly favored among Bosniaks and Croats). The Serb members of parliament, consisting mainly of the Serb Democratic Party members, abandoned the central parliament in Sarajevo, and formed the Assembly of the Serb People of Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 24, 1991, which marked the end of the tri-ethnic coalition that governed after the elections in 1990. This Assembly established the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 9, 1992, which became Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska

Republika Srpska is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina which represent a lower level of governance in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the other entity is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 in August 1992. On November 18, 1991, the party branch in Bosnia and Herzegovina of the ruling party in the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Democratic Union
Croatian Democratic Union

The Croatian Democratic Union is the main center-right political party in Croatia. The Christian democrat HDZ ruled Croatia from 1990 to 1999 and, in partial coalition, since 2003....
 (HDZ), proclaimed the existence of the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia, as a separate "political, cultural, economic and territorial whole," on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Croat Defence Council (HVO) as its military part. The Bosnian government did not recognize it. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared Herzeg-Bosnia illegal, first on September 14, 1992 and again on January 20, 1994.

A declaration of Bosnia and Herzegovina sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a referendum for independence from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia

File:LocationYugoslavia2.pngYugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century....
 in February and March 1992 boycotted by the great majority of the Serbs. The turnout in the independence referendum was 63.7% and 99.4% voted for independence. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence shortly afterwards. Following a tense period of escalating tensions and sporadic military incidents, open warfare began in Sarajevo on April 6.
Evstafiev Sarajevo Building Burns
Secret discussions between Franjo Tudman
Franjo Tudman

Franjo Tudman was the first president of Croatia in the 1990s.Tudman's nationalism political party HDZ won the first post-communist multi-party elections in 1990 and he became the president of the country....
 and Slobodan Miloševic
Slobodan Miloševic

Slobodan Milo?evic, whose last/family name sometimes is transliteration as Miloshevich was President of Serbia and of President of Yugoslavia....
 on the division of Bosnia and Herzegovina between Serbia
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 and Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
 were held as early as March 1991 known as Karadordevo agreement. Following the declaration of independence
Independence

Independence is the self-government of a nation, country, or state by its residents and population, or some portion thereof, generally exercising sovereignty....
 of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbs attacked different parts of the country. The state administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina effectively ceased to function having lost control over the entire territory. The Serbs wanted all lands where Serbs had a majority, eastern and western Bosnia. The Croats and their leader Franjo Tudman
Franjo Tudman

Franjo Tudman was the first president of Croatia in the 1990s.Tudman's nationalism political party HDZ won the first post-communist multi-party elections in 1990 and he became the president of the country....
 also aimed at securing parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina as Croatian. The policies of the Republic of Croatia and its leader Franjo Tudman towards Bosnia and Herzegovina were never totally transparent and always included Franjo Tudman’s ultimate aim of expanding Croatia’s borders. Bosnian Muslims, the only ethnic group loyal to the Bosnian government, were an easy target, because the Bosnian government forces were poorly equipped and unprepared for the war.

International recognition of Bosnia and Herzegovina increased diplomatic pressure for the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army

The Yugoslav People's Army was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The JNA enjoyed an international reputation as a powerful, well-equipped, and well trained force....
 (JNA) to withdraw from the republic's territory which they officially did. However, in fact, the Bosnian Serb members of JNA simply changed insignia, formed the Army of Republika Srpska
Army of Republika Srpska

The Army of the Republika Srpska also referred to as Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of today's Republika Srpska which was then "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina", a self pro-claimed state within the internationally recognized territory of the sovereign Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, and continued fighting. Armed and equipped from JNA stockpiles in Bosnia, supported by volunteers and various paramilitary forces from Serbia, and receiving extensive humanitarian, logistical and financial support from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY was a federal state consisting of the republics of Republic of Serbia and Republic of Montenegro from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , created after the other four republics broke away from Yugoslavia amid rising ethnic tensions....
, Republika Srpska's offensives in 1992 managed to place much of the country under its control.

Initially, the Serb forces attacked the non-Serb civilian population in Eastern Bosnia. Once town
Town

A town is a type of human settlement ranging from a few to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition....
s and villages were securely in their hands, the Serb forces - military, police, the paramilitaries and, sometimes, even Serb villagers – applied the same pattern: Bosniak houses and apartments were systematically ransacked or burnt down, Bosniak civilians were rounded up or captured, and sometimes beaten or killed in the process. 2.2 million refugees were displaced by the end of the war. Men and women were separated, with many of the men detained in the camps. The women were kept in various detention centres where they had to live in intolerably unhygienic conditions, where they were mistreated in many ways including being raped repeatedly. Serb soldiers or policemen would come to these detention centres, select one or more women, take them out and rape them.

In June 1992 the focus switched to Novi Travnik
Novi Travnik

Novi Travnik is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of Travnik on the road to Bugojno. It is under the administration of the Central Bosnia Canton and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 and Gornji Vakuf
Gornji Vakuf

Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located between Bugojno, Prozor, Kupres, Novi Travnik and Konjic....
 where the Croat Defence Council (HVO) efforts to gain control were resisted. On June 18, 1992 the Bosnian Territorial Defence in Novi Travnik received an ultimatum
Ultimatum

An ultimatum is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a coercion to be followed through in case of noncompliance....
 from the HVO which included demands to abolish existing Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions, establish the authority of the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia and pledge allegiance to it, subordinate the Territorial Defense to the HVO and expel Muslim refugees, all within 24 hours. The attack was launched on June 19. The elementary school and the Post Office were attacked and damaged. Gornji Vakuf was initially attacked by Croats on June 20, 1992, but the attack failed. The Graz agreement
Graz agreement

The Graz agreement was a military pact signed between Serb and Croat leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina Radovan Karad?ic and Mate Boban on April 27, 1992 in the town of Graz, Austria ment to strengthen earlier Karadordevo meeting between Croatian Franjo Tudman and Serbian Slobodan Milo?evic from March 1991....
 caused deep division inside the Croat community and strengthened the separation group, which led to the conflict with Bosniaks. One of the primary pro-union Croat leaders, Blaž Kraljevic
Blaž Kraljevic

Bla? Kraljevic was a Bosnian Croat paramilitary leader during the first few months of the Bosnian War who commanded the Croatian Defence Forces ....
 (leader of the HOS
Croatian Defence Forces

The Croatian Defence Forces was the military arm of the Croatian Party of Rights from 1991 to 1992 during the first stages of the Yugoslav wars in Croatia....
 armed group) was killed by HVO soldiers in August 1992, which severely weakened the moderate group who hoped to keep the Bosnian Croat alliance alive. The situation became more serious in October 1992 when Croat forces attacked Bosniak civilian population in Prozor burning their homes and killing civilians. According to Jadranko Prlic
Jadranko Prlic

Jadranko Prlic is a Bosnian-Croat politician who is among six defendants charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia,...
 indictment
, HVO forces cleansed most of the Muslims from the town of Prozor and several surrounding villages.

By 1993, when an armed conflict erupted between the predominantly Bosniak government in Sarajevo and the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, about 70% of the country was controlled by Republika Srpska. Ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing

Ethnic cleansing is a euphemism referring to the persecution through imprisonment, expulsion, or killing of members of an ethnic minority by a majority to achieve ethnic homogeneity in majority-controlled territory....
 and civil rights violations against non-Serbs were rampant in these areas. DNA teams are still digging through the mass graves which were left as a result of the campaign. One single most prominent example is the Srebrenica Massacre
Srebrenica massacre

The Srebrenica Massacre, also known as the Srebrenica Genocide, was the July 1995 killing of an estimated 8,000 Bosniaks men and boys in the area of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska command responsibility of Ratko Mladic during the Bosnian War....
, ruled genocide
Genocide

Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group.While precise genocide definitions, a legal definition is found in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide ....
 by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a body of the United Nations establis...
.

In March 1994, the signing of the Washington Accords between the leaders of the republican government and Herzeg-Bosnia led to the creation of a joint Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina ....
, which absorbed the territory of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia and that held by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was a military force of the Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following the outbreak of the Bosnian War....
. The Federation soon conquered the small Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.
Bosniapeacesigning
A NATO bombing campaign began in August, 1995, against the Army of Republika Srpska, after the Srebrenica massacre
Srebrenica massacre

The Srebrenica Massacre, also known as the Srebrenica Genocide, was the July 1995 killing of an estimated 8,000 Bosniaks men and boys in the area of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska command responsibility of Ratko Mladic during the Bosnian War....
. In December 1995, the signing of the Dayton Agreement
Dayton Agreement

The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, Dayton Accords, Paris Protocol or Dayton-Paris Agreement, is the peace agreement reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio in November 1995, and formally signed in Paris on December 14, 1995....
 in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio

Dayton is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 166,179 at the United States Census, 2000....
 by the presidents of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Alija Izetbegovic
Alija Izetbegovic

Alija Izetbegovic was a Bosniaks activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
), Croatia (Franjo Tudman
Franjo Tudman

Franjo Tudman was the first president of Croatia in the 1990s.Tudman's nationalism political party HDZ won the first post-communist multi-party elections in 1990 and he became the president of the country....
), and Serbia (Slobodan Miloševic
Slobodan Miloševic

Slobodan Milo?evic, whose last/family name sometimes is transliteration as Miloshevich was President of Serbia and of President of Yugoslavia....
) brought a halt to the fighting, roughly establishing the basic structure of the present-day state. The number of identified victims is currently at 97,207, and the recent research estimates the total number to be less than 110,000 killed (civilians and military), and 1.8 million displaced. This is being addressed by the International Commission on Missing Persons
International Commission on Missing Persons

The International Commission on Missing Persons addresses the issue of persons missing as a result of armed conflict, Human_rights_violation and natural disaster....
.

According to numerous ICTY judgments the conflict involved Bosnia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY was a federal state consisting of the republics of Republic of Serbia and Republic of Montenegro from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , created after the other four republics broke away from Yugoslavia amid rising ethnic tensions....
 (later Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro

The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro , was a Political union of Serbia and Montenegro, which existed between 2003 and 2006. The two republics, both of which are former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, initially formed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992....
) as well as Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
.

The Bosnian government charged Serbia of complicity in genocide in Bosnia during the war at the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands....
 (ICJ). The International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands....
 (ICJ) ruling of February 26, 2007 effectively determined the war's nature to be international, though exonerating Serbia of direct responsibility for the genocide committed by Serb forces of Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska

Republika Srpska is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina which represent a lower level of governance in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the other entity is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
. The ICJ concluded, however, that Serbia failed to prevent genocide committed by Serb forces and failed to punish those who carried out the genocide, especially general Ratko Mladic
Ratko Mladic

Ratko Mladic , born March 12, 1942, a war crimes fugitive, was the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Republika Srpska during the Bosnian War of 1992-1995....
, and bring them to justice.

The judges ruled that the criteria for genocide with the specific intent (dolus specialis) to destroy Bosnian Muslims were met only in Srebrenica or Eastern Bosnia in 1995. The court concluded that the crimes committed during the 1992-1995 war, may amount to crimes against humanity according to the international law, but that these acts did not, in themselves, constitute genocide. The Court further decided that, following Montenegro
Montenegro

Montenegro , Montenegrin language/Serbian language: ???? ????, Crna Gora , ) is a country located in Balkans. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south....
's declaration of independence in May 2006, Serbia was the only respondent party in the case, but that "any responsibility for past events involved at the relevant time the composite State of Serbia and Montenegro".

Geography


Bosnia is located in the western Balkans
Balkans

The Balkans is the historical name of a geographic subregion of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia....
, bordering Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
 (932 km) to the north and south-west, Serbia
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 (302 km) to the east, and Montenegro
Montenegro

Montenegro , Montenegrin language/Serbian language: ???? ????, Crna Gora , ) is a country located in Balkans. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south....
 (225 km) to the southeast. The country is mostly mountainous, encompassing the central Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps

The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia....
. The northeastern parts reach into the Pannonian basin
Pannonian Plain

The Pannonian Plain is a large plain in Central Europe that remained when the Pliocene Pannonian Sea dried out. It is a geomorphology subsystem of the Alpide belt....
, while in the south it borders the Adriatic. The country has only 20 kilometers (12 mi) of coastline, around the town of Neum
Neum

Neum is the only seaside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around it there is 24.5 km of coastline which is the only access of this country to the Adriatic Sea....
 in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, although surrounded by Croatian peninsulas it is possible to get to the middle of the Adriatic from Neum
Neum

Neum is the only seaside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around it there is 24.5 km of coastline which is the only access of this country to the Adriatic Sea....
. Although the city is surrounded by Croatian peninsulas, by United Nations law, Bosnia has a right of passage to the outer sea. Neum has many hotels and is an important tourism destination.

The country's name comes from the two regions Bosnia
Bosnia (region)

Historically and geographically, the region known as Bosnia lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders....
 and Herzegovina
Herzegovina

Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, comprising 11.419 sq km or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country....
, which have a very vaguely defined border between them. Bosnia occupies the northern areas which are roughly four fifths of the entire country, while Herzegovina occupies the rest in the south part of the country.

The major cities are the capital Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
, Banja Luka
Banja Luka

Banja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has traditionally been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern part of the country....
 in the northwest region known as Bosanska Krajina
Bosanska Krajina

Bosanska Krajina or Bosnian Frontier is a geographical region in western Bosnia and Herzegovina enclosed by three rivers - Sava River, Una River and Vrbas River....
, Bijeljina
Bijeljina

Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija....
 and Tuzla
Tuzla

Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 131,000 inhabitants. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants....
 in the northeast, Zenica
Zenica

Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity....
 and Doboj
Doboj

Doboj is a city and a municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in the northern part of the Republika Srpska entity on the river Bosna ....
 in the central part of Bosnia and Mostar
Mostar

Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, the capital of Herzegovina
Herzegovina

Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, comprising 11.419 sq km or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country....
.

The south part of Bosnia has Mediterranean climate and a great deal of agriculture. Central Bosnia is the most mountainous part of Bosnia featuring predominate mountains Vlašic, Cvrsnica
Cvrsnica

Cvrsnica is a mountain in the Dinaric Alps of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in northern Herzegovina, most of the mountain is located in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton municipalities of Mostar and Jablanica while the smaller part of the mountain, around 10 % is located in the municipality of Posu?je....
, and Prenj. Eastern Bosnia also features mountains like Trebevic
Trebevic

Trebevic is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southeast of Sarajevo, territory of East Sarajevo, bordering Jahorina mountain....
, Jahorina
Jahorina

Jahorina is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, partly in the Republika Srpska and partly in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina ....
, Igman
Igman

Igman is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Bjelasnica mountain and the city of Ilidza....
, Bjelašnica
Bjelašnica

Bjela?nica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjela?nica's tallest peak rises to an elevation of 2067 meters AMSL....
 and Treskavica
Treskavica

Treskavica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, just south of Sarajevo. Most of the mountain is located in Republika Srpska while the smaller western part of the mountain is located in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
. It was here that the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics

The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was at the time part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
 were held.

Eastern Bosnia is heavily forested along the river Drina
Drina

The Drina is a river in the Balkan Peninsula. It is a 346 kilometer -long tributary of the Sava River, and it forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia....
, and overall close to 50% of Bosnia and Herzegovina is forested. Most forest areas are in Central, Eastern and Western parts of Bosnia. Northern Bosnia contains very fertile agricultural land along the river Sava and the corresponding area is heavily farmed. This farmland is a part of the Parapannonian Plain stretching into neighboring Croatia and Serbia. The river Sava and corresponding Posavina
Posavina

Posavina is a Slavic name for the Sava river basin in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia....
 river basin hold the cities of Brcko, Bosanski Šamac, Bosanski Brod
Bosanski Brod

Bosanski Brod , also known as Brod , is a town and municipality located on the right bank of the river Sava in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 and Bosanska Gradiška.

Img 0899
The northwest part of Bosnia is called Bosanska Krajina and holds the cities of Banja Luka
Banja Luka

Banja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has traditionally been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern part of the country....
, Prijedor
Prijedor

Prijedor is a town and municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in northern parts of the Republika Srpska entity and the Bosanska Krajina region....
, Sanski Most
Sanski Most

Sanski Most is a town and municipality in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on the Sana River in Bosanska Krajina, between Prijedor and Kljuc....
, Cazin
Cazin

Cazin is a town and municipality in northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the border with Croatia. It is located in the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, Velika Kladuša
Velika Kladuša

Velika Kladu?a is a city and municipality in the far northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the border with Croatia. The closest city is Cazin, and a bit farther, the cities of Bihac and Bosanski Novi....
 and Bihac
Bihac

File:Novi_trg_Bihac.jpgBihac is a city and municipality on the Una River in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, center of the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
. Kozara National Park is in this forested region.

There are seven major rivers in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
  • The Una river
    Una River

    Una is a river flowing through Croatia and the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina; in its middle and lower course it is a border between the two countries....
     in the northwest part of Bosnia flows along the northern and western border of Bosnia and Croatia and through the Bosnian city of Bihac. It is a very beautiful river and popular for rafting and adventure sports.
  • The Sana
    Sana river

    Sana is the longest of the nine rivers that flows through Sanski Most in the North-Western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The word "Sana" means health in latin....
     flows through the city of Sanski Most
    Sanski Most

    Sanski Most is a town and municipality in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located on the Sana River in Bosanska Krajina, between Prijedor and Kljuc....
     and Prijedor
    Prijedor

    Prijedor is a town and municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in northern parts of the Republika Srpska entity and the Bosanska Krajina region....
     and is a tributary of the river Sava in the north.
  • The Vrbas
    Vrbas River

    The Vrbas is a major river in western Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is a right tributary of the river Sava. The town of Banja Luka is located on the river banks....
     flows through the cities of Gornji Vakuf
    Gornji Vakuf

    Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, located between Bugojno, Prozor, Kupres, Novi Travnik and Konjic....
     - Uskoplje, Bugojno
    Bugojno

    Bugojno is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina on the river Vrbas. It is located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity....
    , Jajce
    Jajce

    Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity....
    , Banja Luka
    Banja Luka

    Banja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has traditionally been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern part of the country....
    , Srbac
    Srbac

    Srbac , formerly known as Svinjar , is a town and municipality on the northern border of Bosnia and Herzegovina with Croatia. Srbac is located in the Republika Srpska entity at the entry of river Vrbas into river Sava....
     and reaches the river Sava in the north. The Vrbas flows through the central part of Bosnia and flows outwards to the North.
  • The river Bosna is the longest river in Bosnia and is fully contained within the country as it stretches from its source near Sarajevo
    Sarajevo

    Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
     to the river Sava in the north. It gave its name to the country.
  • The Drina flows through the eastern part of Bosnia, at many places in the border between Bosnia and Serbia. The Drina flows through the cities of Foca
    Foca

    Foca , is a town and municipality in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river, in the Foca Region of the Republika Srpska entity....
    , Goražde
    Goražde

    Gora?de is a city and municipality in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river. It is located between Foca, Sokolac and Vi?egrad, and is administratively part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the center of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton....
     and Višegrad
    Višegrad

    Vi?egrad is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is on the river Drina, located on the road from Gora?de and Ustipraca towards U?ice....
    .
  • The Neretva
    Neretva

    Neretva is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The total length is 225 km, of which 203 km are in Herzegovina, while the final 22 km are in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county of Croatia....
     river is a large river in Central and Southern Bosnia, flowing from Jablanica
    Jablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Jablanica is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is situated on the Neretva river and Jablanica lake....
     south to the Adriatic Sea. The river is famous as it flows through the famous city of Mostar
    Mostar

    Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
    .
  • The Sava river is the largest river in Bosnia and Herzegovina but not the largest river that is flowing through Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Sava river flows through Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Sava is making a natural border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and towns like Brcko
    Brcko (city)

    Brcko is a city in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, administrative seat of the Brcko District. It lies on the country's border along the Sava river across from Gunja, Croatia....
    , Bosanski Šamac, Bosanska Gradiška lies on the river.


Phytogeographically
Phytogeography

Phytogeography, also called geobotany, is the branch of biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of plant species, or more generally, plants....
, Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the Boreal Kingdom
Boreal Kingdom

The Boreal Kingdom or Holarctic Kingdom is a floristic kingdom identified by botanist Ronald Good , which includes the temperate-to-arctic portions of North America and Eurasia....
 and is shared between the Illyrian province of the Circumboreal Region
Circumboreal Region

The Circumboreal Region is a floristic region within the Holarctic Kingdom in Eurasia and North America, as delineated by such geobotanists as Josias Braun-Blanquet and Armen Takhtajan....
 and Adriatic province of the Mediterranean Region. According to the WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an Internationalism non-governmental organization for the Conservation biology, Environmental science and Restoration ecology of the environment , formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in the United States and Canada....
, the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina can be subdivided into three ecoregion
Ecoregion

An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecology and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or "ecozone". Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural community and species....
s: the Pannonian mixed forests, Dinaric Mountains mixed forests and Illyrian deciduous forests.

Government and politics

Bk Map
Bosnia and Herzegovina has several levels of political structuring under the federal government level. Most important of these levels is the division of the country into two entities: Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska

Republika Srpska is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina which represent a lower level of governance in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the other entity is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina ....
. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina covers some 51% of Bosnia and Herzegovina's total area, while Republika Srpska covers around 49%. The entities, based largely on the territories held by the two warring sides at the time, were formally established by the Dayton peace agreement in 1995 due to the tremendous changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina's ethnic structure. Since 1996 the power of the entities relative to the federal government has decreased significantly. Nonetheless, entities still have numerous powers to themselves. The Brcko district in the north of the country was created in 2000 out of land from both entities. It officially belongs to both, but is governed by neither, and functions under a decentralized system of local government. The Brcko district has been praised for maintaining a multiethnic population and a level of prosperity significantly above the national average.

The third level of Bosnia and Herzegovina's political subdivision is manifested in cantons
Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two Entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina of Bosnia and Herzegovina has ten Canton as the second-level units of local autonomy....
. They are unique to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, which consists of ten of them. All of them have their own cantonal government, which is under the law of the Federation as a whole. Some cantons are ethnically mixed and have special laws implemented to ensure the equality of all constituent peoples.

The fourth level of political division in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the municipalities. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided in 74 municipalities, and Republika Srpska in 63. Municipalities also have their own local government, and are typically based around the most significant city or place in their territory. As such, many municipalities have a long tradition and history with their present boundaries. Some others, however, were only created following the recent war after traditional municipalities were split by the IEBL
Inter-Entity Boundary Line

The Inter-Entity Boundary Line within the Bosnia and Herzegovina divides the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina into two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska....
. Each canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of several municipalities, which are divided into local communities.

Besides entities, cantons, and municipalities, Bosnia and Herzegovina also has four "official" cities. These are: Banja Luka
Banja Luka

Banja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has traditionally been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern part of the country....
, Mostar
Mostar

Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
, and East Sarajevo
Istocno Sarajevo

Istocno Sarajevo is de jure capital of the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina adjacent to Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital Sarajevo to its northeast....
. The territory and government of the cities of Banja Luka and Mostar corresponds to the municipalities of the same name, while the cities of Sarajevo and East Sarajevo officially consist of several municipalities. Cities have their own city government whose power is in between that of the municipalities and cantons (or the entity, in the case of Republika Srpska).

As a result of the Dayton Accords, the civilian peace implementation is supervised by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina

The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was created in 1995 immediately after the Dayton Peace Agreement to oversee the civilian implementation of this agreement....
 selected by the Peace Implementation Council. The High Representative has many governmental and legislative powers, including the dismissal of elected and non-elected officials. More recently, several central institutions have been established (such as defense ministry, security ministry, state court, indirect taxation service etc.) in the process of transferring part of the jurisdiction from the entities to the state. The representation of the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina is by elites who represent the country's three major groups, with each having a guaranteed share of power.

The Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 rotates among three members (Bosniak
Bosniaks

group = BosniaksBo?njaci|image = ...
, Serb, Croat), each elected as the Chair for an eight-month term within their four-year term as a member. The three members of the Presidency
Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 are elected directly by the people (Federation votes for the Bosniak/Croat, Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska

Republika Srpska is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina which represent a lower level of governance in the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the other entity is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 for the Serb).

The Chair of the Council of Ministers
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the Executive of the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.According to the Article V, Section 4 of the Constitution, the Chair of the Cabinet is nominated by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and confirmed by the National House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 is nominated by the Presidency and approved by the House of Representatives. He or she is then responsible for appointing a Foreign Minister, Minister of Foreign Trade, and others as appropriate.

The Parliamentary Assembly is the lawmaking body in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It consists of two houses: the House of Peoples and the House of Representatives. The House of Peoples includes 15 delegates, two-thirds of which come from the Federation (5 Croat and 5 Bosniaks) and one-third from the Republika Srpska (5 Serbs). The House of Representatives is composed of 42 Members, two-thirds elected from the Federation and one-third elected from the Republika Srpska.

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the supreme, final arbiter of legal matters. It is composed of nine members: four members are selected by the House of Representatives of the Federation,two by the Assembly of the Republika Srpska, and three by the President of the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg was established under the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950 to monitor compliance by Contracting Parties....
 after consultation with the Presidency.

However, the highest political authority in the country is the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the chief executive officer for the international civilian presence in the country. Since 1995, the High Representative has been able to bypass the elected parliamentary assembly, and since 1997 has been able to remove elected officials. The methods selected by the High Representative have been criticized as undemocratic. International supervision is to end when the country is deemed politically and democratically stable and self-sustaining.

Foreign relations

EU integration
Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union

The accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union faces many economic and political problems today. The nation has recently been making slow but steady progress, including co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at The Hague....
 is one of the main political objectives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it initiated the Stabilisation and Association Process
Stabilisation and Association process

In talks with countries who have expressed the wish to join the European Union , the EU typically concludes European Union Association Agreement in exchange for commitments to political, economic, trade, or human rights reform in a country....
 in 2007. Countries participating in the SAP have been offered the possibility to become, once they fulfill the necessary conditions, Member States of the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina is therefore a potential candidate country for EU accession. The implementation of the Dayton Accords of 1995 has focused the efforts of policymakers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the international community
International community

The international community is a vague term used in international relations to refer to all the countries of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them, frequently in the context of calls for the respect of human rights and for action to be taken against repressive...
, on regional stabilization in the countries-successors of the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and in Slovene language: Socialisticna Federativna Republika Jugoslavija The Slovene language name also uses this Gaj?s Latin alphabet version with a slight difference in spelling....
. Within Bosnia and Herzegovina, relations with its neighbors of Croatia
Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
, Serbia
Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
 and Montenegro
Montenegro

Montenegro , Montenegrin language/Serbian language: ???? ????, Crna Gora , ) is a country located in Balkans. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south....
 have been fairly stable since the signing of the Dayton Agreement
Dayton Agreement

The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, Dayton Accords, Paris Protocol or Dayton-Paris Agreement, is the peace agreement reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio in November 1995, and formally signed in Paris on December 14, 1995....
 in 1995.

Demographics


Bosnia is home to three ethnic "constituent peoples": Bosniaks
Bosniaks

group = BosniaksBo?njaci|image = ...
, Serbs
Serbs

Serbs are a South Slavs people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia....
 and Croats
Croats

Croats are a South Slavs nation mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 5 million Croats living in the southern Central Europe region, along the east bank of the Adriatic Sea and an estimated 9 million throughout the world....
. Tensions between the three constitutional peoples remain high and often provoke political disagreements. A Y-chromosome haplogroups study published in 2005 found that "three main groups of Bosnia-Herzegovina, in spite of some quantitative differences, share a large fraction of the same ancient gene pool distinctive for the Balkan area".

According to the 1991 census, Bosnia and Herzegovina had a population of 4,377,033. Ethnically, 1,902,956 (43%) were Bosniak
Bosniaks

group = BosniaksBo?njaci|image = ...
, 1,366,104 (31%) Serbs
Serbs

Serbs are a South Slavs people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia....
, and 760,852 (17%) Croats
Croats

Croats are a South Slavs nation mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 5 million Croats living in the southern Central Europe region, along the east bank of the Adriatic Sea and an estimated 9 million throughout the world....
, with 242,682 (6%) Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs

Yugoslavs is a national designation used by some people across the former Yugoslavia and by some of its diasporans, which continues to be used in some of its successor countries....
. The remaining 2% of the population - numbering 104,439 - consisted of various other ethnicities. According to 2000 data from the CIA World Factbook, Bosnia's largest ethnic groups are Bosniaks
Bosniaks

group = BosniaksBo?njaci|image = ...
 (48%), Serbs
Serbs

Serbs are a South Slavs people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in Croatia....
 (37%) and Croats (14%). There is a strong correlation between ethnic identity and religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entity Constitutions of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska provide for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in ethnically integrated areas or in areas where government officials are of the majority religion;...
, Muslims
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
 constitute 45% of the population, Serb Orthodox
Orthodox Christianity

KAHThe term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christianity churches of Byzantine Rite tradition that adhere to the first seven Ecumenical Councils, and are in full communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and with each other....
 36%, Roman Catholics
Catholicism

Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its Theology and doctrines, its Catholic liturgy, Ethics, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
 15%, and other groups, including Jews
Judaism

Judaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts....
 and Protestants, 4%.

Large population migrations during the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s have caused a large demographic shift in the country. No census has been taken since 1991, and none is planned for the near future due to political disagreements. Since censuses are the only statistical, inclusive, and objective way to analyze demographics, almost all of the post-war data is simply an estimate. Most sources, however, estimate the population at roughly 4 million (representing a decrease of 350,000 since 1991).

Economy


Bosnia faces the dual problem of rebuilding a war-torn country and introducing market reforms to its formerly centrally-planned economy. One legacy of the previous era is a greatly overstaffed military industry; under former leader Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito

Josip Broz Tito, original name Josip Broz was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980. During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the People's Liberation Movement led by Yugoslav Partisans....
, military industries were promoted in the republic, resulting in the development of a large share of Yugoslavia's defense plants but fewer commercially viable firms.

For the most of Bosnia's history, agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
 has been based on small and inefficient privately-owned farms; food has traditionally been a net import for the republic.

The war in the 1990s caused a dramatic change in the Bosnian economy. GDP fell 75% and the destruction of physical infrastructure devastated the economy. While much of the production capacity has been restored, the Bosnian economy still faces considerable difficulties. Figures show GDP and per capita income increased 10% from 2003 to 2004; this and Bosnia's shrinking national debt being positive trends, but high unemployment and a large trade deficit remain cause for concern.

The national currency is the Euro
Euro

The euro is the official currency of 16 out of 27 European Union member state of the European Union . The states, known collectively as the Eurozone are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain....
-pegged Convertible Mark (BAM), controlled by a currency board
Currency board

A currency board is a monetary authority which is required to maintain a fixed exchange rate with a foreign currency. This policy objective requires the conventional objectives of a central bank to be subordinated to the exchange rate target....
. Annual inflation is the lowest relative to other countries in the region at 1.9% in 2004. The international debt was $3.1 billion (2005 est) - the smallest amount of debt owed of all the former Yugoslav republics. Real GDP growth rate was 5% for 2004 according to the Bosnian Central Bank of BiH and Statistical Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has one of the highest income equality rankings
List of countries by income equality

This is a list of countries or dependencies by income inequality metrics, including Gini coefficients, according to the United Nations and the Central Intelligence Agency ....
 in the world, ranking eighth out of 193 nations.

Overall value of foreign direct investment
Foreign direct investment

Foreign direct investment in its classic form is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country....
 (1999-2007):
  • 1999: €166 million
  • 2000: €159 million
  • 2001: €133 million
  • 2002: €282 million
  • 2003: €338 million
  • 2004: €534 million
  • 2005: €421 million
  • 2006: €556 million
  • 2007: €1.628 billion
  • 2008: €1.083 billion


From 1994 to 2008, €5.3 billion were invested in the country.

The top investor countries (1994 - 2007):
  • Austria
    Austria

    Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west....
     (€1.294 billion)
  • Serbia
    Serbia

    Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country in Central Europe and Balkans Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans....
     (€773 million)
  • Croatia
    Croatia

    Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a Central European country at the crossroads of Pannonian Plain, Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea....
     (€434 million)
  • Slovenia
    Slovenia

    Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north....
     (€427 million)
  • Switzerland
    Switzerland

    Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
     (€337 million)
  • Germany
    Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
     (€270 million)
  • Italy
    Italy

    Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
     (€94.29 million)
  • Netherlands
    Netherlands

    The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....
     (€63.52 million)
  • United Arab Emirates
    United Arab Emirates

    The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia....
     (€56.70 million)
  • Turkey
    Turkey

    Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
     (€54.81 million)
  • All Other Countries
    World

    World is a common name for the planet Earth seen from a human worldview, as a place inhabited by human beings. It is often used to signify the sum of human experience and history, or the 'human condition' in general....
     (€892.54 million)


Foreign investments by sector for (1994-2007):
  • 37.7% Manufacturing
    Manufacturing

    Manufacturing is the use of machine, tool and labor to make things for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to Industry production, in which raw material are transformed into finished good on a large scale....
  • 21% Banking
  • 4.9% Services
  • 9.6% Trade
    Trade

    Tradeis the willing exchange of goods, Service , or both. Trade is also called commerce. A mechanism that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter , the direct exchange of goods and services....
  • 0.30% Transport
    Transport

    Transport or transportation is the movement of passenger and cargo from one location to another. Transport is performed by various modes of transport, such as aviation, rail transport, road transport, ship transport, cable transport, pipeline transport and space transport....
  • 1% Tourism
    Tourism

    Tourism is travel for recreational or leisure purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from...


Infrastructure

The Bosnian communications market was completely liberalised in January 2006. Three fixed-line incumbent operators offer services although each offers services predominantly in a particular region of the country. After years of stagnant growth, Internet penetration is on the rise, with broadband services such as cable and ADSL experiencing a surge in popularity. Mobile services are offered by three network operators, which unlike their fixed-line counterparts, offer services on a national level. Mobile data services are available, including high-speed EDGE services. This report offers a concise overview of Bosnia’s telecom sector, covering the regulatory environment, major players and market developments, while offering a wealth of performance and financial statistics.

Tourism

Sarajevopurple
in Višegrad
Višegrad

Vi?egrad is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is on the river Drina, located on the road from Gora?de and Ustipraca towards U?ice....
]] According to an estimation of the World Tourism Organization
World Tourism Organization

The United Nations World Tourism Organization , headquartered in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism....
, Bosnia and Herzegovina will have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world between 1995 and 2020.

Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet Publications is one of the largest travel guidebook publishers in the world. It was the first popular series of travel books aimed at backpacking and other low-cost travellers....
, in ranking the best cities in the world, ranked Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
, the national capital and host of the 1984 Winter Olympic Games, as #43, ahead of Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik

||-|File:Main street-Dubrovnik-2.jpg|-|File:Old City, Dubrovnik.jpg|-|File:Dubrovnik-F.Tudjman-Bridge.jpg|-|File:Onofrio's Fountain, Dubrovnik, Croatia.JPG...
 at #59, Ljubljana
Ljubljana

Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia and its largest town. It is located in the center of the country and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants....
 at #84, Bled
Bled

Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area within the Julian Alps is a popular Resort town....
 at #90, Belgrade
Belgrade

Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. The city lies on international waterway, at the confluence of the Sava River and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkan Peninsula....
 at #113, and Zagreb
Zagreb

Zagreb is the Capital and the largest city of Croatia. Zagreb is the Culture of Croatia, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Cinema of Croatia, Economy of Croatia and Government of Croatia center of the Croatia....
 at #135. Tourism in Sarajevo is chiefly focused on historical, religious, and cultural aspects. Bosnia has also become an increasingly popular skiing and Ecotourism
Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism, that appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals. Generally speaking, ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on the planet....
 destination.

Some of the tourist attractions in Bosnia and Herzegovina include:
  • Sarajevo
    Sarajevo

    Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
     "Olympic City" a Science, Space City.
  • Banja Luka
    Banja Luka

    Banja Luka or Banjaluka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the largest and most developed city in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and has traditionally been the center of the Bosanska Krajina region located in the northwestern part of the country....
    , the "Green City".
  • Bihac
    Bihac

    File:Novi_trg_Bihac.jpgBihac is a city and municipality on the Una River in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, center of the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
     and the Una River
    Una River

    Una is a river flowing through Croatia and the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina; in its middle and lower course it is a border between the two countries....
    .
  • Doboj
    Doboj

    Doboj is a city and a municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in the northern part of the Republika Srpska entity on the river Bosna ....
     and its 13th century fortress.
  • Jajce
    Jajce

    Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity....
     and its waterfall.
  • Medugorje
    Medugorje

    Medugorje is a town located in western Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina, around 25 km southwest of Mostar and close to the border of Croatia....
    , site of an alleged Marian apparition.
  • Mostar
    Mostar

    Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
    , the site of Stari Most
    Stari most

    Stari Most is a 16th century bridge in the city of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects two parts of the city....
    .
  • Mount Bjelašnica
    Bjelašnica

    Bjela?nica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjela?nica's tallest peak rises to an elevation of 2067 meters AMSL....
     and Jahorina
    Jahorina

    Jahorina is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, partly in the Republika Srpska and partly in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina ....
    , sites of the XIV Olympic Winter Games.
  • Neum
    Neum

    Neum is the only seaside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around it there is 24.5 km of coastline which is the only access of this country to the Adriatic Sea....
     on the coast.
  • Stolac
    Stolac

    Stolac is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the southern part of Herzegovina. Administratively, it is part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
    , the Begovina
    Begovina

    Begovina is a neighbourhood in Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina famous for its striking Ottoman Empire architecture. In July 1993, it was burned to the ground by HVO extremists....
     neighborhood and Radimlja
    Radimlja

    Radimlja is a stecak necropolis located in Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
     tombstones.
  • Višegrad
    Višegrad

    Vi?egrad is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is on the river Drina, located on the road from Gora?de and Ustipraca towards U?ice....
    , the site of the Mehmed Paša Sokolovic Bridge
    Mehmed Paša Sokolovic Bridge

    The Mehmed Pa?a Sokolovic Bridge in Vi?egrad, across the Drina River in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, was completed in 1577 AD by the Ottoman Empire court architect Sinan on the order of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Pa?a Sokolovic....
    .
  • Visoko, site of the alleged Bosnian pyramids
    Bosnian pyramids

    Bosnian pyramids refers to an area located around Visocica , in the Bosnia and Herzegovina town of Visoko, northwest of Sarajevo , which became the focus of international attention in October 2005 following a news-media campaign promoting the false idea that it is actually the largest of a group of ancient man-made pyramids....
    .
  • Tešanj
    Tešanj

    Te?anj is a city and municipality in the northern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near Teslic, Doboj and Zavidovici. It is administratively part of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
    , one of the oldest cities in Bosnia with its old town.
  • Tuzla
    Tuzla

    Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 131,000 inhabitants. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants....
    , Salt city, the city of Love


Education

Primary education lasts for nine years. Secondary education is provided by general and technical secondary schools where studies last for four years. All forms of secondary schooling include an element of vocational training. Pupils graduating from general secondary schools obtain the Matura and can enroll in any faculty or academy by passing a qualification examination prescribed by the institution. Students graduating technical subjects obtain a Diploma.

Culture


Architecture

The architecture of Bosnia and Herzegovina is largely influenced by 4 major periods where political and social changes influenced the creation of distinct cultural and architectural habits of the population. Each period made its influence felt and contributed to a greater diversity of cultures and architectural language in this region.

Literature

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich literature, including poets such as Antun Branko Šimic
Antun Branko Šimic

Antun Branko ?imic was a Bosnian Croat expressionist poet....
, Aleksa Šantic
Aleksa Šantic

Aleksa ?antic was a Bosnian Serb poet. He was born, brought up, lived most his life, and died in Mostar Austria-Hungary. He attended merchant schools in Trieste and Ljubljana....
, Jovan Ducic
Jovan Ducic

Jovan Ducic was a famous Bosnian Serb poet, writer and diplomat.The exact date of Ducic's date of birth is still undetermined; it is variously said to have been on February 17 of 1871, 1872, or 1874, with the latter date most often given....
 and Mak Dizdar
Mak Dizdar

Mehmedalija "Mak" Dizdar was one of the greatest Bosnian people poets of the 2nd half of the 20th century....
 and writers such as Ivo Andric
Ivo Andric

Ivo Andric was a Yugoslavs novelist, short story writer, and the 1961 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature from Bosnia and Herzegovina. His novels, e.g....
, Meša Selimovic
Meša Selimovic

Mehmed "Me?a" Selimovic was a Bosnians writer, one of the greatest 20th century novelists of Literature of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbian literature....
, Branko Copic
Branko Copic

Branko Copic was a Bosnian Serb writer. He was an ethnic Serb born in the village of Ha?ani, near Bosanska Krupa in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He attended schools in Bihac, Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Karlovac before moving to Belgrade to study philosophy until 1940....
, Miljenko Jergovic
Miljenko Jergovic

Miljenko Jergovic is a Bosnian Croat prose writer. Jergovic currently lives and works in Zagreb, Croatia.Jergovic has established himself as a writer in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, and his stories and novels have been translated into more than 20 languages....
, Isak Samokovlija
Isak Samokovlija

Isak Samokovlija was a Bosnia-Herzegovina writer, born in a Jewish Sephardic family. By profession he was a physician. His stories describe the life of the Bosnian Sephardic Jews....
, Abdulah Sidran
Abdulah Sidran

Abdulah Sidran , often referred to by his nickname Avdo, is a Bosnian language writer and poet who is renowned for his screenplays and dramas....
, Petar Kocic
Petar Kocic

Petar Kocic was a Bosnian Serb poet and writer from Bosnia and Herzegovina.Like Borisav Stankovic who was self-made and successful poet of Slavic South, like Ivo Cipiko who was poet of seaside - Kocic was poet of Bosnia and Herzegovinan mountains and fresh life of his area....
 and Nedžad Ibrišimovic. The National Theater was founded 1919 in Sarajevo and its first director was famous drama-play writer Branislav Nušic
Branislav Nušic

Branislav Nu?ic was a Serbian novelist, playwright, satirist, essayist and founder of modern rhetoric in Serbia. He also worked as a journalist and a civil servant....
. Magazines such as Novi Plamen
Novi Plamen

Novi Plamen is a left-wing magazine aimed at audiences on the territory of the former SFR Yugoslavia. It is published by the Demokratska misao publishing company based in Zagreb and largely sold on kiosks, and its editors-in-chief are Filip Erceg, Mladen Jakopovic and Professor Goran Markovic....
, Most
Most

Most is a city in the northwest of the Czech Republic, in the ?st? nad Labem Region. It is situated between the Czech Central Mountains and the Ore Mountains , approximately 77 km northwest of Prague along the B?lina River and southwest of ?st? nad Labem....
 and Sarajevske biljeznice are some of the more prominent publications covering cultural and literary themes.

Visual Arts

The visual arts in Bosnia and Herzegovina were always evolving and ranged from the original medieval tombstones (stecak
Stecak

File:Raspored stecaka.jpgThe Stecci , are monumental medieval tombstones that lie scattered across the landscape of Bosnia-Herzegovina. They are the country?s most legendary symbol....
) to paintings in Kotromanic court. However, only with the arrival of Austro-Hungarians did the painting renaissance in Bosnia really begin to flourish. The first educated artists from Europeean academies appeared with the beginning of 20th century. Among those are: Gabrijel Jurkic
Gabrijel Jurkic

Gabrijel Jurkic was a Croats artist, born in Livno, now Bosnia and Herzegovina, and died at a monastery near there in 1974.There is a gallery dedicated to his work in Livno and his pictures are also displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb....
, Petar Tiješic, Karlo Mijic, Špiro Bocaric, Petar Šain, Đoko Mazalic, Roman Petrovic i Lazar Drljaca. Later such artists such as: Ismet Mujezinovic, Vojo Dimitrijevic, Ivo Šeremet, Mica Todorovic and others came to rise. After World War II artists like: Virgilije Nevjestic, Bekir Misirlic, Ljubo Lah, Meha Sefic, Franjo Likar, Mersad Berber
Mersad Berber

Mersad Berber is a renowned Bosnia and Herzegovinan painter.Berber was born in Bosanski Petrovac, a township in western Bosnia. In 1963 he was in Ljubljana, completing his painting studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in the class of Maksim Sedej and attending his M.A....
, Ibrahim Ljubovic, Dževad Hozo, Affan Ramic, Safet Zec, Ismar Mujezinovic, Mehmed Zaimovic rose in popularity. Ars Aevi
Ars Aevi

Ars Aevi Sarajevo is a museum of contemporary art in Sarajevo. It was formed during the war as a "resistance of culture". It has approximately 130 works by renowned world artists including Michelangelo Pistoletto, Jannis Kounellis, Joseph Beuys, Braco Dimitrijevic and Joseph Kosuth....
 a museum of contemporary art that includes works by renowned world artists was founded in Sarajevo.

Music

, the cellist of Sarajevo.]] Traditional Bosnian and Herzogovinian song
Song

A song is a musical musical composition which contains vocal parts that are performed, 'sung,' and feature words , commonly accompanied by musical instruments ....
s are ganga, rera, and from Ottoman era the most popular is sevdalinka
Sevdalinka

Sevdalinka is a traditional Musical genre of folk music originating from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In many cases, sevdalinka is called simply #Origins....
. Pop and Rock music has a tradition here as well, with the more famous music
Music

Music is an art form whose media is sound organized in time. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics , and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture ....
ians including Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregovic

Goran Bregovic is a Gypsy musician, of Romani and Thief descent, and one of the most internationally known modern Thiefs of the Gypsy lands....
, Davorin Popovic, Kemal Monteno, Zdravko Colic
Zdravko Colic

Zdravko Colic is a Bosnian Serb singer, popular across the entire area of former Yugoslavia. Since 1990 he lives in Belgrade, Serbia....
, Johnny Štulic, Edo Maajka
Edo Maajka

Edin Osmic better known by his stage name Edo Maajka, is a famous Bosniaks rapper born in Brcko , Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia known as Bosnia and Herzegovina today....
, Dino Merlin
Dino Merlin

Edin Dervi?halidovic , stage name Dino Merlin, is a Bosnians singer-songwriter and musician. He is one of the most famous singer/songwriters in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also popular in other countries of former Yugoslavia....
 and Tomo Milicevic. Also, it would be unfair not to mention some of the talented composers such as Đorde Novkovic, Esad Arnautalic, Kornelije Kovac, and many pop and rock bands, e.g. Bijelo Dugme
Bijelo dugme

Bijelo dugme were a highly influential rock band stationed in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, originally when in Yugoslavia. Active between 1974 and 1989, they are considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav Rock scene....
, Indexi
Indexi

Indexi was a Rock music Musical ensemble popular in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It formed in 1962 in music in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and disbanded in 2001 in music when singer Davorin Popovic died....
, Zabranjeno Pušenje
Zabranjeno pušenje

Zabranjeno Pu?enje was a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia garage rock band from Sarajevo, closely associated with the New primitives cultural movement and the radio and television satire show Top Lista Nadrealista....
, who were among the leading ones in the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia is home to the composer Dušan Šestic
Dušan Šestic

Du?an ?estic is a famous Bosnian composer in his homeland and surrounding countries. He composed the national anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Intermeco which was adopted June, 1999....
, the creator of the current national anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina and father of singer Marija Šestic
Marija Šestic

Marija ?estic is a Bosnian Serb singer and musician. She was the representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki, Finland....
, and pianist Sasha Toperich.

Due to it being one of the few countries to air the 2008 Eurovision Dance Contest
Eurovision Dance Contest 2008

The Eurovision Dance Contest 2008 was the second Eurovision Dance Contest and was held in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, hosted by BBC Scotland on 6 September....
, it is thought that Bosnia and Herzegovina will be one of the countries taking part in the first competiton held outside of the UK
Eurovision Dance Contest 2009

The Eurovision Dance Contest 2009 will be the third Eurovision Dance Contest. The EBU confirmed that the event will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan at the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex in September 2009....
 in 2009.

Cinema

Notable Bosnian film
Film

Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the film industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects....
-makers are Mirza Idrizovic, Aleksandar Jevdevic, Ivica Matic, Danis Tanovic
Danis Tanovic

Danis Tanovic is an acclaimed Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning Bosnians film director and screenwriter.Tanovic is best known for having directed and written the script for the 2001 Bosnian movie No Man's Land ....
 (known for Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning movie No Man's Land), Ademir Kenovic
Ademir Kenovic

Ademir Kenovic is a film director from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He graduated from the University of Sarajevo in 1969 and then studied film, English literature and art at the Denison University in Ohio, graduating in 1989....
, Benjamin Filipovic
Benjamin Filipovic

Benjamin Filipovic was a film director and academic from Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, Jasmin Dizdar
Jasmin Dizdar

Jasmin Dizdar is a screenwriter, film director and author on film.He grew up in a secular Bosniaks family and in the tradition of secular humanism....
, Pjer Žalica
Pjer Žalica

Pjer ?alica is a Bosnians film director, born in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in 1964.He has directed several short films as well as two feature films, Gori vatra , and Kod amid?e Idriza , which have been nominated for and awarded several prizes at European film festivals....
, Jasmila Žbanic
Jasmila Žbanic

Jasmila ?banic is a film director from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a graduate of Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, department for theater and film directing....
, Dino Mustafic, Srdan Vuletic
Srdan Vuletic

Srdan Vuletic is a Bosnians filmmaker.Vuletic was born under the sign of Capricorn in Bijeljina, and attended school in Sarajevo. At the age of eighteen he enrolled in the Academy of Performing Arts, dept....
, and finally the most awarded one - Emir Kusturica
Emir Kusturica

Emir Kusturica, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is a filmmaker, actor and musician of Bosnian ancestry living in Serbia. He has converted to the Serbian Orthodox Church faith and considers himself to be Serb....
.

Sarajevo Film Festival
Sarajevo Film Festival

The Sarajevo Film Festival is the premier and largest film festival in the Balkans, and is one of the largest in Europe. It was founded in Sarajevo in 1995 during the siege of Sarajevo, and brings international and local celebrities to Sarajevo every year....
, founded in 1994, has become the biggest and most influential in southeast Europe.

Sports

hosted by Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
.]]
Vucko
The most important international sporting event in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the hosting of the 14th Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics

The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was at the time part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
, held in Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
 from the 7th to February 19, 1984.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced many athletes. Many of them were famous in the Yugoslav national teams before Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence.

Some notable local Olympians
Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event established for both summer and winter sports. There have been two generations of the Olympic Games; the first were the Ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece, Greece....
 were:
  • Rome, 1960: Tomislav Knez and Velimir Sombolac (football),
  • Tokio, 1964: Mirsad Fazlagic (football),
  • Munich, 1972: Abaz Arslanagic, Milorad Karalic, Nebojša Popovic, Đorde Lavrinic, Dobrivoje Selec (handball)
  • Moscow, 1980: Mirza Delibašic and Ratko Radovanovic (basketball)
  • Los Angeles, 1984: Zdravko Radenovic, Zlatan Arnautovic (handball) and Anto Josipovic (boxing).


The Borac handball
Team handball

Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass and bounce a ball to throw it into the goal of the opposing team. The team with the most goals after two periods of 30 minutes wins....
 club has won seven Yugoslav National Championships, as well as the European Championship Cup in 1976 and the International Handball Federation Cup in 1991.

The Bosna
KK Bosna

KK Bosna is a basketball club in Sarajevo the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently, KK Bosna competes in the Bosnian basketball championship, the National Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and ULEB Cup....
 basketball
Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a basketball through a 10 feet  high hoop under organized rules....
 club from Sarajevo were European Champions in 1979. The Yugoslav national basketball team, which medaled in every world championship from 1963 through 1990, included Bosnian players such as Dražen Dalipagic
Dražen Dalipagic

Dra?en Dalipagic , born in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFRY, is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. Dra?en, widely known by his nickname Praja, finished high school in the Mostar Technical School and college in the Belgrade Teachers College....
 and Mirza Delibašic
Mirza Delibašic

Mirza Deliba?ic was a Bosnia and Herzegovina basketball player. He was a born in Tuzla, located in northeastern Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
. Bosnia and Herzegovina regularly qualifies for the European Championship in Basketball
Eurobasket

EuroBasket is the name commonly used to refer to the men's basketball championship contested biennially by the national teams of the European continent under the auspices of FIBA Europe, a zone of the International Basketball Federation ....
. Jedinstvo Women's basketball
Women's basketball

Women's basketball is one of the few games which developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast, in large part via women's colleges....
 club, based in Tuzla, has won the 1979 European Championships in Florence.

The Tuzla-Sinalco karate
Karate

or , and often mis, is a martial arts developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods and Chinese martial arts kenpo. It is primarily a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands and ridge-hands....
 club from Tuzla has won the most Yugoslav championships, as well as four European Championships and one World Championship.

The Bosnian chess
Chess

Chess is a recreational and competitive game played between two Player . Sometimes called Western chess or international chess to distinguish it from History of chess and other chess variants, the current form of the game emerged in Southern Europe during the second half of the 15th century after evolving from similar, much older...
 team has been Champion of Yugoslavia seven times, in addition to winning four European championships: 1994 in Lyon, 1999 in Bugojno, 2000 in Neum, and 2001 in Kalitea. Borki Predojevic (from Teslic
Teslic

Teslic is a town and municipality in north-central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the central part of the Republika Srpska entity. Teslic is located on the Usora River....
) chess club has also won two European Championships: Litohoreu (Greece) in 1999, and Kalitei (Greece) in 2001.

Middle-weight boxer
Boxing

Boxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar human weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds....
 Marjan Beneš has won several B&H Championships, Yugoslavian Championships and the European Championship. In 1978 he won the World Title against Elish Obeda from Bahamas. Another middle-weight boxer, Ante Josipovic won the Olympic Gold in Los Angeles, 1984. He also won Yugoslavian Championship in 1982, the Championship of the Balkans in 1983, and the Beograd Trophy in 1985.

Football (also known as soccer) is the most popular sport in B&H. It dates from 1903, but its popularity grew significantly after the World War II. At local level, Sarajevo
Sarajevo

Sarajevo is the Capital and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,065 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 419,030 people in the Sarajevo Canton ....
 (1967 and 1984), Željeznicar (1972) have both won the Yugoslavian Championship. The former Yugoslav national football team has included a number of Bosnian players, such as Josip Katalinski
Josip Katalinski

Josip "?kijo" Katalinski is a former football player from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is considered to be one of the best football players of SFR Yugoslavia....
, Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajevic

Du?an Bajevic is a Serbian former football player and current football coach. He is the current manager of AEK Athens F.C.....
, Miroslav – Ciro Blaževic, Ivica Osim
Ivica Osim

Ivan "Ivica" Osim is a Bosnians football manager and former player from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He was most recently head coach of Japan national football team, before he suffered a stroke in November 2007 and left the post....
, Safet Sušic
Safet Sušic

Safet "Pape" Su?ic is a Bosnia and Herzegovina former football and a current manager . In his playing days, he operated as a skilled attacking midfielder, with superb passing ability....
, and Mirsad Fazlagic
Mirsad Fazlagic

Mirsad Fazlagic started his football career in 1957 playing for a local club in his home town of Capljina. In 1959 he moved to NK ?eljeznicar, where he also made his debut in the Yugoslavian First League....
.

In football, the independent Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team

The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is controlled by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
 has not qualified for a European or World Championship. Bosnian national teams have struggled to draft the best national players. Many players born in Bosnia and Herzegovina choose to play for other countries due to their ethnic identification and because of higher salaries offered by other teams. For example Mario Stanic
Mario Stanic

Mario Stanic is a former Croats football midfielder.He started his career with FK ?eljeznicar. He was considered to be one of the most talented young players in former Yugoslavia....
 and Mile Mitic were both born in Bosnia, but play for Croatia and Serbia respectively. Other internationally famous players from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have made similar choices, are: Zoran Savic
Zoran Savic

Zoran Savic is a retired Serbs professional basketball player. The 208 cm center played in various European nations....
, Vladimir Radmanovic
Vladimir Radmanovic

Vladimir Radmanovic is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. He previously played with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Seattle SuperSonics....
, Zoran Planinic
Zoran Planinic

Zoran Planinic is a Croatsn professional basketball player. He is currently a member of the Euroleague club PBC CSKA Moscow. He is also a member of the Croatian national basketball team....
 , Aleksandar Nikolic
Aleksandar Nikolic

Aleksandar Nikolic was a renowned basketball player and coach from Yugoslavia. He is considered to be so instrumental and important to the game's development in the country that he is often referred to as the Father of Yugoslav basketball....
,Savo Miloševic
Savo Miloševic

Savo Milo?evic is a former Serbs association football.At club level, Milo?evic has played for FK Partizan, Aston Villa F.C., Real Zaragoza, Parma F.C., RCD Espanyol, Celta de Vigo, CA Osasuna and FC Rubin Kazan....


Bosnia and Herzegovina was the world champion of volleyball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Volleyball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics

Volleyball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was staged at the Fencing Hall from September 21 to September 27.The sport is performed sitting down....
. Many among those on the team lost their legs in the Bosnian War.

Cuisine

Bosnian cuisine uses many spice
Spice

A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf, or vegetable used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth....
s, but usually in moderate quantities. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural, consisting of little more than the natural juices of the vegetables in the dish. Typical ingredients include tomato
Tomato

The Tomato is an herbaceous, usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, as are its close cousins Nicotiana, potatoes, aubergine , chilli peppers, and the poisonous Atropa belladonna....
es, potato
Potato

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial plant Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family. The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well....
es, onion
Onion

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa....
s, garlic
Garlic

Allium sativum L., commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive....
, peppers
Capsicum

Capsicum is a genus of plants from the nightshade family native to the Americas, where it was cultivated for thousands of years by the people of the tropical Americas, and is now cultivated worldwide....
, cucumber
Cucumber

The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash , and in the same genus as the muskmelon....
s, carrot
Carrot

The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange or white, or red-white blend in colour, with a crisp texture when fresh. The edible part of a carrot is a taproot....
s, cabbage
Cabbage

The cabbage is a leafy garden plant of the Family Brassicaceae , used as a Leaf vegetable. It is a herbaceous, biennial plant, dicotyledonous flowering plant distinguished by a short stem upon which is crowded a mass of leaves, usually green but in some varieties red or purplish, forming a characteristic compact, globular cluster ....
, mushroom
Mushroom

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, hence the word mushroom is most often applied to those fungi that have a stem , a cap , and gills on the unde...
s, spinach
Spinach

Spinach is a flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm....
, zucchini
Zucchini

Zucchini or courgette is a small summer squash. Along with some other squashes, it belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. The zucchini can be yellow, green or light green, and generally has a similar shape to a ridged cucumber, though a few cultivars are available that produce round or bottle-shaped fruit....
, dried beans, fresh beans, plum
Plum

A plum or gage is a drupe tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and the side buds solitary , the flowers being grouped 1-5 together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one side, and a smooth stone....
s, milk
Milk

Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals . It provides the primary source of nutrition for newborn mammals before they are able to digestion other types of food....
, paprika
Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from the grinding of many dried sweet red or green bell peppers . In many European countries, the word paprika also refers to bell peppers themselves....
 and cream called Pavlaka. Bosnian cuisine is balanced between Western
Western culture

File:Clash of Civilizations map.pngWestern culture are terms which are used to refer to cultures of European origin. This terminology originated as a way of describing what was different about the Graeco-Roman culture and its descendants, in contrast to the older neighboring civilizations of the Middle East, which in many ways continued...
 and Eastern
Eastern world

The term Eastern world refers very broadly to the various cultures, society and philosophy systems of "the East", namely Asia and Eastern Europe ....
 influences. As a result of the Ottoman administration for almost 500 years, Bosnian food is closely related to Turkish, Greek, and other former Ottoman
Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299?1923. It was Treaty of Lausanne by the Republic of Turkey, which was officially proclaimed on October 29, 1923....
 and Mediterranean
Cuisine of the Mediterranean

Mediterranean cuisine is the food of the areas around the Mediterranean Sea.Whether this is a useful category is disputed:Mediterranean cuisine is the food of the areas around the Mediterranean Sea....
 cuisines. However, due to years of Austria
Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west....
n rule, there are many influences from Central Europe
Central Europe

Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern Europe and Western Europe Europe. In addition, Northern Europe, Southern Europe and Southeastern Europe may variously delimit or overlap into Central Europe....
. Typical meat dishes include primarily beef
Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle . Beef is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of Australia, European cuisine and the Americas, and is also important in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia....
 and lamb. Some local specialties are cevapi, burek
Burek

Burek is a type of baked or fried filled pastry, popular in some countries around the Mediterranian Sea, the Slavic cuisines, throughout the Balkans and the former Ottoman Empire....
, dolma
Dolma

Dolma is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes in the Ottoman cuisine and surrounding regions, including Turkish cuisine, Libya, Egyptian cuisine, Cuisine of Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Armenian cuisine, Cuisine of Jordan, Syrian cuisine, Lebanese cuisine, Palestine, the Balkan cuisine, Greek cuisine, Iraqi cuisine, Iranian cuisine, Northe...
, sarma
Sarma (food)

Sarma is the name of a grape, cabbage or chard leaf roll common to the cuisines of Turkey and several countries that were formerly under Ottoman influence, including Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Syria, and Ukraine....
, pilaf
Pilaf

Pilaf, also called polao, pilau, or pulao, is a dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth....
, goulash
Goulash

Goulash is a dish, originally from Cuisine of Hungary, a stew or a soup, usually made of beef, red onions, vegetables, spices and ground paprika powder....
, ajvar
Ajvar

Ajvar is relish made principally from red Capsicum, with eggplant, garlic and chili pepper. It is predominantly popular in the Balkans. Depending on capsaicin content in bell peppers and the amount of added chili peppers, it can be sweet, piquant , or very hot....
 and a whole range of Eastern sweets. The best local wines come from Herzegovina
Herzegovina

Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, comprising 11.419 sq km or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country....
 where the climate is suitable for growing grapes. Plum or apple rakia
Rakia

Rakia is Brandy#Fruit brandy that is produced by distillation of fermentation fruit; it is a popular beverage throughout the Balkans, Italy, and France....
 is produced in Bosnia
Bosnia (region)

Historically and geographically, the region known as Bosnia lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders....
.

See also

  • List of settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina
    List of settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina

    This is a complete list of settlements in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as recorded by 1991 population census in Bosnia and Herzegovina, sorted by municipalities....
  • Oriental Institute in Sarajevo
    Oriental Institute in Sarajevo

    The Oriental Institute in Sarajevo , its premises, research library and complete manuscript collection was deliberately destroyed in shelling on May 18, 1992 by Serb forces around the Siege of Sarajevo....


Gallery

File:Tekije (Blagaj)2.jpg|Tekija in Blagaj
Blagaj

Blagaj is a village in the southeast of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.It is famous with the source of Buna River and a historical khanqah ....
Image:Kayak32.jpg|Una River
Una River

Una is a river flowing through Croatia and the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina; in its middle and lower course it is a border between the two countries....
; Kayaking
Kayaking

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is generally differentiated from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle....
 is very popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina Image:MosqueMostar2.jpg|Mosque in Mostar
Mostar

Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
Image:House (Sarajevo)2.jpg|Modern house in Sarajevo Image:KraviceWaterfall.jpg|Kravice Waterfalls south of Mostar
Mostar

Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the biggest and the most important city in Herzegovina and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
Image:NatureBiH.jpg|Neretva River, the jewel of Herzegovina
Herzegovina

Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia-Herzegovina, comprising 11.419 sq km or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country....
Image:Ramsko Lake (Bosnia-Herzegovina).JPG|Ramsko Lake, west from Prozor Image:SarajevoNightLife.jpg|Sarajevo Nightlife Image:BosnianFood2.jpg|A plate of Bosnian food
Bosnian cuisine

File:Urban Grill Restaurant2.jpgFile:Bsarma.jpgBosnian cuisine is about the food, cooking, and eating habits of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
Image:Volujak Mountain.jpg|Volujak Mountain, northeast of Gacko
Gacko

Gacko is a town and municipality by the same name in southeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Republika Srpska entity. It is situated in the Foca Region....
Image:TrebinjeBiH.jpg|Trebinje
Trebinje

Trebinje is the southern-most municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the Republika Srpska entity in southeastern Herzegovina at , some 10km from the Adriatic Sea....
, southern Herzegovina Image:Stanisic Village (Bijeljina).jpg|Stanišic ethno-village near Bijeljina
Bijeljina

Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija....
Image:Vares.jpg|Vareš
Vareš

Vare? is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, famous for the local mining activities and production of iron. It is part of the Zenica-Doboj Canton and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, east of Zenica
Zenica

Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity....
Image:Bjelasnica Mountain (Sarajevo).jpg|Lone skier on Bjelašnica Mountain Image:Bosnian Winter.jpg|Mountain Cabin on Bjelašnica Mountain Image:BosnianBread.jpg|Traditional Bread Image:Rakitnica Canyon.jpg|Rakitnica Canyon, between Bjelašnica and Visocica mountains Image:Neretva River (Bosnia-Herzegovina).jpg|Nature Park and Bird Reserve Hutovo Blato
Hutovo Blato

Hutovo Blato is a Nature reserve and Bird Reserve located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is primarily marshland created by the underground aquifer system of the Krupa River....
Image:ParkChess.jpg|Park Chess in Sarajevo Image:Sarajevo9.jpg|Cafe Culture in Sarajevo Image:Restoran Vinoteka.jpg|Gourmet Food Image:Bilecko Lake.jpg|Bilecko Lake, south from Bileca
Bileca

Bileca is a town and municipality in the southeast of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the entity of Republika Srpska....
Image:Countryside.jpg|Countryside near Tarcin, south of Sarajevo Image:Una River (Bosnia-Herzegovina)10.jpg|Una River; diving is popular among Bosnians Image:Cvrsnica.jpg|Cvrsnica Mountain, southwest of Jablanica
Jablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Jablanica is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is situated on the Neretva river and Jablanica lake....
File:Trebinje_River.jpg|Trebinje
Trebinje

Trebinje is the southern-most municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the Republika Srpska entity in southeastern Herzegovina at , some 10km from the Adriatic Sea....
File:Una(Bih).jpg|Una River
Una River

Una is a river flowing through Croatia and the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina; in its middle and lower course it is a border between the two countries....
File:Visegradmost.jpg|Mehmed Paša Sokolovic Bridge
Mehmed Paša Sokolovic Bridge

The Mehmed Pa?a Sokolovic Bridge in Vi?egrad, across the Drina River in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, was completed in 1577 AD by the Ottoman Empire court architect Sinan on the order of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Pa?a Sokolovic....
 in Višegrad
Višegrad

Vi?egrad is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is on the river Drina, located on the road from Gora?de and Ustipraca towards U?ice....
File:Academy of Fine Arts.jpg|Academy of Fine Arts, part of University of Sarajevo
University of Sarajevo

The University of Sarajevo is the first university in Bosnia and Herzegovina, originally established in 1543 by Ottoman Turks, with the modern university being reestablished in 1943....
File:UnaVodopad.jpg|Waterfalls on Una River
Una River

Una is a river flowing through Croatia and the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina; in its middle and lower course it is a border between the two countries....




External links

  • [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-b/bosnia-and-herzegovina.html Chief of State and Cabinet Members]* has details of anti-corruption efforts
  • from UCB Libraries GovPubs*