Demographics of Sarajevo
Encyclopedia
The demographics of Sarajevo and its precise population are uncertain as no official census has been taken since 1991. , the population of the city's four municipalities is estimated to be 311,161, whereas the Sarajevo Canton
population is estimated at 438,757.
total: 361,735
total: 527,049
declined, so did its population. Although it had around 100,000 people in the 1660s, by the end of World War II
in the 1940s Sarajevo had only grown to some 115,000 people.
The population of the district of Sarajevo
according to the 1921 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes religious population census:
In 1921 there were 8 municipalities and their populations were:
The same year the City of Sarajevo
had 78,173 inhabitants:
Heavy industrialization and increased importance in regional affairs during the time of Yugoslavia
resulted in a rapid increase however, and by the time of the 1984 Olympics the greater Sarajevo area had more than 500,000 residents. Although exact ethnic distribution is unknown, of these 500,000, 49% were Muslim
, 30% Orthodox Christians, and 7% Catholics, indicating relatively corresponding percentages of Bosniaks
, Serbs
, and Croats
.
The Yugoslav wars
and the resulting siege of Sarajevo
radically disrupted this order of things. The city was completely surrounded by Bosnian Serb forces, and it has been estimated that some 12,000 people were killed, with another 50,000 wounded. Combined with horrific living conditions forced upon by the besieging forces, the result was thousands of refugees leaving the city. By 1996, Sarajevo had less than 300,000 residents. In the years that followed, a tremendous influx of returning refugees and people from a war-torn countryside has resulted in the city population once again going above 300,000 residents.
The following are some recorded populations of Sarajevo throughout its history. The figures from 1626 and 1660 are based on the accounts of traveling writers who estimated that Sarajevo at the time had 20,000 houses, and figures an average of 5 people per house. All latter figures are based on official censuses by Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and Socialist Yugoslavia, except for 2002 which is an estimate by the Sarajevo Canton government. All figures after 1945 represent the greater Sarajevo area.
who come from mixed marriages and do not take either side as their own, other than simply 'others' or Bosnians.
. If current growth trends continue, the city's population should reach the pre-war population in less than 25 years. The metro area would do the same a bit sooner, in some 15 years. Depending on regional stability, immigration, and growth and development, it is not unreasonable to except the city's population to breach 1,000,000 inhabitants by the latter half of the 21st century.
Sarajevo Canton
The Sarajevo Canton is a canton of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital is Sarajevo.The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation...
population is estimated at 438,757.
Last official census 1991
- SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
(four municipalities: CentarCentar, SarajevoCentar is a municipality of central Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad, and the newer more modern parts of the city under the municipalities Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo....
, Novi GradNovi Grad, SarajevoNovi Grad is the westernmost of the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, Novo SarajevoNovo SarajevoNovo Sarajevo is a municipality in Sarajevo, and Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:111,811 total* Serbs - 45,806 * Bosniaks - 37,147...
, and Stari GradStari Grad, SarajevoStari Grad is a municipality in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo...
)
total: 361,735
- Sarajevo CantonSarajevo CantonThe Sarajevo Canton is a canton of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital is Sarajevo.The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation...
(ten municipalities: CentarCentar, SarajevoCentar is a municipality of central Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad, and the newer more modern parts of the city under the municipalities Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo....
, HadžićiHadžiciHadžići is a town and a municipality located south west of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to government statistics from 2002, Hadžići Municipality has a population of 20,055 residents.- 1971 :18,508 total...
, IlidžaIlidžaIlidža is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a metro population of 157,654, making it the 7th largest city in the country. Ilidža is the chief suburb of Sarajevo. It is famous for the natural beauty of its surroundings and historical tradition dating back to...
, IlijašIlijašIlijaš is a town and municipality located north east of the inner city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:According to 1971 population census there were 23.007 residents.* Serbs - 10.941 * Muslims - 9.187...
, Novi GradNovi Grad, SarajevoNovi Grad is the westernmost of the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, Novo SarajevoNovo SarajevoNovo Sarajevo is a municipality in Sarajevo, and Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:111,811 total* Serbs - 45,806 * Bosniaks - 37,147...
, Pale, Stari GradStari Grad, SarajevoStari Grad is a municipality in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo...
, Trnovo and VogošćaVogošcaVogošća is a secondary suburb and municipality of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located about 6 kilometers north of the city center and covering some 72 km².-1971:According to 1971 population census there were 14.402 residents....
)
total: 527,049
Ethnic composition by municipalities, 1991 census
| Ethnic composition of Sarajevo Sarajevo Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans.... , by municipalities, 1991. census |
|||||||||||||
| municipality | total | Bosniaks Bosniaks The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia... |
Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in... |
Yugoslavs Yugoslavs Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora... |
Croats Croats Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have... |
others >- |
Centar Centar, Sarajevo Centar is a municipality of central Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad, and the newer more modern parts of the city under the municipalities Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo.... |
79,286 | 39,761 (50.14%) | 16,631 (20.97%) | 13,030 (16.43%) | 5,428 (6.84%) | 4,436 (5.59%) |
| Novi Grad Novi Grad, Sarajevo Novi Grad is the westernmost of the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:... |
136,616 | 69,430 (50.82%) | 37,591 (27.51%) | 15,580 (11.40%) | 8,889 (6.50%) | 5,126 (3.75%) | |||||||
| Novo Sarajevo Novo Sarajevo Novo Sarajevo is a municipality in Sarajevo, and Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:111,811 total* Serbs - 45,806 * Bosniaks - 37,147... |
95,089 | 33,902 (35.65%) | 32,899 (34.59%) | 15,099 (15.87%) | 8,798 (9.25%) | 4,391 (4.61%) | |||||||
| Stari Grad Stari Grad, Sarajevo Stari Grad is a municipality in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo... |
50,744 | 39,410 (77.66%) | 5,150 (10.14%) | 3,374 (6.64%) | 1,126 (2.21%) | 1,684 (3.31%) | |||||||
| total | 361,735 | 182,503 (50.45%) | 92,271 (25.50%) | 47,083 (13.01%) | 24,241 (6.70%) | 15,637 (4.32%) | |||||||
| Ethnic composition of Sarajevo Canton Sarajevo Canton The Sarajevo Canton is a canton of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital is Sarajevo.The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation... , by municipalities, 1991. census |
|||||||||||||
| municipality | total | Bosniaks Bosniaks The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia... |
Serbs Serbs The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in... |
Yugoslavs Yugoslavs Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora... |
Croats Croats Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have... |
others >- |
Centar Centar, Sarajevo Centar is a municipality of central Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad, and the newer more modern parts of the city under the municipalities Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo.... |
79,286 | 39,761 (50.14%) | 16,631 (20.97%) | 13,030 (16.43%) | 5,428 (6.84%) | 4,436 (5.59%) |
| Hadžići Hadžici Hadžići is a town and a municipality located south west of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to government statistics from 2002, Hadžići Municipality has a population of 20,055 residents.- 1971 :18,508 total... |
24,200 | 15,392 (63.60%) | 6,362 (26.28%) | 841 (3.47%) | 746 (3.08%) | 859 (3.54%) | |||||||
| Ilidža Ilidža Ilidža is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a metro population of 157,654, making it the 7th largest city in the country. Ilidža is the chief suburb of Sarajevo. It is famous for the natural beauty of its surroundings and historical tradition dating back to... |
67,937 | 29,337 (43.18%) | 25,029 (36.84%) | 5,181 (7.62%) | 6,934 (10.20%) | 1,456 (2.14%) | |||||||
| Ilijaš Ilijaš Ilijaš is a town and municipality located north east of the inner city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:According to 1971 population census there were 23.007 residents.* Serbs - 10.941 * Muslims - 9.187... |
25,184 | 10,585 (42.03%) | 11,325 (44.96%) | 1,167 (4.63%) | 1,736 (6.89%) | 371 (1.47%) | |||||||
| Novi Grad Novi Grad, Sarajevo Novi Grad is the westernmost of the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:... |
136,616 | 69,430 (50.82%) | 37,591 (27.51%) | 15,580 (11.40%) | 8,889 (6.50%) | 5,126 (3.75%) | |||||||
| Novo Sarajevo Novo Sarajevo Novo Sarajevo is a municipality in Sarajevo, and Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:111,811 total* Serbs - 45,806 * Bosniaks - 37,147... |
95,089 | 33,902 (35.65%) | 32,899 (34.59%) | 15,099 (15.87%) | 8,798 (9.25%) | 4,391 (4.61%) | |||||||
| Pale | 16,355 | 4,364 (26.68%) | 11,284 (68.99%) | 396 (2.42%) | 129 (0.78%) | 182 (1.11%) | |||||||
| Stari Grad Stari Grad, Sarajevo Stari Grad is a municipality in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo... |
50,744 | 39,410 (77.66%) | 5,150 (10.14%) | 3,374 (6.64%) | 1,126 (2.21%) | 1,684 (3.31%) | |||||||
| Trnovo | 6,991 | 4,790 (68.81%) | 2,059 (29.45%) | 72 (1.02%) | 16 (0.22%) | 54 (0.77%) | |||||||
| Vogošća Vogošca Vogošća is a secondary suburb and municipality of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located about 6 kilometers north of the city center and covering some 72 km².-1971:According to 1971 population census there were 14.402 residents.... |
24,647 | 12,499 (50.71%) | 8,813 (35.75%) | 1,730 (7.01%) | 1,071 (4.34%) | 534 (2.16%) | |||||||
| total | 527,049 | 259,470 (49.23%) | 157,143 (29.81%) | 56,470 (10.71%) | 34,873 (6.61%) | 19,093 (3.62%) | |||||||
Historical population
Historically Sarajevo had always been a very populous city, but as the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
declined, so did its population. Although it had around 100,000 people in the 1660s, by the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the 1940s Sarajevo had only grown to some 115,000 people.
The population of the district of Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
according to the 1921 Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes religious population census:
- Serbian Orthodox Christians 55,477 (38.6%%)
- Sunni Muslims 50,270 (34.9%)
- Roman Catholic Christians 29,395 (20.4%)
- others 8,768 (6.1%)
In 1921 there were 8 municipalities and their populations were:
- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
comprised majority in 5 municipalities: IlidžaIlidžaIlidža is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a metro population of 157,654, making it the 7th largest city in the country. Ilidža is the chief suburb of Sarajevo. It is famous for the natural beauty of its surroundings and historical tradition dating back to...
, Koševo, PalePale (town)Pale is a town and a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Bosnia's capital Sarajevo. The municipality of Pale is one of the six municipalities of the City of Istočno Sarajevo located in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Middle Ages:The area of Pale...
, Rajlovac, and TrnovoTrnovoTrnovo may refer to:*In Bosnia and Herzegovina:**Trnovo, Republika Srpska, a town and municipality**Trnovo, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the rural part of the same pre-war municipality, presently in the Sarajevo Canton*In Bulgaria:...
. - BosniaksBosniaksThe Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
comprised majority in the City of SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
and in 2 municipalities: BjelašnicaBjelašnicaBjelašnica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjelašnica's tallest peak rises to an elevation of 2067 meters ....
and OzrenOzrenOzren is a mountain in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies between cities of Doboj and Zavidovići, partly in the Republika Srpska and partly in the Federation entity....
.
The same year the City of Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
had 78,173 inhabitants:
- Sunni Muslims 29,649 (37.9%)
- Roman Catholic Christians 21,373 (27.3%)
- Serbian Orthodox Christians 18,630 (23.8%)
- others 8,522 (11.0%)
Heavy industrialization and increased importance in regional affairs during the time of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
resulted in a rapid increase however, and by the time of the 1984 Olympics the greater Sarajevo area had more than 500,000 residents. Although exact ethnic distribution is unknown, of these 500,000, 49% were Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, 30% Orthodox Christians, and 7% Catholics, indicating relatively corresponding percentages of Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
, Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, and Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
.
The Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
and the resulting siege of Sarajevo
Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
radically disrupted this order of things. The city was completely surrounded by Bosnian Serb forces, and it has been estimated that some 12,000 people were killed, with another 50,000 wounded. Combined with horrific living conditions forced upon by the besieging forces, the result was thousands of refugees leaving the city. By 1996, Sarajevo had less than 300,000 residents. In the years that followed, a tremendous influx of returning refugees and people from a war-torn countryside has resulted in the city population once again going above 300,000 residents.
The following are some recorded populations of Sarajevo throughout its history. The figures from 1626 and 1660 are based on the accounts of traveling writers who estimated that Sarajevo at the time had 20,000 houses, and figures an average of 5 people per house. All latter figures are based on official censuses by Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and Socialist Yugoslavia, except for 2002 which is an estimate by the Sarajevo Canton government. All figures after 1945 represent the greater Sarajevo area.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1626 | more than 60,000 |
| 1660 | more than 100,000 |
| 1910 | 51,919 |
| 1921 | 66,317 |
| 1931 | 78,173 |
| 1945 | 115,000 |
| 1971 | 359,448 |
| 1991 | 527,049 |
| 2002 | 401,118 |
Population density
According to the official government statistics, Sarajevo's population density is 2470.1 per square kilometer. The most densely populated part of Sarajevo is in the municipality Novo Sarajevo (7524.5 inhabitants per square kilometer), while the least densely populated is Stari Grad municipality (742.5 inhabitants per square kilometer).Age
Regarding the age structure of Sarajevo, the overwhelming majority of people are between 15 and 64 years of age. This group consists of 208,703 people, or a little over 70% of the total city population. When it comes to people 14 years of age or under and people over 65 years of age, the youth have a slight edge. There are 47,558 people under 14 years of age in Sarajevo, making up 16% of the overall population, compared to 41,138 people over 65 years of age who make up 13.8% of the total population. Novi Grad municipality has the highest percentage of citizens under 14 years of age in the city, at 17.4%, while 17.5% of Novo Sarajevo municipality's population is over 65 years of age. Overall, the city's population is slightly older than its surrounding areas or the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole.Ethnic groups
The biggest ethnic group in Sarajevo are the Bosniaks, who with more than 230,000 people make up 77.4% of the city. They are followed by the Serbs, of which there are some 35,000 (12% of the city), and Croats with a population of 22,380 (7.5% of the total population). 9,283 people (3.1% of overall population) are classified as others. They most likely consist of Sephardi Jews, and Roma, along with a small number of foreign workers and also BosniansBosnians
Bosnians are people who reside in, or come from, Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the modern state definition a Bosnian can be anyone who holds citizenship of the state. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and...
who come from mixed marriages and do not take either side as their own, other than simply 'others' or Bosnians.
Birth rate
The city's birth rate is 9.17 while the mortality is 8.10, resulting in a population growth rate of 1.07. The greater Sarajevo area meanwhile has a 9.56 birth rate and 8.01 mortality rate, which makes for a population growth rate of about 1.55. This would indicate a population of 303,797 in the city by December 2004, and a population of 413,649 in the metropolitan areaMetropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. If current growth trends continue, the city's population should reach the pre-war population in less than 25 years. The metro area would do the same a bit sooner, in some 15 years. Depending on regional stability, immigration, and growth and development, it is not unreasonable to except the city's population to breach 1,000,000 inhabitants by the latter half of the 21st century.