Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country in southeast Europe, declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1992 after a referendum that was boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The country is currently administered in a supervisory role by a High Representative selected by the UN Security Council. The country is administratively divided on the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (51%) and the Republika Srpska (49%). The country is inhabited by three ethnic constituent peoples: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats.

Almost triangular in shape, Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the heart of Balkan Peninsula and borders with Croatia in the west and Serbia and Montenegro in the east. Virtually a landlocked country except for a short Adriatic coastline of 20km, the country is covered by mountainous region on a large scale, with its aqua rivers winding through the territory.

Travel overview
The ethnic strife has taken a toll on the tourism of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A country in south-east Europe, the country is the crucible for different cultures and traditions including Protestants, Catholics, Jews and Muslims who have been inhabited the territory for centuries. The nation's capital is Sarajevo, which is also its largest city.

Travellers visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina should be cautious while venturing into territories where landmines remain a perennial source of danger.

Capital: Sarajevo
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Total Area: 51,129 sq km
Total Population: 4,552,198
Population Growth Rate: 1.003%
Sex Ratio: 0.97 male(s)/female
Literacy: 96.7%
Ethnic Groups: Bosniak, Serb, Croat, other 0.6%
Irrigated land: 30 sq km
Languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Time Zone: UTC+1
Currency: konvertibilna marka

Type of govt.: federal democratic republic
Head of Govt.: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola Spiric
Major Political Parties: Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD, Bosnian Party or BOSS, Civic Democratic Party or GDS, Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU, Croat Party of Rights or HSP, Croat Peasants Party or HSS, Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH, Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990,
Participation in International Organizations: BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Major Agricultural Products: wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Natural Resources & Minerals: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum

Industry & Transport: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Airports: 455
Railways: 47,738 km
Roadways:
810,641 km
Waterways: 2,000 km
Major Trade Partners: Japan, China, South Korea, US, NZ, India, Singapore, Germany
Exports: $117 billion
Imports: $127.7 billion