Bosnia and Herzegovina
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"Bosnia" and "BiH" redirect here. For other uses, see Bosnia (disambiguation) and BiH
(disambiguation).
Not to be confused with the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosna i Hercegovina
Flag
Coat of arms
Anthem:
Dravna himna Bosne i Hercegovine
National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina
MENU
0:00
Capital
Sarajevo[1]
and largest city
4352N 1825E
Official languages (state
None (de jure)
level)
Bosnian, Croatianand Serbian (de
facto)
Official languages (entity
Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian
level)
(Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina andRepublika
Srpska)
Ethnic groups (2013
48.4% Bosniaks
estimates[2])
32.7% Serbs
14.6% Croats
4.3% other
Demonym
Bosnian
Herzegovinian
Government
Federal parliamentary
republic[3]
High Representative
Valentin Inzkoa
Chairman of the Presidency
Dragan ovib
Members of the Presidency
Mladen Ivanic
Bakir Izetbegovid
Prime Minister
Denis Zvizdi
Legislature
Parliamentary Assembly
Upper house
House of Peoples
Lower house
House of Representatives
Independence
First mentioned
753
Banate of Bosnia
1154
Kingdom of Bosnia
1377
Conquered by Ottoman
1463
Empire
Bosnian uprising
1831
Jurisdiction transferred
1878
toAustriaHungary
Annexation of
1908
Bosnia byAustria-Hungary
National Day
25 November 1943
Independence from SFR
1 March 1992
Yugoslavia
Observed[4]
6 April 1992
Area
Total
51,197 km2 (127th)
19,741 sq mi
Water (%)
0.8%
Population
2014 census
3,871,643[5]
Density
75.62/km2
195.9/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2015 estimate
Total
$38.08 billion[6]
Per capita
$9,800[6]
GDP (nominal)
2015 estimate
Total
$15.568 billion[7]
Per capita
$4,029[7]
Gini (2013)
36.2[8]
medium
HDI (2014)
0.733[9]
high 85th
Currency
Convertible mark(BAM)
Time zone
CET (UTC+1)
Summer (DST)
CEST (UTC+2)
Date format
dd. mm. yyyy. (CE)
Drives on the
right
Calling code
387
ISO 3166 code
BA
Internet TLD
.ba
Not a government member; the High Representative is an international
civilian overseer of the Dayton peace agreementwith authority to dismiss
elected and non-elected officials and enact legislation.
Chair of current presidency (Croat).
Current presidency member (Serb).
Current presidency member (Bosniak).
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( /bzni nd hrtsovin, -hrt-, --/ or /hrtsvn/;[10]
[11]
Bosnian, Croatian andSerbian Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Bosnian and Serbian Cyrillic
script: a ; pronounced [bsna i xrttseoina]), sometimes called BosniaHerzegovina or Bosnia & Herzegovina, abbreviated BiH or B&H, and in short often known
informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeastern Europe located on the Balkan
Peninsula. Sarajevo is the capital[1] and largest city.[5] Bordered by Croatia to the north, west, and
south; Serbia to the east; Montenegro to the southeast; and the Adriatic Sea to the south, with a
coastline about 20 kilometres (12 miles) long surrounding the city ofNeum.[12][13] In the central and
eastern interior of the country the geography is mountainous, in the northwest it is moderately hilly,
and the northeast is predominantly flatland. The inland is a geographically larger region and has a
moderate continental climate, bookended by hot summers and cold and snowy winters. The
southern tip of the country has a Mediterranean climateand plain topography.
i
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a region that traces permanent human settlement back to
the Neolithic age, during and after which it was populated by several Illyrian and Celtic civilizations.
Culturally, politically, and socially, the country has one of the richest histories in the region, having
been first settled by the Slavic peoples that populate the area today from the 6th through to the 9th
centuries AD. They then established the first independent banate in the region, known as the Banate
of Bosnia,[14] in the early 12th century upon the arrival and convergence of peoples that would
eventually come to call themselves Dobri Bonjani("Good Bosnians").[15][16] This evolved into
the Kingdom of Bosnia in the 14th century, after which it was annexed into theOttoman Empire,
under whose rule it would remain from the mid-15th to the late 19th centuries. The Ottomans
brought Islamto the region, and altered much of the cultural and social outlook of the country. This
was followed by annexation into the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which lasted up until World War I.
In the interwar period, Bosnia was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and after World War II, the
country was granted full republic status in the newly formed Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the country proclaimed independence in 1992, which was
followed by the Bosnian War, lasting until late 1995.
Today, the country maintains high literacy, life expectancy and education levels and is one of
the most frequently visited countries in the region,[17] projected to have the third highest tourism
growth rate in the world between 1995 and 2020.[18]Bosnia and Herzegovina is regionally and
internationally renowned for its natural beauty and cultural heritage inherited from six historical
civilizations, its cuisine, winter sports, its eclectic and unique music, architecture and its festivals,
some of which are the largest and most prominent of their kind in Southeastern Europe. [19][20] The
country is home to three main ethnic groups or, officially, constituent peoples, a term unique for
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosniaks are the largest group of the three, with Serbs second
and Croats third. Regardless of ethnicity, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina is often identified in
English as a Bosnian. The terms Herzegovinian and Bosnian are maintained as a regional rather
than ethnic distinction, and the region of Herzegovina has no precisely defined borders of its own.
Moreover, the country was simply called "Bosnia" until the Austro-Hungarian occupation at the end
of the 19th century.[21]
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature and a three-member Presidency composed of a
member of each major ethnic group. However, the central government's power is highly limited, as
the country is largely decentralized and comprises two autonomous entities: the Federation of
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, with a third region, the Brko District, governed
under local government. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is itself complex and consists of
10 federal units cantons. The country is a potential candidate for membership to the European
Union and has been a candidate for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation membership since April 2010,
when it received a Membership Action Plan at a summit in Tallinn.[22] Additionally, the country has
been a member of the Council of Europe since April 2002 and a founding member of
the Mediterranean Union upon its establishment in July 2008.
Contents
[hide]
1Etymology
2History
o
2.1Early history
2.2Medieval Bosnia
2.3Ottoman Bosnia (14631878)
2.4Austro-Hungarian rule (18781918)
2.5Kingdom of Yugoslavia (19181941)
2.6World War II (194145)
2.7Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (19451992)
2.8Bosnian War (19921995)
2.9Protests in 2014 against the two governments
3Geography
4Government and politics
4.1Military
4.2Foreign relations
5Demographics
5.1Ethnic groups
5.2Languages
5.3Cities
6Economy
o
6.1Transport
6.2Communications
6.3Tourism
6.3.1Tourist attractions
7Education
8Culture
o
8.1Architecture
8.2Media
8.3Literature
8.4Art
8.5Music
8.6Cinema and theatre
8.7Cuisine
8.8Sports
8.9Leisure activities
9See also
10References
11Bibliography
12External links
Etymology
The first preserved mention of the name "Bosnia" is in De Administrando Imperio, a politicogeographical handbook written by the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII in the mid-10th century
(between 948 and 952) describing the "small country" ( in Greek) of "Bosona" ().
[23]
The Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja from 117296[dubious discuss] of Bar's Roman Catholic Christian
Archbishop names Bosnia, and references an earlier source from the year of 753 the De Regno
Sclavorum (Of the Realm of Slavs).[citation needed] The name "Bosnia" is probably derived from the name of
the Bosna river, possibly mentioned for the first time during the 1st century AD by Roman
historian Marcus Velleius Paterculus under the name Bathinus flumen.[24] Some scholars[25] also
connect the Roman road station Ad Basante, first attested in the 5th century Tabula Peutingeriana,
where also the proposedhydronym Bathinus is placed, as referring to Bosnia.[26] According to
philologist Anton Mayer the name Bosna could be derived from Illyrian "Bass-an-as" which would be
a diversion of the Proto-Indo-European root "bos" or "bogh", meaning "the running water". [27] Other
theories involve the rare Latin term Bosina, meaning boundary, and possible Slavic and Thracian
origins.[28][29]
The origins of the name Herzegovina may be identified with greater precision. In the Early Middle
Ages the corresponding region was known as Zahumlje (Hum), after theZachlumoi tribe of southern
Slavs which inhabited it. In the 1440s, the region adjoined to medieval Bosnia since the early
1300s was ruled by the powerful Bosnian noblemanStephen Vuki Kosaa. In 1448, Kosaa
dropped the title "Voivode of Bosnia" and instead assumed the title "Herceg (Herzog) of Hum and
the Coast";[30] Herzog being the German word for "duke", and so the lands he controlled would later
be known as Herzegovina ("Dukedom", from the addition of -ovina, "land").[31] The region was
administered by the Ottomans as the Sanjak of Herzegovina (Hersek) within the Eyalet of Bosnia up
until the formation of the short-lived Herzegovina Eyalet in the 1830s. Following the death of its
founder and ruler vizier Ali-paa Rizvanbegovi in the 1850s, the two eyalets were merged, and the
new joint-entity was thereafter commonly referred to as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On initial proclamation of independence in 1992, the country's official name was the Republic of
Bosnia and Herzegovina but following the 1995 Dayton Agreement and the new constitution that
accompanied it the name was officially changed to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
History
Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Early history
Main article: Early history of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia has been inhabited since at latest the Neolithic age. The earliest Neolithic population became
known in the Antiquity as the Illyrians. Celtic migrations in the 4th century BC were also notable.
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 started in 229 BC, but Rome did not complete its annexation of the region until
AD 9.
It was precisely in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina that Rome fought one of the most difficult
battles in its history since the Punic Wars, as described by the Roman historianSuetonius.[32] This
was the Roman campaign against the revolt of indigenous communities from Illyricum, known in
history as the Great Illyrian Revolt, and also as the Pannonian revolt, or Bellum Batonianum, the
latter named after two leaders of the rebellious Illyrian communities, Bato of the Daesitiates, and
Bato of the Breuci.[33]
Mogorjelo, ancient Roman suburban Villa Rustica from the 4th century, near apljina
The Great Illyrian revolt was a rising up of Illyrians against the Romans, more specifically a revolt
against Tiberius' attempt to recruit them for his war against the Germans. The Illyrians put up a fierce
resistance to the most powerful army on earth at the time (the Roman Army) for four years (AD 6 to
AD 9), but they were finally subdued by Rome in AD 9.
The last Illyrian stronghold, of which their defence won the admiration of Roman historians, is said to
have been Arduba.[34] Bato was captured and taken to Italy. Bato spent the rest of his life in the Italian
town of Ravenna.[35]
In the Roman period, Latin-speaking settlers from the entire Roman Empire settled among the
Illyrians, and Roman soldiers were encouraged to retire in the region. [36]
The land was originally part of Illyria up until the Roman occupation. Following the split of the Roman
Empire between 337 and 395 AD, Dalmatia and Pannonia became parts of the Western Roman
Empire. Some claim that the region was conquered by the Ostrogoths in 455 AD. It subsequently
changed hands between the Alans and the Huns. By the 6th century, Emperor Justinian had
reconquered the area for the Byzantine Empire.
However, the Illyrians did not entirely vanish from Bosnia and Herzegovina with the arrival of new
cultures. A large part of the remaining Illyrian culture intermingled with those of new settlers, some of
it is believed to have been adopted by the latter, and some survived up to date, such as architectural
remains (e.g. Daorson near Stolac), certain customs and traditions (e.g.tattooing, the 'gluha kola'
dances, the 'ganga' singing, zig-zag and concentric circles in traditional decorations), place names
(e.g. apljina, from 'aplja', a south Slavic word for 'heron', coincides with 'Ardea', a Latin word for
'heron', and 'Ardea', in turn, bears striking similarity with the name of Ardiaei, the native Illyrian
people of the wider Neretva valley region, where the town of apljina is situated), etc. [37]
Medieval Bosnia
Main article: Medieval Bosnia
Bosnia in the Middle Ages spanning the Banate of Bosnia and the succeeding Kingdom of Bosnia
Modern knowledge of the political situation in the west Balkans into the region in the late 9th century
is scarce. The Early Slavic tribes also brought their mythology and pagan system of beliefs,
the Rodovjerje. In particular, Perun, the highest god of the pantheon and the god of thunder and
lightning is also commonly found in Bosnian toponymy, for instance in the name of the mountain
Perun, near Vare. Along with the Slavic settlers, the native Romanized population were
already Christianized. Bosnia and Herzegovina, because of 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 Dalmatian coast. Thus, Slavic Bosnian tribes remained pagans for a longer
time, and finally converted to Christianity.
The principalities of Serbia and Croatia split control of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 9th and 10th
centuries, but by the High Middle Agespolitical circumstance led to the area being contested
between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Byzantine Empire. Following another shift of power
between the two in the early 12th century, Bosnia found itself outside the control of both and
emerged as an independent stateunder the rule of local bans.[31]
The first Bosnian monarch was Ban Bori. The second was Ban Kulin whose rule marked the start of
a controversy involving the Bosnian Church - considered heretical by the Roman Catholic Church. 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 14th century was marked by a power struggle between
the ubi and Kotromani families. This conflict came to an end in 1322, whenStephen II
Kotromani 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
ambitious nephew Tvrtko who, following a prolonged struggle with nobility and inter-family strife,
gained full control of the country in 1367. By the year 1377, Bosnia was elevated into a kingdom with
the coronation of Tvrtko as the first Bosnian King in Mile near Visoko in the Bosnian heartland.[38][39][40]
Following his death in 1391 however, Bosnia fell into a long period of decline. The Ottoman
Empire had already started its conquest of Europe and posed a major threat to
theBalkans throughout the first half of the 15th century. Finally, after decades of political and social
instability, the Kingdom of Bosnia ceased to exist in 1463 after its conquest by the Ottoman Empire.
Ottoman Bosnia (14631878)
Main articles: Ottoman conquest of Bosnia and Ottoman Bosnia
Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque inSarajevo dating from 1531
The Ottoman conquest of Bosnia marked a new era in the country's history and introduced drastic
changes in the political and cultural landscape. The Ottomans 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.[41]
Within 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. [31]
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,
forced and economic migrations, and epidemics. A native Slavic-speaking Muslim community
emerged and eventually became the largest of the ethno-religious groups due to lack of strong
Christian church organizations and continuous rivalry between the Orthodox and Catholic churches,
while the indigenous Bosnian Church disappeared altogether (ostensibly by conversion of its
members to Islam). The Ottomans referred to them as kristianlar while the Orthodox and Catholics
were called gebir or kafir, meaning "unbeliever".[42] The Bosnian Franciscans (and the Catholic
population as a whole) were to a minor extent protected by official imperial decree. [31]
As the Ottoman Empire continued their rule in the Balkans (Rumelia), Bosnia was somewhat
relieved of the pressures of being a frontier province, and experienced a period of general welfare. A
number of cities, such as Sarajevo and Mostar, were established and grew into regional centers of
trade and urban culture and were then visited by Ottomantraveler Evliya elebi in 1648. Within these
cities, various Ottoman Sultans financed the construction of many works of Bosnian
architecture such as the country's first library inSarajevo, madrassas, a school of Sufi philosophy,
and a clock tower (Sahat Kula)[citation needed], bridges such as the Stari Most, the Tsar's Mosque and
the Gazi Husrev-beg's Mosque.
Furthermore, several Bosnian Muslims played influential roles in the Ottoman Empire's cultural
and political history during this time.[41] Bosnian recruits formed a large component of the Ottoman
ranks in the battles of Mohcs and Krbava field, while numerous other Bosnians rose through the
ranks of the Ottoman military to occupy the highest positions of power in the Empire, including
admirals such as Matrak Nasuh; generals such as Isa-Beg Isakovi, Gazi Husrev-beg and Hasan
Predojevi and Sar Sleyman Paa; administrators such as Ferhat-paa Sokolovi and Osman
Gradaevi; and Grand Viziers such as the influential Mehmed Paa Sokolovi and Damad Ibrahim
Pasha. Some Bosnians emerged as Sufi mystics, scholars such as Muhamed Hevaji Uskufi
Bosnevi, Ali Dabi; and poets in the Turkish, Albanian, Arabic, and Persian languages.[28]
Bosniak resistance against theAustro-Hungarian military interventionin 1878
However, by the late 17th century the Empire's military misfortunes caught up with the country, and
the conclusion of the Great Turkish Warwith the treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 once again made Bosnia
the Empire's westernmost province. The following century was marked by further military failures,
numerous revolts within Bosnia, and several outbursts of plague [citation needed]. The Porte's efforts at
modernizing the Ottoman state were met with distrust growing to hostility in Bosnia, where local
aristocrats stood to lose much through the proposed reforms[clarification needed][citation needed].
This, combined with frustrations over territorial, political concessions in the north-east, and the plight
of Slavic Muslim refugees arriving from the Sanjak of Smederevo into Bosnia Eyalet, culminated in a
partially unsuccessful revolt by Husein Gradaevi, who endorsed a multicultural Bosnia
Eyalet autonomous from the authoritarian rule of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, who persecuted,
executed and abolished the Janissaries and reduced the role of autonomous Pasha's in Rumelia.
Mahmud II sent his Grand Vizier to subdue Bosnia Eyalet and succeeded only with the reluctant
assistance of Ali-paa Rizvanbegovi.[28] Related rebellions would be extinguished by 1850, but the
situation continued to deteriorate. Later agrarian unrest eventually sparked the Herzegovinian
rebellion, a widespread peasant uprising, in 1875. The conflict rapidly spread and came to involve
several Balkan states and Great Powers, a situation which eventually led to the Congress of
Berlin and the Treaty of Berlin in 1878.[31]
