2010 Edition

Background

Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government composed of

two entities roughly equal in size

the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Dayton Accords also established the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council (PIC) at its conference in Bonn in 1997 also gave the High Representative the authority to impose legislation and remove officials, the so-called "Bonn Powers." In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to less than 2,500 troops. Troop strength at the end of 2009 stood at roughly 2,000. In January 2010, Bosnia and Herzegovina assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2010-11 term.

Area

land

51,187 sq km

total

51,197 sq km

water

10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Coastline

20 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Maglic 2,386 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

44 00 N, 18 00 E

Geography - note

within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km

total

1,538 km

Land use

arable land

19.61%

other

78.5% (2005)

permanent crops

1.89%

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

no data available

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower

Terrain

mountains and valleys

Total renewable water resources

37.5 cu km (2003)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.5% (male 344,760/female 323,303) 15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,645,274/female 1,617,136) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 279,781/female 403,160) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

8.87 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

8.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000) note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

900 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

10.18 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Bosnian (official), Croatian (official), Serbian

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.49 years (2010 est.)

male

75.09 years

total population

78.66 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.4% (2000 est.)

male

99%

total population

96.7%

Median age

female

41.5 years (2010 est.)

male

39.1 years

total

40.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Bosnian, Herzegovinian

noun

Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

4,621,598 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.016% (2010 est.)

Religions

Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total

13 years (2007)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.074 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.26 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

47% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is a self-governing administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and formally held in condominium between the two entities; the District remains under international supervision

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

43 52 N, 18 25 E

name

Sarajevo

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

the Dayton Peace Accords, signed on 14 December 1995 in Paris, included a constitution; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Bosnia and Herzegovina

former

People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

local long form

none

local short form

Bosna i Hercegovina

Diplomatic representation from the US

branch office(s)

Banja Luka, Mostar

chief of mission

Ambassador Patrick S. MOON

embassy

Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo

FAX

[387] (33) 659-722

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[387] (33) 445-700

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador Mitar KUJUNDZIC

consulate(s) general

Chicago, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 337-1502

telephone

[1] (202) 337-1500

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the state-level House of Representatives (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Chairman of the Presidency Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman of the presidency since 10 November 2010; presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Serb); other members of the

election results

percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 48.9% of the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC with 60.6% of the votes for the Croat seat; Bakir IZETBEGOVIC with 34.9% of the votes for the Bosniak seat note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Borjana KRISTO (since 21 February 2007); Vice Presidents Spomenka MICIC (since 21 February 2007) and Mirsad KEBO (since 21 February 2007);

elections

the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years); the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it left off following each general election; election last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014); the chairman of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives

head of government

Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola SPIRIC (since 11 January 2007)

President of the Republika Srpska

Milorad DODIK (since 3 October 2010); took office 15 November 2010

three-member presidency rotate every eight months

Bakir IZETBEGOVIC (presidency member since 3 October 2010 - Bosniak); Zeljko KOMSIC (presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Croat)

Flag description

a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle; the triangle approximates the shape of the country and its three points stand for the constituent peoples - Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe and are meant to be continuous (thus the half stars at top and bottom); the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are often associated with neutrality and peace, and traditionally are linked with Bosnia

Government type

emerging federal democratic republic

Independence

1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992)

International organization participation

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members

four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of 44 national judges and seven international judges and has three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and cases initiated in the entities that question BiH's sovereignty, political independence, or national security or with economic crimes that have serious repercussions to BiH's economy, beyond that of an entity or Brcko District); a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005 note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has five district courts and a number of municipal courts

Legal system

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats, 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); and the state-level House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures

election results

House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA; state-level House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDP BiH 8, SDA 7, SNSD 7, SDS 5, SBBBiH 4, HDZ-BiH 3, SBiH 2, HDZ-1990/HSP 2, other 4 note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other); last constituted February 2007; and a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDP 28, SDA 23, SBBBiH 13, HDZ-BiH 12, HDZ-1990/HSP 5, other 17; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 37, SDS 18, PDP 7, DNS 6, SP 4, DP 3, SDP 3, SDA 2, NDS 2 SRS-RS 1; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including 8 Croats, 8 Bosniaks, 8 Serbs, and 4 members of the smaller communities

elections

House of Peoples - last constituted in February 2007 (next to be constituted in 2011); state-level House of Representatives - elections last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Dusan SESTIC and Benjamin ISOVIC/Dusan SESTIC note: music adopted 1999; lyrics adopted 2009

name

"Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

National holiday

National Day, 25 November (1943)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB-BiH [ Fahrudin RADONCIC]; Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Bosnian Patriotic Party or BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants' Party-New Croat Initiative or HSS-NHI [Ante COLAK]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Bozo LJUBIC]; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifat DOLIC]; Democratic Party or DP [Dragan CAVIC]; Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; Nasa Stranka or NS [NA; leadership elections late 2010/early 2011]; New Socialist Party or NSP [Zdravko KRSMANOVIC]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Peoples' Party of Work for Progress or NSRzB [Mladen IVANKOVIC-LIJANOVIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Mirko BLAGOJEVIC]; Social Democratic Party of BiH or SDP BiH [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Nermin PECANAC]; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other

war veterans; displaced persons associations; family associations of missing persons; private media

Suffrage

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Commercial bank prime lending rate

7.93% (31 December 2009 est.) 6.98% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$887 million (2010 est.) -$1.283 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$7.996 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $8.048 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

56.2 (2007)

Economy - overview

The interethnic warfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-08 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. However, the country experienced negative GDP growth of almost 3% in 2009 due in large part to a reduction in exports caused by the global economic crisis. One of Bosnia's main economic challenges in 2010 has been to reduce spending on public sector wages and social benefits to meet the IMF's criteria for obtaining funding for budget shortfalls. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, now control most of the banking sector. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Bosnia's private sector is growing and foreign investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at roughly 50% of GDP, remains high because of redundant government offices at the state, entity and municipal level. Privatization of state enterprises, however, has been slow, particularly in the Federation where political division between ethnically-based political parties makes agreement on economic policy more difficult. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious macroeconomic problems. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a predictable source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray market activity. National-level statistics have also improved over time but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007.

Electricity - consumption

11.62 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports

6.024 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

3.04 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

14.58 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Exchange rates

konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - 1.5088 (2010), 1.4079 (2009), 1.3083 (2008), 1.4419 (2007), 1.5576 (2006)

Exports

$4.787 billion (2010 est.) $4.057 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners

Croatia 19.07%, Slovenia 18.58%, Italy 16.87%, Germany 13.38%, Austria 10.25% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

9.8%

industry

25.9%

services

64.3% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$6,600 (2010 est.) $6,600 (2009 est.) $6,800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (2010 est.) -3.2% (2009 est.) 5.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$16.2 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$30.56 billion (2010 est.) $30.23 billion (2009 est.) $31.23 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)

Imports

$9.403 billion (2010 est.) $8.788 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Croatia 22.17%, Germany 14.04%, Slovenia 13.45%, Italy 11.89%, Austria 6.61%, Hungary 5.74% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

3.3% (2010 est.)

Industries

steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (2010 est.) -0.4% (2009 est.)

Labor force

1.863 million (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

20.5%

industry

32.6%

services

47% (2008)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

310 million cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

310 million cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

30,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

192 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

25,990 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (2004 est.)

Public debt

39% of GDP (2010 est.) 35% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.245 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$9.307 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $9.236 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$10.09 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $10.01 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.098 billion (31 December 2010 est) $4.182 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

27.2% (2010 est.) 24.1% (2009 est.) note: official rate

Broadcast media

3 public TV broadcasters: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (operating 2 networks), and Serb Republic Radio-TV; a local commercial network of 5 TV stations; 2 private, near-national TV stations and dozens of small independent TV stations broadcasting; 3 large public radio broadcasters and a large number of private radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.ba

Internet hosts

95,234 (2010)

Internet users

1.422 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line teledensity roughly 22 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly and, in 2009, reached 70 telephones per 100 persons

general assessment

post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by a internationally sponsored program under EBRD, resulting in sharp increases in the number of fixed telephone lines available

international

country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

998,600 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3.257 million (2009)

Airports

25 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 11 (2010)

Heliports

5 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava River), Orasje

Railways

standard gauge

1,000 km 1.435-m gauge (590 km electrified) (2008)

total

1,000 km

Roadways

paved

11,425 km (4,714 km of interurban roads)

total

21,846 km

unpaved

10,421 km (2006)

Waterways

Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,194,832 females age 16-49: 1,156,698 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 980,425 females age 16-49: 948,791 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

24,518 (2010 est.)

male

26,134

Military branches

Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH)

Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Air and Air Defense Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana, ZPO) (2010)

Military expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in January 2006; 4-month service obligation; mandatory retirement at age 35 or after 15 years of service (2010)

Disputes - international

sections along the Drina River remain in dispute between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinder final ratification of the 1999 border agreement

Illicit drugs

increasingly a transit point for heroin being trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for marijuana; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

131,600 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced in 1992-95 war) (2007)

refugees (country of origin)

7,269 (Croatia)