Bosnia and Herzegovina
Capital: Sarajevo
History
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/Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are responsible for overseeing most government functions. Additionally, the Dayton Accords 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." An original NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops assembled in 1995 was succeeded over time by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR). In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. Currently EUFOR deploys around 600 troops in theater in a policing capacity.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
51,197
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
1,538
km
|
| Border Countries |
Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 249 km, Serbia 357 km |
| Coastline |
20
km
|
| Terrain |
mountains and valleys |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
2,386
m
|
| Climate |
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast |
| Natural Resources |
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower |
| Arable Land |
19.63% |
| Permanent Crops |
1.99% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$5.43 billion |
| Export Items |
metals, clothing, wood products |
| Export Partners |
Slovenia 18.1%, Croatia 16.4%, Italy 14.7%, Germany 13.8%, Austria 12.2% (2011) |
| Imports |
$10.18 billion |
| Import Items |
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs |
| Import Partners |
Croatia 21.6%, Germany 13%, Slovenia 12.9%, Italy 9.5%, Russia 7.5%, Austria 6.1%, Hungary 4.7% (2011) |
People
| Population |
3,875,723 |
| Population Growth |
-0.1% |
| Ethnic Groups |
Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000) |
| Religion |
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14% |
| Life Expectancy |
76.12 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.95 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
1.1 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
