What are the Key Facts of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Where is Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a southeastern European country that is bordered by the Adriatic Sea as well as Croatia. It shares its borders with Croatia to the west, north, and south; Montenegro to the southeast, and Serbia to the east.

What is the Geography of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is spread across a total area of 51,197 sq. km (19,767 sq. mi), out of which 51,187 sq. km (19,763 sq. mi) is land area and 10 sq. km (4 sq. mi) is water area. It has a land boundary of 1,543 km (959 mi) and a coastline of 20 km (12 mi). The land boundary is shared with three countries: Croatia (956 km or 594 mi), Serbia (345 km or 214 mi), and Montenegro (242 km or 150 mi).

The terrain of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of mountains and valleys. The mean elevation of the country is 500 m (1,640 ft). While Maglic having 2,386 m (7,828 ft) height is the highest elevation point of the country, the Adriatic Sea at 0 m is the lowest elevation point of the country.

The Dinaric Alps dominates the very hilly landscape of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Almost half of the landscape is covered by thick forests. A fertile but hilly plain stretches from east to west along the Sava River valley in the north of the country. In the far-southwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, very limited access (around 12 miles wide) is there to the Adriatic Sea.

The major mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Maglić, Volujak, Vlasulja, Dernjačišta, Badanj, etc. Some of the major rivers flowing through the country are Neretua, the Bosna, Vrbas, Sava, etc.

The climatic condition in this country depends upon the altitude and closeness to the sea. There are mainly two climates found in Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Mediterranean climate in the small stretch of plain located near the sea and Continental climate in the northern plains. The west-central region of the country is hilly and mountainous. A colder and more continental climate is found here.

In the winter months, cold waves blow from the north and the north-east, bringing snow and frost in most parts of Bosnia. The plain of Mostar gets wind and a bit of cold due to the cold waves. Almost throughout the country rainfall is abundant except for the northernmost area near the Croatian border and in some sheltered valleys.

June to September is the best time to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What is the Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina is considered as an upper-middle-income country with limited market access. It is heavily dependent upon the export of metals, furniture, textiles, and energy.

Foreign aid and remittances also play an important role in the economy. A major part of the banking system is controlled by foreign banks, especially the ones from Italy and Austria. However, a private domestic bank is the largest bank in the country.

The nominal GDP of Bosnia and Herzegovina grew at a rate of 3.066% to US$ 19.782 billion (as per the World Bank data) in 2018. The major exports of the country include electricity, seats, sawn wood, leather footwear, other furniture, etc. The items mostly imported are refined petroleum, coal briquettes, crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicaments, etc. The values of export and import were US$6.25 billion and US$10.1 billion respectively, resulting in a negative balance of trade of US$3.83 billion.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, which was 20.84% in 2018. ILO estimates show that the youth unemployment rate in the country is 47.4% in 2019, which is the second-highest in the world after South Africa. Around 640,000 people or 18.56% (1/5th) of the population lives in absolute poverty. Lack of recovery after the war, education, and economic opportunity have made around 50% of the population vulnerable to poverty.

What is the Transportation System of Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Bosnia and Herzegovina has total roadway of 22,926 km (14,246 mi), out of which 19,426 km (12,071 mi) is paved and 3,500 km (2,175 mi) is unpaved. 4,652 km (2,891 mi) long interurban roads are present in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Around 965 km (600 mi) long railway network is available in the country and all of them are standard gauge railway tracks. There are 24 airports in the country, out of which 7 have paved runways and 17 have unpaved runways. 6 heliports are also there in the country. There are 4 major airports (in terms of traffic) in the country and they are Sarajevo International Airport, Tuzla International Airport, Mostar International Airport, and Banja Luka International Airport.

The navigable waterway is present on the Sava River on the northern border. While it is open to shipping, it has limited use. The main river ports available in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Orasje (Sava River), Brcko, Bosanski Samac, Bosanski Brod, and Bosanska Gradiska.

What International Organizations is Bosnia and Herzegovina part of?

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

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