ARCHIVE // BA // 2017

Bosnia and Herzegovina

2017 Edition — sovereign

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
3 public TV broadcasters: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (operating 2 networks), and Republika Srpska Radio-TV; a local commercial network of 5 TV stations; 3 private, near-national TV stations and dozens of small independent TV broadcasting stations; 3 large public radio broadcasters and many private radio stations (2010)
Internet country code [time series]
.ba
Internet users [time series]
total: 2,677,502 | percent of population: 69.3% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by an internationally sponsored program, resulted in sharp increases in fixed-line telephone availability | domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly and stands at roughly 90 telephones per 100 persons | international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2016)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 744,991 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 3,404,043 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 88 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Budget [time series]
revenues: $7.329 billion | expenditures: $7.464 billion (2016 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-0.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
5.24% (31 December 2016 est.) | 5.79% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140
Current account balance [time series]
$-741 million (2016 est.) | $-892.4 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112
Debt - external [time series]
$10.64 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $12.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
36.2 (2007) | country comparison to the world: 88
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a transitional economy with limited market reforms. The economy relies heavily on the export of metals, energy, textiles, and furniture as well as on remittances and foreign aid. A highly decentralized government hampers economic policy coordination and reform, while excessive bureaucracy and a segmented market discourage foreign investment. Foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, control much of the banking sector, though the largest bank in the Republika Srpska entity is a private domestic one. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro through a currency board arrangement, which has maintained confidence in the currency and has facilitated reliable trade links with European partners. In 2016, Bosnia began a three-year IMF loan program that requires Bosnia to meet economic reform benchmarks to receive future funding installments. | Interethnic warfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar, but the economy made progress until 2008, when the global economic crisis caused a downturn. Since 2013, Bosnia and Herzegovina has posted positive economic growth, though severe flooding hampered recovery in 2014. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. | Bosnia and Herzegovina's private sector is growing slowly, but foreign investment has dropped sharply since 2007. High unemployment remains the most serious macroeconomic problem. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a steady source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray-market activity, though public perceptions of government corruption and misuse of taxpayer money has encouraged a large informal economy to persist. National-level statistics have improved over time, but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. | Bosnia and Herzegovina's top economic priorities are: acceleration of integration into the EU; strengthening the fiscal system; public administration reform; World Trade Organization membership; and securing economic growth by fostering a dynamic, competitive private sector.
Exchange rates [time series]
konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - | 1.7674 (2016 est.) | 1.7674 (2015 est.) | 1.7626 (2014 est.) | 1.4718 (2013 est.) | 1.52 (2012 est.)
Exports [time series]
$4.288 billion (2016 est.) | $3.95 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110
Exports - commodities [time series]
metals, clothing, wood products
Exports - partners [time series]
Germany 16.6%, Italy 12.7%, Croatia 11%, Serbia 9.2%, Slovenia 9.1%, Austria 8.2%, Turkey 4.5% (2016)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$16.57 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$42.04 billion (2016 est.) | $40.71 billion (2015 est.) | $39.09 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 113
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 78.6% | government consumption: 20% | investment in fixed capital: 16.9% | investment in inventories: 2.1% | exports of goods and services: 34.6% | imports of goods and services: -52.1% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 7.8% | industry: 26.8% | services: 65.4% (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$10,900 (2016 est.) | $10,700 (2015 est.) | $10,300 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 136
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
2% (2016 est.) | 3% (2015 est.) | 1.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113
Gross national saving [time series]
11.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 10.5% of GDP (2015 est.) | 10.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.7% | highest 10%: 27.3% (2007)
Imports [time series]
$8.361 billion (2016 est.) | $8.155 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104
Imports - commodities [time series]
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners [time series]
Germany 12.3%, Italy 11.7%, Serbia 11.2%, Croatia 9.9%, China 6.8%, Slovenia 5%, Russia 4.4%, Turkey 4.3% (2016)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
4.4% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55
Industries [time series]
steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
-1.1% (2016 est.) | -1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11
Labor force [time series]
1.401 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 19% | industry: 30% | services: 51% (2013)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
17.2% (2011 est.)
Public debt [time series]
44.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | 44.7% of GDP (2015 est.) | note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions. | country comparison to the world: 118
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$5.137 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.791 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91
Stock of broad money [time series]
$10.89 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $10.38 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$0 (2014) | country comparison to the world: 112
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$7.92 billion (2014 est.) | $7.721 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$9.271 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $9.389 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$5.013 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.554 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
44.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25
Unemployment rate [time series]
25.4% (2016 est.) | 43.2% (2015 est.) | note: official rate; actual rate is lower as many technically unemployed persons work in the gray economy | country comparison to the world: 212
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
17 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Crude oil - imports [time series]
18,940 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65
Crude oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 112
Electricity - consumption [time series]
11.44 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89
Electricity - exports [time series]
6.007 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
41.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
48.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
0.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156
Electricity - imports [time series]
3.872 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
4.243 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85
Electricity - production [time series]
14.97 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
881 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - imports [time series]
200 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 118
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
31,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
5,910 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
15,700 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
20,700 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 51,197 sq km | land: 51,187 sq km | water: 10 sq km | country comparison to the world: 129
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Climate [time series]
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
Coastline [time series]
20 km
Elevation [time series]
mean elevation: 500 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m | highest point: Maglic 2,386 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
air pollution; deforestation and illegal logging; inadequate wastewater treatment and flood management facilities; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; land mines left over from the 1992-95 civil strife are a hazard in some areas
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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 [time series]
44 00 N, 18 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
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 [time series]
30 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 1,543 km | border countries (3): Croatia 956 km, Montenegro 242 km, Serbia 345 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 42.2% | arable land 19.7%; permanent crops 2%; permanent pasture 20.5% | forest: 42.8% | other: 15% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Map references [time series]
Europe
Maritime claims [time series]
NA
Natural hazards [time series]
destructive earthquakes
Natural resources [time series]
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower
Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]
the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
Terrain [time series]
mountains and valleys
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
3 first-order administrative divisions - Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt) (ethnically mixed), the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine) (predominantly Bosniak-Croat), the Republic of Srpska (Republika Srpska) (predominantly Serb)
Capital [time series]
name: Sarajevo | geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina | dual citizenship recognized: yes, provided there is a bilateral agreement with the other state | residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Constitution [time series]
history: 14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords); note - each of the political entities has its own constitution | amendments: decided by the Parliamentary Assembly, including a two-thirds majority vote of members present in the House of Representatives; the constitutional article on human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2009 (2016)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none | conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina | local long form: none | local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina | former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina | abbreviation: BiH | etymology: the larger northern territory is named for the Bosna River; the smaller southern section takes its name from the German word "herzog," meaning "duke," and the ending "-ovina," meaning "land," forming the combination denoting "dukedom"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen CORMACK (since 16 January 2015) | embassy: 1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [387] (33) 704-000 | FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 | branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Haris HRLE (since 23 October 2015) | chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 | telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 | FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 | consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Dragan COVIC (chairman since 17 July 2017, presidency member since 17 November 2014 - Croat), Mladen IVANIC (presidency member since 17 November 2014 - Serb); Bakir IZETBEGOVIC (presidency member since 10 November 2010 - Bosniak) | head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Denis ZVIZDIC (since 11 February 2015) | cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman, approved by the state-level House of Representatives | elections/appointments: 3-member presidency (1 Bosniak and 1 Croat elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1 Serb elected from the Republika Srpska) directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for 4 years); the presidency chairpersonship rotates every 8 months and resumes where it left off following each general election; election last held on 12 October 2014 (next to be held in October 2018); the chairman of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives | election results: percent of vote - Mladen IVANIC (PDP) 48.7% - Serb seat; Dragan COVIC (HDZ-BiH) 52.2% - Croat seat; Bakir IZETBEGOVIC (SDA) 32.9% - Bosniak seat | note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Marinko CAVARA (since 11 February 2015); Vice Presidents Melika MAHMUTBEGOVIC (since 11 February 2015), Milan DUNOVIC (since 11 February 2015); President of the Republika Srpska Milorad DODIK (since 15 November 2010); Vice Presidents Ramiz SALKIC (since 24 November 2014), Josip JERKOVIC (since 24 November 2014)
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
a wide 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 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 | note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Brazil, Eritrea, and Vanuatu
Government type [time series]
parliamentary republic
Independence [time series]
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia); note - referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); Court of BiH (consists of 44 national judges and 7 international judges organized into 3 divisions - Administrative, Appellate, and Criminal, which includes a War Crimes Chamber) | judge selection and term of office: BiH Constitutional Court judges - 4 selected by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives, 2 selected by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and 3 non-Bosnian judges selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights; Court of BiH president and national judges appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; Court of BiH president appointed for renewable 6-year term; other national judges appointed to serve until age 70; international judges recommended by the president of the Court of BiH and appointed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina; international judges appointed to serve until age 70 | subordinate courts: the Federation has 10 cantonal courts plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has a supreme court, 5 district courts, and a number of municipal courts
Legal system [time series]
civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
Legislative branch [time series]
description: bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members designated by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve 4-year terms) and the state-level House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats to include 28 seats allocated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 to the Republika Srpska; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature that consists of the House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other) and the House of Representatives (98 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); Republika Srpska's unicameral legislature is the National Assembly (83 directly elected delegates serve 4-year terms) | elections: House of Peoples - last constituted in 11 February 2015 (next likely to be constituted in 2019); state-level House of Representatives - election last held on 12 October 2014 (next to be held in October 2018) | 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 - Federation votes: SDA 27.9%, DF 15.3%, SBB BiH 14.4%, Croat People's Assembly coalition or HNS (HDZ BiH-HSS-NHI-HKDU-HSP BiH-HSP HB) 12.2%, SDP 9.5%, HDZ-1990 4.1%, BPS-Sefer Halilovic 3.7%, A-SDA 2.3%, other 10.6%; Republika Srpska votes: SNSD 38.5%, SDS 32.6%, PDP-NDP 7.8%, DNS 5.7%, SDA 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 10, SNSD 6, SDS 5, DF 5, SBB BiH 4, Croat People's Assembly coalition or HNS (HDZ BiH-HSS-NHI-HKDU-HSP BiH-HSP HB) 4, SDP 3, PDP-NDP 1, HDZ-1990 1, BPS-Sefer Halilovic 1, DNS 1, A-SDA 1
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina) | lyrics/music: none officially; Dusan SESTIC and Benjamin ISOVIC/Dusan SESTIC | note: music adopted 1999; lyrics accepted 2009 but not yet approved
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 1 March (1992) and Statehood Day, 25 November (1943) - both observed in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity; Victory Day, 9 May (1945) and Dayton Agreement Day, 21 November (1995) - both observed in the Republika Srpska entity | note: there is no national-level holiday
National symbol(s) [time series]
golden lily; national colors: blue, yellow, white
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB BiH [Fahrudin RADONCIC] | Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK] | Alternative Party for Democratic Activity or A-SDA [Nermin OGRESEVIC] | Bosnian-Herzegovinian Patriotic Party-Sefer Halilovic or BPS-Sefer Halilovic [Sefer HALILOVIC] | Croat Peasants' Party or HSS [Mario KARAMATIC] | 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 [Ilija CVITANOVIC] | Croatian Party of Rights or HSP BiH [Stanko PRIMORAC] | Croatian Party of Rights of Herceg-Bosne or HSP HB [Vesna PINJUH] | Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats or HNS [Ivan VRDOLJAK] | Democratic Front of DF [Zeljko KOMSIC] | Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC] | Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Bakir IZETBEGOVIC] | Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Branislav BORENOVIC] | People's Democratic Movement or NDP [Dragan CAVIC] | Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Vukota GOVEDARICA] | Social Democratic Party or SDP [Nermin NIKSIC]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
war veterans; displaced persons associations; family associations of missing persons; private media
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and 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 ended 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 multiethnic 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 predominantly Bosniak-Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the predominantly 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 to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council 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 security assistance and training capacity.
Military and Security
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Air Force and Air Defense (Brigada Zracnih Snaga i Protuzracne Odbrane, br ZSiPZO), Tactical Support Brigade (Brigada Takticke Podrske, br TP) (2015)
Military expenditures [time series]
0.99% of GDP (2016) | 1% of GDP (2015) | 1.03% of GDP (2014) | 1.09% of GDP (2013) | 1.15% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 75
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 35 or after 15 years of service for E-1 through E-4, mandatory retirement at age 50 and 30 years of service for E-5 through E-9, mandatory retirement at age 55 and 30 years of service for all officers (2014)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 13.29% (male 264,718/female 247,587) | 15-24 years: 11.58% (male 230,495/female 216,107) | 25-54 years: 45.88% (male 889,686/female 879,514) | 55-64 years: 14.83% (male 275,550/female 296,236) | 65 years and over: 14.43% (male 218,823/female 337,465) (2017 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
8.8 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
1.5% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 127
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
45.8% (2011/12)
Death rate [time series]
10 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 39
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 43.3 | youth dependency ratio: 20.7 | elderly dependency ratio: 22.5 | potential support ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 99.7% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 99.9% of population | urban: 0.3% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0.1% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% | note: the methodology remains disputed and Republika Srspka authorities refuse to recognize the results; Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam (2013 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
9.6% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 30
Hospital bed density [time series]
3.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172
Languages [time series]
Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 76.9 years | male: 73.9 years | female: 80.2 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 98.5% | male: 99.5% | female: 97.5% (2015 est.)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
SARAJEVO (capital) 318,000 (2015)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
11 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143
Median age [time series]
total: 42.1 years | male: 40.5 years | female: 43.5 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
27 years (2014 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s) | adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
17.9% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 118
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
1.89 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
Population [time series]
3,856,181 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128
Population distribution [time series]
the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
Population growth rate [time series]
-0.16% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 209
Religions [time series]
Muslim 50.7%, Orthodox 30.7%, Roman Catholic 15.2%, atheist 0.8%, agnostic 0.3%, other 1.2%, undeclared/no answer 1.1% (2013 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 98.9% of population | rural: 92% of population | total: 94.8% of population | urban: 1.1% of population | rural: 8% of population | total: 5.2% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 14 years | male: 14 years | female: 15 years (2014)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female | total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.3 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 217
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 62.3% | male: 43.5% | female: 62.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 40.1% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute
Illicit drugs [time series]
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 5,164 (Croatia) (2016) | IDPs: 98,000 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced by inter-ethnic violence, human rights violations, and armed conflict during the 1992-95 war) (2016) | stateless persons: 49 (2016)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
24 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 130
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 7 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | under 914 m: 2 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 17 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 | under 914 m: 11 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
T9 (2016)
Heliports [time series]
6 (2013)
National air transport system [time series]
number of registered air carriers: 1 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 7,070 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 87 mt-km (2015)
Pipelines [time series]
gas 147 km; oil 9 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
river port(s): Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, Brcko, Orasje (Sava River)
Railways [time series]
total: 965 km | standard gauge: 965 km 1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 91
Roadways [time series]
total: 22,926 km | paved: 19,426 km (4,652 km of interurban roads) | unpaved: 3,500 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 102
Waterways [time series]
(Sava River on northern border; open to shipping but use limited) (2011)