Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
29 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
908,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
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 stations; 3 large public radio broadcasters and many private radio stations (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.ba
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
86.10% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
18 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
583,000 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
121 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
3.84 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
maize, milk, vegetables, potatoes, plums, wheat, apples, barley, chicken, tomatoes (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
7.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
32.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$10.463 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$10.196 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$968.2 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$1.364 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$826.0 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$804.3 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$875.8 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$661.8 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$531.9 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$574.3 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$348.6 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$1.078 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
-$638.769 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
-$1.176 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$13.440 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$5.359 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
1.8076 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
1.4731 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
1.4742 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
1.7635 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
1.7681 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
1.7354 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
1.6570 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
1.7471 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
1.7170 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
1.6536 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
1.8593 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
1.8092 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
1.8076 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
footwear, electricity, garments, plastic products, insulated wire (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$5.973 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$6.308 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$5.760 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$6.146 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$7.390 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$8.600 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$8.201 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$6.997 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$10.137 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$11.838 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$12.126 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$12.141 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
43.9% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
19.1% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
68.3% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-55.7% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
23.1% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
3.2% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
4.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
22% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
58% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$25,043 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$28.343 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$79.243 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015
32.9 (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
30.3 (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$8.807 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$8.723 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$8.958 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$10.322 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$11.563 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$11.158 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$9.694 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$12.764 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$15.166 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$15.37 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$16.202 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-2.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
-1.04% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
-1.58% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
0.81% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
1.42% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
0.56% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
-1.05% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
1.98% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
14.02% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
6.11% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
1.69% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
1.356 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
16.90% (2015 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2013
49.61% (2013 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2014
53.50% (2014 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
52.24% (2016 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2017
47.37% (2017 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2018
44.89% (2018 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2019
44.02% (2019 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2020
45.42% (2020 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2021
46.97% (2021 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2022
41.74% (2022 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2023
40.31% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$39.811 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$41.679 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$44.800 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$46.723 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$54.963 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$54.010 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$59.339 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$61.843 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$63.077 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$64.641 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
4.28% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
3.24% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
3.24% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
3.83% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
2.89% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-3.02% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
7.39% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
4.23% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.99% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.97% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$11,168 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$11,845 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$12,899 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$13,627 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$16,429 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$16,370 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$18,287 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$21,651 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$23,376 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$1.958 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$2.107 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$1.801 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$1.931 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$2.478 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
10.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
10.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
11% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$4.791 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$5.136 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$6.474 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$6.808 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$7.208 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$8.707 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$9.475 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$8.762 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$9.205 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$9.419 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
19.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
15.69% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
15.87% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
14.90% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
12.66% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
10.67% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
10.69% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
30.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
25.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
27.3% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
12.304 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
1.254 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
1.327 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
12.311 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
2.264 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
64% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
31.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
12.867 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
7.104 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
3.6 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
4.682 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
1.339 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
91.227 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
19.292 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
4.785 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
24.513 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
Environment: Environmental issues
air pollution; deforestation and illegal logging; inadequate wastewater treatment and flood management facilities; urban waste disposal; uncleared land mines from the 1990s
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
21.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
42.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
36.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
26.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
37.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
475 million cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
320 million cubic meters (2022)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
52.12% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
1.249 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
23.8% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Geography: Area: land
51,187 sq km
Geography: Area: water
10 sq km
Geography: Coastline
20 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Maglic 2,386 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Adriatic Sea 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
500 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
44 00 N, 18 00 E
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
30 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Croatia 956 km; Montenegro 242 km; Serbia 345 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
1,543 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
21.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
42.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
36.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Europe
Geography: Maritime claims
NA
Geography: Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes
Geography: Population distribution
the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
Geography: Terrain
mountains and valleys
Government: Administrative divisions
3 first-order administrative divisions - Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt) (ethnically mixed), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine) (predominantly Bosniak-Croat), Republika Srpska (predominantly Serb)
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Government: Capital: etymology
the name derives from the Turkish word saray , meaning "palace" or "mansion"
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
43 52 N, 18 25 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes, provided there is a bilateral agreement with the other state
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
8 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
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
Government: Constitution: history
14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords)
Government: Country name: abbreviation
BiH
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government: Country name: etymology
the larger northern territory is named for the Bosna River; the smaller southern section takes its name from the Old Serbian word herceg , meaning "duke," combined with the possessive - ov and the suffix - ina , meaning "country," to denote "dukedom"
Government: Country name: former
People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government: Country name: local long form
none
Government: Country name: local short form
Bosna i Hercegovina
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: branch office(s)
Banja Luka, Mostar
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires John GINKEL (since September 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
sarajevoACS@state.gov https://ba.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[387] (33) 659-722
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
7130 Sarajevo Place, Washington DC 20521-7130
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[387] (33) 704-000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Sven ALKALAJ (since 30 June 2023)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Chicago
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
info@bhembassy.org http://www.bhembassy.org/index.html
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 337-1502
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 337-1500
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairperson, approved by the state-level House of Representatives
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
Chairperson of the Presidency Zeljko KOMSIC (chairperson since 16 July 2025; presidency member since 20 November 2018 - Croat seat); Denis BECIROVIC (presidency member since 16 November 2022 - Bosniak seat); Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (presidency member since 16 November 2022 - Serb seat)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2022: percent of vote - Denis BECIROVIC - (SDP BiH) 57.4% - Bosniak seat; Zeljko KOMSIC (DF) 55.8% - Croat seat; Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (SNSD) 51.7% - Serb seat 2018: percent of vote - Milorad DODIK (SNSD) 53.9% - Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC (DF) 52.6% - Croat seat; Sefik DZAFEROVIC (SDA) 36.6% - Bosniak seat
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
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, with the new member of the presidency elected with the highest number of votes starting the new mandate as chair; the chairperson of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
October 2026
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Borjana KRISTO (since 25 January 2023)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
2 October 2022
Government: Flag
description: a wide blue vertical band on the right side, with a large yellow isosceles triangle in the middle of the flag, based at the top; the rest of the flag is blue, with seven five-pointed white stars and two half-stars along the triangle's hypotenuse meaning: the triangle approximates the country's shape, and its three points stand for the Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe; the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are traditional and are also associated with neutrality and peace
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
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, 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Legal system
civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
House of Representatives (Predstavnicki dom)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
October 2026
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
2/16/2023
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
42 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: parties elected and seats per party
Party of Democratic Action (SDA) (9); Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) (6); Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SDP) (5); HDZ BiH, HSS, HSP BiH, HKDU, HSPAS, HDU, HSPHB, HRAST (4); Democratic Front (DF) - Civic Alliance (GS) (3); People and Justice (NAROD I PRAVDA) (3); (3); Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS) (3); Other (15)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
19%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: term in office
4 years
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
House of Peoples (Dom Naroda)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
February 2027
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
10/2/2022
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
15 (all appointed)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
6.7%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: term in office
4 years
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Parliamentary Assembly (Skupstina)
Government: National anthem(s): history
music adopted 1999; lyrics proposed in 2009 were accepted by a parliamentary commission but are still awaiting adoption, so the anthem remains officially wordless
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
none officially/Dusan SESTIC
Government: National color(s)
blue, yellow, white
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Old Bridge Area of Mostar (c); Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad (c); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe - Janj Forest (n); Vjetrenica Cave, Ravno (n)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
Government: National holiday
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
Government: National symbol(s)
golden lily
Government: Political parties
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD Bosnian-Herzegovinian Initiative or BHI KF Civic Alliance or GS Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH Democratic Front or DF Democratic Union or DEMOS For Justice and Order Our Party or NS/HC Party for Democratic Action or SDA Party of Democratic Progress or PDP People and Justice Party or NiP People's European Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or NES Serb Democratic Party or SDS Social Democratic Party or SDP United Srpska or US
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Introduction: Background
After four centuries of Ottoman rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary took control in 1878 and held the region until 1918, when it was incorporated into the newly created Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. After World War II, Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the SFRY on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. Bosnian Serb militias, with the support of Serbia and Croatia, then tried to take control of territories they claimed as their own. From 1992 to 1995, ethnic cleansing campaigns killed thousands and displaced more than two million people. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement, and the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995. The Dayton Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multiethnic and democratic 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 Dayton Accords also established the Office of the High Representative to oversee the agreement's implementation. In 1996, the NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) took over responsibility for enforcing the peace. In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. As of 2022, EUFOR deploys around 1,600 troops in Bosnia in a peacekeeping capacity. Bosnia and Herzegovina became an official candidate for EU membership in 2022.
Military and Security: Military - note
the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are responsible for territorial defense, providing assistance to civil authorities during disasters or other emergencies, and participating in collective security and peace support operations; each of the AFBiH's three combat brigades are headquartered inside of their respective ethnicity territory, while its main headquarters is in Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina aspires to join NATO; Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2006 and was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010; the AFBiH is undergoing a 10-year (2017-2027) defense modernization and reform program for preparing to join and integrate with NATO; it has contributed small numbers of troops to EU, NATO, and UN missions NATO maintains a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to the EU Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), which has operated in the country to oversee implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004 (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH or Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Army, Air, Air Defense forces organized into an Operations Command and a Support Command Ministry of Security: Border Police (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 10,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory of weapons and equipment is a combination of material originating from the former Soviet Union/former Yugoslavia and some newer acquisitions from suppliers such as Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
0.99% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
0.92% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
0.85% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
0.84% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
0.81% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
0.83% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
0.89% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
0.75% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
0.72% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
0.75% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18 -27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2006 (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
13.1% (male 257,444/female 240,209)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
68.3% (male 1,305,271/female 1,290,920)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
18.6% (2024 est.) (male 289,449/female 415,378)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
4.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
6.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
8.92% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
12.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
27.8 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
3.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
44.5 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
16.7 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 97.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 94.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 2.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
10.2% national budget (2021 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
3.25% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.56 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.6% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
14.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
2.4 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Bosnian) Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, nužan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
81.1 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
74.6 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
96.99% (2013 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
346,000 SARAJEVO (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
46.5 years
People and Society: Median age: male
43.1 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
27.7 years (2019 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Bosnian, Herzegovinian
People and Society: Net migration rate
-1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
17.9% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
2.58 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
People and Society: Population
3,164,253 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
People and Society: Population growth rate
-0.66% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
1,874,951
People and Society: Population: male
1,778,548
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
15 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
14 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
14 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.07 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.01 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.7 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.07 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
29% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
39.2% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
34% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
52.12% (2024 est.)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
94,796 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
685 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
23 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
20 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
T9
Transportation: Heliports
3 (2025)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Neum
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
0
Transportation: Ports: small
1
Transportation: Ports: total ports
1 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
0
Transportation: Railways: standard gauge
965 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified)
Transportation: Railways: total
965 km (2014)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.