Location and Geography
Bosnia, or formally known as Bosnia-Herzegovina, is a country located in southeastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. The term "Bosnia" comes from the Bosna River which runs through the country. The capital and largest city in Bosnia is Sarajevo. The country is bordered by Croatia to the north, west, and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the south east. Nearly all the country is landlocked except for a mere twelve miles of coastline on the Adriatic Sea. The land area is 19,741 square miles. Northern Bosnia contains plains and plateaus while the central and southern regions are mountainous. A portion of the land contains forests leaving only a small portion of land capable of farming.
Original picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Bosna_regija_update.jpg/250px-Bosna_regija_update.jpg
Original picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Bosna_regija_update.jpg/250px-Bosna_regija_update.jpg
Climate
The climate in Bosnia varies by its geographical regions. In the mountainous areas, the winters are typically cold while summers tend to be mild and rainy. The rest of the country experiences mild winters and summers that are hot and dry. The climate on the coast and southern tip resembles that of a Mediterranean climate.
Original Picture: http://www.destination360.com/europe/images/s/bosnia-and-herzegovina.jpg
Original Picture: http://www.destination360.com/europe/images/s/bosnia-and-herzegovina.jpg
Demographics
Original Picture: http://athaia.org/images/cartes/bosnie_ethnies.jpg
The country's estimated population is July 2012 was 3,879,296 according to the CIA's World Fact Book. In Bosnia, three ethnic groups are prevalent. Bosniaks (48%) make up the largest group followed by Serbs (37.1%) then Croats (14.3%). Bosnian and Croatian are official languages, and Serbian is also spoken in this area.
Economy
The economy that exists in Bosnia is that of a transition economy with limited market reforms. Exportation of metals is heavily relied on as well as remittances and foreign aid. Products and industry produced in Bosnia include wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables, livestock, steel, coal, iron ore, textiles, tobacco products, ammunition, and oil refining. However, the war that occurred in the 1990's had a devastating effect on the economy. The once centralized planned economy is now highly decentralized making economic reform quite difficult. Unemployment rate was at estimated at 43.3% in 2011, and 18.6% of people in Bosnia were below the poverty line.
Bosnian War and Genocide
A war broke out in Bosnia between March of 1992 and December of 1995 as a result of the breakup of Yugoslavia. Initially it was a territorial conflict. After Bosnia declared independence in 1991, Serbs and Croats living in Bosnia wanted to annex the Bosnian territory for Serbia and Croatia. The Bosnian Serbs began cutting off food, supplies, and communication to any residents who opposed a "Greater Serbia". For three years, food was scarce and many Bosnian people lost a substantial amount of weight. Bosnian Serb nationalists began an ethnic cleansing program to rid the area of anyone who was not a Serb. Many people were driven from their homes, held hostage, and killed. Many families left Bosnia to seek refuge during this terrible time. As a result, many institutions such as the health care system were damaged and many health care workers migrated away from Bosnia, leaving fewer doctors to provide care for the people of Bosnia.
Website Last Updated: November 20, 2012
Copyright © Kaitlin Andrews and Monica Tedesco, 2012