Bosnia and Herzegovina

Parliamentary RepublicPop3.7MGDP (PPP)$64.6BCI38Beta CP0.0→Beta

⌘K

Overview

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.

Geography

Area

Land: 51,187 sq km
Water: 10 sq km
Total: 51,197 sq km

Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
Terrain: mountains and valleys

Land Use

Other: 36.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 42.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 21.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.)

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Coastline: 20 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Highest point: Maglic 2,386 m
Mean elevation: 500 m

Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2012)
Map references: Europe

Land Boundaries

Total: 1,543 km
Border countries: Croatia 956 km; Montenegro 242 km; Serbia 345 km

Maritime claims: NA
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes
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
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower
Area comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 18 00 E
Population distribution: the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated

Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)

Atlantic ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

People & Society

Languages

Languages: Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)
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.

Religions: 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.)

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 6.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 12.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 43.1 years
Total: 45.7 years (2025 est.)
Female: 46.5 years

Population

Male: 1,778,548
Total: 3,653,499 (2025 est.)
Female: 1,874,951

Nationality

Noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
Adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Tobacco Use

Male: 39.2% (2025 est.)
Total: 34% (2025 est.)
Female: 29% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 50.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 13.1% (male 257,444/female 240,209)
15 64 years: 68.3% (male 1,305,271/female 1,290,920)
65 years and over: 18.6% (2024 est.) (male 289,449/female 415,378)

Ethnic groups: Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 44.5 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 16.7 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 27.8 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 2.58 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 9.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 14.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 2.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.15 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 97.3% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 94.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 2.7% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 5.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 10.2% national budget (2021 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: -0.67% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.56 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 75.5 years
Female: 81.6 years
Total population: 78.5 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: urban: urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 4.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 346,000 SARAJEVO (capital) (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 17.9% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 27.7 years (2019 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 14 years (2023 est.)
Total: 14 years (2023 est.)
Female: 15 years (2023 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

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

Capital

Name: Sarajevo
Etymology: the name derives from the Turkish word saray, meaning "palace" or "mansion"
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
Geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E

Suffrage: 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Citizenship

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

Note: note: each of the political entities has its own constitution
History: 14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords)
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

Country Name

Former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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"
Abbreviation: BiH
Local long form: none
Local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Independence: 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia)
Legal system: civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
Government type: parliamentary republic

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)
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
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

Executive Branch

Note: note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lidiia BRADARA (since 28 February 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairperson, approved by the state-level House of Representatives
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)
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
Head of government: Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Borjana KRISTO (since 25 January 2023)
Most recent election date: 2 October 2022
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
Expected date of next election: October 2026

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
National color(s): blue, yellow, white

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
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)

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

Legislative Branch

Legislature name: Parliamentary Assembly (Skupstina)
Legislative structure: bicameral

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
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
Lyrics/music: none officially/Dusan SESTIC

National symbol(s): golden lily
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)

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Chamber name: House of Representatives (Predstavnicki dom)
Term in office: 4 years
Number of seats: 42 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 2/16/2023
Expected date of next election: October 2026
Percentage of women in chamber: 19%
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)

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Chamber name: House of Peoples (Dom Naroda)
Term in office: 4 years
Number of seats: 15 (all appointed)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 10/2/2022
Expected date of next election: February 2027
Percentage of women in chamber: 6.7%

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 337-1502
Chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500
Chief of mission: Ambassador Sven ALKALAJ (since 30 June 2023)
Consulate(s) general: Chicago
Email address and website: info@bhembassy.org

http://www.bhembassy.org/index.html

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: [387] (33) 659-722
Embassy: 1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo
Telephone: [387] (33) 704-000
Mailing address: 7130 Sarajevo Place, Washington DC  20521-7130
Branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires John GINKEL (since September 2025)
Email address and website: sarajevoACS@state.gov

https://ba.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: 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)
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA · LOWER HOUSE

House of Representatives

42 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

Party of Democratic Action (SDA)

Parties

All political parties14 parties · 42 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Upper house

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA · UPPER HOUSE

House of Peoples

15 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

Alliance of Independent Social Democrats

Parties

All political parties8 parties · 15 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

ŽK
Željko Komšić
- Head of StateSince 2018
BK
Borjana Krišto
- Head of GovernmentSince 2023

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $10.196 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $10.463 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $12.1B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $11.838 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $12.126 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $12.141 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $16.1B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $15.166 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $15.37 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $16.202 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining
Labor force: 1.356 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 39.9%

Note: note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2023: 40.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 10.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 10.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 11% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 1.717 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 1.654 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 1.859 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 1.809 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 1.808 (2024 est.)

Debt External

Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023: $5.359 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview: import-dominated economy; remains consumption-heavy; lack of private sector investments and diversification; jointly addressing structural economic challenges; Chinese energy infrastructure investments; high unemployment; tourism industry impacted by COVID-19

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 11.0%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 12.7% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 10.7% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 10.8% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: Germany 15%, Croatia 14%, Serbia 12%, Austria 10%, Slovenia 9% (2023)
Imports partners: Italy 13%, Germany 11%, Serbia 11%, China 9%, Croatia 8% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $25,043

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $19,300 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $19,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $20,400 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 3.0%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: maize, milk, vegetables, potatoes, plums, wheat, apples, barley, chicken, tomatoes (2023)
Exports commodities: footwear, electricity, garments, plastic products, insulated wire (2023)
Imports commodities: refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): -$1.0B

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022: -$1.078 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$638.769 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024: -$1.176 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 19.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $28.343 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 68.3% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 19.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 43.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -55.7% (2023 est.)

Population below poverty line: 16.9% (2015 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 32.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 7.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 1.7%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 14% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 6.1% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 1.7% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: -2.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $64.641 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $61.843 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $63.077 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $64.641 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 25.4% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 27.3% (2024 est.)
Female: 30.9% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $8.762 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $9.205 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $9.419 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 22% (2024 est.)
Services: 58% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 4.3% (2024 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 1.254 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.327 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Production: 12.311 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 12.304 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.264 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Exports: 7.104 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 3.6 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption: 12.867 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 4.682 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.339 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Imports: 228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 91.227 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 2.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 64% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 31.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste: 1.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 83% (2023 est.)

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)
Internet country code: .ba

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 583,000 (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2024 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 3.84 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 908,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 1
Medium: 0
Key ports: Neum
Very small: 0
Total ports: 1 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 0

Airports: 20 (2025)

Railways

Total: 965 km (2014)
Standard gauge: 965 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified)

Heliports: 3 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: T9

Environment

Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Land Use

Other: 36.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 42.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 21.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 50.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.249 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23.8% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: air pollution; deforestation and illegal logging; inadequate wastewater treatment and flood management facilities; urban waste disposal; uncleared land mines from the 1990s

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2022)
Industrial: 475 million cubic meters (2022)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 24.513 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 19.292 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 4.785 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 26.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 37.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Military & 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 Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 0.7%

Military expenditures 2020: 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021: 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)

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 service age and obligation: 18 -27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2006 (2025)
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 service personnel strengths: approximately 10,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s): Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force

Transnational Issues

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Idps: 94,796 (2024 est.)
Refugees: 685 (2024 est.)
Stateless persons: 23 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index38.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4121 / 1902024-Q4

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.34as of 2024-Q489 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusNot Free (42/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Bosnia and Herzegovina — vintage 2026-Q1: Bosnia and Herzegovina factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/bosnia-and-herzegovina

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Željko Komšić

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