Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina (locally: Bosna i Hercegovina/Босна и Херцеговина, most commonly abbreviated as BiH) is a country in south-east Europe with an estimated population of between three and four million people. The country is the homeland of its three ethnic constituent peoples: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats. Other communities that live there are not given the status of being "constituent"[1]. A citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of ethnicity, is usually identified as a Bosnian.

The country borders with Croatia in the west and Serbia and Montenegro in the east. It is virtually landlocked save for a small strip of land (about 20km) on the Adriatic sea, centreed around the city of Neum. The interior of the country is heavily mountainous and divided by various rivers, most of which are nonnavigable. The nation's capital is Sarajevo, which is also its largest city.

Bosnia and Herzegovina was formerly one of the six federal units constituting Yugoslavia. The republic gained its independence in the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s and, due to the Dayton Accords, is currently administered in a supervisory role by a High Representative selected by the UN Security Council. It is also decentralized and administratively divided into two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.

Bosnia itself is the chief geographic region of the modern state, and forms its historical backbone. Herzegovina is the most notable of the numerous other territories traditionally under the Bosnian political unit, and has been included in the country's name since 1853.

Official Canadian government advisories for travelling to, in and around Bosnia and Herzegovina

Landmines remain a very serious danger, especially outside of Sarajevo. The vast majority of mined areas in Bosnia are not marked in any way. Visitors should keep to main roads, stay on paved surfaces, avoid abandoned houses, and travel only during daylight hours. Special care should be taken near former confrontation lines. Avoid areas with visible signs of destruction, such as numerous destroyed buildings, which may be mined. The mine threat includes large amounts of unexploded ordnance and discarded ammunition. War relics and unknown items should not be touched and should be reported to local authorities. Visitors should carry a document identifying their blood type.