Saturday, October 27, 2007


Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country on the Balkan peninsula of Southern Europe with an area of 51,280 square kilometres (19,741 sq mi). Around 4.3 million people lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1991, prior to its 1992–1995 war. In 2007 its population was estimated at 3.9 million people.
The country is home to three ethnic "constituent peoples": Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats. Regardless of ethnicity, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina is often identified in English as a Bosnian. In Bosnia however, the distinction between a Bosnian and a Herzegovinian is maintained as a regional, rather than an ethnic distinction. The country is decentralized and comprised of two political entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.
Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the south, Bosnia and Herzegovina is mostly landlocked, except for 26 kilometres of the Adriatic Sea coastline, centered around the town of Neum. The interior of the country is mountainous in the center and south, hilly in the northwest, and flat in the northeast. The nation's capital and largest city is Sarajevo, seated between several high mountains and was thus the host of the 1984 Winter Olympic Games.
The region of Bosnia is the largest geographic region of the modern state with moderate continental climate, marked by hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Smaller Herzegovina is the southern tip of the country, with Mediterranean climate and topography. Bosnia and Herzegovina's natural resources are abundant.
Formerly one of the six federal units constituting the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina gained its independence during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. As a result of the Dayton Accords, the civilian peace implementation is supervised by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina selected by the Peace Implementation Council. The High Representative has many governmental and legislative powers, including the dismissal of elected and non-elected officials. More recently, several central institutions have been established (such as defense ministry, security ministry, state court, indirect taxation service etc.) in the process of transferring part of the jurisdiction from the entities to the state.
Bosnia is a candidate for NATO and a potential candidate for the EU.

Etymology
Until 958 958–1463 1463–1878 1878–1918 1918–1941 1941–1945 1945–1992 1992–1995 1995–present Culture Rulers Presidents Demographics Economy Military Islam Catholicism Serbs Croats Jews Roma

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina History

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (until 958) Pre-Slavic period

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (958–1463) Medieval Bosnia

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1463–1878) Ottoman era

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1878–1918) Austro-Hungarian rule

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1918–1941) The first Yugoslavia

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1941–1945) World War II

Main article: History of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1945–1992) Socialist Yugoslavia

Main article: Bosnian War The 1992-1995 Bosnian War
The system of government established by the Dayton Accord is an example of consociationalism, as representation is by elites who represent the country's three major groups, with each having a guaranteed share of power.
The Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina rotates among three members (Bosniak, Serb, Croat), each elected as the Chair for an eight-month term within their four-year term as a member. The three members of the Presidency are elected directly by the people (Federation votes for the Bosniak/Croat, Republika Srpska for the Serb).
The Chair of the Council of Ministers is nominated by the Presidency and approved by the House of Representatives. He or she is then responsible for appointing a Foreign Minister, Minister of Foreign Trade, and others as appropriate.
The Parliamentary Assembly is the lawmaking body in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It consists of two houses: the House of Peoples and the House of Representatives. The House of Peoples includes 15 delegates, two-thirds of which come from the Federation (5 Croat and 5 Bosniaks) and one-third from the Republika Srpska (5 Serbs). The House of Representatives is composed of 42 Members, two-thirds elected from the Federation and one-third elected from the Republika Srpska.
The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the supreme, final arbiter of legal matters. It is composed of nine members: four members are selected by the House of Representatives of the Federation,two by the Assembly of the Republika Srpska, and three by the President of the European Court of Human Rightsafter consultation with the Presidency.
However, the highest political authority in the country is the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the chief executive officer for the international civilian presence in the country. Since 1995, the High Representative was able to bypass the elected parliamentary assembly or to remove elected officials. The methods selected by the High Representative are often seen as dictatorship.

Politics and government

Main article: Subdivisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina Administrative divisions

Main article: Geography of Bosnia and Herzegovina Geography

Main article: Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina = Economy

Main article: Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina Tourism

Main article: Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina Education

Main article: Culture of Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia-Herzegovina Culture
The greatest event in B&H Sport was hosting of 14th Winter Olympics that were held in Sarajevo from 8th till 23th of February 1984. There were many sport heroes like: Katharina Witt, brothers Maire, and Slovenian Jure Franko.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced many athletes. Many of them were famous in the Yugoslav national teams before Bosnia and Herzegovina's independence. For example in the Olympics, the golden Yugoslavian athletes from B&H were: ROME 1960 – Tomislav Knez and Velimir Sombolac (football), MUNCHEN 1972 – Abaz Arslanagić, Milorad Karalić, Nebojša Popović, Đorđe Lavrinić, Dobrivoje Seleć (handball), MOSKVA 1980 – Mirza Delibašić and Ratko Radovanović (basketball), and LOS ANGELES 1984 - Zdravko Rađenović, Zlatan Arnautović (handball) and Anto Josipović (boxing. Handball Club Borac (founded in Banja Luka in 1950) has won seven tittles as Yugoslavian Champion, and greatest achievement is winner of European Championship Cup in 1976 and International Handball Federation Cup in 1991. Basketball Club Bosnia from Zenica has become European Champion in 1979. The Yugoslav national basketball team, which medaled in every world championship from 1963 through 1990, has included Bosnian stars like Dražen Dalipagić and Mirza Delibašić. Bosnia and Herzegovina regularly qualifies for the European Championship in Basketball. Women's Basketball Club Jedinstvo from Tuzla has become Europe Champion in Florence, 1979. Karate Club Tuzla-Sinalco from Tuzla is most awarded club in B&H. Only in 2003 their members have won 207 medals, from that 73 was gold, 57 silver, and 77 bronze. They also have four European Championships and one World Championship. Chess club Bosnia has been seven times Champion of Yugoslavia, and they have won four titles of Europe Champions: 1994 in Lyon, 1999 in Bugojno, 2000 in Neum, and 2001 in Kalitea. Borki Predojević (from Teslić) won two European Championships: Litohoreu (Greece) in 1999, and Kalitei (Greece) in 2001.
Middle-weight boxer Marjan Beneš, won several B&H Championships, Yugoslavian Championships and Europe Championship. In 1978 he won World Title against Elish Obeda from Bahamas. Middle-weight boxer Ante Josipović won Olympic Gold in Los Angeles, 1984. He also won Yugoslavian Championship in 1982, Championship of the Balkans in 1983, and Beograd Trophy in 1985.
There is a theory that alpinism was founded in Bosnia and Herzegovina when Bosnian knights were returning from Knightly Championship in Hungary in early 15th century. They stopped at one mountain and climbed on its top, just for fun of it. However, Boris Kovačević from Sarajevo, together with Branko Puzak Campi from Croatia, is the first to claim the Himalaya top Ngojumbo Kang, November 11th 1987.
Football is most popular sport in B&H. It dates from 1903, but real affirmation of football is after the World War II. Greatest achievements have been winning the Yugoslavian Championship: Sarajevo (1967 and 1984), Željezničar (1972). The former Yugoslav national football team included famous Bosnian players, such as Josip Katalinski, Dušan Bajević, Ivica – Ćiro Blaževć, Ivica Osim, Safet Sušić, and Mirsad Fazlagić. In football, independent Bosnia and Herzegovina has not qualified for a European or World Championship. Mirsad Hibić, Elvir Bolić, Elvir Baljić, Mirsad Bešlija, Meho Kodro, Sergej Barbarez, and Hasan Salihamidžić are famous B&H football players who have played for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team. B&H national teams struggle to draft the best national players. Many players born in Bosnia and Herzegovina choose to play for other countries due to their ethnic identification and because of higher salaries offered by other teams. For example Mario Stanić and Mile Mitić were both born in Bosnia, but choose to play for Croatia and Serbia respectively. Other internationally famous players from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have made similar choices, are: Zoran Savić, Vladimir Radmanović, Zoran Planinić and Aleksandar Nikolić.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the current world champion in paralympic volleyball. Many of the players lost their legs in the War of 1992-1995.
References: The book: The Best in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo 2004.

Sports

Bosnian architecture
1991 Bosnia and Herzegovina Population Census
Oriental Institute in Sarajevo See also
Baščaršija, Old town of Sarajevo Image:Sarajevo Ferhad-begova-Mosque02.jpg|Ferhad-Begova, one of Sarajevo's 186 mosques
Cathedral of Jesus' Heart in SarajevoImage:Sarajevo ortodox church.JPG|Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo
Sarajevo Jewish Synagogue
National Library in Sarajevo
Waterfalls in Jajce
Momo and Uzeir towers in Sarajevo
Mosque in Travnik
The Sarajevo art academy, on the bank of the Miljacka
Latin Bridge photographed in 2005
River Una in Bihac
The Višegrad bridge crossing the river Drina.
View of Doboj from the fortress
14th Century Doboj Fortress, reconstructed in 2006, with a wooden stage added during reconstruction
Old town in Tešan
Kastel Fortress in Banja Luka
Waterfalls in Jajce

Gallery

Official links

Official Presidency website
Official Council of Ministers website
Official BiH Ombudsman website
Official Foreign Trade Chamber website
Official Central Bank of BiH website Executive

Official BiH Parliament website
Official State Court website
Official Constitutional Court website
Official State Prosecutor website
Official High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH website
Official Human Rights Commission within the Constitutional Court of BiH website Legislative and Judicial

Official Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
Official Ministry of Defense website
Official Ministry of Finance and Treasury website
Official Ministry of External Trade and Economic Relations website
Official Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees website
Official Ministry of Justice website
Official Ministry of Communications and Transport website
Official Ministry of Civil Afairs website
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