Country Sheet : Bosnia-herzegovina

Information file

Last Update on 3rd July 2024

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

PDF

In English - version of 3rd July 2024

Geography

Area : 51,209 km²

Borders : 1,543 km (Croatia 956 km, Montenegro 242 km, Serbia 345 km)

Coastline : 20 km

Capital : Sarajevo

Official language : Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian

Source : The CIA World Factbook

Flag

Population

Population : 3,807,764 (2023 est.)

Crude natural change rate : -2.3‰ (2023 est.)

Crude net migration rate: -0,38 (2023 est.)

Life expectancy: men 75.3 years, women 81.4 years (2023 est.)

Religions: Muslim 50.7%, Orthodox 30.7%, Roman Catholic 15.2%, other 3.3% (2013 est.)

Source : IMF, The CIA World Factbook

Economy

Currency: Marka (BAM) (once called the Convertible Mark). The Marka is pegged to the Euro, and used to be linked the German Mark. (Fixed exchange rate in July 2023 : 1 € = 1.95 BAM)

GDP: € 25,026.6 million (2023)

GDP per capita (PPS): € 6,733 (2022)

GDP growth : 1.7% (2023)

Inflation: 4.1% (September 2023)

Public debt: 20.3% of GDP (December 2022)

Unemployment: 13.1% (June 2023)

Budget balance: -0.6% (2022 est.)

Source : IMF, The CIA World Factbook, World Bank

Political system

Political institutions Federal Republic, parliamentary democracy. The central government’s power is limited as the country is largely decentralized and comprises two autonomous entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republica Srpska, with a third region, the Brčko District, governed at local level.

Central Institutions The Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina is held by a college of three presidents, elected for four years. The last election was on 2nd October 2022: - Denis Bećirović (SD), elected among the Bosniak college. - Željka Cvijanović (SNSD), elected among the Serbian college. - Željko Komšić (Democratic Front elected among the Croatian college) The three communities take turns leading the Presidency every eight months. • Governance is ensured by the Council of Ministers. Its president is appointed by the Presidency. The current president of the Council of Ministers is Borjana Kristo. He appoints the ministers and the deputy ministers, and the latter are not required to belong to the same ethnic group as the ministers on whom they depend. The government consists of 6 different parties: Croat Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Alliance of social-democrats; Social-Democrat Party; People and Justice; Our Party; National Democratic Alliance. • The Central Parliament of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina comprises two houses: - The House of the People (Dom naroda; upper house) with 15 delegates of whom five are Croats, five Bosniaks and five Serbs. - The Chamber of Representatives (Predstavnički dom/Zastupnički dom; lower house) comprises 42 members: 28 are elected in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 are elected in the Serb Republic; they are appointed by the lower houses of the two entities that make up the country: the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the National Assembly of the Serb Republic.

Political representation

Composition of the Chamber of Representatives in July 2024

8 seats: Party of Democratic Action (SDA)
6 seats: Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD)
5 seats: Social Democratic Party (SDP-BiH)
4 seats: Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) and its allies
3 seats: Democratic Front and its ally Front Démocratique et son allié Civic Alliance (DF-GS)
3 seats: People and Justice (NiP)
2 seats: Democratic Serb Party (SDS)
2 seats: Democratic progress Party (PDP)
2 seats: Our Party (NS)
2 seats: European Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina's citizens (NES)
1 seat: For Justice and Order (ZPR)
1 seat: Democratic Alliance (DEMOS)
1 seat: Serb Union (US)
1 seat: Bosnia-Herzegovina Initiative (BHI)
1 seat: National Democratic Alliance (DNS)

Relations zith the EU

On 1st August 2021, Christian Schmidt was appointed High Representative/EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to replace Valentin Inzko. Regarding foreign policy and representation in international institutions, it is the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina that carries out these duties on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing as such the two entities.
On 16th June 2008 the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA); this is the first step prior to obtaining the candidate status to the European Union. It was ratified and entered into force on 1st June 2015. On 31th July 2008, Bosnia and Herzegovina & EU signed a financing agreement for the pre-accession assistance (IPA) instrument 2007 National Programme. On 27th May 2010, the Commission allowed citizens of Albania & Bosnia and Herzegovina to travel to Schengen countries without a short-term visa. On 27th June 2012, the EU and Bosnia and Herzegovina launched the High-Level Dialogue on the Accession Process. Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a potential candidate to EU accession. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application for EU membership was submitted on 15th February 2016. The country was granted EU candidate status in December 2022, provided that it implements the recommended measures to strengthen the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime, migration management and fundamental rights. On the 12th of March 2024 the European Commission recommended to open the EU accession negotiations.