CapitalSarajevo
Population3,653,499
Area51,197 km²
GDP per capita$20,400
LanguagesBosnian, Serbian, Croatian, other, no answer
Currencykonvertibilna markas
Life Expectancy78.5 yr
Governmentparliamentary republic.
Introduction
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
characterized by hot summers and frigid winters; regions at higher elevations experience brief, cool summers and prolonged, harsh winters; along the coast, winters are mild and rainy
Terrain
comprising 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
located in Southeastern Europe, adjacent to 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
prone to devastating earthquakes
Geography - note
within the internationally recognized boundaries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the nation is partitioned into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (approximately 51% of the land) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (around 49% of the territory); the area known as Herzegovina shares borders with Croatia and Montenegro
Natural resources
resources include coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, and hydropower
Area - comparative
marginally smaller than the state of West Virginia
Geographic coordinates
44 00 N, 18 00 E
Population distribution
the northern and central regions of the nation exhibit the highest population density
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 country's northern and central regions exhibit the highest population density.
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.)
Environment
Climate
characterized by warm summers and frigid winters; regions at elevated altitudes experience brief, cool summers and extended, harsh winters; temperate, wet winters are found along the coastline
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 issues; deforestation alongside unlawful logging activities; insufficient facilities for wastewater treatment and flood control; urban waste management challenges; unresolved 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
Government
Flag
description: the flag features a broad blue vertical stripe on the right side, with a prominent yellow isosceles triangle in the center, positioned at the top; the remaining area of the flag is blue, adorned with seven five-pointed white stars and two half-stars along the triangle's hypotenuse.
meaning: the triangle symbolizes the shape of the nation, with its three points representing the Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars signify Europe; the color scheme (white, blue, and yellow) is traditional and also conveys themes of neutrality and peace.
Capital
name
Sarajevo
etymology
the term originates from the Turkish word saray, which translates to "palace" or "mansion."
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time).
daylight saving time
+1hr, commencing on the last Sunday in March and concluding on the 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, contingent upon a bilateral agreement with the other country.
residency requirement for naturalization
8 years
Constitution
history
14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords)
amendment process
determined by the Parliamentary Assembly, requiring a two-thirds majority vote of members present in the House of Representatives; the constitutional provision regarding human rights and fundamental freedoms is immutable.
Country name
former
People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
etymology
the larger northern area is named after the Bosna River; the smaller southern region is derived from the Old Serbian term herceg, meaning "duke," combined with the possessive suffix -ov and the suffix -ina, signifying "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; legislative acts are subject to review by the Constitutional Court.
Government type
parliamentary republic.
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Constitutional Court (composed of 9 members); Court of BiH (includes 44 national judges and 7 international judges, organized into 3 divisions - Administrative, Appellate, and Criminal, which features a War Crimes Chamber).
subordinate courts
the Federation contains 10 cantonal courts in addition to several municipal courts; the Republika Srpska features a supreme court, 5 district courts, and various municipal courts.
judge selection and term of office
the judges of the BiH Constitutional Court are appointed as follows: 4 by the House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 by the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska, and 3 non-Bosnian judges selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights; the president and national judges of the Court of BiH are appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; the president of the Court of BiH serves a renewable 6-year term, while other national judges serve until they reach the age of 70; international judges are recommended by the president of the Court of BiH and appointed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving until they are 70 years old.
Executive branch
cabinet
the Council of Ministers is nominated by the chairperson of the council, subject to approval by the state-level House of Representatives.
chief of state
Chairperson of the Presidency Zeljko KOMSIC (chairperson since 16 July 2025; member of the presidency since 20 November 2018 - Croat seat); Denis BECIROVIC (member of the presidency since 16 November 2022 - Bosniak seat); Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (member of the presidency 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
the presidency comprises 3 members (1 Bosniak and 1 Croat elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1 Serb elected from the Republika Srpska), directly elected through a simple-majority popular vote for a term of 4 years (eligible for a second term but must wait 4 years before running again); the chairperson of the presidency rotates every 8 months, with the newly elected member receiving the highest number of votes beginning their chairmanship; the chairperson of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and must be 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 commemorated 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
the anthem was adopted in 1999; lyrics proposed in 2009 received approval from a parliamentary commission but have yet to be enacted, leaving the anthem officially without words.
lyrics/music
none officially/Dusan SESTIC
National symbol(s)
golden lily
Administrative divisions
there are 3 first-order administrative divisions - Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt) (ethnically mixed), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine) (predominantly Bosniak-Croat), and 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); 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
[email protected]
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 (position currently unoccupied); Chargé d’Affaires John GINKEL (in office since September 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://ba.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
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 yet to submit a declaration regarding ICJ jurisdiction; acknowledges ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$10.196 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$10.463 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$11.838 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$12.126 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$12.141 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
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
Public debt 2023
40.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances
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
Debt - external 2023
$5.359 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
economy heavily reliant on imports; characterized by a consumption-heavy model; limited private sector investment and lack of diversification; efforts to tackle structural economic issues; investments in energy infrastructure from China; high levels of unemployment; tourism sector adversely affected by COVID-19
Unemployment rate
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
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
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
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
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)
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)
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.)
total
27.3% (2024 est.)
female
30.9% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
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
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
Three public television broadcasters operate in the region: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (which has 2 networks), and Republika Srpska Radio-TV. Additionally, there is a local commercial network comprised of five television stations, three private near-national television stations, and numerous small independent TV stations. The radio landscape includes three major public radio broadcasters along with a variety of 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.)
Transportation
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
Military & Security
Military - note
The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) hold the responsibility for national defense, assisting civil authorities in situations of disaster or emergencies, and engaging in collective security and peacekeeping missions. Each of the three combat brigades of the AFBiH is based within the territory corresponding to their specific ethnic group, while the central command is located in Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina aims to become a NATO member; it became part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2006 and received an invitation to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010. The AFBiH is currently undergoing a decade-long defense modernization and reform initiative (2017-2027) to prepare for NATO integration. It has also deployed small contingents of personnel to missions organized by the EU, NATO, and the UN.
NATO operates a military headquarters in Sarajevo aimed at aiding Bosnia and Herzegovina in the PfP program, facilitating closer ties with NATO, and offering logistical and other assistance to the EU Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), which has been present in the country to ensure the execution of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004 (2025).
Military expenditures
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): consists of Army, Air Force, and Air Defense forces organized into an Operations Command and a Support Command.
Ministry of Security: includes Border Police (2025).
Military service age and obligation
Individuals aged 18 to 27 are eligible for voluntary military service; conscription was abolished in January 2006 (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military's arsenal includes a mix of equipment from the former Soviet Union/former Yugoslavia along with more recent acquisitions from suppliers such as Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
There are around 10,000 active duty personnel in the 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.)
