Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in Europe with its capital at Sarajevo, home to about 3.14 million people across 51,209 km². The interactive map below plots 6 cities and towns, 2 rivers and 3 mountain summits recorded for Bosnia and Herzegovina in YearMaps.
- Population
- 3.14 million
- Area
- 51,209 km²
- Capital
- Sarajevo
- Continent
- Europe
Interactive Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Centred on Sarajevo at 43.8500° N, 18.3830° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, often referred to as Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southeastern Europe. Situated on the Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to the north and southwest, with a 20-kilometre-long (12-mile) coast on the Adriatic Sea in the south. Bosnia has a moderate continental climate with hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Its geography is largely mountainous, particularly in the central and eastern regions, which are dominated by the Dinaric Alps. Herzegovina, the smaller, southern region, has a Mediterranean climate and is mostly mountainous. Sarajevo is the capital and the largest city.
The area has been inhabited since at least the Upper Palaeolithic, with permanent human settlement traced to the Neolithic cultures of Butmir, Kakanj, and Vučedol. After the arrival of the first Indo-Europeans, the area was populated by several Illyrian and Celtic civilisations. Most of modern Bosnia was incorporated into the Roman province of Dalmatia by the mid-first century BCE. The ancestors of the modern South Slavic peoples arrived between the sixth and ninth centuries. In the 12th century, the Banate of Bosnia was established as the first independent Bosnian polity. It gradually evolved and expanded into the Kingdom of Bosnia, which became the most powerful state in the western Balkans by the 14th century. The Ottoman Empire annexed the region in 1463 and introduced Islam. From the late 19th century until World War I, the country was under Austro-Hungarian rule. In the interwar period, Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After World War II, it was granted full republic status in the newly formed Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1992, following the breakup of Yugoslavia, the republic proclaimed independence. This was followed by the Bosnian War, which lasted until late 1995 and ended with the signing of the Dayton Agreement.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has around 3.4 million inhabitants, composed chiefly of three main ethnic groups: Bosniaks, who form one half of the population, followed by Serbs at one-third and Croats at one-sixth; minorities include Jews, Roma, Albanians, Montenegrins, Ukrainians and Turks, who are among 17 recognized "national minorities". Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature and a presidency made up of one member from each of the three major ethnic groups (directorial system).
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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.
- Location
- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia.
- 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.
- Highest point
- Maglic 2,386 m.
- Lowest point
- Adriatic Sea 0 m.
- Coastline
- 20 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 1,543 km; border countries: Croatia 956 km; Montenegro 242 km; Serbia 345 km.
- Natural resources
- Coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 21.7% (2023 est.); arable land: 7.2% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 1.4% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 12.8% (2023 est.); forest: 42.2% (2023 est.); other: 36.1% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Destructive earthquakes.
- Geographic 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.
- Languages
- Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)
- 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.)
- Ethnic groups
- Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.)
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Bosnia and Herzegovina in Numbers
- Population
- 3.14 million
- GDP
- US$32.6 billion
- GDP per person
- US$10,382
- Life expectancy
- 78.0 years
- Population growth
- -0.77% a year
- Population density
- 62 per km²
- Urban population
- 52.7%
- Surface area
- 51,210 km²
- Forest cover
- 42.2%
- Arable land
- 8.0%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 86.1%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Bosnia and Herzegovina in Depth
History
Bosnia has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic era. Notably, the Badanj Cave near Stolac features one of the oldest known cave engravings, depicting an animal figure believed to be a horse, dating back to approximately 13,000 to 12,000 BC. During the Neolithic period, significant cultures such as the Butmir and Kakanj emerged along the Bosna River. The Butmir culture, flourishing around 5100 to 4500 BC, is renowned for its distinctive ceramics and anthropomorphic figurines. Excavations near Sarajevo have uncovered intricately decorated pottery and realistic human figurines from this culture.
From the 8th century BCE, Illyrian tribes evolved into kingdoms.
Geography
Bosnia and Herzegovina is in the western Balkans, bordering Croatia (932 km or 579 mi) to the north and west, Serbia (302 km or 188 mi) to the east, and Montenegro (225 km or 140 mi) to the southeast. It has a coastline about 20 kilometres (12 miles) long surrounding the town of Neum. It lies between latitudes 42° and 46° N, and longitudes 15° and 20° E.
The country's name comes from the two alleged regions Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose border was never defined. Historically, Bosnia's official name never included any of its many regions until the Austro-Hungarian occupation.
The country is mostly mountainous, encompassing the central Dinaric Alps. The northeastern parts reach into the Pannonian Basin, while in the south it borders the Adriatic.
Economy
During the Bosnian War, the economy suffered €200 billion in material damages, roughly €356.80 billion in 2025 (inflation adjusted). Bosnia and Herzegovina faces the dual-problem of rebuilding a war-torn country and introducing transitional liberal market reforms to its formerly mixed economy. One legacy of the previous era is a strong industry; under former republic president Džemal Bijedić and Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, metal industries were promoted in the republic, resulting in the development of a large share of Yugoslavia's plants; SR Bosnia and Herzegovina had a very strong industrial export oriented economy in the 1970s and 1980s, with large scale exports worth millions of US$.
Demographics
According to the 1991 census, Bosnia and Herzegovina had a population of 4,369,319, while the 1996 World Bank Group census showed a decrease to 3,764,425. Large population migrations during the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s have caused demographic shifts in the country. Between 1991 and 2013, political disagreements made it impossible to organize a census. A census had been planned for 2011, and then for 2012, but was delayed until October 2013. The 2013 census found a total population of 3,531,159 people, a drop of approximately 20% since 1991.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Key Facts
| Currency | convertible mark |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian |
| Head of state | Denis Bećirović |
| Head of government | Borjana Krišto |
| Form of government | federal parliamentary republic |
| Calling code | +387 |
| Internet domain | .ba |
| Highest point | Maglić |
| Lowest point | Adriatic Sea |
| Established | 6 March 1992 |
Facts from Wikidata Q225 (CC0).
History of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Empires and States
The atlas records 19 polities whose mapped territory included part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from The Roman Empire in 31 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| The Roman Empire | 31 BCE – 454 CE | Nearly all |
| Western Roman Empire | 395–454 CE | Nearly all |
| Ostrogoths | 455–499 CE | Nearly all |
| Ostrogothic Kingdom | 500–545 CE | Nearly all |
| Lombards | 546–568 CE | Most |
| Avar Khaganate | 569–626 CE | Most |
| Principality of Serbia | 850–960 CE | Most |
| First Bulgarian Empire | 926–935 CE | Most |
| The Byzantine Empire | 970–1187 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of Croatia | 980–1098 CE | Nearly all |
| Kingdom of Duklja | 1085–1093 CE | A large part |
| Kingdom of Hungary | 1099–1374 CE | A large part |
| Banate of Bosnia | 1188–1384 CE | Most |
| Kingdom of Bosnia | 1385–1462 CE | Nearly all |
| The Ottoman Empire | 1463–1879 CE | Nearly all |
| Austria-Hungary | 1880–1918 CE | Nearly all |
| Yugoslavia | 1919–1945 CE | Nearly all |
| Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | 1946–1991 CE | Nearly all |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1992–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian: Bosna i Hercegovina, Босна и Херцеговина, usually shortened to BiH) is a European country on the Balkan Peninsula. Mostly mountainous, it has access to a tiny portion of the Adriatic Sea coastline in the south. Visitors find well-restored historic cities, a warm and welcoming atmosphere, bustling city life and medieval monuments.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Bosnia and Herzegovina (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
6 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sarajevo | 696,731 | Sarajevo | National capital |
| 2 | Banja Luka | 221,738 | Serbian Republic | Admin-0 region capital |
| 3 | Zenica | 164,423 | Zenica-Doboj | Populated place |
| 4 | Mostar | 163,067 | Herzegovina-Neretva | Populated place |
| 5 | Tuzla | 144,334 | Tuzla | Populated place |
| 6 | Prijedor | 104,858 | Serbian Republic | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maglic | 2,387 m | 7,831 ft | Europe |
| 2 | Troglav | 1,913 m | 6,276 ft | Europe |
| 3 | Dinara | 1,831 m | 6,007 ft | Europe |
Maglic
Mountain · 2,387 m
Maglic is a mountain rising to 2,387 metres (7,831 ft) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, in the Europe region. The summit stands on the border between them. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Maglić (Serbian Cyrillic: Маглић, pronounced [mǎɡliːtɕ]) is a transboundary mountain in the Dinaric Alps, on the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Its highest peak has an elevation of 2,388 m (7,835 ft) and is located in Montenegro. The second, its twin, is the more visited of the two and has an elevation of 2,386 m (7,828 ft). It is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is the highest peak of the country. The mountain is oriented in a northwest–southeast direction.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Maglić (mountain) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 2,387 m (7,831 ft)
- Global rank
- #353 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Europe (#32)
- Countries
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro
- Coordinates
- 43.2800°, 18.7400°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Maglic ranks #353 by elevation, below Fox Mountain (2,404 m) and above Botev (2,376 m).
- Ranges:
- Appennini (Europe), Dinaric Alps (Europe)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Dinara (1,831 m)
More about Maglic
Geography
Maglić is the highest mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is bounded by the river Sutjeska to the west, the Piva to the east-southeast and the Upper Drina to the north-northeast, with the Vučevo plateau (1,862 m (6,109 ft)) extending to the north.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the nearest city is Foča, 20 km (12 mi) from the Maglić massif, while the nearest Montenegrin town is Mratinje. Karst limestone formations in the region of limestone plateau are the general geological setting in the south and southwest of the area.
The Maglić massif consists of two peaks, the Veliki Maglić (2,386 m (7,828 ft)) on the Bosnia and Herzegovina side and the Crnogorski Maglić (2,388 m (7,835 ft)) on the Montenegrin side.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Maglić (mountain) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Maglic: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 51 m |
|---|---|
| Mountain range | Maglić massif |
Facts from Wikidata Q837723 (CC0).
Dinara
Mountain · 1,831 m
Dinara is a mountain rising to 1,831 metres (6,007 ft) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, in the Europe region. The summit stands on the border between them. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Dinara is a 100-kilometre-long (60-mile) mountain range in the Dinaric Alps, located on the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. It has four major mountains or peaks, from north-west to south-east:
Sinjal or Dinara (1,831 m), eponym to the range, highest mountain in Croatia
Troglav (1,913 m), highest peak in the range
Note the dual use of the name Dinara, which is also the origin of the name for the whole Dinaric Alps. The range is composed of limestone and dolomite.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Dinara (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 1,831 m (6,007 ft)
- Global rank
- #448 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Europe (#49)
- Countries
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia
- Coordinates
- 44.0600°, 16.3800°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Dinara ranks #448 by elevation, below Punta la Marmora (1,834 m) and above Morro da Boa Vista (1,827 m).
- Ranges:
- Dinaric Alps (Europe), Appennini (Europe)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Maglic (2,387 m)
- Settlements below:
- Banja Luka (102 km), Prijedor (105 km), Zenica (124 km)
More about Dinara
Climate
Dinara is located only a few dozen kilometers away from the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Dalmatian Hinterland, but the climate on Dinara is a much colder, mountain climate, making it one of the coldest places in Croatia with average temperatures between 2 and 4 °C at the peaks. The average precipitation is high, while the number of sunny hours per year ranges between 1,700 and 1,900.
There are no inhabited areas on the mountain itself and human presence consists mostly of small shacks that belong to the herdsmen from the nearby valleys such as that of the Cetina river.
Tourism
One of the most fascinating massifs is on the southwestern slope. It is six kilometers long and up to 1,700 meters high, providing an interesting landscape for the travelers on the roads in the valley below to view. The massif does not attract many climbers, but its Ošljak peak (1,706 m) does.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Dinara (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe | 2007 | Natural | (ix) |
| 2 | Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge | 2007 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
| 3 | Vjetrenica | 2024 | Natural | (vii) (x) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BALKAN Peninsula | 189,639 km² | Pen/cape | Europe |
| 2 | Dinaric Alps | 3,001 km² | Range/mtn | Europe |
Dinaric Alps
Range/mtn · 3,001 km²
Dinaric Alps is a range/mtn in Europe, covering an estimated 3,001 km². It extends across Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Dinaric Alps (), also Dinarides, are a mountain range in Southern and South-Central Europe, separating the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia to Albania in the southeast.
The Dinaric Alps extend for approximately 645 kilometres (401 mi) along the western Balkan Peninsula from the Julian Alps of northeast Italy and northwest Slovenia, downwards to the Šar and Korab massif, where their direction changes. The Accursed Mountains are the highest section of the entire Dinaric Alps; this section stretches from Albania to Kosovo and eastern Montenegro. Maja Jezercë, standing at 2,694 metres (8,839 ft) above the Adriatic, is the highest peak and is located in Albania.
The Dinaric Alps are one of the most rugged and extensive mountainous areas of Europe, alongside the Caucasus Mountains, Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathian Mountains and Scandinavian Mountains. They are formed largely of Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of dolomite, limestone, sandstone and conglomerates formed by seas and lakes that once covered the area.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Dinaric Alps (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Range/mtn
- Mapped extent
- 3,001 km²
- Size rank
- #169 of 216 mountain ranges
- Region
- Europe
- Countries
- Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Coordinates
- 46.0498°, 14.0765°
- Adjacent ranges:
- Alps (Europe), Böhmerwald (Europe)
- Settlements:
- Prijedor (236 km), Banja Luka (280 km), Zenica (364 km)
More about Dinaric Alps
Geology
The Dinaric Karst region is built mostly of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite deposited on top of a huge Bahama-type carbonate platform, while a few kilometers thick carbonate successions have been deformed during the Alpine orogenesis. The main tectonic phase of the Alpine orogenesis in the Dinaric Karst region took place in the Cenozoic Era (Paleogene) as a result of the Adriatic microplate (Adria) collision with the Serbo-Macedonian and Rhodope Massifs, and the process is still active. The Mesozoic limestone forms a very distinctive region of the Balkans, notable for features such as the Karst Plateau, which has given its name to all such terrains of limestone eroded by groundwater.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Dinaric Alps (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Dinaric Alps: Key Facts
| Length | 645 km |
|---|---|
| Area | 175,000 km² |
| Highest point | Jezercë |
Facts from Wikidata Q189915 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo.
- What is the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina has a population of about 3.14 million, the #136 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina covers 51,209 km², ranking #130 by area, with about 61 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Bosnia and Herzegovina in?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is in Europe.
- Which countries border Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina shares a land or maritime border with Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia.
- What is the largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- Sarajevo is the largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a metropolitan population of about 696,731.
- What is the highest mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
- The highest summit recorded for Bosnia and Herzegovina in YearMaps is Maglic at 2,387 m (7,831 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.