Bosnia and Herzegovina

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 908,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

3 public TV broadcasters: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (operating 2 networks), and Republika Srpska Radio-TV; a local commercial network of 5 TV stations; 3 private, near-national TV stations and dozens of small independent TV stations; 3 large public radio broadcasters and many private radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.ba

Internet users

percent of population: 83% (2023 est.)

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.)

Agricultural products

maize, milk, vegetables, potatoes, plums, wheat, apples, barley, chicken, tomatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 32.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

revenues: $10.196 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $10.463 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

-$1.176 billion (2024 est.) -$638.769 million (2023 est.) -$1.078 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$5.359 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - 1.808 (2024 est.) 1.809 (2023 est.) 1.859 (2022 est.) 1.654 (2021 est.) 1.717 (2020 est.)

Exports

$12.141 billion (2024 est.) $12.126 billion (2023 est.) $11.838 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

footwear, electricity, garments, plastic products, insulated wire (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 15%, Croatia 14%, Serbia 12%, Austria 10%, Slovenia 9% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$28.343 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 68.3% (2023 est.) government consumption: 19.1% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.1% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 3.2% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.9% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -55.7% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 4.3% (2024 est.) industry: 22% (2024 est.) services: 58% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Imports

$16.202 billion (2024 est.) $15.37 billion (2023 est.) $15.166 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Italy 13%, Germany 11%, Serbia 11%, China 9%, Croatia 8% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (2024 est.) 6.1% (2023 est.) 14% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

1.356 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

16.9% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

40.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$64.641 billion (2024 est.) $63.077 billion (2023 est.) $61.843 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

2.5% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 4.2% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$20,400 (2024 est.) $19,800 (2023 est.) $19,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

11% of GDP (2024 est.) 10.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$9.419 billion (2024 est.) $9.205 billion (2023 est.) $8.762 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

19.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

10.8% (2024 est.) 10.7% (2023 est.) 12.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 27.3% (2024 est.) male: 25.4% (2024 est.) female: 30.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

production: 12.311 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 12.304 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 1.254 million metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 1.327 million metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 2.264 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 4.682 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 12.867 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 7.104 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 3.6 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.339 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 64% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2.2% 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.)

Energy consumption per capita

91.227 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption: 228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 228.855 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

24.513 million 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.) from consumed natural gas: 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Environmental issues

air pollution; deforestation and illegal logging; inadequate wastewater treatment and flood management facilities; urban waste disposal; uncleared land mines from the 1990s

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

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.)

Particulate matter emissions

26.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

37.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 475 million cubic meters (2022)

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.)

Area

total : 51,197 sq km land: 51,187 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast

Coastline

20 km

Elevation

highest point: Maglic 2,386 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 500 m

Geographic coordinates

44 00 N, 18 00 E

Geography - 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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 1,543 km border countries (3): Croatia 956 km; Montenegro 242 km; Serbia 345 km

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.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

NA

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower

Population distribution

the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated

Terrain

mountains and valleys

Administrative divisions

3 first-order administrative divisions - Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt) (ethnically mixed), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine) (predominantly Bosniak-Croat), Republika Srpska (predominantly Serb)

Capital

name: Sarajevo geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name derives from the Turkish word saray , meaning "palace" or "mansion"

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, provided there is a bilateral agreement with the other state residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Constitution

history: 14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords) amendment process: decided by the Parliamentary Assembly, including a two-thirds majority vote of members present in the House of Representatives; the constitutional article on human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot be amended note: each of the political entities has its own constitution

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina abbreviation: BiH etymology: the larger northern territory is named for the Bosna River; the smaller southern section takes its name from the Old Serbian word herceg , meaning "duke," combined with the possessive - ov and the suffix - ina , meaning "country," to denote "dukedom"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d Affaires John GINKEL (since September 2025) embassy: 1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: 7130 Sarajevo Place, Washington DC 20521-7130 telephone: [387] (33) 704-000 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 email address and website: sarajevoACS@state.gov https://ba.usembassy.gov/ branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Sven ALKALAJ (since 30 June 2023) chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 email address and website: info@bhembassy.org http://www.bhembassy.org/index.html consulate(s) general: Chicago

Executive branch

chief of state: Chairperson of the Presidency Zeljko KOMSIC (chairperson since 16 July 2025; presidency member since 20 November 2018 - Croat seat); Denis BECIROVIC (presidency member since 16 November 2022 - Bosniak seat); Zeljka CVIJANOVIC (presidency member since 16 November 2022 - Serb seat) head of government: Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Borjana KRISTO (since 25 January 2023) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairperson, approved by the state-level House of Representatives election/appointment process: 3-member presidency (1 Bosniak and 1 Croat elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1 Serb elected from the Republika Srpska) directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term but then ineligible for 4 years); the presidency chairpersonship rotates every 8 months, with the new member of the presidency elected with the highest number of votes starting the new mandate as chair; the chairperson of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives most recent election date: 2 October 2022 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 expected date of next election: October 2026 note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lidiia BRADARA (since 28 February 2023)

Flag

description: a wide blue vertical band on the right side, with a large yellow isosceles triangle in the middle of the flag, based at the top; the rest of the flag is blue, with seven five-pointed white stars and two half-stars along the triangle's hypotenuse meaning: the triangle approximates the country's shape, and its three points stand for the Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe; the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are traditional and are also associated with neutrality and peace note: one of four national flags that reflect the shape of the country in the flag design; the others are Brazil, Eritrea, and Vanuatu

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia) note: referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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) note : Bosnia-Herzegovina is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); Court of BiH (consists of 44 national judges and 7 international judges organized into 3 divisions - Administrative, Appellate, and Criminal, which includes a War Crimes Chamber) judge selection and term of office: BiH Constitutional Court judges - 4 selected by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives, 2 selected by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and 3 non-Bosnian judges selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights; Court of BiH president and national judges appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; Court of BiH president appointed for renewable 6-year term; other national judges appointed to serve until age 70; international judges recommended by the president of the Court of BiH and appointed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina; international judges appointed to serve until age 70 subordinate courts: the Federation has 10 cantonal courts plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has a supreme court, 5 district courts, and a number of municipal courts

Legal system

civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliamentary Assembly (Skupstina) legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name: House of Representatives (Predstavnicki dom) number of seats: 42 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 2/16/2023 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); (3); Republican Party of the Social Order (PROS) (3); Other (15) percentage of women in chamber: 19% expected date of next election: October 2026

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: House of Peoples (Dom Naroda) number of seats: 15 (all appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 10/2/2022 percentage of women in chamber: 6.7% expected date of next election: February 2027

National anthem(s)

title: "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina) lyrics/music: none officially/Dusan SESTIC history: music adopted 1999; lyrics proposed in 2009 were accepted by a parliamentary commission but are still awaiting adoption, so the anthem remains officially wordless

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 Pa a Sokolović Bridge in Vi egrad (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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 March (1992) and Statehood Day, 25 November (1943) - both observed 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 note: there is no national-level holiday

National symbol(s)

golden lily

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

Suffrage

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

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.

Military - note

the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are responsible for territorial defense, providing assistance to civil authorities during disasters or other emergencies, and participating in collective security and peace support operations; each of the AFBiH's three combat brigades are headquartered inside of their respective ethnicity territory, while its main headquarters is in Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina aspires to join NATO; Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2006 and was invited to join NATO s Membership Action Plan in 2010; the AFBiH is undergoing a 10-year (2017-2027) defense modernization and reform program for preparing to join and integrate with NATO; it has contributed small numbers of troops to EU, NATO, and UN missions NATO maintains a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to the EU Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), which has operated in the country to oversee implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004 (2025)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH or Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Army, Air, Air Defense forces organized into an Operations Command and a Support Command Ministry of Security: Border Police (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 10,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory of weapons and equipment is a combination of material originating from the former Soviet Union/former Yugoslavia and some newer acquisitions from suppliers such as T rkiye, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 -27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2006 (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 9% of the military's full-time personnel

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 5.46 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 4.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.47 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.)

Birth rate

6.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

12.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 44.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 16.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 94.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 97.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 96.1% of population (2022 est.) urban: 5.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 2.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.2% national budget (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.) note: Republika Srpska authorities dispute the methodology and refuse to recognize the results; Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Gross reproduction rate

0.56 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

9.6% of GDP (2021) 14.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.3 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births

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.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.5 years (2024 est.) male: 75.5 years female: 81.6 years

Major urban areas - population

346,000 SARAJEVO (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 45.7 years (2025 est.) male: 43.1 years female: 46.5 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.7 years (2019 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s) adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Net migration rate

-1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.9% (2016)

Physician density

2.58 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

total: 3,653,499 (2025 est.) male: 1,778,548 female: 1,874,951

Population distribution

the northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated

Population growth rate

-0.67% (2025 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.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 14 years (2023 est.) female: 15 years (2023 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 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 34% (2025 est.) male: 39.2% (2025 est.) female: 29% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.15 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 50.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 685 (2024 est.) IDPs: 94,796 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 23 (2024 est.)

Airports

20 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

T9

Heliports

3 (2025)

Ports

total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Neum

Railways

total: 965 km (2014) standard gauge: 965 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (565 km electrified)