Geography
Size snapshot: slightly smaller than West Virginia.
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Bosnia and Herzegovina
EuropeLand of Contrasts
Expect the unexpected when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discover more about this complex place.
Expect the unexpected when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina. A top performer in beer consumption (#26), it falls behind in fertility rate. Discover more about this complex place.
44.0, 18.0 - Europe
Area
51K km²
Pop.
3.65M
Stats
122
Reality brief
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in Europe with a population of 3.65M and an area of 51,209 km². Life expectancy is 77.8 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
CO2 Per Capita
6.1 t/person/yr#51globally
Annual carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes per person, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Life Expectancy
77.8 years#67globally
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Human Development Index
0.80#74globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Internet Users (%)
86.1%#90globally
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
GDP Per Capita
$20,428.53#89globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Bosnia and Herzegovina
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Culture
Major languages include Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, and more.
CIA 2026
Economy
Key industries include steel, coal, iron ore, lead, and more.
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Electricity Access (%)
100%#11globallyTop stat
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
Smoking Rate
36.2%#12globallyTop stat
The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
Youth Unemployment Rate
28.2% of youth labor force#24globallyTop stat
Share of the labor force ages 15-24 that is unemployed from the World Bank latest available country value.
Beer Consumption
3.7 L/person/yr#26globallyTop stat
Liters of beer consumed per person per year, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Only ranks #157 in air passengers
#1571.6KAir Passengers
Total passengers carried by airlines registered in that country, regardless of where flights originated or ended.
Only ranks #223 in fertility rate
#2231.1 children/womanFertility Rate
The average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime based on current birth rates.
Compared with the region
How Bosnia and Herzegovina Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Europe avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $22,955.76
- Region avg
- $57,483.02
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Bosnia and…$22,955.76
Europe$57,483.02
World$31,844.55
-28% below worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 77.8 years
- Region avg
- 80.0 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Bosnia and…77.8 years
Europe80.0 years
World73.7 years
+6% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.80
- Region avg
- 0.89
- World avg
- 0.74
Bosnia and…0.80
Europe0.89
World0.74
+9% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 86.1%
- Region avg
- 90.13%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Bosnia and…86.1%
Europe90.13%
World70.29%
+22% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Bosnia and Herzegovina
Country briefing
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.
Read the full Factbook note
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 & Climate6 facts
- 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
- Natural Resources
- coal, iron ore, antimony, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower
- Natural Hazards
- destructive earthquakes
- Size Comparison
- slightly smaller than West Virginia
People & Culture4 facts
- 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.)
- Major Cities
- 346,000 SARAJEVO (capital) (2023)
Government & History9 facts
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Sarajevo
- Capital Coordinates
- 43 52 N, 18 25 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Name Origin
- 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"
- Independence
- 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia)
- National Symbols
- golden lily
- National Anthem
- "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- 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
- Industries
- steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining
- Agricultural Products
- maize, milk, vegetables, potatoes, plums, wheat, apples, barley, chicken, tomatoes (2023)
- Export Partners
- Germany 15%, Croatia 14%, Serbia 12%, Austria 10%, Slovenia 9% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- footwear, electricity, garments, plastic products, insulated wire (2023)
- Import Partners
- Italy 13%, Germany 11%, Serbia 11%, China 9%, Croatia 8% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military 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 Service
- 18 -27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2006 (2025)
- Energy Mix
- 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.)
- 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)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Environment9 statsBest: #11
Electricity Access (%)
CO2 Per Capita
Renewable Energy (%)
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Forest Coverage (%)
Total CO2 Emissions
Forest Area
Protected Land (%)
Irrigated Land
30 km²#157
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #12
Smoking Rate
Health Spending (% GDP)
Life Expectancy
Suicide Rate
Doctors (per 1,000)
Obesity Rate
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Infant Mortality
Child Mortality
Demographics12 statsBest: #14
Death Rate
Elderly Population (%)
Median Age
Dependency Ratio
Population
Land Area
Population Density
Urban Population (%)
Teen Birth Rate
Youth Population (%)
Birth Rate
Fertility Rate
Wealth & Economy10 statsBest: #24
Youth Unemployment Rate
Unemployment Rate
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
High-Tech Exports (%)
GDP (Nominal)
GDP Growth Rate
Government Debt (% GDP)
Inflation Rate
Lifestyle5 statsBest: #26
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #47
Lowest Elevation
0 m#47
Highest Elevation
2.4K m#106
Land Border Length
1.5K km#110
Coastline Length
20 km#191
Education & Future6 statsBest: #74
Infrastructure2 statsBest: #90
Airports
Railway Length
965 km#90
Technology3 statsBest: #90
Energy1 statsBest: #93
Electric Generating Capacity
4.68M kW#93
Military & Defense2 statsBest: #128
Society & Equality1 statsBest: #134
Women in Parliament (%)
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
#51 in CO2 Per Capita
Annual carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes per person, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Top 20% globally
6.1 t/person/yr
Frequently Asked Questions about Bosnia and Herzegovina
What is the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a population of 3.65M, ranking #131 globally by population.
What continent is Bosnia and Herzegovina in?
Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in Europe. It has an area of 51,209 km².
What is the life expectancy in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Life expectancy in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 77.8 years, ranking #67 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina's GDP per capita (PPP) is $22,955.76, ranking #91 globally.
What is Bosnia and Herzegovina known for in global statistics?
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks particularly high in CO2 Per Capita (#51), Life Expectancy (#67), Life Expectancy (#77).
What is Bosnia and Herzegovina's Human Development Index?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has an HDI of 0.804, ranking #74 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has a population density of 62.2 people per km², ranking #141 globally.