Bosnia FAQs:
Capital: Sarajevo
Official languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Government: Federal democratic republic
Independence:
» Mentioned 9th century
» Formed August 29, 1189
» Kingdom established Oct. 26, 1377
» Independence lost
to Ottoman Empire 1463
» National Day Nov. 25, 1943
» Independence from SFR Yugoslavia March 1, 1992
» Recognized April 6, 1992
Population: 2007 estimate 3,981,239
Ethnic groups:
48% Bosniak
38% Serb
14% Croat
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%
Currency: Convertible Mark (BAM)
Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Drives: on the right
Internet TLD: .ba
Area: 19,767 sq mi 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
Terrain: mountains and valleys
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower
Program for the Republic of Bosnia - Herzegovina
The Landmine Problem
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Bosnia-Herzegovina remains heavily mine affected following the five-year civil war in the former Yugoslavia.
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Most impacted communities are in rural areas, where people depend economically on contaminated land.
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The majority of mine victims are males age 19 to 39. Thus, when mine incidents disable and not kill, the survivors are made amputees in the prime of their lives.
Humanitarian Demining Programs
The regional Mine Detection Dog Center for South East Europe (MDDC) in Bosnia trains dogs to help mine-affected nations throughout the region. In 2007 and 2008, MLI partnered with the International Trust Fund for Humanitarian Demining and Victims’ Assistance (ITF) and the MDDC to provide ten fully trained mine detection dogs Bosnia. The ten dogs were all trained by the MDDC, resulting in increases to indigenous capacity for humanitarian demining—first, through improving the local training programs and second, through the actual dogs, which remain in Bosnia.
In 2007, MLI launched CHAMPS International in Bosnia. This program links schools in the United States with schools in Bosnia. The students conduct monthly videoconferences, getting to know each other and working together to assist young Bosnian landmine survivors. Most recently, two Girl Scout troops from Vermont raised money within their communities to provide Anita, a young Bosnian landmine survivor, with a new prosthetic limb.
** Sources of Additional Information
• The Landmine Impact Survey for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Survey Action Center
• Landmine Monitor Report 2008, Human Rights Watch/International Campaign to Ban Landmines
• To Walk the Earth in Safety, U.S. Department of State
