uslims and Croats in March 1994, is one of two
entities (the other being the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska)
that comprise Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and
Croatia

Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe

Area:
total: 51,233 sq km
land: 51,233 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,459 km
border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km (312
km with Serbia, 215 km with Montenegro)

Coastline: 20 km

Maritime claims: NA

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources: coal, iron, bauxite, manganese, forests,
copper, chromium, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 14%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 22% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent and destructive earthquakes

Environment--current issues: air pollution from metallurgical
plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; widespread
casualties, water shortages, and destruction of infrastructure
because of the 1992-95 civil strife

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note: within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized
borders, the country is divided into a joint Muslim/Croat Federation
(about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika
Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and traditionally has been
settled by an ethnic Croat majority

People

Population: 3,482,495 (July 1999 est.)
note: all data dealing with population is subject to considerable
error because of the dislocations caused by military action and
ethnic cleansing

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 310,430; female 294,298)
15-64 years: 71% (male 1,221,791; female 1,240,097)
65 years and over: 12% (male 166,876; female 249,003) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.