Bosnia and Herzegovina Government

Map showing the location of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia is a parliamentary representative democracy. The executive powers are vested in the Council of Ministers while the legislative power is vested in the Council of Ministers and the Parliament. The system of government in the country is unique and one of the most complicated in the world. There are three presidents in the country, who each represent the Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian ethnic groups. They are heads of the state while the prime minister is the head of the government. The president with the majority of votes became the chairman of the presidents, although the chairmanship rotates after every eight months.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are held at the state level in Bosnia. The person with the most votes in each ethnic group becomes the president. The parliamentary assembly consists of the House of Representatives (42 members) and the House of Peoples (15 members). The presidents and the parliamentarians serve a maximum of two four-year terms. The presidents nominate their preferred candidates for the post of the Prime Minister who is then rejected or approved by the House of Representatives

The parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the capital city of Sarajevo. The initial plan of the building was approved in 1954, but its construction began 28 years later. The building suffered heavy damage during the Bosnian war from 1992 to 1995. Repairs were completed in 2010, and the building resumed its role. The three presidents of Bosnia and Herzegovina reside at the Presidency Building in Centar Municipality, Sarajevo. The Presidency Building acts as the official residence and workplace of the presidents. Cabinet meetings are also held at the building.

The major political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina include the Party of Democratic Action, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, the Serbian Democratic Party, and the Democratic Front, among others.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Sarajevo
Languages	Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1%
Religion	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.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia); note - referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992
Area	51,197.00 km²
Water Area	10.00 km²
Land Area	51,187.00 km²
Population	3,861,912.00 The northern and central areas of the country are the most densely populated
Location	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
No. Bordering Countries	3
Bordering Countries	Croatia 956 km, Montenegro 242 km, Serbia 345 km
GDP(PPP)	$42,530,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$11,000.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Slovenia, Italy, and Germany.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are metals, clothing, and wood products.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Croatia, Germany, and Slovenia.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, chemicals, and fuels.
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
Learn More	Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina Government

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