Bosnia and Herzegovina
Europe · Capital: Sarajevo
How it is run: Bosnia and Herzegovina is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is home to 3.1 million people in Southeast Europe, where people speak Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian.
Numbers that tell a story 🔢
👥 People
3.1 million people
That is about 388 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
🗺️ Land
51,209 km²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
🏙️ How crowded
About 61 people per square kilometre — a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
📊 Size in its region
28th most people in Europe
26th largest by land in Europe.
🗣️ Official languages
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
More than one language is used for official business.
💰 Money
Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark (KM)
Life here today 🩺
These come from World Bank open data — the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
❤️ How long people live
78 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
💼 Money made per person each year
about US$10,382
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
🏢 Living in cities
52.7% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
🎒 Kids under 15
12.8% of the population
An older country — there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details 🧭
📞 Phone code
+387
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
🌐 Websites end in
.ba
🧑 People here are called
Bosnian, Herzegovinian
🏷️ Name at home
Bosna i Hercegovina · Боснa и Херцеговина
Also written: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Босна и Херцеговина.
🌊 Coast or inland
Has a coastline
🕊️ UN voting group
Eastern European Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders 🤝
Bosnia and Herzegovina touches 3 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world 🗣️
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Bosnia y Herzegovina
French
Bosnie-Herzégovine
Arabic
البوسنة والهرسك
Chinese
波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那
Japanese
ボスニア・ヘルツェゴビナ
Russian
Босния и Герцеговина
Portuguese
Bósnia e Herzegovina
German
Bosnien und Herzegowina
Put it in perspective 📏
- Russia — the most populated country in Europe — has about 45.7× as many people as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina covers roughly 488 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 1,570 km.
Fast facts 🧠
Fact of the day: The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo — that's where the country's big decisions get made.
🏷️ Official name
Bosnia and Herzegovina
🏙️ Capital
Sarajevo
🌍 Region
Europe · Southeast Europe
🔤 Country code
BA
🕊️ UN status
UN member state
🚩 Independence
Independent country
More about Bosnia and Herzegovina 🔎
🧭 Where on the map
44.0° N, 18.0° E
🌐 Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
🕰️ Clock check
Roughly UTC+1 — when it is noon in London it is about 13:00 in Sarajevo.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina shares its part of the world with Albania. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo — that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- 🇧🇦 is the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its country code — the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics — is BA.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly — the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby 🤝
Talk about it 💬
- Bosnia and Herzegovina has 3 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Bosnia and Herzegovina can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Bosnia and Herzegovina spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz 🧪
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Sarajevo
Which money do people spend in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark (KM)
How many countries share a land border with Bosnia and Herzegovina?
3 — Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia.
Roughly how many people live in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
3.1 million people
Keep researching 🔍
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further — and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here — kid-friendly encyclopedias 📚
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources 🏛️
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy 📰
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card 🏫
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians — all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.