24 Facts About Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the Balkan Peninsular, was previously part of Yugoslavia however, gained independence in 1992. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long history of being ruled and conquered by other nations and cultures.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is most appealing for its East-meets-West environment, which has been influenced by Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian influences.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has plenty of major drawcards for all travellers, with an abundance of mediaeval ruins, unique towns and cities, stunning mountains, waterfalls, and rivers.

Mostar's Stari Most is one of the country's most recognisable landmarks. It is a 16th-century Ottoman bridge that stood for 427 years before being destroyed during the war in 1993. The bridge was rebuilt and reopened in 2004.

Bosnia has been occupied since the New Stone Age, according to legend.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has been dubbed the "Heart Shaped Land" due to its slight heart shape.

Sarajevo was named one of the top ten cities to visit in Lonely Planet's "Best In Travel" in 2010.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's currency is the Marka, which cannot be purchased or exchanged anywhere else in the world.

The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina adore coffee! The country ranks tenth in the world in terms of coffee consumption per capita.

Perućica, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is Europe's last remaining jungle. The Perućica forest is not large, but it contains many trees that are more than 300 years old, and it is inaccessible to humans in many areas due to the density of the flora and fauna.

Sarajevo's tram network is one of the oldest in Europe, having originally served as a test line for Vienna's trams. It first opened on January 1, 1885.

Due to the war, approximately 200,000 mines remain to be cleared, making Bosnia and Herzegovina one of the world's most severe land mine problems.

The distinction between a Bosnian and a Herzegovinian is maintained as a regional rather than an ethical distinction.

Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984. It was the first time that the Olympics were held in a socialist country.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's landscape is mostly mountainous.

Bosniaks are generally associated with Islam, with approximately half of the population being Muslim. Orthodox Christians, who are mostly Serbs, make up about 30% of the population, while Catholics, who are mostly Croats, make up about 15%.

Bosnian, Serbian, and Croatian are the official languages. They're all very similar.

The Sarajevo Sahat Tower is a historic timepiece that is said to be the world's only clock that keeps lunar time.

The small town of Medjugorje is a magnet for Catholic pilgrims. Since 1981, millions of pilgrims have visited the site. This is due to reports of the Virgin Mary appearing to six local children.

Stecak is a mediaeval tombstone that can be found throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina's rural areas.

During the Bosnian War in 1995, the Sarajevo Film Festival was founded. It is now the most important and well-known film festival in the Balkans and South-East Europe.

Every year, more than one million people visit Bosnia. According to the World Tourism Organization, from 1995 to 2020, the country will have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world.

Bosnia derives its name from the Indo-European word for water, as the country is rich in waterfalls, rivers, and lakes.