Bosnia and Herzegovina, like many countries in Southeast Europe, has a long history of ethnic and religious divisions. Many people’s religion in the region are Muslims or Bosniacs, whose ancestors converted from Christianity to Islam hundreds of years ago. Others are Christian – either Roman Catholic Croats or Eastern Orthodox Serbs.
When communism collapsed in 1991, the Bosniacs and Croats voted for independence from Yugoslavia. The Serbs disagreed. A bloody war followed, killing more than 250,000 people. The country, which is divided into a Muslim-Croat section and a Serbian Republic, still struggles with poverty, ethnic conflicts and unemployment.
Fun Facts About Bosnia and Herzegovina for Kids
- 3.8 million people live here.
- The country of Bosnia and Herzegovina has 19,741 square miles of land.
- Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian are the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- People belong to the Muslim, Eastern Orthodox and Catholic faiths.
- The life expectancy here is 75 years.
- 97 percent of adults can read.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Vocabulary
- Ethnic: A group of people that shares a common racial, cultural or religious heritage
- Communism: a form of government in which the government owns all property and workers are given work according to their skills.
- Collapse: fall apart
- Poverty: being poor and without resources
All About Bosnia and Herzegovina Video for Kids
Here’s a great video for kids on Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Bosnia and Herzegovina Q&A
Question: What is ethnic cleansing?
Answer: During the 1992 to 1995 civil war, the Serbs had a policy of “ethnic cleansing,” which means killing or removing those not of their group. Many Muslims fled to Germany or Turkey.
Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Here’s a map of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its cities and villages. Zoom in to get into street level or zoom out to see other countries around Bosnia and Herzegovina! You can see the terrain, but also see the roads, images of the buildings and even take a 3D tour through the streets of the cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as though you are actually there!
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