21 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina

Aside from the fact that it is one of the Balkan countries, do you know other facts about Bosnia and Herzegovina? If you’re planning a trip to this country, you might as well want to learn more about its surprising and interesting facts. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina gained independence in 1992. It was a part of Yugoslavia back then. With the country’s boasting medieval ruins, rivers and lakes, unique towns and cities, plus stunning mountains. No wonder Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the most visited countries in the Balkans. So if you’re now ready to learn more about this country, then let’s start!

1. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s currency is the Marka or Bosnian Convertible Mark. The code is BAM and the symbol is KM.

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina are bordered by Croatia on the South, Serbia on the East, Montenegro on the Southeast, and the Adriatic Sea on the Southwest. 

3. The current population of Bosnia and Herzegovina is 3.3 million.

4. The capital and is also the largest city is Sarajevo.

5. Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian are the official languages of the country.

6. The major religions in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Islam, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox.

7. The Stari Most in Mostar is one of the most popular landmarks. It’s an Ottoman bridge from the 16th century. Sadly, it was ruined during the war in 1993. However, the bridge was reconstructed and opened in 2004.

8. Because of its light heart shape, Bosnia and Herzegovina were given a nickname “Heart Shaped Land”.

9. Bosniaks love coffee! In fact, the country is the 10th highest coffee consumption per capita in the world.

10. Summer season (July-August) experiences high accommodation since it is the peak season. In June to mid-September, Bosnia’s weather is warm. Meanwhile, Herzegovina experiences warm weather in May until the end of September. Spring and Autumn’s season are the best months to visit the country. 

11. The Winter Olympics was held in Sarajevo in 1984. That was also the first time a socialist country has hosted the Olympics.

12. Major parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are mountainous. 

13. There is a very popular Catholic Pilgrims in Medjugorje. Millions of Pilgrims have been on the site since 1981. This is because of the reports about the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to six local children.

14. The words “Bosnia’ came from the Indo-European word that means “water”. It is because the country is full of lakes, waterfalls, and rivers.

15. There are reports that say that Bosnia has been occupied by people since the New Stone Age. 

16. Sarajevo was nominated as one of the top ten cities to visit in Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel” in 2010.

17. Bosnia and Herzegovina have the last remaining jungle in Europe. It’s the Perucica. Perucica is a not so massive forest that consists of many trees that are believed to be more than 300 years old. Most of the forest’s parts are inaccessible to humans because of the density of the flora and fauna.

18. One of Europe’s oldest tram network is located in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was opened on New Year’s day in 1885. 

19. Due to the result of the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina have one of the most serious land mine problems in the world. It still has more than 200,000 mines to clean.

20. The most common fruits in the country are grapes, apples, pears, and plums. 

21. The country’s wildlife includes bears, wolves, wild pigs, wildcats, chamois, badgers, falcons, foxes, and otters.

These are the things to know about Bosnia and Herzegovina that would get you ready when you decide to visit and explore this Balkan country. Make sure to make the most out of your adventure and bring home great memories as you leave this place and went back to your homeland.

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