pressure groups and leaders:
other: war veterans; displaced persons associations; family associations of missing persons; private media
International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS
(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mitar KUJUNDZIC
chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 337–1500
FAX: [1] (202) 337–1502
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick S. MOON
embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [387] (33) 445–700
FAX: [387] (33) 659–722
branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
Flag description:
a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle; the triangle approximates the shape of the country and its three points stand for the constituent peoples - Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe and are meant to be continuous (thus the half stars at top and bottom); the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are often associated with neutrality and peace, and traditionally are linked with Bosnia
National anthem:
name: "Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine" (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
lyrics/music: Dusan SESTIC and Benjamin ISOVIC/Dusan SESTIC
note: music adopted 1999; lyrics adopted 2009
Economy ::Bosnia and Herzegovina
Economy - overview:
The interethnic warfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996–99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000–02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003–08 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. However, the country experienced negative GDP growth of almost 3% in 2009 due in large part to a reduction in exports caused by the global economic crisis. One of Bosnia's main economic challenges in 2010 has been to reduce spending on public sector wages and social benefits to meet the IMF's criteria for obtaining funding for budget shortfalls. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, now control most of the banking sector. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Bosnia's private sector is growing and foreign investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at roughly 50% of GDP, remains high because of redundant government offices at the state, entity and municipal level. Privatization of state enterprises, however, has been slow, particularly in the Federation where political division between ethnically-based political parties makes agreement on economic policy more difficult. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious macroeconomic problems. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a predictable source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray market activity. National-level statistics have also improved over time but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$30.56 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 $30.23 billion (2009 est.)
$31.23 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.2 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 −3.2% (2009 est.)
5.7% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134 $6,600 (2009 est.)
$6,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9.8%
industry: 25.9%
services: 64.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
1.863 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 123
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20.5%
industry: 32.6%
services: 47% (2008)
Unemployment rate:
27.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 24.1% (2009 est.)
note: official rate
Population below poverty line:
25% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 27.4% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.2 (2007) country comparison to the world: 11
Public debt:
39% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 35% of
