Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into two entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) and Republika Srpska (RS) – defined by the Dayton Agreement in December 1995. The Brčko District, a condominium of the two entities, was established in 1999.
The vast majority of the inhabitants of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosniaks and Croats. In contrast, in Republika Srpska, the vast majority are Serbs.
The country's constitution does not define the form of state (for example, by specifying that it is a federation or a confederation). It is, however, seen by scholars as a federation, or is assumed to be a federation; as such, it is at the same time a federation of its two subnational entities and of its three constituent peoples. According to Soeren Keil, the country "moved from a confederal-like system in 1995 to a multinational federation", and has since existed as a "federal system sui generis". While one of the entities is itself called "Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina", the meaning of "federation" in that entity's official name is different from the (unofficial) federal character of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Federation" in the name of the entity does not refer to a federation of any of that entity's own subdivisions, but to a federation of two peoples: it is a .
Overview
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is split into 10 cantons, local governing units endowed with substantial autonomy. In contrast, Republika Srpska operates under a centralised government structure. While the state level holds limited exclusive or joint responsibilities, the entities wield most of the authority. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska control the majority of jurisdictions and resources, each with its own constitution, president, parliament, government, and prime minister. They manage citizenship matters and primarily enforce laws since the state level lacks this ability. The entities serve as the primary level for distributing state-collected funds and oversee a significant portion of civil and political rights. They hold direct representation in state-level institutions and essentially possess veto power over all state policies.
+ First-level divisions Name Area(km2) Population Density(km2) Ethnicgroups Municipalities Status MapFederation of Bosnia and HerzegovinaFederacija Bosne i HercegovineФедерација Босне и Херцеговине 26,110.5 2,243,00085.9Bosniaks (70.40%)Croats (22.44%)Serbs (2.55%) 79(including 22 cities) Entity Република СрпскаRepublika Srpska 24,532.8 1,209,00049.3Serbs (82.95%)Bosniaks (12.69%)Croats (2.27%) 64(including 10 cities) EntityBrčko DistrictBrčko DistriktБрчко Дистрикт 493 85,000172.4Bosniaks (42.36%)Serbs (34.58%)Croats (20.66%) Self-governing condominium
See also Proposed Croat federal unit in Bosnia and Herzegovina Administrative divisions of Yugoslavia
References
Further reading
External links
A precarious peace, The Economist, 22 January 1998 The EU's pseudosuccess in Bosnia, Centre for Eastern Studies 2011 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ongoing erosion of the State, Centre for Eastern Studies 2011