Žepče () is a town and municipality located in Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, between Doboj and Zenica. As of 2013, it has a population of 30,219 inhabitants.
The river Bosna flows through this city. Near within the town, there are 14 mineral water springs. Žepče is within the vicinity of the Lasva valley and thus is surrounded by mountains.
History The town was first mentioned in 1458 in a charter issued by the Bosnian king Stjepan Tomašević, "... Pissanna Žepču va ljetu 1458. oktombrija 14. dan." (Written in Žepče in the year 1458. 14.day of October)
The city would see combat during the Bosnian War, as HVO forces would launch an operation against ARBiH over complete control of the city on the 24th of June, 1993. After the Dayton Agreement in 1995, the city would end up becoming a part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of the Zenica-Doboj Canton.
Demographics In 2001 the following Croat villages from the municipalities of Maglaj and Zavidovići merged with the municipality of Žepče to form one entity with Croat majority: Adže, Pire, Ponijevo, Matina, Ljubatovići, Grabovica, Čusto Brdo, Komšići, Radunice, Globarica, Brankovići, Donji Lug, Gornji Lug, Vrbica, Debelo Brdo, Osova, Vinište and Gornja Lovnica.
Population Population of settlements – Žepče municipalitySettlement1961.1971.1981.1991.2013.Total13,92416,90619,75422,96631,5821Adže4143582Begov Han1,0411,2993Bistrica1,1929784Brankovići5474995Čusto Brdo3222966Donji Lug5045287Globarica8236378Goliješnica7989259Golubinja39836310Gornja Golubinja48339911Gornja Lovnica72147312Gornji Lug50961313Grabovica41139614Ljubatovići56450215Ljubna17624616Lupoglav86984417Matina50149718Mračaj68756219Orahovica1,29592920Osova56144121Ozimica1,5461,43123Papratnica1,1301,19224Pire38433825Ponijevo77586426Radunice60131227Ravne Donje14123028Tatarbudžak57158829Vašarište32756630Vinište1,06184531Vitlaci33925632Vrbica60040033Želeće41020434Željezno Polje4,3844,79135Žepče2,7093,2094,2575,5715,460
Ethnic composition Ethnic composition – Žepče town2013.1991.1981.1971.1961.Total5,460 (100,0%)5,571 (100,0%)4,257 (100,0%)3,209 (100,0%)2,709 (100,0%)Bosniaks2,696 (49,38%)3,367 (60,44%)2,337 (54,90%)2,242 (69,87%)1,312 (48.43%)Croats2,591 (47,45%)1,450 (26,03%)935 (21,96%)637 (19,85%)461 (17.02%)Serbs82 (1,502%)270 (4,847%)252 (5,920%)227 (7,074%)349 (12.88%)Others82 (1,502%)103 (1,849%)71 (1,668%)31 (0,966%)32 (1.18%)Albanians5 (0,092%)7 (0,164%)6 (0,187%)Montenegrins4 (0,073%)11 (0,258%)22 (0,686%)Yugoslavs381 (6,839%)640 (15,03%)33 (1,028%)555 (20.49%)Macedonians2 (0,047%)4 (0,125%)Slovenes2 (0,047%)7 (0,218%) Ethnic composition – Žepče municipality2013.1991.1981.1971.1961.Total31,582 (100,0%)22,966 (100,0%)19,754 (100,0%)16,906 (100,0%)13,924 (100,0%)Croats17,801 (58,91%)9,100 (39,62%)7,813 (39,55%)7,174 (42,43%)5,978 (42.93%)Bosniaks11,727 (38,81%)10,820 (47,11%)8,769 (44,39%)7,531 (44,55%)5,038 (36.18%)Serbs501 (1,658%)2,278 (9,919%)2,004 (10,14%)2,028 (12,00%)2,033 (14.60%)Others190 (0,629%)222 (0,967%)187 (0,947%)68 (0,402%)54 (0.39%)Yugoslavs546 (2,377%)933 (4,723%)56 (0,331%)821 (5.90%)Montenegrins25 (0,127%)32 (0,189%)Albanians14 (0,071%)6 (0,035%)Macedonians7 (0,035%)4 (0,024%)Slovenes2 (0,010%)7 (0,041%)
Town
Sport The town is home to local football club NK Žepče.
Notable people Ivica Marić, basketball player Abdulvehab Ilhamija, poet and prose writer Emir Preldžić, basketball player Nedžad Ibrišimović, writer
Gallery
References
External links Official municipality site Žepče Info - žepački internet portal