Kotor Varoš () is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, the municipality has a population of 19,710 inhabitants, while the town of Kotor Varoš has a population of 7,330 inhabitants.

History

An early Roman (3rd–5th c.) basilica was discovered along with other Roman findings in the Šiprage area, at the Crkvenica-Vrbanja river mouth. 12th-century stećci testify a medieval settlement.Radimsky V. (1892): Ostanci rimskih naseobina u Šipragi i Podbrgju, za tim starobosanski stećci u Šipragi i uz Vrbanju u Bosni. Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja u Sarajevu, Godina IV, Knjiga I: 75–80.Richter E. (1905): II. Historička i politička geografija. Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja u Sarajevu, Godina XVI, Knjiga 1: 275–321. The original location of the stećci was at the Crkvenica-Vrbanja, from where they were removed and built into the walls of surrounding buildings (possibly due to the belief in their miraculous properties). One of the best preserved steći is submerged in the Vrbanja.

It has been theorized that Kotor Varoš was mentioned in the De Administrando Imperio as "Katera" (), a part of the "land of Bosnia".

The town was part of the Donji Kraji province of the Banate of Bosnia in the 13th century, and the Kingdom in the 14th and 15th century. The Kotor fortress and its podgrađe was the property of the Hrvatinić noble family.

Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia and Herzegovina began in 1878 and ended with the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, later renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The town was part of the Vrbas Banovina (1929–41), but after World War II it became part of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a republic of Yugoslavia.

Bosnian War During the Bosnian War (1992–95), some religious and cultural monuments and landmarks were destroyed by paramilitary groups, such as a Catholic church in the centre of the town, as well as all of the mosques. In the southern Čaršija (bazaar) quarter of the town nearly all houses were destroyed.

Settlements

Aside from the town of Kotor Varoš, the municipality includes the following settlements:

Baština Bilice Boljanići Borci Donji Borci Gornji Ćorkovići Duratovci Garići Grabovica Hadrovci Hrvaćani Hanifići Jakotina Kruševo Brdo Liplje Maljeva Maslovare Obodnik Orahova Palivuk Plitska Podbrđe Podosoje Postoje Prisočka Radohova Ravne Selačka Sokoline Stopan Šibovi Šiprage Tovladić Vagani Varjače Večići Viševice Vranić Vrbanjci Zabrđe Zaselje

Demographics

Population Population of settlements – Kotor Varoš municipalitySettlement1895.1910.1921.1931.1948.1953.1961.1971.1981.1991.2013.Total20,85823,78022,07227,23622,19837,89832,51632,83235,71336,65319,7101Borci Donji4192552Garići1,3414983Grabovica8873454Hrvaćani7452485Kotor Varoš3121,3611,4281,4002,4284,7152,8933,7465,4237,4117,3306Liplje7442717Maljeva5952008Maslovare2,2841,9309 Orahova84265010Prisočka1,42320811Radohova70023612Šibovi67123013Šiprage95265214Večići1,74460815Vrbanjci2,9751,90216Zabrđe1,154482 Ethnic composition Ethnic composition – Kotor Varoš town2013.1991.1981.1971.Total7,3307,4115,4233,746Serbs6,251 (82.2%)2,522 (34%)1,310 (24.2%)749 (20%)Bosniaks920 (12.1%)1,800 (24.3%)1,436 (26.5%)1,342 (35.8%)Croats252 (3.3%)2,432 (32.8%)1,789 (33%)1,490 (40%)Others180 (2.4%)110 (1.5%)101 (1.8%)47 (1.2%)Yugoslavs547 (7.4%)787 (14.5%)110 (3%) Ethnic composition – Kotor Varoš municipalityBook: "Nacionalni sastav stanovništva – Rezultati za Republiku po opštinama i naseljenim mjestima 1991.", Statistički bilten No 234, Izdanje Državnog zavoda za statistiku Republike Bosne i Hercegovine, Sarajevo.Internet – Source: "Popis po mjesnim zajednicama" – 2013.1991.1981.1971.Total19,71036,85335,71332,832Serbs13,091 (66.4%)14,056 (38.1%)14,771 (41.4%)15,255 (46.5%)Bosniaks5,241 (26.6%)11,090 (30%)9,667 (27.1%)8,366 (25.5%)Croats1,116 (5.6%)10,695 (29%)9,572 (26.8%)8,863 (27%)Others262 (1.3%)267 (0.7%)405 (1.1%)172 (0.5%)Yugoslavs745 (2%)1,298 (3.6%)176 (0.5%)

Economy The following table gives a preview of total number of registered employed people per their core activity (as of 2016): Professional field TotalAgriculture, forestry and fishing300Mining and quarrying2Manufacturing2,998Distribution of power, gas, steam and air-conditioning45Distribution of water and water waste management43Construction84Wholesale and retail, repair342Transportation and storage126Hotels and restaurants112Information and communication24Finance and insurance25Real estate activities5Professional, scientific and technical activities27Administrative and support services91Public administration and defence193Education316Healthcare and social work 115Art, entertainment and recreation7Other service activities55Total4,910

Notable people 14th century Bosnian Grand Duke, Hrvoje Vukčić's main seat of power was in the Kotor Fortress. Croatian footballer Mateo Kovačić's parents are from Kotor Varoš

Features The city also features a large monument to the local partisans who died for Yugoslavia during the fighting with the German and Ustaša forces during WW2.

Sister cities Kranj, Slovenia Herceg Novi, Montenegro Kraljevo, Serbia

Gallery

References

Sources

Vojnogeografski institut, Izd. (1955): Prnjavor (List karte 1:100.000, Izohipse na 20 m). Vojnogeografski institut, Beograd. Spahić M. et al. (2000): Bosna i Hercegovina (1:250.000). Izdavačko preduzeće "Sejtarija", Sarajevo. Mučibabić B., Ur. (1998): Geografski atlas Bosne i Hercegovine. Geodetski zavod BiH, Sarajevo.