Ključ () is a town and municipality located in the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The name of the town and the municipality translates to "Key" in English.

Geography It is located a short distance south from Sanski Most. The Sana River runs through the municipality. The terrain is heavily forested.

History Human settlements have existed in the area long before the Roman Era. The town itself is first mentioned in 1322 in the documents of ban Stjepan II Kotromanić. It was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1463 as the last Royal Bosnian fortress.

Ključ fortress was first mentioned in 1322. In 1463, during the Ottoman invasion of Bosnia, the last Bosnian king Stjepan Tomašević, took refuge in the city. His surrender and execution marked the downfall of the medieval Bosnian state.

The Charter from 1323 states that Vukoslav is the son of duke Hrvatin, and from this we conclude that the main stronghold of the lords of the Donji Kraji was in the town of Ključ, the center of the parish Banica. In one of his writings, the Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi mentions Ključ as being located in Donji Kraji and on the Sana river.

From 1929 to 1941, Ključ was part of the Vrbas Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

As an area with a slight Serb majority, at the start of the war in Bosnia (1992–1995), the Ključ area was held by Bosnian Serb forces. In the summer of 1995, the Bosnian governmental forces took control over it. Most of the pre-war Serb population fled after the Dayton Peace Agreement, the town belongs to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today, it is estimated that about 97% of the population of Ključ are Bosniaks.

Settlements In 1991, the municipality of Ključ contained 61 settlements:

Biljani Donji Biljani Gornji Budelj Gornji Busije Crkveno Crljeni Čađavica Donja Previja Donja Slatina Donje Ratkovo Donje Sokolovo Donji Ramići Donji Ribnik Donji Vojići Donji Vrbljani Dragoraj Dubočani Gornja Previja Gornja Slatina Gornje Ratkovo Gornje Sokolovo Gornji Ramići Gornji Ribnik Gornji Vojići Gornji Vrbljani Hadžići Hasići Hripavci Humići Jarice Kamičak Ključ Kopjenica Korjenovo Krasulje Lanište Ljubine Međeđe Brdo Mijačica Peći Pištanica Plamenice Prhovo Prisjeka Donja Prisjeka Gornja Rastoka Rudenice Sanica Sanica Donja Sanica Gornja Sitnica Sredice Stražice Treskavac Velagići Velečevo Velijašnica Velije Zableće Zavolje Zgon

As a result of the war, the villages of Busije, Crkveno, Čađavica, Donja Previja, Donja Slatina, Donji Ribnik, Donji Vrbljani, Dragoraj, Gornja Previja, Gornja Slatina, Gornje Sokolovo, Gornji Ribnik, Gornji Vrbljani, Rastoka, Sitnica, Sredice, Stražice, Treskavac, Velijašnica, Velije et Zableće, as well as parts of Donje Ratkovo, Donje Sokolovo, Dubočani, Gornje Ratkovo, Jarice, Ljubine et Velečevo became a part of Ribnik municipality, Republika Srpska.

Today the municipality of Ključ has 40 settlements:

Biljani Donji Biljani Gornji Budelj Gornji Crljeni Donje Ratkovo (part) Donje Sokolovo (part) Donji Ramići Donji Vojići Dubočani (part) Gornje Ratkovo (part) Gornji Ramići Gornji Vojići Hadžići Hasići Hripavci Humići Jarice (part) Kamičak Ključ Kopjenica Korjenovo Krasulje Lanište Ljubine (part) Međeđe Brdo Mijačica Peći Pištanica Plamenice Prhovo Prisjeka Donja Prisjeka Gornja Pudin Han Rudenice Sanica Sanica Donja Sanica Gornja Velagići Velečevo (part) Zavolje Zgon

Demographics

Population Population of settlements – Ključ municipalitySettlement1971.1981.1991.2013.Total39,96640,00837,39116,7441Biljani Donji1,5521,1712Crljeni5533073Donji Vojići3142334Dubočani3062265Gornji Ramići6473826Hadžići1,5531,1297Hasići4312348Hripavci7125319Humići1,00574210Kamičak1,00590211Ključ3,4264,9487,8695,40912Krasulje1,8211,73113Sanica2,2411,33714Sanica Donja71662715Velagići67646516Velečevo52540917Zgon690635

Ethnic composition Ethnic composition – Ključ town2013.1991.1981.1971.Total5,409 (100,0%)7,869 (100,0%)4,948 (100,0%)3,426 (100,0%)Serbs4,107 (52,19%)2,097 (42,38%)1,387 (40,48%)Bosniaks3,036 (38,58%)1,629 (32,92%)1,709 (49,88%)Yugoslavs419 (5,325%)980 (19,81%)69 (2,014%)Croats181 (2,300%)169 (3,416%)214 (6,246%)Others126 (1,601%)15 (0,303%)21 (0,613%)Montenegrins30 (0,606%)14 (0,409%)Albanians22 (0,445%)7 (0,204%)Slovenes3 (0,061%)4 (0,117%)Hungarians2 (0,040%)Macedonians1 (0,020%)1 (0,029%) Ethnic composition – Ključ municipality2013.1991.1981.1971.Total16,744 (100,0%)37,391 (100,0%)40,008 (100,0%)39,966 (100,0%)Bosniaks16,130 (96,33%)17,696 (47,33%)16,596 (41,48%)15,226 (38,10%)Others311 (1,857%)280 (0,749%)167 (0,417%)123 (0,308%)Serbs273 (1,630%)18,506 (49,49%)20,771 (51,92%)23,892 (59,78%)Croats30 (0,179%)330 (0,883%)380 (0,950%)534 (1,336%)Yugoslavs579 (1,549%)2,016 (5,039%)131 (0,328%)Montenegrins40 (0,100%)29 (0,073%)Albanians26 (0,065%)18 (0,045%)Slovenes6 (0,015%)5 (0,013%)Macedonians4 (0,010%)6 (0,015%)Hungarians2 (0,005%)2 (0,005%)

Economy The area is connected to other parts of Bosnia by the M-5 highway. Forestry, light industry and tourism are major components of the economy.

References

External links