Republika Srpska Република Српска (Serbian) | |
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Anthem: Моја Република (Serbian) Moja Republika "My Republic" | |
Country | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Proclaimed | 9 January 1992 |
Recognized as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina | 14 December 1995 |
Capital | Sarajevo[1] Istočno Sarajevo (de jure) Banja Luka (de facto)[2] |
Largest city | Banja Luka |
Official languages | |
Ethnic groups (2013 census[3]) | |
Government | Federated state |
Milorad Dodik | |
Radovan Višković | |
Nenad Stevandić | |
Legislature | National Assembly |
Area | |
• Total | 24,641 km2 (9,514 sq mi) |
Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 1,114,819[4] |
• 2013 census | 1,228,423[3] |
• Density | 45.2/km2 (117.1/sq mi) |
GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $8.892 billion[4] |
• Per capita | $7,976 |
HDI (2022) | 0.776[5] high |
Currency | Convertible marke (BAM) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 |
Driving side | Right |
Calling code | +387 |
ISO 3166 code | BA-SRP |
a Although the north-eastern Brčko District is formally held in condominium by both entities, it is a de facto autonomous political entity, having the same powers as the other two entities and is under the direct sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina. b The Constitution of Republika Srpska avoids naming "Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian", instead listing them as "the language of the Serb people, the language of the Bosniak people and the language of the Croat people" due to the ongoing debate over the separation of these languages.[6] c Including refugees abroad d Excluding Republika Srpska's 48% of the Brčko District e Cyrillic version |
Republika Srpska (Serbian Cyrillic: Република Српска, pronounced [repǔblika sr̩̂pskaː] ⓘ, also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Situated in the northern and eastern regions of the country, it recorded a population of 1,228,423 in the 2013 census. Its largest city and administrative hub is Banja Luka, located on the banks of the Vrbas River.
Republika Srpska was established in 1992 at the onset of the Bosnian War with the stated purpose of safeguarding the interests of the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the conflict, the expulsion of the majority of Croats and Bosniaks from territories controlled by Republika Srpska occurred, while numerous Serbs were displaced from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Republika Srpska. The 1995 Dayton Agreement officially recognized Republika Srpska as one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s two constituent entities. Today, it is predominantly inhabited by the Serb population of the country.
The entity operates under a parliamentary system, with legislative power vested in the National Assembly, which comprises 83 seats. While Republika Srpska is relatively centralized, it is administratively divided into 64 municipalities, known as opštine (singular: opština).[8] The current legislative term marks the tenth session since its inception.
Bosniaks prevail in the capital city of Sarajevo, while Serbs are dominant in their entity and its capital, Banja Luka. Although Sarajevo is the capital of the entire multinational federation, Serbs and Croats often perceive it as a city governed by Bosniaks. Like many other cities, villages, municipalities and regions across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar underwent the period of national homogenization as a result of ethnic cleansing or forced migration in the face of extreme nationalism and violence. Unlike Sarajevo and Banja Luka, no ethnic group succeeded in achieving full supremacy in Mostar.