Today, we continue on our virtual backpacking trip through Europe, and our next stop is... Bosnia and Herzegovina! This is a complicated country full of rich history and hardy people, and outside the region, we tend to hear only about the hardships faced by its people. This week we are going to learn a bit about the challenges they've faced, but there is also beauty and fun to be found! We are looking to discover a more full picture. Let's dig in!
Bosnia and Herzegovina is often referred to as the "Heart-Shaped Land" due to its shape.
A national symbol of the country is the Golden Lily.
The landscape is very mountainous, with lots of areas made of "Karst" or limestone.
There is a well documented theory that the world's oldest pyramids were actually constructed in Visoko.
Geological fault lines are widespread, and the country does experience earthquakes from time to time.
Until the 20th century, Sarajevo was the only major European city to serve as home to a Mosque; a Catholic Church; an Orthodox Christian Church; and a Synagogue.
The country was previously a part of Yugoslavia, and gained independence in 1992. Their independence is celebrated annually on March 1st.
A brutal civil war then ensued from 1992-1995, and horrific ethnic cleansing occurred, killing thousands, and violently displacing millions. Many are still experiencing the effects to this day.
In 1995, hope of peace was reached with the Dayton Accords, which established two autonomous political entities: Bosnia and Herzegovina; and the Bosnian Serb Republic.
Bosnia and Herzegovina moves forward as a fragile, divided country where most residents want sustainable peace, but remain very divided on specific goals as to how to achieve it.
The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina all share South Slav heritage. In an unusual move, due to extreme allegiance to ethnic and religious identities (and the nationalist feelings related to that) the country has three Presidents and three recognized languages to accompany the three predominant religions. People who identify as Bosniak and speak Bosnian are typically Muslim; those who identify as Croat are typically Catholic and speak Croatian; and those who identify as Serb speak Serbian and are typically Orthodox Christian, although attendance at religious services is low in all three cases and the adherence is mostly cultural. One interesting point of note is that the three languages are extremely similar, but go by different names depending on who is speaking at the time. One divergence between the languages is that in the 1990s, Serbian officially adopted the Cyrillic alphabet, while Croatian and Bosnian use the Latin alphabet. The educational system for children and even up through University, tends to be divided along these ethnic and religious lines as well, which unfortunately serves to perpetuate and exacerbate divisions between the groups.
No one knows the exact number, but it is estimated that more than 30,000 land mines are still buried across the landscape of the country, even 20 years later, still posing a danger. Thankfully, the Bosnia-Herzegovina Mine Action Centre is working diligently and proactively to remove them, but it is unfortunately a slow process.
Craters left by fatal morter strikes have been filled in with red resin to remember the victims.
A point of pride is that film maker Danis Tanovic won an Oscar in 2002 for the film, "No Man's Land."
Sarajevo (still part of Yugoslavia at the time) was the first communist city to host the Olympic winter games.
Many people begin their day with a drink of hard liquor called Rajika, which is a fruit brandy and is considered the national drink.
The capital city, Sarajevo, was the first European city with an electric tram in 1885 as it served as a test line for the Vienna tram.
The country possesses significant hydroelectric potential; there are several hydroelectric and thermal power plants.
Bosnia and Herzegovina consume the 10th highest amount of coffee, per capita, in the world!
In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand - the heir to the Habsburg throne in Austria - traveled to Bosnia and Herzegovina with his wife. While they were in the country, they both were assassinated, precipitating the start of World War I when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
The country claims one of the only national anthems in the world that lacks lyrics.
In rural areas, people shoot guns in the air to celebrate special occasions.
Bullfighting is a popular sport. In this version, humans are not involved, and no bull loses its life.
The currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the Marka, and it cannot be bought or exchanged anywhere in the world outside of the country.
The independent self-proclaimed micronation, Hajducka Republica Majata Tomica was established within the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2002. Within this tiny nation, forming of political parties or dealing with politics is stricktly forbidden, as it is not good for human health. This extensive and fun protest project is established on an area seven hectares wide, and is home to a hotel and a restaurant. It has a flag, passports, and its own money, and several dozen ministers, including not just the traditional and expected ones, but also very clever ones such as the Minister of Smiles; and the Minister of Artificial Blondes; the Minister of Vagueness; and the Minister of Bankrupted Private Transporters (Truck and Bus).