Sarajevo - The Capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population
395,133
Language
Bosnian
Continent
Europe
Since
1461
Eco Ranking
90/195

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

About Sarajevo

Sarajevo was founded as an Ottoman city in 1461 under Isa-Beg Ishaković and served as the capital of the Ottoman province of Bosnia for over four centuries. On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated on the city's Latin Bridge by Gavrilo Princip, an event that directly triggered the outbreak of World War I. During the Bosnian War (1992-1995), Sarajevo endured the longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare: 1,425 days, during which Bosnian Serb forces surrounded the city and an estimated 13,000 people were killed. The Dayton Agreement, signed in November 1995, ended the war and established Bosnia and Herzegovina's complex constitutional structure: two entities (the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska), a three-member rotating presidency representing the three constituent peoples (Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats), and an internationally appointed High Representative with executive powers. Sarajevo serves as the capital of the whole state and of the Federation entity.

About Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a parliamentary republic with a governmental structure established by the Dayton Agreement of 1995. Two entities, the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska, exercise substantial autonomy. The state-level presidency has three members who rotate the chairmanship every eight months. The Office of the High Representative retains the authority to impose laws and remove officials, making Bosnia one of the few countries with a form of international executive oversight.

View Sarajevo on the map

View Sarajevo - The Capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the map

Flight time from Sarajevo to other capitals

CityDistance (km)Flight Time
Rome5000h 35m
Paris13001h 32m
London16001h 53m
Abu Dhabi39004h 35m
Washington, D.C.75008h 49m
Cape Town860010h 7m
Tokyo940011h 4m
Singapore950011h 11m
Buenos Aires1170013h 46m
Canberra1580018h 35m

Capitals with similar population to Sarajevo

CityPopulation
Bratislava432,864
Canberra431,380
Windhoek431,000
Tirana418,495
Dodoma410,956
Sarajevo395,133
Port Moresby383,000

Capitals with similar eco ranking to Sarajevo

CityEco Rank
Chișinău88
St. George's89
Suva90
Sarajevo90
Bangkok91
Sucre93
Tunis93

Source: Environmental Performance Index 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is Sarajevo historically significant?

    Sarajevo was the site of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on 28 June 1914, which directly triggered World War I. The assassination, carried out by Gavrilo Princip of the Black Hand society, led Austria-Hungary to issue an ultimatum to Serbia, setting off the chain of alliance activations that drew the major European powers into war within weeks.

  • How long was the Siege of Sarajevo?

    The Siege of Sarajevo lasted 1,425 days, from April 1992 to February 1996, the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare, surpassing the Siege of Leningrad during World War II. Bosnian Serb forces surrounded the city, cutting off supplies and conducting systematic sniper and artillery attacks on civilians. An estimated 13,000 people were killed during the siege.

  • What is Bosnia and Herzegovina's system of government?

    Bosnia and Herzegovina has a highly complex system established by the Dayton Agreement of 1995. The state has a three-member presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) with a rotating chairmanship every eight months. The country is divided into two entities, the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska, which have significant autonomous powers. An internationally appointed High Representative can impose laws and remove elected officials.

  • When did Bosnia and Herzegovina become an independent state?

    Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on 1 March 1992, following a referendum boycotted by Bosnian Serbs. The declaration was recognised by the European Community and the United States in April 1992. Independence was immediately followed by war as Bosnian Serb forces, backed by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, launched military operations against the new state.

  • Is Sarajevo the capital of both entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

    Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole and the capital of the Federation of BiH entity. Republika Srpska, the other entity, has its capital in Banja Luka, located in the northwest of the country. This divided structure reflects the ethnic and political partition embedded in the Dayton Agreement.

Sights and landmarks

The Baščaršija, the old Ottoman bazaar from the 15th century, forms the historic heart of Sarajevo with the Sebilj fountain as its focal point. The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque from 1531 is the largest historic mosque in the Balkans. Within a hundred metres stand an Orthodox cathedral, a Catholic cathedral and a synagogue, which explains the nickname Jerusalem of Europe. The Latin Bridge is the site where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914. The Sarajevo Tunnel Museum, a museum in the war tunnel that connected the besieged city with free territory, documents the siege of 1992–1996.

Climate and best time to visit

Sarajevo lies at 500 metres elevation in a mountain valley and has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with cold winters and warm summers. January averages between -3 and 4 degrees Celsius, July between 13 and 27 degrees. Annual precipitation is around 930 millimetres. Snowfall is abundant in winter, which led to the Winter Olympics of 1984. The best travel period is May to September for city visits, and December to March for winter sports in the nearby mountains Jahorina and Bjelašnica.

Regional significance

Sarajevo sits on the dividing line between East and West and was historically known as the European Jerusalem due to the coexistence of four world religions within a few hundred metres. The city served during the 1992–1996 siege as a symbol of the Bosnian conflict and of European failure to prevent genocide. The siege lasted 1,425 days, longer than the Siege of Leningrad in World War II, and claimed an estimated 11,541 lives. Sarajevo is the capital of a country that formally consists of two entities, a unique political constellation in Europe.

Culture and customs

Sarajevo is known for its multi-confessional character: Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism and Judaism have coexisted here for centuries. The city housed until 1992 one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe, established by Sephardic refugees after 1492. The cuisine is strongly Ottoman-influenced with dishes such as ćevapi (grilled minced meat rolls), burek (meat pastry) and bosanski lonac. The Sarajevo Film Festival, founded during the siege in 1995, has grown into the largest film festival in southeastern Europe.

Economy

Sarajevo's economy is steadily recovering from war damage. The city generates around 40 percent of the GDP of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Key sectors include metals, timber, textiles and pharmaceuticals. Bosnalijek is a leading pharmaceutical producer in the Western Balkans. Tourism is growing rapidly, mainly from the Middle East and Turkey, with more than 1.5 million overnight stays per year. The city has a growing IT sector, partly fuelled by the Bosnian diaspora in Western Europe.
Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina

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