Sarajevo Canton
Encyclopedia
The Sarajevo Canton is a canton
of the Federation
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. The capital is Sarajevo
.
The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation
. It contains 98% of Sarajevo's population, but a much smaller percentage of the official land area.
times, when the Butmir
culture made its mountains and hills their home. In ancient times, the Canton was occupied by the Illyrians
. The local tribe, the Daesitates, controlled most of the area. They were a warlike bunch and the last Illyrian tribe to resist Roman rule, which finally came in AD
9. Under Roman rule, many roads were constructed in the region, as well as a city on top of modern day Ilidža
. During the Middle Ages, the area of Sarajevo Canton was a key part of the Bosnian Kingdom. The city of Vrhbosna existed somewhere in the region and was one of the most important cities at the time.
True development of the region came after the Ottoman
conquest when local Muslim
noble Isa-Beg Isaković
established the roots of the modern city of Sarajevo
, between 1461 and 1463. The region grew along with the city, which quickly, after Istanbul, became the most important in the Balkans. Later rule by Austria-Hungary
modernized and westernized the region. Under Yugoslavia
, the Yugoslavian government further developed the area, which more than tripled in size. Much of this progress was offset however by the Yugoslav Wars
in the early 1990s.
The canton was a result of this warfare, created by the Bosniak-Croat Washington Accords in 1994, and its boundaries defined by the Dayton Accords
in 1995.
The Canton is split into 9 municipalities. They are all based on the major settlements in their region, except for Sarajevo, which is so large it consists of four separate municipalities and has its own separate city government. There are usually no real city governments in Bosnia as some would imagine, but major cities are in municipalities of the same name (i.e. Ilidža is part of Ilidža Municipality) whose governments are the de facto city government as their jurisdiction covers the city and all major suburbs.
, Igman
, Jahorina
, Trebević
, and Treskavica
. The cities of the Canton are built predominantly on the hills at the foot of these mountains, and the fields in between them. The most significant of these is the Sarajevo field, a small depression upon which the bulk of the city is built upon. The Miljacka
river passes through the Canton. Vrelo Bosne
, the source of the Bosna River, is found in Sarajevo Canton and is the source of water for most residents of Sarajevo.
The economy of Sarajevo Canton is slowly growing better, although it has been severely weakened by the Siege of Sarajevo
and is still drastically weaker than it used to be. The employment rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina
is 45.5% officially; however, grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to between 25 and 30%, while in sarajevo the official unemployment rate is around 20% of the labour force.
Major industries in the region include tourism
, food processing, and manufacturing
. Several major Bosnian companies are based in the Canton, and the area holds the country footholds of numerous foreign corporations, such as Coca Cola.
, it is also one of the most populous Cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to government statistics for June 2009, the overall population of Sarajevo Canton is estimated to be 750,000.
The population density
of Sarajevo Canton is some 314 people per km² (816/sq mi). 17.3% of the Canton's population are youth up to 14 years of age, 69.4% are between 15 and 64 years of age, and some 13.3% are over 65 years of age.
Ethnically speaking, 79.6% of the Canton are Bosniaks
, 11.2% are Serbs
and another 6.7% are Croats
. The most ethnically dominant municipality is Stari Grad
, whose residents are over 98% Bosniak.
Of the nine municipalities, the biggest population belongs to Novi Grad
, with some 296,588 residents. The smallest population was in Trnovo
, which has a mere 839 residents.
Canton consists of 9 municipalities:
Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina serve as the second-level units of local autonomy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
of the Federation
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. The capital is Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
.
The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...
. It contains 98% of Sarajevo's population, but a much smaller percentage of the official land area.
History
The history of Sarajevo Canton dates back to NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
times, when the Butmir
Butmir
Butmir is a neighborhood of Ilidža in the Sarajevo Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a small but fairly important and well-known neighborhood of several thousand people.Geographically, the Butmir region is very rich in flint...
culture made its mountains and hills their home. In ancient times, the Canton was occupied by the Illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
. The local tribe, the Daesitates, controlled most of the area. They were a warlike bunch and the last Illyrian tribe to resist Roman rule, which finally came in AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
9. Under Roman rule, many roads were constructed in the region, as well as a city on top of modern day Ilidža
Ilidža
Ilidža is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a metro population of 157,654, making it the 7th largest city in the country. Ilidža is the chief suburb of Sarajevo. It is famous for the natural beauty of its surroundings and historical tradition dating back to...
. During the Middle Ages, the area of Sarajevo Canton was a key part of the Bosnian Kingdom. The city of Vrhbosna existed somewhere in the region and was one of the most important cities at the time.
True development of the region came after the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
conquest when local Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
noble Isa-Beg Isaković
Isa-Beg Isakovic
Isa-Beg Ishaković, or Isa-Beg Isaković, was an Ottoman general and the first governor of the Ottoman Province of Bosnia. He ruled during the 1450s and 1460s. He made much of the initial conquests for the Turkish Empire in the region, and was one of the then Sultan's most trusted generals. He was...
established the roots of the modern city of Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, between 1461 and 1463. The region grew along with the city, which quickly, after Istanbul, became the most important in the Balkans. Later rule by Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
modernized and westernized the region. Under Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, the Yugoslavian government further developed the area, which more than tripled in size. Much of this progress was offset however by the Yugoslav Wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
in the early 1990s.
The canton was a result of this warfare, created by the Bosniak-Croat Washington Accords in 1994, and its boundaries defined by the Dayton Accords
Dayton Agreement
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, Dayton Accords, Paris Protocol or Dayton-Paris Agreement, is the peace agreement reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio in November 1995, and formally signed in Paris on...
in 1995.
Government
Like all Cantons of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the head of Sarajevo Canton is called the Premier. The current premier is Fikret Musić (Social Democrat Party SDP). The gouvernmant is made by coalition of Social Democrats (SDP) and Conservative People Party (SDA) Like many other heads of executive branches of government in the world, the Premier has a cabinet which helps him go about his duties. The Sarajevo Canton also has Ministries, Services, and Agencies to help in the running of the region.The Canton is split into 9 municipalities. They are all based on the major settlements in their region, except for Sarajevo, which is so large it consists of four separate municipalities and has its own separate city government. There are usually no real city governments in Bosnia as some would imagine, but major cities are in municipalities of the same name (i.e. Ilidža is part of Ilidža Municipality) whose governments are the de facto city government as their jurisdiction covers the city and all major suburbs.
- Agencies of Sarajevo Canton
- Agency for the Development of the Canton
- Agency for Good Reserves
- Agency for Information and Statistics of the Canton
- Agency for the Planning of Canton Growth
- Professional Fire-extinguishing Brigade
Geography
The Sarajevo Canton has a typical Bosnian geography. It is located close to the geometric center of the country, and contains numerous mountains, including BjelašnicaBjelašnica
Bjelašnica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjelašnica's tallest peak rises to an elevation of 2067 meters ....
, Igman
Igman
Igman is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Bjelašnica mountain and the city of Ilidža. Igman's highest point, Vlahinja Ridge, is 1502 meters , making it the shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.Igman is a popular destination...
, Jahorina
Jahorina
Mount Jahorina , is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Sarajevo within Republika Srpska. It borders fellow Olympic mountain Trebević...
, Trebević
Trebevic
Trebević is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southeast of Sarajevo, territory of East Sarajevo city, bordering Jahorina mountain. Trebević is 1627 meters tall, making it the second shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.During the Middle Ages, Trebević was...
, and Treskavica
Treskavica
Treskavica is a mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in Trnovo municipality just south of city of Sarajevo.Mala Ćaba peak at 2088 meters , makes Treskavica the tallest of all the mountains circling Sarajevo, and only some 300 meters shorter than the tallest mountain in the country...
. The cities of the Canton are built predominantly on the hills at the foot of these mountains, and the fields in between them. The most significant of these is the Sarajevo field, a small depression upon which the bulk of the city is built upon. The Miljacka
Miljacka
The Miljacka is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina that passes through Sarajevo and East Sarajevo. It is famous for being "Sarajevo's River", and it has come to be identified immediately with the city itself....
river passes through the Canton. Vrelo Bosne
Vrelo Bosne
Vrelo Bosne is the spring of the River Bosna located in the central region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, southwest of Sarajevo. It is one of the country's top natural landmarks and is one of the most famous scenes of natural beauty in the region....
, the source of the Bosna River, is found in Sarajevo Canton and is the source of water for most residents of Sarajevo.
Economy
Sarajevo is economically strongest region in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city and canton generate more than 37% of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian GDP.The economy of Sarajevo Canton is slowly growing better, although it has been severely weakened by the Siege of Sarajevo
Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
and is still drastically weaker than it used to be. The employment rate in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
is 45.5% officially; however, grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to between 25 and 30%, while in sarajevo the official unemployment rate is around 20% of the labour force.
Major industries in the region include tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, food processing, and manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
. Several major Bosnian companies are based in the Canton, and the area holds the country footholds of numerous foreign corporations, such as Coca Cola.
Demographics
The Sarajevo Canton contains Sarajevo and its metro areas. Since the city is the largest in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, it is also one of the most populous Cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to government statistics for June 2009, the overall population of Sarajevo Canton is estimated to be 750,000.
The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of Sarajevo Canton is some 314 people per km² (816/sq mi). 17.3% of the Canton's population are youth up to 14 years of age, 69.4% are between 15 and 64 years of age, and some 13.3% are over 65 years of age.
Ethnically speaking, 79.6% of the Canton are Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
, 11.2% are Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
and another 6.7% are Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
. The most ethnically dominant municipality is Stari Grad
Stari Grad, Sarajevo
Stari Grad is a municipality in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo...
, whose residents are over 98% Bosniak.
Of the nine municipalities, the biggest population belongs to Novi Grad
Novi Grad, Sarajevo
Novi Grad is the westernmost of the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
, with some 296,588 residents. The smallest population was in Trnovo
Trnovo Municipality Sarajevo
Trnovo is one of the nine municipalities of the Sarajevo Canton. It is located a 30 kilometers southeast of the city of Sarajevo. The seat of the municipality is in Trnovo, although the municipal council uses the "Maršal" Hotel on Mount Bjelašnica as the official meeting hall...
, which has a mere 839 residents.
Municipalities
- CentarCentar, SarajevoCentar is a municipality of central Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located between the older parts of the city under Stari Grad, and the newer more modern parts of the city under the municipalities Novi Grad and Novo Sarajevo....
- HadžićiHadžiciHadžići is a town and a municipality located south west of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to government statistics from 2002, Hadžići Municipality has a population of 20,055 residents.- 1971 :18,508 total...
- IlidžaIlidžaIlidža is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a metro population of 157,654, making it the 7th largest city in the country. Ilidža is the chief suburb of Sarajevo. It is famous for the natural beauty of its surroundings and historical tradition dating back to...
- IlijašIlijašIlijaš is a town and municipality located north east of the inner city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:According to 1971 population census there were 23.007 residents.* Serbs - 10.941 * Muslims - 9.187...
- Novi GradNovi Grad, SarajevoNovi Grad is the westernmost of the four municipalities that make up the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
- Novo SarajevoNovo SarajevoNovo Sarajevo is a municipality in Sarajevo, and Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-1971:111,811 total* Serbs - 45,806 * Bosniaks - 37,147...
- Stari GradStari Grad, SarajevoStari Grad is a municipality in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the oldest and most historically significant part of Sarajevo...
- TrnovoTrnovo Municipality SarajevoTrnovo is one of the nine municipalities of the Sarajevo Canton. It is located a 30 kilometers southeast of the city of Sarajevo. The seat of the municipality is in Trnovo, although the municipal council uses the "Maršal" Hotel on Mount Bjelašnica as the official meeting hall...
- VogošćaVogošcaVogošća is a secondary suburb and municipality of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located about 6 kilometers north of the city center and covering some 72 km².-1971:According to 1971 population census there were 14.402 residents....