Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVIC
chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford G. BOND embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
Flag description:
a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow
isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the
remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed
white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse
of the triangle
Government - note:
The Dayton Agreement, signed in Paris on 14 December 1995, retained
Bosnia and Herzegovina's exterior border and created a joint
multi-ethnic and democratic government. This national government -
based on proportional representation similar to that which existed
in the former socialist regime - is charged with conducting foreign,
economic, and fiscal policy. The Dayton Agreement also recognized a
second tier of government, comprised of two entities - a joint
Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian
Serb Republika Srpska (RS) - each presiding over roughly one-half
the territory. The Federation and RS governments are charged with
overseeing internal functions. The Bosniak/Croat Federation is
further divided into 10 cantons. The Dayton Agreement established
the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to oversee the
implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement.
Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina
Economy - overview:
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation.
Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small
and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of
food. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the
socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the
development of military industries in the republic with the result
that Bosnia hosted a number of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The
bitter interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by
80% from 1990 to 1995, unemployment to soar, and human misery to
multiply. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99
at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed
in 2000-02. GDP remains far below the 1990 level. Economic data are
of limited use because, although both entities issue figures,
national-level statistics are limited. Moreover, official data do
not capture the large share of black market activity. The marka -
the national currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to the
euro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has
dramatically increased its reserve holdings. Implementation of
privatization, however, has been slow, and local entities only
reluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reform
accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were
shut down. The country receives substantial amounts of
reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the
international community but will have to prepare for an era of
declining assistance.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 40.9%
services: 46.1% (2001 est.)