Population and Demographics

In 1910, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) had a population of 1,898,044 where 825,918 (43.49%) were Orthodox, 612,137 were Muslims (32.25%), 434,061 were Catholics (22.87%) and 26,428 (1.39%) others. According to the 1931 census, there were 2,323,555 persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Orthodox 1,028,139 (44.25%); Muslims 718,079 (30.90%); Catholics 547,949 (23.58%); other: 29,388 (1.27%) of the total population.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina in the course of World War II the Serbian population had greatest losses in men and material. The Serbs, Jews and Gypsies were the victims of the genocide executed in the Independent State of Croatia (which included the whole of present day Bosnia and Herzegovina) between 1941 and 1945.

Large population migrations during the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s have caused a large demographic shift in the country. No census has been taken since 1991, and none is planned for the near future due to political disagreements. Since censuses are the only statistical, inclusive and objective way to analyze demographics, almost all of the post-war data is simply an estimate. Most sources, however, estimate the population at roughly 4 million (representing a decrease of 350,000 since the 1991 census).

There is a strong correlation between ethnic identity and religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as is shown by the fact that 90% of Bosniaks are Muslims whilst 93% of Serbs are Orthodox Christians. Tensions between the three constitutional peoples remain high in BiH and often provoke political disagreements

Sunni Islam is the largest single religious group with an estimated 40% being Muslim. The second largest religious group in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Serb Orthodox Christianity, accounting for an estimated 31%, and the third largest religious group in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Roman Catholicism, with 15% being Catholics.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 3,935,000
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 15% (male 353,163/female 331,133)
  • 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 1,615,011/female 1,587,956)
  • 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 273,240/female 391,695)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 38.9 years
  • Male: 37.7 years
  • Female: 40.1 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.003%
• Birth Rate: 8.8 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 8.42 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: 9.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.067 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.698 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 9.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 10.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 8.07 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 78.17 years
  • Male: 74.57 years
  • Female: 82.03 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 1.23 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 900
• Ethnic Groups:
  Note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam
  • Bosniak 48%
  • Serb 37.1%
  • Croat 14.3%
  • Other 0.6%
• Religions:
  • Muslim 40%
  • Orthodox 31%
  • Roman Catholic 15%
  • Other 14%
• Languages:
  • Bosnian
  • Croatian
  • Serbian
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 96.7%
  • Male: 99%
  • Female: 94.4%