Bosnia and Herzegovina

Languages:

Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Southeast European country, is home to a diverse linguistic landscape with three official languages: Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian. These languages, originating from the South Slavic language group, are mutually intelligible and share many similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. Bosnian is predominantly spoken by Bosniak communities, while Croatian is spoken by Croat communities, and Serbian by Serb communities. Language choice often reflects one's ethnic background and identity. Additionally, English is widely spoken as a second language, particularly among younger generations and in urban areas.

Religion:

Religious diversity is a prominent feature of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with religion often intertwined with ethnic identity. Islam constitutes the largest religious group, with approximately 50.7% of the population identifying as Muslim, primarily from the Bosniak ethnic group. The second-largest religious group is Christianity, with around 46.5% of the population, divided between the Serbian Orthodox Church (around 30.7%) and Roman Catholicism (around 15.2%), predominantly among Serbs and Croats, respectively. Smaller religious communities, such as Protestants and Jews, as well as non-religious individuals, collectively account for about 3% of the population.

Ethnic Groups:

Bosniak 50.1%, Serb 30.8%, Croat 15.4%, other 2.7%, not declared/no answer 1% (2013 est.) note: Republika Srpska authorities dispute the methodology and refuse to recognize the results; Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam