East Herzegovina

This article is about the region in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the region in Montenegro, see Old Herzegovina. For the war-time entity, see SAO Herzegovina.

Region in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

East Herzegovina

Region

East Herzegovina in light blue, within Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Coordinates: 43°28′37″N 17°48′54″E﻿ / ﻿43.47694°N 17.81500°E﻿ / 43.47694; 17.81500
Country| Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entity| Republika Srpska
Largest city| Trebinje (31,433)
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| CEST

East Herzegovina (Serbo-Croatian: Istočna Hercegovina, Источна Херцеговина) is the eastern part of the historical Herzegovina region in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises six municipalities located around the Neretva river, as a part of the Republika Srpska entity. The area straddles a Mediterranean-influenced lowland and has a continental cool highland climate with contrasting seasonal patterns.

## History

[edit]

The region of has a rich and complex history, with archaeological evidence indicating human presence since the Paleolithic period. Significant prehistoric settlements, such as those associated with the Butmir culture (circa 2600–2400 BCE), demonstrate early agricultural and cultural development.[1] During classical antiquity, the area was inhabited by various Illyrian tribes before becoming part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century CE.[2] Slavic tribes migrated into the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries, establishing early medieval states.[3] The medieval Bosnian state emerged in the 12th century, gradually expanding its territory.[4] The Ottoman Empire conquered the region in 1463, leading to centuries of Ottoman rule and significant demographic and cultural changes, including the spread of Islam.[5] In 1878, after the Austro-Hungarian occupation, Bosnia and Herzegovina became an administrative unit of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before becoming part of Yugoslavia, and later Bosnia and Herzegovina.[6]

## Geography

[edit]

East Herzegovina is part of the broader Herzegovina region, characterized by a predominantly mountainous and hilly landscape.[7] It is situated in the Dinaric Alps, a major mountain range in Southeast Europe.[8] The topography is defined by significant karst formations, including vast underground water systems, caves, and depressions known as poljes, which are fertile plains. The climate in Eastern Herzegovina exhibits Mediterranean characteristics, especially in the southern parts, with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.[9][10] The Neretva River is a prominent geographical feature in Herzegovina, flowing through the region before emptying into the Adriatic Sea.[11] It comprises six municipalities including the key towns in East Herzegovina include Trebinje, Nevesinje, and Bileća in Republika Srpska.[12] West Herzegovina is the western part, west of the Neretva river, and is today administratively part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and West Herzegovina Canton, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Croats, located in the Federation of B&H entity. The easternmost parts of historical Herzegovina (the Duchy of St. Sava and Sanjak of Herzegovina) lie in Montenegro, in so-called "Old Herzegovina", which became part of the Principality of Montenegro in 1878.[13]

## Demographics

[edit]

The region is home to a diverse population, with three main constituent peoples: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats.[14] The ethnic composition of East Herzegovina largely reflects the overall demographic patterns of the Republika Srpska entity, where Serbs constitute a majority.[15] Religious affiliations are closely tied to ethnic identity, with Orthodox Christianity being prevalent among Serbs, Islam among Bosniaks, and Catholicism among Croats.[16]

Settlement  | Population[17]

|

Berkovići | 2,727
Bileća | 11,536
Gacko | 9,734
Istočni Mostar | 280
Ljubinje | 3,756
Nevesinje | 13,758
Trebinje | 31,433

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards". UNESCO. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
2. ^ "Bosnia and Herzegovina". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
3. ^ "The Idea of Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Short History". e-flux. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
4. ^ "Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Report (Cultural Routes)". Council of Europe. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
5. ^ "Bosnia and Herzegovina". Brookings Institution. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
6. ^ "Bosnia-Herzegovina". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
7. ^ "Land Resources". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
8. ^ "Dinaric Alps". World Wide Fund for Nature. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
9. ^ "Karst aquifers in Europe". European Environment Agency. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
10. ^ "East Herzegovina". SMART ERA pilot region page. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
11. ^ "Neretva River". Rivers of Europe. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
12. ^ "Republika Srpska: Regions". Statista. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
13. ^ Šćekić, Leković & Premović 2015, p. 79-106.
14. ^ "Democracy and Governance". U.S. Agency for International Development. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
15. ^ "Population in Bosnia and Herzegovina" (PDF). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
16. ^ "2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Bosnia and Herzegovina". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
17. ^ "Cities and Municipalities of Republika Srpska" (PDF). Republika Srspka Institute of Statistics. 25 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Malcolm, Noel (1995). Povijest Bosne : kratki pregled. Erasmus Gilda : Novi Liber. ISBN 953-6045-03-6.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
* Fine, John Van Antwerp Jr. (1994) [1987]. The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0472082604.
* Šćekić, Radenko; Leković, Žarko; Premović, Marijan (2015). "Political Developments and Unrests in Stara Raška (Old Rascia) and Old Herzegovina during Ottoman Rule". Balcanica. 46 (46): 79–106\. doi:10.2298/BALC1546079S.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Milimir Lojović, Obren Gnjato (2016), Стара насеља источне Херцеговине и могућности њихове ревитализације, Demografija 13, pp. 353-373
* Лојовић, М., 2006. Антропогеографске основе и проблеми развоја туризма источне Херцеговине. Географски факултет Универзитета у Београду.
* Lojović, M. and Gnjato, O., 2016. Sustainable development of tourism in East Herzegovina. Zbornik radova-Geografski fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu, (64), pp.361-399.
* Golijanin, A.R., 2016. Essentials of the construction and exploitation of hydraulic tunnels in karst of eastern Herzegovina. Tehnika, 71(6), pp.813-819.
* Samardžić, G.M., 2016. On the roman villas on the south of province of Dalmatia (Several examples from the area of East Herzegovina). Zbornik radova Filozofskog fakulteta u Prištini, (46-3), pp.3-19.
* Samardžić, G.M., 2017. On numismatic findings from the southern part of the province of Dalmatia (examples from the area of Eastern Herzegovina). Zbornik radova Filozofskog fakulteta u Prištini, (47-1), pp.27-42.
* Samardžić, G. (2015) Istočna Hercegovina u rimsko doba. Kosovska Mitrovica: Filozofski fakultet u Prištini
* Milanović, P.T., 2006. Karst istočne Hercegovine i Dubrovačkog priobalja: Karst of Eastern Herzegovina and Dubrovnik Littoral. Asocijacija speleoloških organizacija Srbije.
* Ćorović, R., 2014. Main characteristics of demographic development of eastern Herzegovina in the second half of the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century. Zbornik Matice srpske za drustvene nauke, (148), pp.727-735.

* v
* t
* e

Republika Srpska articles

History|

* Serb Autonomous Regions
* Bosanska Krajina
* Herzegovina
* North-East Bosnia
* Romanija
* Republika Srpska (1992–1995)
* Bosnian War
* Dayton Agreement
* 1997–1998 crisis

Geography|

* Municipalities
* Brčko District
* Bosanska Krajina
* East Herzegovina

Politics|

* Government
* Constitution
* President
* List
* Vice Presidents
* Prime Minister
* National Assembly
* Speaker
* Senate
* Elections
* Referendums
* Proposed secession

Economy|

* Banja Luka Stock Exchange
* BIRS
* ERS10
* FIRS
* Securities Commission
* Confederation of Trade Unions
* Currency
* Former currency
* Railway
* Telecommunications

Culture|

* Seal
* Flag
* Anthem
* Academy of Sciences and Arts
* National and University Library
* Archives
* Museum of Modern Art
* Association of Writers

Other|

* Army of Republika Srpska
* Ministry of Defence
* General Staff
* Police of Republika Srpska
* Ministry of Interior
* Honour Unit
* Police Band
* Eastern Orthodoxy in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Vehicle registration plates
* Order of the Republika Srpska
* Football Association
* Official football team
* National day
* Outline

* Outline

* Category

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template