Herzegovina-Neretva Canton

Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Hercegovačko-neretvanska županija-kanton[1] Hercegovačko-neretvanski kanton[2] Hercegovačko-neretvanska županija (hr) Hercegovačko-neretvanski kanton (bs) Херцеговачко-неретвански кантон (sr)
Canton
Flag Coat of arms
Location of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton
Coordinates: 43°27′N 17°49′E / 43.450°N 17.817°E / 43.450; 17.817
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entity	Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Main city	Mostar
Municipalities	List Čapljina, Čitluk, Jablanica, Konjic, Mostar, Neum, Prozor-Rama, Ravno, Stolac
Government
• Head of canton	Miroslav Ćorić
Area
• Total	4,401 km2 (1,699 sq mi)
Population (2013 census)[3]
• Total	236,278
• Density	54/km2 (140/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	BA-07
Website	http://www.vlada-hnz-k.ba/

The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, officially the Herzegovina-Neretva County-Canton^[1] (Croatian: Hercegovačko-neretvanska županija-kanton^[1]) and Herzegovina-Neretva Canton^[2] (Bosnian: Hercegovačko-neretvanski kanton^[2]) is the seventh of 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The canton mainly comprises the Neretva river valley area and parts of Herzegovina west of Mostar, its administrative center.

Municipalities

The canton is split into the municipalities of Čapljina, Čitluk, Jablanica, Konjic, Mostar, Neum, Rama, Ravno and Stolac.

Geography and features

Konjic municipality

The canton is the only canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina with access to the sea via the municipality of Neum. Neum is a town of 2,000 citizens (1991 census) and the area around the city is rich with historical and archeological remains of the Illyrians, a people who lived in the Balkans for many thousands of years.

Stari Most, Mostar

The largest city in the canton and the fifth largest city in the country is Mostar. Mostar is located on the banks of the Neretva river and is divided between Croats and Bosniaks. Mostar is known for its old bridge, Stari Most, which was constructed by the area's Ottoman rulers, who also brought Islam to the region. Bosnian Croat forces bombed and destroyed the bridge on November 8, 1993. Upon its destruction it had stood for 427 years and had become a symbol of a shared cultural heritage and "peaceful" co-existence. The bridge was reconstructed in the summer of 2004. The opening ceremony was attended by several foreign delegates including Stjepan Mesić, the President of Croatia.

Other notable cities in this canton are Čapljina, Konjic, Jablanica and the world famous Marian Shrine of Međugorje. Jablanica and Konjic are notable for battles which took place there during World War II and there is a large museum in Jablanica dedicated to these battles.

The Neretva river runs through the cities of Konjic, Jablanica, Mostar and Čapljina before it flows through Croatia and into the Adriatic Sea. There are large lakes in the canton such as the Jablanica lake located around the city Jablanica. The southern most municipality in the canton is the Neum municipality which borders the Adriatic sea and the eastern most municipality is the Ravno municipality along the border with Croatia.

Demographics

Of the ten cantons comprising the Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina, Herzegovina-Neretva Canton is one of two cantons, the other being the Central Bosnia Canton, which have an ethnically mixed population of Bosniak and Croat peoples. In ethnically mixed Cantons there are special legislative procedures for the protection of the constituent ethnic groups.

Croats form a majority in the municipalities of Čapljina, Čitluk, Neum, Prozor-Rama, Ravno and Stolac. Bosniaks form a majority in the municipalities of Jablanica and Konjic. The municipality of Mostar in the central part of the canton has a majority of Bosniaks on the east side and a majority of Croats on the west side of the river Neretva.

See also

• Čapljina
• Čitluk
• Jablanica
• Konjic
• Mostar
• Neum
• Prozor-Rama
• Ravno
• Stolac

References

v t e Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina v t e Entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Republika Srpska v t e Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina      Una-Sana  Central Bosnia  Posavina  Herzegovina-Neretva  Tuzla  West Herzegovina  Zenica-Doboj  Sarajevo  Bosnian Podrinje  Canton 10 v t e Districts of Bosnia and Herzegovina Brčko distrikt v t e Municipalities and cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina Capital Sarajevo Municipalities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Banovići Bihać Bosanska Krupa Bosanski Petrovac Bosansko Grahovo Bugojno Busovača Bužim Čapljina Cazin Čelić Centar, Sarajevo Čitluk Drvar Doboj East Doboj South Dobratići Domaljevac-Šamac Donji Vakuf Foča-Ustikolina Fojnica Glamoč Goražde Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje Gračanica Gradačac Grude Hadžići Ilidža Ilijaš Jablanica Jajce Kakanj Kalesija Kiseljak Kladanj Ključ Konjic Kreševo Kupres Livno Ljubuški Lukavac Maglaj Mostar Neum Novi Grad, Sarajevo Novo Sarajevo Novi Travnik Odžak Olovo Orašje Pale-Prača Posušje Prozor-Rama Ravno Sanski Most Sapna Široki Brijeg Srebrenik Stari Grad, Sarajevo Stolac Teočak Tešanj Tomislavgrad Travnik Trnovo (FBiH) Tuzla Usora Vareš Velika Kladuša Visoko Vitez Vogošća Zavidovići Zenica Žepče Živinice Municipalities and cities of Republika Srpska Cities: Grad Banja Luka Grad Bijeljina Grad Doboj Grad Istočno Sarajevo Grad Prijedor Grad Trebinje Municipalities: Berkovići Bileća Brod Bratunac Čajniče Čelinac Derventa Donji Žabar Foča Gacko Gradiška Han Pijesak Istočni Drvar Istočna Ilidža Istočni Mostar Istočni Stari Grad Istočno Novo Sarajevo Jezero Kalinovik Kneževo Kostajnica Kozarska Dubica Kotor Varoš Krupa na Uni Kupres Laktaši Ljubinje Lopare Milići Modriča Mrkonjić Grad Nevesinje Novi Grad Novo Goražde Osmaci Oštra Luka Pale Pelagićevo Petrovac Petrovo Prnjavor Ribnik Rogatica Rudo Šamac Šekovići Šipovo Sokolac Srbac Srebrenica Teslić Trnovo Ugljevik Višegrad Vlasenica Vukosavlje Zvornik

Coordinates: 43°27′N 17°49′E / 43.450°N 17.817°E / 43.450; 17.817