Serbian Autonomous Regions

SAOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

SAOs in BiH (Autumn 1991)

SAOs in BiH (Nov 1991)

During the Yugoslav Wars, the Serbian Autonomous Regions, (Serbian: Српска аутономна област, Srpska autonomna oblast, SAO) were regions in the Yugoslav republics of SR Croatia and SR Bosnia and Herzegovina that the ethnic Serbs proclaimed to be autonomous and subsequently voted for independence. The SAOs would eventually form the Republic of Serbian Krajina in Croatia and the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SAOs in Croatia

• SAO Kninska Krajina
• SAO Krajina
• SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem > Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia (1995-1998)
• SAO Western Slavonia

SAOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Six entities in total (in various times):

• SAO Bosnian Krajina, first called Autonomous Region of Krajina, capital Banja Luka, formed in Apr 1991 with 15 municipalities in W Bosnia. It was the largest region, but after failure to merge with SAO Krajina in Croatia, it was renamed Bosnian Krajina (SAO Bosanska Krajina) in Sept 1991.
• SAO North-Eastern Bosnia (SAO Sjeveroistočna Bosna), capital Bijeljina, formed Sept 1991 with five municipalities; renamed SAO Semberija in Nov 1991, and SAO Semberija i Majevica in Dec 1991.
• SAO Northern Bosnia, capital Doboj, formed Nov 1991, with Doboj District, intended to link Bosnian Krajina with Semberija & Majevica, but never fully controlled its proclaimed territory.
• SAO Ozren-Posavina (SAO Sjeverna Bosna), planned from predominantly Bosniak and Croat municipalities in northern Bosnia, but not fully established.
• SAO Romanija (SAO Romanija), formed Sept 1991, and SAO Birač, formed Nov 1991; combied in Nov 1991 as SAO Romanija-Birač with 15 municipalities, capital Pale.
• SAO Herzegovina (SAO Hercegovina), with the capital Trebinje.

See also

• Breakup of Yugoslavia
• Yugoslav Wars
• Republika Srpska
• Republika Srpska Krajina