Bosnia and Herzegovina Population
Bosnia and Herzegovina had an estimated population of 3,140,095 in mid-2025 (World Bank), making it the 135th most populous of 217 countries and territories, with 0.04% of everyone alive. The counter above projects that figure forward at the current growth rate of −0.77% a year.
Bosnia and Herzegovina at a glance
How Bosnia and Herzegovina's population is changing
Bosnia and Herzegovina's population is shrinking: −0.77% a year, which works out to about −24,066 people per year, or −66 a day. Births (7.7 per 1,000) and deaths (13.5 per 1,000) alone would give −0.58% a year; net migration removes about 6,994 people a year (−0.22%). Roughly one in every 2,616 people on Earth lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Population of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1960
In 1960, Bosnia and Herzegovina had 3,281,381 people. By 2025 that was 3,140,095 — almost unchanged. The population peaked in 1991 at 4,458,343 and has declined since. The fastest growth came between 1960 and 1970, when the population rose by 15%.
| Year | Population | Change vs previous row |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3,281,381 | — |
| 1970 | 3,773,247 | +15.0% |
| 1980 | 4,148,426 | +9.9% |
| 1990 | 4,448,652 | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 4,159,771 | −6.5% |
| 2010 | 3,811,472 | −8.4% |
| 2020 | 3,299,349 | −13.4% |
| 2025 | 3,140,095 | −4.8% |
Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1800 to 2100
Modelled estimates put Bosnia and Herzegovina at about 851,806 people in 1800; the UN estimates 3,140,098 in 2025 (4× 1800) and projects 1,366,473 for 2100 in its medium scenario. The population is projected to peak around 1991 at 4,458,350 and decline afterwards.
| Year | Population | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 851,806 | modelled estimate |
| 1850 | 1,024,184 | modelled estimate |
| 1900 | 1,764,005 | modelled estimate |
| 1950 | 2,690,407 | UN estimate |
| 2000 | 4,159,785 | UN estimate |
| 2025 | 3,140,098 | UN projection |
| 2050 | 2,455,171 | UN projection |
| 2075 | 1,802,052 | UN projection |
| 2100 | 1,366,473 | UN projection |
Country live/base figures use World Bank estimates; this historical/future chart uses a separate UN series and need not match the World Bank base in overlapping years. Before 1950: HYDE 3.3 / Gapminder reconstructions via Our World in Data — historical modelling, not censuses. 1950–2023: UN World Population Prospects 2024. 2024–2100: UN medium projection. Open the time machine to see the whole map in any year.
Largest listed places in Bosnia and Herzegovina
10 records sorted by displayed base population. Definitions vary (province/administrative unit, UN urban centre or GeoNames settlement); this is not a harmonised city ranking. Shares use World Bank 2025 country population 3,140,095. Dates and boundaries may differ. Overlapping entities are not summed.
| # | Place | Population | Definition | Share | Source / reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sarajevo | 253,857 | UN urban centre | 8.08% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 2 | Mostar | 104,518 | GeoNames settlement | 3.33% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 3 | Banja Luka | 99,102 | UN urban centre | 3.16% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 4 | Bihać | 75,641 | GeoNames settlement | 2.41% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 5 | Ilidža | 71,277 | GeoNames settlement | 2.27% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 6 | Zenica | 66,329 | UN urban centre | 2.11% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 7 | Tuzla | 56,016 | UN urban centre | 1.78% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 8 | Lukavac | 44,520 | GeoNames settlement | 1.42% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 9 | Bugojno | 41,378 | GeoNames settlement | 1.32% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 10 | Brčko | 38,968 | GeoNames settlement | 1.24% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
How Bosnia and Herzegovina compares
Bosnia and Herzegovina has almost the same population as Puerto Rico (3,184,835).
| Rank | Country | Population | vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #133 |  Uruguay | 3,384,688 | +8% | compare → |
| #134 |  Puerto Rico | 3,184,835 | +1% | compare → |
| #136 |  Namibia | 3,092,816 | −2% | compare → |
| #137 |  Armenia | 3,086,700 | −2% | compare → |
Compare Bosnia and Herzegovina with any country →
Same region (Europe & Central Asia): Russia, Türkiye, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy.
Explore around Bosnia and Herzegovina
Land neighbours (3)
Serbia 6,549,143 · 2.1× the population · compare
Croatia 3,876,200 · 1.2× the population · compare
Montenegro 623,129 · 5.0× smaller · compare
Bosnia and Herzegovina's 3 neighbours together hold 11,048,472 people — 3.5× Bosnia and Herzegovina's population. The most populous is Serbia (6,549,143).
In its region
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the 36th most populous of the 58 economies in Europe & Central Asia, holding 0.3% of the region's 932,525,035 people.
Rankings featuring Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cities
Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka, Bihać, Ilidža, Zenica, Tuzla, Lukavac — all Bosnia and Herzegovina's cities on the map.
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About these numbers
Population, growth, birth and death rates, migration, density, age structure, life expectancy, fertility and GDP per capita come from the World Bank Indicators API (latest available year shown beside each figure). The live counter applies the annual growth rate continuously from 1 July 2025 — a model, not a measurement. City populations are the latest census or official estimate held by GeoNames and are not projected. Sub-city units are folded into their parent city.
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Read this country carefully
This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.