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Sarajevo

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   Sarajevo (Сарајево)
   Sarajevo in winter
   Sarajevo in winter

                Official flag of Sarajevo (Сарајево)

   Official seal of Sarajevo (Сарајево)
   Flag Seal
   Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo)
   Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo)
   Coordinates: 43°52′0″N, 18°25′0″E
   Country Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Entity Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Canton Sarajevo Canton
   Mayor Semiha Borovac
   Area
    - City 142 km²  (54.83  sq mi)
   Elevation 500 m  (1640.42 ft)
   Population
    - City (2005 (est.)) 308,558
   Time zone Central European Time ( UTC+1)
   Website: City of Sarajevo

   Sarajevo ( Cyrillic: Сарајево; IPA: [sa'rajɛʋɔ], in English usually
   [ˌsærəˈjeɪvoʊ]) is the capital city and largest urban centre of Bosnia
   and Herzegovina, with an estimated population of 308,558 (as of 2005).
   It is also the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
   entity, and the de jure capital of the Republika Srpska entity, as well
   as the centre of the Sarajevo Canton. Sarajevo is located in the
   Sarajevo valley of Bosnia proper, surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and
   situated around the Miljacka river. The city is famous for its
   traditional religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Catholicism,
   Orthodoxy, and Judaism peacefully coexisting there for centuries.

   Although settlement in the area stretches back to prehistoric times,
   the modern city arose as an Ottoman stronghold in the 15th century.
   Sarajevo has attracted international attention several times throughout
   its history: In 1914 it was the site of the assassination that sparked
   World War I, while seventy years later it became the host city of the
   1984 Winter Olympics. More recently, Sarajevo underwent the longest
   siege in modern military history during the Bosnian war. Today the city
   is recovering and adjusting to a post-war reality, as a major centre of
   culture and economic development in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Geography and climate

   The Greater Sarajevo region.

   Sarajevo is located close to the centre of the triangular shape of
   Bosnia and Herzegovina in southeastern Europe. It consists of four
   municipalities (or "Općina"): Centar (Centre), Novi Grad (New City),
   Novo Sarajevo (New Sarajevo), and Stari Grad (Old Town). Greater
   Sarajevo includes these and the neighbouring municipalities of Ilidža
   and Vogošća.

   The city, located in the Sarajevo valley amongst the Dinaric Alps
   mountain range, has two rivers flowing through it: the westward flowing
   Miljacka and the southward flowing Bosna. Covering 142 km² (88.2 mi²)
   and sitting at 500 meters above sea level, the city is encircled by
   heavily forested hills and mountains. The city itself has its fair
   share of hilly terrain, as evidenced by its many steeply inclined
   streets, not to mention the numerous neighborhoods and settlements that
   seem to be perched on the hillsides.

   Sarajevo has a continental climate, lying between the climate zones of
   central Europe to the North and the Mediterranean to the South. The
   year-round average is 10 °C (45 °F) with mild summers (18.1°C or
   64.6°F), and cold winters (0.3°C or 32.5°F). The warmest month is July
   (19°C or 66°F) and the coldest is January (-1°C or 30°F). Sarajevo
   receives about 932 mm (37 inches) of precipitation a year. The wettest
   month is October (103 mm or 4.0 in); the driest is March (62 mm or 2.4
   in).

History

   Ferhad-Begova, one of Sarajevo's 86 mosques.
   Enlarge
   Ferhad-Begova, one of Sarajevo's 86 mosques.

   The Sarajevo valley has a long and rich history dating back to the
   Neolithic period, when the Butmir Culture flourished. Several Illyrian
   settlements existed in the area before it was conquered by Rome in 9
   CE. During Roman times, a town named Aquae Sulphurae ("sulfuric thermal
   spring") existed on the location of the present-day Sarajevo suburb of
   Ilidža. After the Romans, the Goths settled the area, followed by the
   Slavs in the 7th century.

   The settlement Vrh-Bosna existed in the valley as a Slavic citadel from
   1263 until it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1429. Under
   Isa-Beg Isaković, the first Ottoman governor of the Bosnia Province,
   the settlement was established as a city, named Bosna-Saraj, around the
   citadel in 1461. The governor oversaw the construction of the city's
   Old Town district, including a water-supply system, mosque, closed
   marketplace, public bath, hostel, and Governor's palace. Gazi
   Husrev-beg was appointed the second governor of the Bosnia Province in
   1521 and built the city's first library, madrassa, school of Sufi
   philosophy, as well as the Sahat Kula clock tower.

   In 1697, during the Great Turkish War, a raid was led by Prince Eugene
   of Savoy of the Habsburg Monarchy against the Ottoman Empire, which
   conquered Sarajevo and left it plague-infected and burned to the
   ground. The city was later rebuilt, but never fully recovered from the
   destruction. The Ottoman Empire made Sarajevo an important
   administrative centre by 1850, but the ruling powers changed as the
   Austria-Hungarian Empire conquered Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878 as
   part of the Treaty of Berlin, and annexed it completely in 1908.
   Sarajevo was industrialized by Austria-Hungary, who used the city as a
   testing area for new inventions, such as tramways, before installing
   them in Vienna.

   In the event that triggered World War I, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of
   Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated in
   Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 by a Bosnian Serb nationalist named Gavrilo
   Princep. In the ensuing war, however, most of the Balkan offensives
   occurred near Belgrade, and Sarajevo largely escaped damage during the
   war. Following the war, after the Balkans were unified under the
   Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Sarajevo became the capital of the Drina
   Province.
   A Sarajevo Rose marking where people were killed by a mortar explosion
   Enlarge
   A Sarajevo Rose marking where people were killed by a mortar explosion

   In April 1941 Nazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia and bombarded Sarajevo.
   At this time, there were approximately 10,500 Jews living in Sarajevo,
   who, along with Romany and Orthodox Serbians, were oppressed by the
   Ustaše government or transported to concentration camps. Communist
   Partisan resistance fighters, led by Josip Broz Tito, liberated
   Sarajevo on 6 April 1945. Afterwards, the city grew rapidly as it
   became an important regional industrial centre in Yugoslavia. As part
   of the 1945 General Town Development Plan modern city blocks were built
   west of the old city, adding to Sarajevo's architectural uniqueness.
   The peak of city growth occurred in the early 1980s, when Sarajevo
   hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics.

   On April 6, 1992, as former communist state of Yugoslavia was
   disintegrating, Sarajevo was surrounded by the Yugoslav National Army (
   Bosnian: "Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija") and a number of paramilitary (
   Bosnian Serb Army) formations. The siege of Sarajevo, which lasted
   until October 1995, resulted in large scale destruction and dramatic
   population shifts. Reconstruction of Sarajevo started as soon as the
   war ended with the Dayton Agreement of November 1995. By 2003, most of
   the city had been rebuilt, with only a few remaining visible ruins in
   the city centre. Modern office buildings and skyscrapers have since
   been constructed throughout the city.

Government

   The building of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, central
   Sarajevo.
   Enlarge
   The building of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, central
   Sarajevo.

   Sarajevo is the capital of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina and
   its sub-entity, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as of
   the Sarajevo Canton. Each of these levels of government has their
   parliament or council, as well as judicial courts, in the city. Because
   of this concentration of power, many foreign embassies are located in
   Sarajevo.

   The city comprises four municipalities which each operate their own
   municipal government, united to form one city government with its own
   constitution. The executive branch ( Bosnian: "Gradska Uprava")
   consists of a mayor, with two deputies and a cabinet. The legislative
   branch consists of the City Council, or Gradsko Vijeće. The council has
   24 members, including a council speaker, two deputies, and a secretary.
   Councillors are elected by the municipality in numbers roughly
   proportional to their population. The city government also has a
   judicial branch based on the post-transitional judicial system as
   outlined by the High Representative's “High Judicial and Prosecutorial
   Councils”.

   Sarajevo's Municipalities are further split into "local communities"
   (Bosnian, Mjesne zajednice). Local communities have a small role in
   city government and are intended as a way for ordinary citizens to get
   involved in city government. They are based around key neighborhoods in
   the city.

Demographics

   Baščaršija, Old town of Sarajevo
   Enlarge
   Baščaršija, Old town of Sarajevo

   The last official census in Bosnia and Herzegovina took place 1991
   which recorded 529,021 people living in Sarajevo. The war displaced
   hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom have not returned. A 2005
   estimate by the Sarajevo Canton government estimated the city's
   population at 308,558 people, 74% of the Canton's population. With an
   area of 142 km², Sarajevo has a population density of about 2173 people
   per square kilometer. The Novo Sarajevo municipality is the most
   densely populated part of Sarajevo with about 7524 inhabitants per
   square kilometer, while the least densely populated is the Stari Grad,
   with 742 inhabitants per square kilometer.

   War changed the ethnic and religious profile of the city. While it had
   long been known as a multicultural city, or Europe's Jerusalem, Muslims
   Bosniaks returned to form an even greater proportion of people. In 1991
   Bosniaks formed 50% of the population, followed by Eastern Orthodox
   Serbs with 33%, and Roman Catholic Croats with 7%. However, in 1997
   Bosniaks formed 87% of the population, with Serbs at 5% and Croats at
   6%. If the East Sarajevo ( Republika Srpska) population were to be
   included (130,000, mostly Serbs), the Bosniaks would still have an
   absolute majority, followed by Serbs at around 33% of the overall
   population.

Economy

   After decades of communism and years of war, Sarajevo's economy has
   been subject to reconstruction and rehabilitation programs. Amongst
   other economic landmarks, the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina
   opened in Sarajevo in 1997 and the Sarajevo Stock Exchange began
   trading in 2002. The city's large manufacturing, administration, and
   tourism base, combined with a large informal market, makes it one of
   the strongest economic regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

   While Sarajevo had a large industrial base during its communist period,
   only a few pre-existing businesses made the successful transition to
   the capitalist economy. Sarajevo industries now include tobacco
   products, furniture, hosiery, automobiles, and communication equipment.
   Companies based in Sarajevo include B&H Airlines (Formerly Air Bosna),
   BH Telecom, Bosmal City Centre, Bosnalijek, Energopetrol, Sarajevo
   Tobacco Factory, and Sarajevska Pivara (Sarajevo Brewery).
   The Holiday Inn, Sarajevo, 1983, architect Ivan Straus. Its distinctive
   color and location has made the building iconic.
   Enlarge
   The Holiday Inn, Sarajevo, 1983, architect Ivan Straus. Its distinctive
   colour and location has made the building iconic.

   Sarajevo has a strong tourist industry and was named by Lonely Planet
   the 43rd Best City in the World in 2006. Sports-related tourism uses
   the legacy facilities of the 1984 Winter Olympics, especially the
   skiing facilities on the nearby mountains of Bjelašnica, Igman,
   Jahorina, Trebević, and Treskavica. Sarajevo's 600 years of history,
   influenced by both Western and Eastern empires, is also a strong
   tourist attraction. Sarajevo has hosted travellers for centuries,
   because it was an important trading centre during the Ottoman and
   Austria-Hungarian empires. Examples of popular destinations in Sarajevo
   include the Vrelo Bosne park, the Sarajevo cathedral, and the Gazi
   Husrev-beg's Mosque.

Transportation

   Sarajevo was the first city in Europe to have a full-time (from dawn to
   dusk) operational electric tram line.
   Enlarge
   Sarajevo was the first city in Europe to have a full-time (from dawn to
   dusk) operational electric tram line.

   Sarajevo's location in a valley between mountains make it a compact
   city. Narrow city streets and a lack of parking areas restrict
   automobile traffic but allow better pedestrian and cyclist mobility.
   The two main streets are Titova street and the east-west Zmaj od Bosne
   (Dragon of Bosnia) highway. The trans-European highway, Corridor 5C,
   runs through Sarajevo connecting it to Budapest in the north, and Ploce
   in the south.

   Electric tramways, in operation since 1885, are the oldest form of
   public transportation in the city. There are seven tramway lines
   supplemented by four trolleybus lines and numerous bus routes. The main
   railroad station in Sarajevo is located in the north-central area of
   the city. From there, the tracks head west before branching off in
   different directions, including to the industrial sector.

   Sarajevo International Airport ( IATA: SJJ) is located just a few
   kilometers southwest of the city. During the war the airport was used
   for United Nations flights and humanitarian relief. Since the Dayton
   Accord in 1996, the airport has welcomed a thriving commercial flight
   business which includes B&H Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Alitalia, Aero
   Flight, Lufthansa, Jat Airways, Croatia Airlines, and others. In 2004,
   397,000 passengers had traveled through Sarajevo airport, whereas only
   25,000 had just 8 years earlier in 1996.

Culture

   The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo.
   Enlarge
   The National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo.

   Sarajevo has been home to many different ethnicities and religions for
   centuries, giving the city a range of diverse cultures. Bosnian
   Muslims, Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats, Jews, and Slovenians all
   shared the city while maintaining distinctive identities. Today,
   however, the city is overwhelmingly Bosnian Muslim.

   The city is rich in museums, including the Museum of Sarajevo, the Ars
   Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Museum of Bosnia and
   Herzegovina (established in 1888 and home to the Sarajevo Haggadah),
   the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Museum of
   Literature and Theatre Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city also
   hosts the National theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, established in
   1919, as well as the Sarajevo Youth Theatre. Other cultural
   institutions include the Centre for Sarajevo Culture, Sarajevo City
   Library, Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Bosniak
   Institute, a privately owned library and art collection focusing on
   Bosniak history.

   Demolitions associated with the war, as well as reconstruction,
   destroyed several institutions and cultural or religious symbols
   including the Gazi Husrev-beg library, the national library, the
   Sarajevo Oriental Institute, and a museum dedicated to the 1984 Olympic
   games. Consequently, the different levels of government estblished
   strong cultural protection laws and institutions. Bodies charged with
   cultural preservation in Sarajevo include the Institute for the
   Protection of the Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of Bosnia
   and Herzegovina (and their Sarajevo Canton counterpart), and the Bosnia
   and Herzegovina Commission to Preserve National Monuments.
   Tsar's Mosque in Sarajevo, on the bank of the Miljacka river
   Enlarge
   Tsar's Mosque in Sarajevo, on the bank of the Miljacka river

   Historically, Sarajevo was home to several famous Bosnian poets and
   thinkers during the Ottoman Empire. Nobel Prize winner Vladimir Prelog
   is from the city, as was academy award winning director Danis Tanovic.
   Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andric spent much of his life in Sarajevo.

   The Sarajevo Film Festival, established in 1995, has become the premier
   film festival in the Balkans. The Sarajevo Winter Festival, Sarajevo
   Jazz Festival are well-known, as are the Bašćaršija Nights, a
   month-long showcase of local culture, music, and dance.

   The Sarajevo school of pop rock developed in the city between 1961 and
   1991. This type of music began with bands like Indexi, Bijelo dugme and
   singer/song writer Kemal Monteno. It continued into the 1980s, with
   bands such as Plavi orkestar, Zabranjeno pušenje and Crvena jabuka,
   ending with the war in 1992.

Sports

   Sarajevo was the location of the 1984 Winter Olympics. Yugoslavia won
   one medal, a silver in men's giant slalom awarded to Slovene Jure
   Franko. Many of the Olympic facilities survived the war, including
   Olympic Hall Zetra and Asim Ferhatović Stadion. After co-hosting the
   Southeast Europe Friendship games, Sarajevo was awarded the 2009
   Special Olympic winter games, but cancelled these plans.

   Football (soccer) is popular in Sarajevo; the city hosts FK Sarajevo
   and FK Željezničar, which both compete in European and international
   cups and tournaments, as well as FK Olimpik. Another popular sport is
   basketball; the basketball club KK Bosna Sarajevo won the European
   championship in 1979. The chess club, Bosna Sarajevo, has been a
   championship team since the 1980s.

   Sarajevo often holds international events and competitions in sports
   such as tennis and kickboxing. Rock climbing is popular; not far from
   the CBD is the climbing centre Dariva, managed by extreme climbing club
   Red Point.
   Logo Club Leagues Venue Established
   FK Željezničar logo FK Željezničar Premier League of Bosnia and
   Herzegovina

   Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Grbavica Stadium 1921
   FK Sarajevo Logo FK Sarajevo Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina

   Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium 1946
   FK Olimpik Logo FK Olimpik Sarajevo Football Association of Bosnia and
   Herzegovina

   First League of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Otoka Stadium 1993
   KK Bosna Logo KK Bosna Premier League of Basketball of Bosnia and
   Herzegovina

   Adriatic Basketball Association
   Mirza Delibasic Arena 1951

Education

   The Sarajevo art academy, on the bank of the Miljacka.
   Enlarge
   The Sarajevo art academy, on the bank of the Miljacka.

   Higher education has a long tradition in Sarajevo. The first university
   in Sarajevo was a school of Sufi philosophy established by Gazi
   Husrev-beg in 1531; numerous other religious schools have been
   established over time. In 1887, under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a
   Sharia Law School began a five-year program. In the 1940s the
   University of Sarajevo became the city's first secular higher education
   institute. In the 1950s postgraduate studies first became available.
   While the university was severely damaged during the war,
   reconstruction was done in partnership with more than 40 universities.
   As of 2005, Sarajevo has 46 elementary schools (Grades 1–9) and 33 high
   schools (Grades 10–13), including three special needs schools.

Twin cities

     * Turkey Ankara, Turkey
     * Azerbaijan Baku, Azerbaijan
     * Spain Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
     * Hungary Budapest, Hungary
     * Turkey Bursa, Turkey
     * Canada Calgary, Canada
     * Italy Collegno, Italy
     * England Coventry, England
     * United States Dayton, Ohio, USA
     * Italy Ferrara, Italy
     * Germany Friedrichshafen, Germany
     * Austria Innsbruck, Austria
     * Turkey Istanbul, Turkey

     * Kuwait Kuwait City, Kuwait
     * Germany Magdeburg, Germany
     * Italy Naples, Italy
     * Italy Prato, Italy
     * France Serre Chevalier, France
     * Sweden Stockholm, Sweden
     * People's Republic of China Tianjin, China
     * Albania Tirana, Albania
     * Algeria Tlemcen, Algeria
     * Libya Tripoli, Libya
     * Italy Venice, Italy
     * Germany Wolfsburg, Germany
     * Croatia Zagreb, Croatia

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarajevo"
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