Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina

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 It has been suggested that Croatian percentage in Bosnian-Herzegovian municipalities 1953-1961‎ be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
It has been suggested that Croatian percentage in Bosnian-Herzegovian municipalities 1971-1991‎ be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
It has been suggested that BiH Croats 1991‎ be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
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Ethnic map of BIH, 2006. Bosnian Serbs - blue, Bosnian Muslims - green, Bosnian Croats - red.
Ethnic map of BIH, 2006. Bosnian Serbs - blue, Bosnian Muslims - green, Bosnian Croats - red.
Ethnic map of BIH before Bosnian War, 1991. Bosnian Croats - Red, Bosnian Muslims - green, Bosnian Serbs - Blue.
Ethnic map of BIH before Bosnian War, 1991. Bosnian Croats - Red, Bosnian Muslims - green, Bosnian Serbs - Blue.

Croats form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are frequently referred to as Bosnian Croats, but since the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina the number of Herzegovinian Croats exceeds the number in Bosnia. The Croats maintain an unofficial capital in Mostar, with the city being home to the largest Croatian population.

There is no precise data regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's population since the last war. The UNHCR conducted an unofficial census in 1996, but the data has not been recognized.[clarify] Ethnic cleansing within Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s saw the vast majority of Croats move and take up residents in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is estimated that there are approximately 600,000 Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to 2000 data from the CIA World Factbook, Bosnia and Herzegovina is ethnically 14.3% Croat. Croats are generally recognized to be the wealthiest, on average, of the nation's ethnic groups.

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Croats settled into the areas of modern Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovinia in the seventh century, during the great migration of the Slavs. Christianity was quickly accepted. They were organized in two dukedoms; the duchy of Pannonian Croatia in the north and the duchy of Littoral Croatia duchy in the south. These two were finally united under under King Tomislav in 925, who was crowned in the fields of Duvno. In 1102, Croatia was joined into a union with Hungary, and over the centuries, saw its land shrink as the Ottoman Turks invaded Europe, and occupied Bosnia and much of present day Croatia for centuries to come. Many Croats living in Bosnia converted to Islam during this time period, and their numbers in areas shrank as many fled from fear of conversion and persecution, as Catholics were not treated well (many Serbs also converted to Islam to escape harsh treatment.)

During second Yugoslavia (1945-1991) their number shrinked by quater [[1]] [[2]] and prior the war in 1991, Croats made up 17.3% of the population. Majority of Croats live in Western Herzegovina, Western Bosnia, Central Bosnia and PosavinaBiH_Croats_1991. The war saw a large scale of ethnic cleansing and the migration of populations on all sides. Some areas in which Croats are the majority in Bosnia and Hercegovina are Livno, Tomislavgrad, Kupres, Posušje, Ljubuški, Široki Brijeg, Grude, Čapljina, Čitluk, Mostar, Neum, Prozor-Rama, Ravno, Stolac, Domaljevac-Šamac, Odžak, Orašje, Novi Travnik, Jajce, Busovača, Dobretići, Gornji Vakuf, Kiseljak, Kreševo, Vitez, Usora, and Žepče.

See also: Culture of Croatia

One of the most important cultural institutions for the Bosnian and Herzegovinian Croats is the Croatian Cultural Society Napredak. It helps educate Croatian youths by granting university scholarships. Napredak also works to promote culture. It has dozens of branches throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, as well as the Croatian diaspora. In the diaspora it is one of the main concert organizers for Croatian artists.

The University of Mostar is the only Croatian language institute of higher education in the country. Many of the nation's Croats also attend universities in Croatia, with the University of Zagreb being the most popular.

There are currently two major Croatian music festivals in the country: Etnofest Neum and Melodije Mostara. These festivals regularly attract the best native Bosnian and Herzegovinian Croat singers as well as top artists within Croatia itself.

See also: Roman Catholicism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croats form the core of the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The metropolitan diocese is the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna. There are also dioceses centred in Banja Luka and in Mostar, which is the largest. The parish of Međugorje is a significant Marian shrine which attracts large numbers of pilgrims each year.

Croatian-run clubs in Bosnia and Herzegovina number among the most successful. They are arguably over-represented in terms of national championships in relation to percentage of the population. In football NK Zrinjski Mostar, NK Široki Brijeg, NK Brotnjo, and HNK Orašje are some of the most successful. Collectively, they have won one national Cup and four national Championships since national competition began in 2000. Other popular Croatian-run clubs are NK Žepče, NK Posušje, NK SAŠK Napredak and HNK Ljubuški. The clubs themselves are often among the nation's most multi-ethnic.

Prior to 2000, the Croats ran their own First League of Herzeg-Bosnia in football. However, they have joined the UEFA-approved Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina's league system. Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced many successful interntionals, both for the Croatian national team and the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

See also: Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina

There are several Croatian political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, many corresponding to parties within Croatia itself. The Croatian Democratic Union, Croatian Democratic Union 1990, and the Croatian Party of Rights are the most popular parties. The Croatian Peasant Party, New Croatian Initiative, Croatian Right Bloc, People's Party Work for Betterment are relatively minor Croatian parties.

Politically, Croats are the most marginalized in the country. Within the Federation, Croats are outnumbered by Bosniaks, while they are even more outnumbered on the federal level. Croats retain a member in the nation's presidency. The current Croatian president is Željko Komšić. However, even this post is becoming a sign of political marginilization as Komšić has been widely accused of being elected into power based on a loophole in which ethnic Bosniaks can choose to vote for the Croat president.

In 2005, a conference on the Constitutional-law position of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in Neum. It addressed ways to fix the political system.

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Ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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