Rural Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Myth and Reality

Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the most rural countries in Europe. Around 60% of the population live in rural areas, whether defined as villages or as scarcely populated municipalities, and only Montenegro, Ireland and Finland have a higher share of rural population. Demographically, rural communities tend to be older than urban, with a smaller proportion of people working and driving the local economy. There is also a gradual migration of people from rural to urban areas, with the share of the population living in rural areas probably falling by about 10% every generation.