East Herzegovina

This article is about the region in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the region in Montenegro, see Old Herzegovina. For the war-time entity, see SAO Herzegovina.

East Herzegovina (Serbo-Croatian: Istočna Hercegovina, Источна Херцеговина) is the eastern part of the historical Herzegovina region in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It comprises six municipalities located around the Neretva river, as a part of the Republika Srpska entity. The area straddles a Mediterranean-influenced lowland and has a continental cool highland climate with contrasting seasonal patterns.

East Herzegovina
Region
East Herzegovina in light blue, within Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates: 43°28′37″N 17°48′54″E
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entity	Republika Srpska
Largest city	Trebinje (31,433)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	CEST

History

The region of has a rich and complex history, with archaeological evidence indicating human presence since the Paleolithic period. Significant prehistoric settlements, such as those associated with the Butmir culture (circa 2600–2400 BCE), demonstrate early agricultural and cultural development.^[1] During classical antiquity, the area was inhabited by various Illyrian tribes before becoming part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century CE.^[2] Slavic tribes migrated into the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries, establishing early medieval states.^[3] The medieval Bosnian state emerged in the 12th century, gradually expanding its territory.^[4] The Ottoman Empire conquered the region in 1463, leading to centuries of Ottoman rule and significant demographic and cultural changes, including the spread of Islam.^[5] In 1878, after the Austro-Hungarian occupation, Bosnia and Herzegovina became an administrative unit of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before becoming part of Yugoslavia, and later Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[6]

Geography

East Herzegovina is part of the broader Herzegovina region, characterized by a predominantly mountainous and hilly landscape.^[7] It is situated in the Dinaric Alps, a major mountain range in Southeast Europe.^[8] The topography is defined by significant karst formations, including vast underground water systems, caves, and depressions known as poljes, which are fertile plains. The climate in Eastern Herzegovina exhibits Mediterranean characteristics, especially in the southern parts, with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.^[9][10] The Neretva River is a prominent geographical feature in Herzegovina, flowing through the region before emptying into the Adriatic Sea.^[11] It comprises six municipalities including the key towns in East Herzegovina include Trebinje, Nevesinje, and Bileća in Republika Srpska.^[12] West Herzegovina is the western part, west of the Neretva river, and is today administratively part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and West Herzegovina Canton, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Croats, located in the Federation of B&H entity. The easternmost parts of historical Herzegovina (the Duchy of St. Sava and Sanjak of Herzegovina) lie in Montenegro, in so-called "Old Herzegovina", which became part of the Principality of Montenegro in 1878.^[13]

Demographics

The region is home to a diverse population, with three main constituent peoples: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats.^[14] The ethnic composition of East Herzegovina largely reflects the overall demographic patterns of the Republika Srpska entity, where Serbs constitute a majority.^[15] Religious affiliations are closely tied to ethnic identity, with Orthodox Christianity being prevalent among Serbs, Islam among Bosniaks, and Catholicism among Croats.^[16]

Settlement	Population[17]
Berkovići	2,727
Bileća	11,536
Gacko	9,734
Istočni Mostar	280
Ljubinje	3,756
Nevesinje	13,758
Trebinje	31,433