| Official Name: | Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Native Name: | Bosnian: Brčko Distrikt Bosne i Hercegovine Bosnian: Брчко Дистрикт Босне и Херцеговине |
| Settlement Type: | Self-governing condominium of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Leader Title1: | Mayor |
| Leader Name1: | Zijad Nišić (SBiH) |
| Leader Name2: | Siniša Milić (SNSD) |
| Leader Title3: | International Supervisor |
| Leader Name3: | Jonathan Mennuti |
| Established Title: | Established by final arbitration decision |
| Established Date: | 5 March 1999 |
| Established Title2: | Statute took effect |
| Established Date2: | 8 March 2000 |
| Area Total Km2: | 493 |
| Population As Of: | 2013 |
| Population Total: | 83,516 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Coordinates: | 44.8667°N 18.7833°W |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 76100 (Pošte Srpske) 76120 (BH Pošta) |
| Area Code: | (+387) 49 |
| Iso Code: | BA-BRC |
| Website: | , |
Brčko District (Brčko Distrikt|separator=" / "|Брчко Дистрикт), officially the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Brčko Distrikt Bosne i Hercegovine|separator=" / "|Брчко Дистрикт Босне и Херцеговине), is a self-governing administrative unit in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Officially a condominium of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, it was formed in 1999 to reflect the multi-ethnic nature of Brčko and the surrounding areas and their special status within the newly independent Bosnia and Herzegovina. In reality, it functions as a local self-government area, much like the other municipalities in the country.[1]
The seat of the district is the city of Brčko.
The Brčko District was established after an arbitration process undertaken by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.[2] [3] [4] According to the Dayton Peace Accords, however, the process could only arbitrate the disputed portion of the Inter-Entity Boundary Line (IEBL).[5] The Brčko District was formed of the entire territory of the former Brčko municipality, of which 48% (including Brčko city) was in the newly formed Republika Srpska, while 52% was in the old Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Brčko was the only element in the Dayton Peace Agreement that was not finalized at the time. The arbitration agreement was later finalized in March 1999,[2] resulting in a "district" that was to be administrated by an American Brčko International Supervisor. Since 2006, Principal Deputy High Representative has taken over the Brcko supervisor role.
In the 1990s, the Arizona Market was created at the intersection of the IFOR north-south "Arizona" road and the east–west Posavina Corridor roads, bordering today's district, and became a commercial success.[6]
The first Brčko International Supervisor arrived in April 1997. Up to that time, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had a modest office headed by Randolph Hampton. During the interim time before the District of Brčko could be represented post-arbitration agreement, local elections were held, and humanitarian relief was provided with cooperation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and ECHO. The District became known as a center for different state-building programs run by foreign governments, particularly the United States.
In 2006, under the Supervisory Order, all "Entity legislation in Brčko District and the IEBL" was abolished. The ruling made by the Brčko Supervisor Susan Johnson abolished all Entity Laws in the District, as well as the Entity Border Line. The ruling made the Laws of the District and the Laws of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina (including the laws of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina) paramount within the District.[7]
Following a Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting on 23 May 2012, it was decided to suspend, not terminate, the mandate of the Brčko International Supervisor. The Brčko Arbitral Tribunal, together with the suspended Brčko Supervision, continues to exist.[8]
Brčko District comprises 1% of the land area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is home to 2.37% of the country's total population.
| Population of settlements – Brčko District | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Settlement | 1948. | 1953. | 1961. | 1971. | 1981. | 1991. | 2013. | ||
| Total | 49,969 | 65,078 | 62,952 | 74,771 | 82,768 | 87,627 | 83,516 | ||
| 1 | Bijela | 2,539 | 1,923 | ||||||
| 2 | Boće | 1,253 | 1,270 | ||||||
| 3 | Boderište | 965 | 661 | ||||||
| 4 | Brčko | 17,949 | 25,337 | 31,437 | 41,406 | 39,893 | |||
| 5 | Brezik | 413 | 601 | ||||||
| 6 | Brezovo Polje | 1,393 | 1,292 | ||||||
| 7 | Brezovo Polje Selo | 335 | 251 | ||||||
| 8 | Brka | 2,044 | 2,234 | ||||||
| 9 | Brod | 1,042 | 1,286 | ||||||
| 10 | Buzekara | 430 | 268 | ||||||
| 11 | Čande | 377 | 321 | ||||||
| 12 | Cerik | 280 | 233 | ||||||
| 13 | Čoseta | 507 | 732 | ||||||
| 14 | Donji Rahić | 647 | 366 | ||||||
| 15 | Donji Zovik | 481 | 494 | ||||||
| 16 | Dubrave | 1,338 | 1,463 | ||||||
| 17 | Dubravice Donje | 396 | 315 | ||||||
| 18 | Gorice | 1,097 | 654 | ||||||
| 19 | Gornji Rahić | 2,167 | 3,403 | ||||||
| 20 | Gornji Zovik | 1,569 | 1,408 | ||||||
| 21 | Grbavica | 557 | 1,527 | ||||||
| 22 | Gredice | 303 | 1,109 | ||||||
| 23 | Krepšić | 1,156 | 696 | ||||||
| 24 | Laništa | 656 | 450 | ||||||
| 25 | Maoča | 2,886 | 3,030 | ||||||
| 26 | Marković Polje | 470 | 370 | ||||||
| 27 | Ograđenovac | 734 | 815 | ||||||
| 28 | Omerbegovača | 895 | 1,074 | ||||||
| 29 | Palanka | 1,394 | 1,439 | ||||||
| 30 | Potočari | 893 | 1,063 | ||||||
| 31 | Rašljani | 1,155 | 1,078 | ||||||
| 32 | Ražljevo | 341 | 233 | ||||||
| 33 | Repino Brdo | 246 | 247 | ||||||
| 34 | Sandići | 420 | 430 | ||||||
| 35 | Šatorovići | 1,238 | 1,472 | ||||||
| 36 | Skakava Donja | 2,272 | 2,037 | ||||||
| 37 | Skakava Gornja | 1,737 | 1,352 | ||||||
| 38 | Slijepčevići | 371 | 298 | ||||||
| 39 | Stanovi | 353 | 238 | ||||||
| 40 | Štrepci | 861 | 712 | ||||||
| 41 | Trnjaci | 313 | 245 | ||||||
| 42 | Ulice | 1,266 | 892 | ||||||
| 43 | Ulovići | 912 | 752 | ||||||
| 44 | Vitanovići Donji | 419 | 396 | ||||||
| 45 | Vučilovac | 700 | 254 | ||||||
| 46 | Vukšić Donji | 644 | 352 | ||||||
| 47 | Vukšić Gornji | 821 | 579 | ||||||
The ethnic composition of Brčko district:
| Ethnic group | census 1961 | census 1971 | census 1981 | census 1991[9] | census 2013 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | ||
| Bosniaks | 16,484 | 26.19% | 30,181 | 40.36% | 32,434 | 39.19% | 38,617 | 44.07% | 35,381 | 42.36% | |
| Serbs | 17,897 | 28.43% | 17,709 | 23.68% | 16,707 | 20.19% | 18,128 | 20.69% | 28,884 | 34.58% | |
| Croats | 21,994 | 34.94% | 24,925 | 33.34% | 23,975 | 28.97% | 22,252 | 25.39% | 17,252 | 20.66% | |
| Yugoslavs | 5,904 | 9.38% | 1,086 | 1.45% | 8,342 | 10.08% | 5,731 | 6.54% | |||
| Others | 673 | 1.07% | 870 | 1.16% | 1,310 | 1.58% | 2,899 | 3.31% | 1,999 | 2.39% | |
| Total | 62,952 | 74,771 | 82,768 | 87,627 | 83,516 | ||||||
There are 31 seats in the Assembly of the Brčko District. The seats are divided as follows as of 2020:[10]
| Constituency[11] | Council[12] | Mayor[13] elected by Council | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Popular vote | % | Seats | Mayor | Votes | % | |||||
| Brčko | width=5px style="background-color:" | Party of Democratic Action | 6,133 | 16.46 | 5 | width=5px style="background-color:" | Esed Kadrić, SDA | 22 | 71% | ||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | SNSD—DEMOS | 4,651 | 12.49 | 4 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Socialist Party | 4,396 | 11.80 | 4 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Croatian Democratic Union | 2,973 | 7.98 | 3 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Union for a Better Future of BiH | 2,574 | 6.91 | 2 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:darkblue | People and Justice | 2,514 | 6.75 | 2 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:red | United Srpska | 2,307 | 6.19 | 2 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Party of Democratic Progress | 1,873 | 5.03 | 2 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,749 | 4.70 | 2 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Social Democratic Party—Our Party | 1,643 | 4.41 | 1 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:royalblue" | Serb Democratic Party | 1,638 | 4.40 | 1 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:" | Democratic People's Alliance | 1,428 | 3.83 | 1 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:grey" | Minority candidate Alija Denjagić | (535) | - | 1 | |||||||
| width=5px style="background-color:grey" | Minority candidate Mejra Šečić | (305) | - | 1 | |||||||
| Total | 37,252 | 31 | |||||||||