Mrkonjić Grad Explained

Settlement Type:Town and municipality
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Entity
Subdivision Type2:Geographical region
Subdivision Name2:Bosanska Krajina
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Population As Of:2013 census
Native Name:Мркоњић Град
Official Name:Mrkonjić Grad
Area Total Km2:677.43
Population Total:16671
Population Density Km2:auto
Coordinates:44.4167°N 22°W
Area Code:50
Leader Title:Municipal mayor
Leader Name:Dragan Vođević
Leader Party:SNSD
Image Map1:Mrkonjić Grad-naselja.PNG

Mrkonjić Grad (Serbian: Мркоњић Град, pronounced as /mr̩koɲit͡ɕ grad/) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the Bosanska Krajina region, between Banja Luka and Jajce. As of 2013, the municipality has a population of 16,671 inhabitants, while the town of Mrkonjić Grad has a population of 7,915 inhabitants.

Name

The town changed its name several times in history: Gornje Kloke, Novo Jajce, Varcarev Vakuf, Varcar Vakuf, and ultimately the present one. The last renaming took place in 1924 after King Peter I of Serbia, who had taken the nom de guerre "Mrkonjić" while fighting in the uprising (1875–78) against the Ottoman Empire.

History

From 1929 to 1941, Mrkonjić Grad was part of the Vrbas Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

In World War II, the town became renowned by the first meeting of ZAVNOBiH on 25 November 1943, when Bosnia and Herzegovina was proclaimed as a common republic of Serbs, Croats and Muslims.

During the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995, the town was within the territory controlled by ethnic Serbs. The town is also known for the Mrkonjić Grad incident where the USAF lost one F-16 in June 1995.[1] The pilot of the jet, Scott O'Grady, was stranded in the area for six days before being rescued by US Marines. From 8 to 12 October 1995, Mrkonjić Grad was in the hands of the Croatian Army (HV) and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO).

After the Dayton Peace Agreement the town was assigned to the entity of Republika Srpska.[2] As a consequence, the Croat population of the town had no choice but to leave, and there are very few Croats living in Mrkonjić today, most of them elderly. In 1996, a mass grave containing the bodies of 181 Serbs—mostly civilians—was uncovered in Mrkonjić Grad. Almost all were killed by Bosniak and Croat forces in late 1995.[3] Bosnian Serbs committed a massacre of 28 Croat and Bosniak civilians, who were abducted from their homes in Mrkonjić Grad, and executed in Oborci, on 13 September 1995.[4]

Demographics

Population

Population of settlements – Mrkonjić Grad municipality
Settlement1910.1921.1931.1948.1953.1961.1971.[5] 1981.[6] 1991.[7] 2013.[8]
Total20,62027,01429,17831,12730,94930,15929,68426,27816,671
1Baljvine1,140333
2Bjelajce980693
3Brdo587548
4Donji Baraći524287
5Donji Graci358206
6Gerzovo679256
7Gornji Graci926556
8Gustovara428208
9Kopljevići489296
10Kotor443311
11Majdan946408
12Medna791221
13Mrkonjić Grad2,2492,7704,0896,6028,4227,915
14Oćune447215
15Orahovljani463263
16Podbrdo991731
17Podorugla849921
18Podrašnica1,096733
19Šehovci642251
20Stupari435288
21Trijebovo509211
22Jasenovi Potoci28498

Ethnic composition


Ethnic composition – Mrkonjić Grad town
2013.[9] 1991.1981.1971.
Total7,915 (100,0%)8,422 (100,0%)6,602 (100,0%)4,089 (100,0%)
Serbs7,130 (96,7%)5,945 (70,59%)4,077 (61,75%)2,156 (52,73%)
Bosniaks115 (1,6%)1,450 (17,22%)1,414 (21,42%)1,419 (34,70%)
Yugoslavs52 (0,7%)470 (5,581%)618 (9,361%)62 (1,516%)
Croats74 (1,0%)454 (5,391%)427 (6,468%)406 (9,929%)
Others103 (1,223%)19 (0,288%)18 (0,440%)
Montenegrins30 (0,454%)21 (0,514%)
Albanians11 (0,167%)6 (0,147%)
Macedonians6 (0,091%)1 (0,024%)

Ethnic composition – Mrkonjić Grad municipality
2013.1991.1981.1971.
Total16,671 (100,0%)27,395 (100,0%)29,684 (100,0%)30,159 (100,0%)
Serbs16,050 (96,27%)21,057 (76,86%)23,364 (78,71%)24,990 (82,86%)
Bosniaks375 (2,249%)3,272 (11,94%)3,009 (10,14%)2,734 (9,065%)
Croats159 (0,954%)2,139 (7,808%)2,290 (7,715%)2,204 (7,308%)
Others87 (0,522%)334 (1,219%)67 (0,226%)82 (0,272%)
Yugoslavs593 (2,165%)883 (2,975%)98 (0,325%)
Montenegrins47 (0,158%)38 (0,126%)
Albanians15 (0,051%)11 (0,036%)
Macedonians8 (0,027%)1 (0,003%)
Slovenes1 (0,003%)1 (0,003%)

Economy

The following table gives a preview of total number of registered employed people per their core activity (as of 2016):[10]

Professional fieldTotal
Agriculture, forestry and fishing196
Mining and quarrying22
Manufacturing814
Distribution of power, gas, steam and air-conditioning235
Distribution of water and water waste management52
Construction499
Wholesale and retail, repair490
Transportation and storage171
Hotels and restaurants145
Information and communication25
Finance and insurance35
Real estate activities1
Professional, scientific and technical activities74
Administrative and support services3
Public administration and defence243
Education328
Healthcare and social work 122
Art, entertainment and recreation15
Other service activities47
Total3,517

Tourism

The Balkana Lake lies near the town and is a small, but beautiful tourist resort including the nearby Skakavac Waterfall.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AFSOUTH Fact sheets. https://web.archive.org/web/20110307200103/http://www.afsouth.nato.int/archives/operations/DenyFlight/DenyFlightFactSheet.htm. dead. 2011-03-07. 2011-03-07. AF South Nato. 2016-08-06.
  2. Encyclopedia: Dayton Accords - international agreement. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2016-08-06.
  3. Web site: Independent. Serbs unearth 181 bodies in mass grave. 6 April 1996. 27 July 2019.
  4. Web site: Izvršen masakr u Oborcima kod Donjeg Vakufa .
  5. Web site: 1971 Census . stat.gov.rs.
  6. Web site: 1981 Census . stat.gov.rs.
  7. Web site: Bosnia & Herzegovina. pop-stat.mashke.org.
  8. Web site: 2013 Census . rzs.rs.ba.
  9. Web site: Popis 2013 u BiH . 2022-04-22 . www.statistika.ba.
  10. Web site: Cities and Municipalities of Republika Srpska 2017. rzs.rs.ba. 21 October 2018. December 2017. sr.