Bosnia and Herzegovina

Summary

Official Name

International Conventions

CDE (1993), CPPDCE (2009), CSICH (2009), ECRML (2010), FCPNM (2000), ICCPR (1993), UNCRPD (2010), UNDRIP (2007)

Population

3,301,000

Principal Languages

Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Literacy Rate

99% (2015 World Factbook)

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Bosnia and Herzegovina is 7. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 5 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 2 are developing, 1 is vigorous, and 1 is dying. Also listed are 6 unestablished languages.

Languages

Bosnian bos: Users: 2,010,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook). Total users in all countries: 2,697,720. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)). Alternate Names: Serbo-Croatian Autonym: Bosanski jezik‎ Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
Bosnian Sign Language ysl: Scattered. Users: 10,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 7,000–13,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of the general population. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: BSL, BZJ, Bosanski znakovni jezik, YSL, Yugoslav Sign Language, Yugoslavian Sign Language Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Bulgarian bul: Users: 4,100 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern
Croatian hrv: Users: 554,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)). Alternate Names: Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
French fra: Users: 28,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Beck et al 2018), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Greek ell: Users: 1,800 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
Italian ita: Users: 3,600 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
Ladino lad: Sarajevo. Users: 4 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2018 S. Zaraysky). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Djidió, Judeo-Spanish, Judezmo, Spanyolit Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
Montenegrin cnr: Users: 7,300 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
Romani, Vlax rmy: Scattered. Users: 4,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2012 R. Hasic). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Danubian, Gurbéti, Gypsy, Rom, Tsigene, Vlax Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Vlax
Serbian srp: Users: 1,170,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)). Alternate Names: Montenegrin, Serbo-Croatian Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
Turkish tur: Users: 1,200 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish
Ukrainian ukr: Users: 1,800 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Bosnian

[bos] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)). 2,010,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook). Total users in all countries: 2,697,720.

Croatian

[hrv] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)). 554,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook).

Serbian

[srp] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)). 1,170,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook).

5 (Dispersed)

French

[fra] 5* (Dispersed). 28,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Beck et al 2018), L2 users.

5 (Developing)

Romani, Vlax

[rmy] 5* (Developing). 4,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2012 R. Hasic).

6a (Vigorous)

Bosnian Sign Language

[ysl] 6a* (Vigorous). 10,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 7,000–13,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of the general population.