Southeastern Europe.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

51,129 sq km (19,741 sq miles).

4.6 million (2008 estimate).

76 per sq km.

Sarajevo. Population: 420,000 (2007 estimate).

Roughly triangular in shape, and the geopolitical centre of the former Yugoslav Federation, Bosnia & Herzegovina shares borders with Serbia in the east, Montenegro in the southeast, and Croatia to the north and west, with a short Adriatic coastline of 20km (12 miles) in the south, but no ports.

Parliamentary democracy. Under the terms of the 1995 Dayton Peace agreement, Bosnia & Herzegovina consists of two entities: Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine (the Federation of Bosnia & Herzegovina) and Republika Srpska (the Serbian Republic). Each has its own president, although there is also a three-member rotating presidency, elected every four years. The presidency then appoints a chairman of the council of Ministers. A central government, based in Sarajevo, is responsible for national functions including foreign, external trade and finance policies. Two thirds of the seats in the national assembly are reserved for Federation candidates and one third for Serbs. In addition, Republika Srpska elects its own president and national assembly, while the Federation elects a national assembly. The Brcko District in the north of the country was created in 2000 by land from both entities; is not governed by either but by a decentralised local government.

The presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina consists of two members and one chairperson: one Bosniak, one Serb and one Croat. Current members and chairman are: Haris Silajdzic, Nebojsa Radmanovic and Zeljko Komsic, all since 2006. The chair rotates every eight months.

Prime Minister Nikola Spiric since 2007.

Post-war elections under the terms of the Dayton Accord took place in October 1996. Although this and subsequent polls were supervised by the international community, the most recent administration, led by Prime MInister Spiric, is the first to run Bosnia without international supervision since the end of the 1992-95 war.

The official languages are Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian. The Croats and Bosniaks use the Latin alphabet, whereas the Serbs use the Cyrillic.

45% Muslim, 36% Orthodox, 15% Roman Catholic, 4% Protestant, Jews and other denominations.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are in use.

Bosnia & Herzegovina is characterised by its ethnic and religious diversity and visitors should respect the customs and traditions of the various ethnic and religious groups. The main ethnic groups are the Bosniaks (48%, also sometimes referred to as Bosnian Muslims), the Serbs (37.1%) and the Croats (14.3%). Visitors should be aware that drinking alcohol in public may be considered offensive by more orthodox Muslims. Visitors should avoid expressing opinions about the war or other sensitive issues.