Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Gračanica

Грачаница
Gračanica Грачаница
Municipality and town
	Location of Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entity	The Federation
Canton	Tuzla Canton
Government
• Municipality president	Nusret Helić (SDP)
Area
• Total	216 km2 (83 sq mi)
Population (2013 census)
• Total	48,395
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code	+387 35
Website	http://www.opcina-gracanica.ba

Gračanica is a town and a municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located east of Doboj and west of Tuzla.

Gračanica

Gračanica is located in the lower valley of the River Spreča along the main road from Tuzla to Doboj, about 50 km west of Tuzla.

Municipality

The Gračanica municipality is currently the home of about 59,000 people. Villages around the town are:

• Babići • Boljanić • Bosansko Petrovo Selo • Doborovci • Donja Lohinja • Džakule • Gornja Lohinja • Gračanica • Kakmuž • Karanovac • Lendići • Lukavica • Malešići • Miričina • Orahovica Donja • Orahovica Gornja • Piskavica • Porječina • Pribava • Prijeko Brdo • Rašljeva • Skipovac Donji • Skipovac Gornji • Sočkovac • Soko • Stjepan Polje • Škahovica • Vranovići

The Gračanica municipality covers 219 square kilometers.

History

First writings about Gračanica were found in Turkish archives from 1528, in which Gračanica was known by its iron mine. Some 4 km (2.5 mi) away from the town was a middle age fortress named Sokol. Gračanica got the status of a town in 1548. It grew bigger during the 17th century, with the help of Ahmed-paša Budimlija, who built the White Mosque, a public bath and a clock tower. Through the time of Austrian Empire, Gračanica experienced huge economic, urban and culture development. From 1929-41, Gračanica was part of the Vrbas Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Climate

The average temperature during January is 1.8 °C (35.2 °F), and during July 23.3 °C (73.9 °F).

This area is characteristic for small quantity of downfalls, which average year amount is 830mm/m2. Maximum quantity of downfalls is in May (121mm) and June (101mm), and minimum in March (41mm). Snowfalls are most often at January, February and March (Average: 50 days in a year). Gračanica is area with continental climate type.

Demographics

Year	Serbs	%	Bosniaks	%	Croats	%	Yugoslavs	%	others	%	Total
Ethnic Composition
1961	8,543	28.29%	20,726	68.62%	171	0.57%	686	2.27%	77	0.25%	30,203
1971	13,135	27.97%	33,135	70.57%	199	0.42%	184	0.39%	297	0.65%	46,950
1981	13,226	24.35%	38,189	70.32%	135	0.25%	2,359	4.34%	402	0.74%	54,311
1991	13,566	22.97%	42,628	72.19%	135	0.23%	1,501	2.54%	1,220	2.07%	59,050

References

Official results from the book: Ethnic composition of Bosnia-Herzegovina population, by municipalities and settlements, 1991. census, Zavod za statistiku Bosne i Hercegovine - Bilten no.234, Sarajevo 1991.