Geographical features and geopolitics of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the most important countries in Europe due to its geographical location and geographical features. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been affected both materially and morally by the war in the heart of Europe in the recent past, is one of the countries that Turkey pays close attention to with the effect of historical and cultural ties. In this study, the geographical characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina are examined in the light of the current data available and the problems faced by the country are analyzed. Although the current political structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a factor that makes it difficult to obtain up-to-date data, it has been tried to ensure the timeliness of the study with the data obtained from the databases of national and international organizations. Considering the scarcity of data-based studies on political geography and geopolitics, special care and attention has been paid to using data in this study. In addition, the scarcity of academic studies on the geographical characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is well known in our country in terms of tourism, has been one of the main motivation sources for this study. For this study, a detailed literature review was conducted and national and international sources were examined. Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access were used to transfer the data obtained from national and international organizations to databases and to process them. Microsoft Excel, Flourish and Datawrapper software, which can be accessed online, were used to prepare tables, graphs and other visual materials. In line with the findings obtained in the study, it has been determined that Bosnia and Herzegovina has some differences from other countries in mainland Europe in terms of physical and human geography elements. First of all, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with high hydropotential due to its morphological structure. The fact that it has a coastline of only 20 km on the Adriatic Sea is also a striking feature among the physical geography elements. The presence of different ethnic structures within the country has led to many conflicts and wars throughout history. The complexity of the political structure in the republic, which was established after the Bosnian War, and the struggle for dominance over the country by regional states are among the factors that make it difficult to solve the many national and international problems the state faces. Due to its geographical characteristics, geopolitical position and importance, Bosnia and Herzegovina has the potential to play an important role in the future of Europe. This role will become apparent when Bosnia and Herzegovina achieves political unity and is able to utilize its natural and human capital properly.