Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina . Culturally , politically , and socially , the country has a rich history , having been first settled by the Slavic peoples that populate the area today from the 6th through to the 9th centuries . In the interwar period , Bosnia was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and after World War II , the country was granted full republic status in the newly formed Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia , the country proclaimed independence in 1992 , which was followed by the Bosnian War , lasting until late 1995 . Today , the country maintains high literacy , life expectancy and education levels and is one of the most frequently visited countries in the region , projected to have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world between 1995 and 2020 . The country is home to three main ethnic groups or , officially , constituent peoples , as specified in the constitution .