The duel
- 2.2× Bosnia and Herzegovina fits inside the median country 2.2 times
- 2.4× The median country has 2.4 times as many people as Bosnia and Herzegovina
- +3.4 years People in Bosnia and Herzegovina live 3.4 years longer than in the median country
- +23% Bosnia and Herzegovina produces 23% more per person than the median country
World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Bosnia and Herzegovina fits inside the median country 2.2 times.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 51,210 km² (2023) · World median: 111,370 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
The median country’s coastline is 22 times as long as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 20 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s highest peak towers 51 m above the median country’s.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 2,386 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The median country has 2.4 times as many people as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3.14 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The median country is 60% more densely populated than Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 61 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Bosnia and Herzegovina are 9.0 cm taller than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 182.5 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina are 6.9 cm taller than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 167.5 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 14 years older than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 44.9 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the median country have 0.4 more children on average than in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1.49 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
23% of people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 22.9% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has produced 6.4 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country 0.0.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 6.4 (2025) · World median: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has 3 official languages, the median country 1.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The median country’s economy is 40% larger than Bosnia and Herzegovina’s.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: $32.6 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Bosnia and Herzegovina produces 23% more per person than the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Int$25,814 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the median country than in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Gini 4.1 points higher).
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 30.3 (2021) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 11% in Bosnia and Herzegovina, versus 5.1% in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 11% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The median country spends 1.7% of its GDP on the military, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.7%.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 0.7% (2024) · World median: 1.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The median country’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× Bosnia and Herzegovina’s.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 40% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Bosnia and Herzegovina spends 64% more on health per person than the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: $773 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Bosnia and Herzegovina live 3.4 years longer than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 78 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the median country is 2.3 times as likely to die before turning one as in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 5.5 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has 54% more doctors per person than the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 2.6 per 1,000 (2019) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina are obese, versus 24% in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 26.1% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
37% of adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina smoke, versus 19% in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 37.1% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Bosnia and Herzegovina rate their lives 0.55 points higher than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 6.38 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina drink 51% more alcohol than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 6.6 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The median country has 8% more meat per person than Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 51.9 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has 520 kcal more food per person per day than the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3,458 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina put in 148 more hours a year than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 2,122 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Bosnia and Herzegovina went to school 1 year longer than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 11 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomed 28% more tourists per resident than the median country (2019).
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 0.44 (2024) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
86% of people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are online, versus 82% in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 86% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Bosnia and Herzegovina and the median country are practically level.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
64% of people in the median country live in cities, versus 53% in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 53% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has 121 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the median country 115.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 121 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
The median country’s railway network is 2.1 times as long as Bosnia and Herzegovina’s.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1,018 km (2019) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the median country fly 471 times as many passengers per resident as those from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 0 (2020) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 43% of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but only 31% of the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 42.7% (2023) · World median: 31.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Bosnia and Herzegovina emits 2.1 times as much CO₂ as someone in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 6.1 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
44% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 43.6% (2025) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Bosnia and Herzegovina carries 52% more fine dust than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 25.2 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 84% more likely to be murdered in the median country than in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1.2 per 100k (2023) · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina are 11% deadlier than in the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 13.7 per 100k (2021) · World median: 12.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The median country is on average 11.6 °C warmer than Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 11.4°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Bosnia and Herzegovina gets 19% more rain than the median country.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 1,204 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Bosnia and Herzegovina bigger than the median country?
The median country is larger. Bosnia and Herzegovina fits inside the median country 2.2 times.
Which has more people, Bosnia and Herzegovina or the median country?
The median country has 2.4 times as many people as Bosnia and Herzegovina (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Bosnia and Herzegovina or the median country?
People in Bosnia and Herzegovina live 3.4 years longer than in the median country. Life expectancy at birth is 78.0 years in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Bosnia and Herzegovina or the median country?
Men in Bosnia and Herzegovina are 9.0 cm taller than in the median country (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
