Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a region in the Balkans and is the name of two different entities over the years.

Austria-Hungary period

 * The region was occupied by Austria-Hungary in 1879. Stamps were issued in that year only showing the Empire's eagle emblem.
 * In 1905, a pictorial series was issued inscribed BOSNIEN HERZEGOWINA.
 * The empire annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908. In 1912, stamp inscriptions became K.u.K. MILITÄR POST in designs similar to those used in Austria. Some later issues only had that legend without mentioning Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In addition:
 * 1904 postage dues were only inscribed MILIT. POST PORTOMARKE.
 * The 1916-18 postage dues were inscribed MILITÄRPOST / PORTOMARKE.
 * Newspaper stamps were issued in 1913 with only values shown.
 * Special Handling stamps were issued in 1916 inscribed MILITÄRPOST / EILMARKE.

 File:Bosnia and Herz first eagle.jpg|1894 ½ heller from the first issues. No country name. File:Bosnia and herz eagle 2.jpg|1900 5 heller value. File:Bosnia and Herz Eagle 3.jpg|1900 2 kreuzer value. File:Bosnia and Herz black num.jpg|1901-04 eaglew with black numerals. File:Bosnia view A.jpg|1906 2 heller pictorial. File:Bosnia and Herz 2 heller.jpg|2 heller value from the 1912 issue. File:Bosnia Herz semi.jpg|1914 semipostal surcharge. File:Bosnie and Herz due.jpg|1904 50h postage due. File:Bosnia And Herz square due.jpg|From the 1916-18 postage dues. File:Bosnia and Herz Newspaper.jpg|1913 newspaper stamp. Note that no country is indicated. File:Bosnia and Herz Spec Handling.jpg|Special handling stamp. 

Yugoslavia
Following the end of World War I, Bosnia and Herzegovina merged with other countries in the region to form the Federation of Yugoslavia. Its old stamps were surcharged for provisional use until 1921 when the first general issue for Yugoslavia was released. See: Yugoslavia.

=Modern period= There are currently three different postal administrations.

Republika Srpska
This is the ethnic Serbian government.
 * In January 1992, the Serbian assembly in the region declared independence from Yugoslavia as Republika Srpska, or Република Српска. Its first stamps were issued in October 1992, Yugoslavian stamps surcharged Република Српска with new values.
 * Following issues were inscribed РЕПУБЛИКА СРЛСКА.
 * About 2005, this became БОСНА И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНА / РЕПУБЛИКА СРЛСКА.

 File:Rep Srpska flag.jpg|2002 10th anniversary. File:Bosnia rep srpska.jpg|2020 issue. 

Postal tax
The first postal tax stamp was issued in 1997. Red Cross issues have a red cross and are additionally inscribed ЦРВЕНОГ КРСТА. Otherwise, postal tax stamps are recogniable by their low values of 10pf or 20pf.  File:Bos Herz Rep Srpska tree postal tax.jpg|2014 0.20pf value 

Registration
The first registration stamp was issued in 1994. Registration stamps are overprinted " " (*Cyrillic "R") and have the old value obliterated. 



Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
This is the ethnic Bosniak government, now including ethnic Croatians. Its postal service is recognizable by its logo, four blue swooping curves.  File:Bosnia Bosniak.jpg|1995 Basagic issue. File:Bosnia pigeons.jpg|1999 Pigeons stamp. File:Bosnia and Herz Federation.jpg|Mail trucks. 
 * In March 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina seceded from Yugoslavia. It issued it first stamp, in October 1993 inscribed REPUBLIKA BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA.
 * It became the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine, or Федерација Босне и Херцеговине. Starting in 1996, its stamps have been inscribed BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA.
 * In 2009, Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine was added to stamp designs in small letters.
 * In 2012, the inscription became BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA / FBiH and similar.

Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna
This is the ethnic Croatian government that although merged with the Federation above, still runs its own postal service. Its stamps can be recognized by the postal agency logo, two overlapped envelopes with "Mostar" alongside.
 * In November 1991, ethnic Croats declared autonomy as the Croatian Community of Herceg-Bosna, or Hrvatska Zajednica Herceg-Bosna. It became the Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna, or Hrvatska Republika Herceg-Bosna. It issued its first stamp in May 1993 inscribed REPUBLIKA BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA / Hrvatska Republika HERCEG BOSNA.
 * This became BOSNA I HERCEGOVIA / HR HERCEG BOSNA in late 1994.
 * From 1996, stamps were inscribed simply BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA, making them difficult to distinguish from Federation issues until 2009.

 File:Bosnia Croat Livno.jpg|1998 Livno commemorative. File:Bosnia and Herz Croatian.jpg|2003 Europa stamp. File:Bosnia Croat coins.jpg|2012 coin. 

Warfare leading to the Bosnia War followed all of this, ending with the Dayton accords signed in December 1995. As a result, Bosnia and Herzegovina was reunited, but with two governments. The three modern postal systems remained and remain intact.

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