Brčko District

Brčko District (Brčko Distrikt), officially the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Brčko Distrikt Bosne i Hercegovine), is a self-governing administrative unit in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Officially a condominium of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, it was formed in 1999 to reflect the multi-ethnic nature of Brčko and the surrounding areas and their special status within the newly independent Bosnia and Herzegovina. In reality, it functions as a local self-government area, much like the other municipalities in the country.

The seat of the district is the city of Brčko.

History
The Brčko District was established after an arbitration process undertaken by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the Dayton Peace Accords, however, the process could only arbitrate the disputed portion of the Inter-Entity Boundary Line (IEBL). The Brčko District was formed of the entire territory of the former Brčko municipality, of which 48% (including Brčko city) was in the newly formed Republika Srpska, while 52% was in the old Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brčko was the only element in the Dayton Peace Agreement that was not finalized at the time. The arbitration agreement was later finalized in March 1999, resulting in a "district" that was to be administrated by an American Brčko International Supervisor. Since 2006, Principal Deputy High Representative has taken over the Brcko supervisor role.

In the 1990s, the Arizona Market was created at the intersection of the IFOR north-south "Arizona" road and the east–west Posavina Corridor roads, bordering today's district, and became a commercial success.

The first Brčko International Supervisor arrived in April 1997. Up to that time, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had a modest office headed by Randolph Hampton. During the interim time before the District of Brčko could be represented post-arbitration agreement, local elections were held, and humanitarian relief was provided with cooperation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and ECHO. The District became known as a center for different state-building programs run by foreign governments, particularly the United States.

In 2006, under the Supervisory Order, all "Entity legislation in Brčko District and the IEBL" was abolished. The ruling made by the Brčko Supervisor Susan Johnson abolished all Entity Laws in the District, as well as the Entity Border Line. The ruling made the Laws of the District and the Laws of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina (including the laws of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina) paramount within the District.

Following a Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting on 23 May 2012, it was decided to suspend, not terminate, the mandate of the Brčko International Supervisor. The Brčko Arbitral Tribunal, together with the suspended Brčko Supervision, continues to exist.

Settlements

 * Bijela
 * Boće
 * Boderište
 * Brčko
 * Brezik
 * Brezovo Polje
 * Brka
 * Brod
 * Bukovac
 * Bukvik Donji
 * Bukvik Gornji
 * Buzekara
 * Cerik
 * Čađavac
 * Čande
 * Čoseta
 * Donji Rahić
 * Donji Zovik
 * Dubrave
 * Dubravice Donje
 * Dubravice Gornje
 * Gajevi
 * Gorice
 * Gornji Rahić
 * Gornji Zovik
 * Grbavica
 * Gredice
 * Islamovac
 * Krbeta
 * Ivici
 * Krepšić
 * Laništa
 * Lukavac
 * Maoča
 * Marković Polje
 * Ograđenovac
 * Omerbegovača
 * Palanka
 * Popovo Polje
 * Potočari
 * Rašljani
 * Ražljevo
 * Repino Brdo
 * Sandići
 * Skakava Donja
 * Skakava Gornja
 * Slijepčevići
 * Stanovi
 * Šatorovići
 * Štrepci
 * Trnjaci
 * Ulice
 * Ulović
 * Vitanovići Donji
 * Vitanovići Gornji
 * Vučilovac
 * Vujičići
 * Vukšić Donji
 * Vukšić Gornji

Demographics
Brčko District comprises 1% of the land area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is home to 2.37% of the country's total population.

Ethnic groups
The ethnic composition of Brčko district:


 * 1961 census

Government and politics
There are 31 seats in the Assembly of the Brčko District. The seats are divided as follows as of 2020:

Notable people

 * Edo Maajka (birth name Edin Osmić) – rapper
 * Lepa Brena (birth name Fahreta Jahić) – pop-folk singer
 * Edvin Kanka Ćudić – Human rights activist
 * Mladen Petrić – Croatian international football player
 * Vesna Pisarović – pop singer
 * Nikola Kovač – Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player
 * Esed Kadrić – Mayor of Brčko