The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton is the seventh of the ten cantons that administratively form the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its administrative, political, economic, cultural, scientific, health, religious, and social center is Mostar. Besides Mostar, it comprises eight other local self-government units. Along with Mostar, three have city status (Čapljina, Konjic, and Stolac) and five have municipality status (Čitluk, Jablanica, Neum, Prozor-Rama, and Ravno).
Located in the south of BiH, the HNC stretches from the mountain passes of Makljen and Ivan-Sedlo in the north to Ivanica near Dubrovnik in the south, encompassing the entire course of the Neretva River with its natural beauties, majestic mountain massifs and fertile valleys, serene lake regions, forests, plateaus, and pastures, as well as the country’s only access to the Adriatic Sea, the Neum coastline. To the west and northwest it borders the West Herzegovina and Herzeg-Bosna Canton, to the north the Sarajevo and Central Bosnia cantons, to the east the entity of Republika Srpska, and to the south it borders the Republic of Croatia.
According to the 2013 census, the HNC had slightly more than 222,000 inhabitants. With a population density of 50.45 inhabitants per km², it ranks among the less densely populated cantons. It covers an area of 4,401 km², which is slightly less than 17% of the total area of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or 8.59% of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The administrative history of the HNC began with the signing of the Washington Agreement in March 1994, which established the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with the entry into force of the Law on Cantons in June 1996. The position of the prefect, previously the highest executive authority, was abolished by amendments to the Federation’s Constitution in October 2002. Cantonal power is divided into the legislative branch (the HNC Assembly) and the executive branch (the HNC Government, headed by a Prime Minister and 11 ministries).
The canton is exceptionally rich in unique natural beauty. It has two nature parks, Hutovo Blato and Blidinje, and its combination of continental, Mediterranean, and mountain climates makes it a pleasant place to live. Within just an hour’s drive, it offers opportunities for hiking, mountaineering, and skiing, as well as swimming in rivers, lakes, or the sea. Rich in water, forests, fertile fields, and pastures, it has high agricultural, economic, and tourism potential.
In terms of transport, it is the intersection of two European transport corridors: Corridor Vc and the Adriatic–Ionian Corridor, along with numerous important roads, ranging from highways to main, regional, and local roads. It is connected by rail, directly linking it to the Port of Ploče, and a key factor in the canton’s development is Mostar International Airport, registered for international air traffic.
The HNC is proud of the Old Bridge and the old city core of Mostar, both listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, as well as the world-famous Vjetrenica Cave, the first independent natural site in Bosnia and Herzegovina included on UNESCO’s list. The canton also possesses invaluable natural, monumental, architectural, sacred, cultural, and other heritage, several of which are potential candidates for UNESCO’s prestigious list. Međugorje is one of the world’s most famous Marian pilgrimage sites, and every visitor is captivated by the Herzegovinian river basins, protected wetlands, ancient archaeological sites, early Christian and medieval heritage, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, socialist and other buildings, as well as intangible folk heritage.
The extremely diverse tourism offer, from traditional tourism and adventure tourism, through extreme challenges for adrenaline lovers, to serene pleasures for those who enjoy relaxing in nature, appreciating art, or exploring local culinary specialties, enology, and everything associated with them, makes this region increasingly attractive and increasingly prominent on the world tourism map.