Bosniak

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Bosniak

people

Also known as: Bosniac

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June 22, 2026

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Bosniaks are one of the three largest ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina, alongside Serbs and Croats. All three groups share a South Slav heritage, with their primary cultural distinction stemming from religious origins. Historically, the terms "Serb" and "Croat" initially referred to tribal affiliations before evolving into ethnic identifiers influenced by 19th-century nationalist movements.1

The term "Bosniak" replaced "Muslim" in the 1990s as the ethnic identifier for Bosnian Muslims. This shift reflects a developing sense of national identity among Bosnian Muslims, paralleling the rise of nationalism among Serbs and Croats. The legacy of the Ottoman Empire, which allowed religious communities to coexist, played a role in the development of these distinct identities. Despite the importance of religious identity, church and mosque attendance is generally low.21

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Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina in communist Yugoslavia
From the mid-1990s the term Bosniak replaced Muslim as the name Bosnian Muslims use for themselves.
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From the mid-1990s the term Bosniak replaced Muslim as the name Bosnian Muslims use for themselves.
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Bosnian War
… with a multiethnic population comprising Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Serbs, and Croats. After years of bitter fighting that involved the three Bosnian groups as well as the Yugoslav army, Western countries with backing by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) imposed a final cease-fire negotiated at Dayton, Ohio, U.S., in 1995.
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… with a multiethnic population comprising Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Serbs, and Croats. After years of bitter fighting that involved the three Bosnian groups as well as the Yugoslav army, Western countries with backing by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) imposed a final cease-fire negotiated at Dayton, Ohio, U.S., in 1995.
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Dayton Accords
The outbreak of war
…the same time, Croats and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) also began fighting each other, largely over territory.
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…the same time, Croats and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) also began fighting each other, largely over territory.
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Montenegro
Ethnic groups
The largest non-Serb minorities are Bosniaks (Muslims) and Albanians, the former concentrated in the northern mountains and the latter along the Adriatic coast. Nearly three-fourths of the population of the coastal community of Ulcinj is Albanian.
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The largest non-Serb minorities are Bosniaks (Muslims) and Albanians, the former concentrated in the northern mountains and the latter along the Adriatic coast. Nearly three-fourths of the population of the coastal community of Ulcinj is Albanian.
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Serbia
Ethnic groups
…principal minorities are Hungarians and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims). Roma (Gypsies) make up a small but distinctive group. Other minorities include Croats, Montenegrins, Bulgarians, and Romanians.
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…principal minorities are Hungarians and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims). Roma (Gypsies) make up a small but distinctive group. Other minorities include Croats, Montenegrins, Bulgarians, and Romanians.
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Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian language
Croats, Montenegrins, and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims). The term Serbo-Croatian was coined in 1824 by German dictionary maker and folklorist Jacob Grimm (see Brothers Grimm). In the 21st century, linguists and philologists adopted Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) as a more accurate and comprehensive label to describe the shared tongue.
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Croats, Montenegrins, and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims). The term Serbo-Croatian was coined in 1824 by German dictionary maker and folklorist Jacob Grimm (see Brothers Grimm). In the 21st century, linguists and philologists adopted Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) as a more accurate and comprehensive label to describe the shared tongue.
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Srebrenica genocide
…slaying of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) boys and men, perpetrated by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica, a town in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, in July 1995. In addition to the killings, more than 20,000 civilians were expelled from the area—a process known as ethnic cleansing. The massacre, which…
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…slaying of more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) boys and men, perpetrated by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica, a town in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, in July 1995. In addition to the killings, more than 20,000 civilians were expelled from the area—a process known as ethnic cleansing. The massacre, which…
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