Location of Herzegovina (dark green) within Bosnia and Herzegovina (dark and light green)

Approximate borders between Bosnia (marked orange) and Herzegovina (marked blue)

Herzegovina ( /ˌhɛərtsɨˈɡoʊvɨnə/^[1] or /ˌhɜrtsəɡoʊˈviːnə/;^[2] Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Hercegovina, Serbian Cyrillic: Херцеговина, [xɛ̌rtsɛɡov̞ina]) is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton to the east, and Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje to the north. Measurements of the area range from 11,419 km² (4,409 sq mi),^[3] or around 22% of the total area of the present-day country^[4] to 12,276 km² (4,740 sq mi), around 24% of the country.^[5]

The name Herzegovina means "duke's land", referring to the medieval duchy of Stjepan Vukčić Kosača who took title "Herzeg of Saint Sava". Herceg is derived from the German title Herzog.^[6][7]

Population[link]

While the population of Herzegovina throughout history has been ethnically mixed, the Bosnian War in the 1990s resulted in mass ethnic cleansing and large-scale displacement of peoples. The last pre-war census in 1991 recorded a population of 437,095 inhabitants.

Croats generally populate the areas closest to the Croatian border focused on Mostar (the western part), Ljubuški, Široki Brijeg, Čitluk, Grude, Posušje, Čapljina, Neum, Stolac, Ravno, and Tomislavgrad. The Bosniak population mainly lives in the areas along the Neretva River, Ulog, Glavatičevo, Konjic and Jablanica, as well as the eastern part of Mostar, Blagaj, Počitelj and to significant extent Stolac, Ljubuški, Čapljina, and lesser extent in Nevesinje, Gacko, Trebinje. Serbs are the majority in eastern Herzegovina, including the municipalities of Berkovići, Bileća, Gacko, Istočni Mostar, Ljubinje, Nevesinje, Foča and Trebinje.

History[link]

In the early Middle Ages, the territory of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina was divided into many smaller more or less independent territories. Herzegovina encompasses the regions then known as the land of Hum or Zahumlje and Travunija, through the late Middle Ages belonging to the Serbian kings of the Nemanjić dynasty. The westernmost parts of Herzegovina belonged to the Kingdom of Croatia until its union with Kingdom of Hungary in 1102. Bosnian Ban Stjepan II Kotromanić and King Tvrtko I Kotromanić adjoined these regions to the Bosnian state in the 14th century.

Old Herzegovina in Montenegro

Following the weakening of the Bosnian crown after the death of Tvrtko I, powerful noblemen of the Bosnian Kosača family, Grand Duke Sandalj Hranić and his nephew, Herzog Stefan Vukčić, ruled the Hum region independently, only nominally recognizing the overlordship of the Bosnian kings. In a document sent to Frederick III on January 20, 1448, Bosnian duke Stjepan Vukčić Kosača called himself Herzog (duke) of Saint Sava, lord of Hum and Primorje, great duke of the Bosnian kingdom and so the lands he controlled became (much later) known as Herzog’s lands or Herzegovina.

As a reward for confronting Husein Gradaščević and Bosnia Eyalet, Ali-paša Rizvanbegović was awarded his very own Pashaluk of Herzegovina by Mahmud II.

In 1482, the lands of Herzog Stefan's successors were occupied by Ottoman forces. In the Ottoman Empire, Herzegovina was organized as a Herzegovina Sanjak within the Bosnia Eyalet. From 1833 to 1851, Herzegovina was the separate Herzegovina Eyalet ruled by vizier Ali-paša Rizvanbegović. After his death, the eyalets of Bosnia and Herzegovina were merged. The new joint entity was after 1853 commonly referred to as Bosnia and Herzegovina. Throughout the mid-19th century, Herzegovina was a target of expansion of the young Montenegrin state in the name of the liberation of the Serbian people from Ottoman rule. Herzegovinian Serbs and Croats actively participated in the Montenegrin efforts to liberate them and to that end, they frequently rose in rebellion against the Ottoman rule. These efforts culminated in 1875 and 1876, during the Herzegovinian rebellion (Nevesinjska puška) uprising. Montenegro did succeed in liberating and annexing large parts of Herzegovina before the Berlin Congress of 1878, including the Nikšić area.

In 1878, Herzegovina, along with Bosnia, was occupied by Austria-Hungary, only nominally remaining under Ottoman rule. This caused great resentment among its populace which resisted the invaders in small flare-ups of rebellious activity that ended in 1882. The Serbian population of Herzegovina and Bosnia had hoped that the province would be divided and annexed to Serbia and Montenegro. The occupation caused a temporary rift in the Serbo-Austrian relations and threatened to grow into an open conflict.

In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed the province, leading to the Bosnian Crisis, an international dispute that almost started a world war. The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand came as a result of the resentment of the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina against Austro-Hungarian rule.

During World War I, Herzegovina was a scene of inter-ethnic conflict. During the war, the Austro-Hungarian government formed Šuckori, Muslim and Croat militia units. Šuckori units were especially active in Herzegovina.

In 1918, Herzegovina became a part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia). In 1941 Herzegovina fell once again under the rule of the fascist Independent State of Croatia. From 1941 to 1945, Herzegovina was a battle ground for conflicts between Croatian Ustaše, Serbian Četniks, and the pan-Yugoslav Partisans. In 1945, Bosnia and Herzegovina became one of the republics of SFR Yugoslavia. It remained so until the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.

Political status[link]

In the modern Bosnian-Herzegovinian state, Herzegovina is divided between two entities, Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (see Bosnia and Herzegovina and History of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Republika Srpska's part of Herzegovina, commonly referred to as East Herzegovina or, as of late, Trebinje Region is administratively divided into municipalities of Trebinje, Bileća, Gacko, Nevesinje, Ljubinje, Berkovići, Istočni Mostar and Foča. Within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Herzegovina is administratively divided between the cantons of Herzegovina-Neretva, West Herzegovina and includes part of Canton 10.

Geography[link]

Herzegovina in spring

The terrain of Herzegovina is mostly hilly karst with high mountains in the north such as Čvrsnica and Prenj, except for the central valley of the river Neretva. The largest city is Mostar, in the center of the region. Other larger towns include Trebinje, Stolac, Široki Brijeg, Konjic and Čapljina. Borders between Bosnia and Herzegovina are unclear and often disputed.

The upper flow of the river Neretva lies in the northern parts of Herzegovina, a heavily forested area with fast flowing rivers and high mountains. Towns like Konjic and Jablanica lie in this area, considered by many the most beautiful part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Neretva rises on Lebršnik Mountain, close to the border to Montenegro, and as the river flows towards west, it enters Herzegovina. The entire upper catchment of Neretva constitutes a precious ecoregion with many endemic and endangered species. Fast flowing emerald river carves its way through the precipitius karst terrain, providing excellent opportunities for rafting and kayaking, while the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains and forests is a challenging hiking terrain.

The Neretva's tributaries in the upper flow are mostly short, due to the mountainous terrain: Notably river Rakitnica has cut a deep canyon, its mystical waters being one of the least explored areas in this part of Europe. River Rakitnica flows into Neretva upstream from Konjic.

The Neretva then flows towards northwest, through the town of Konjic. The river enters the artificial Jablanica Lake ("Jablaničko jezero"), one of the biggest in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The lake ends near the town of Jablanica, famous for the Battle of Neretva, marking a crucial victory of Yugoslav Partisans over the German army and its quisling allies during World War II. From here on, the Neretva turns southward continuing its course towards the Adriatic Sea.

With mountains lining its shores gradually receding, the Neretva enters a valley where the city of Mostar lies. It flows under the famous old bridge Stari most and continues now more widely flowing towards the town of Čapljina and the Neretva Delta in Croatia before emptying into the Adriatic Sea.

Cities[link]

There are several well-known cities in Herzegovina. Mostar is the most famous and the unofficial capital. It is also the only city with over 100,000 citizens. There are no other large cities in Herzegovina, though some have famous histories. Stolac, for example, is perhaps the oldest city in Herzegovina. There have been settlements dating from the Paleolithic period (Badanj cave). An Illyrian tribe lived in the city of Daorson. There were several Roman settlements alongside the Bregava river and medieval inhabitants left large and beautiful stone grave monuments called stećak in Radimlja. Trebinje, on the river Trebišnjica, is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the border with Montenegro. Čapljina and Ljubuški are famous for their history and their rivers; the village of Međugorje has religious importance for many Croats and Catholics.

Tourism[link]

In Herzegovina there are many beautiful and famous natural landmarks, such as the falls of Kravica. These consist of several waterfalls near the city of Ljubuški and a popular spot for the local people, to take a bath in the hot Herzegovinian weather, or just to enjoy the view.

The Hutovo Blato is a bird reserve, one of the most important in Europe and a gathering place for many international ornithologists.

Vjetrenica cave is a cave system near the border with Croatia, in the Ravno municipality. The cave has not been explored totally yet but it is open for visitors. More and more species are being discovered there and it is a unique ecosystem with cave animals and other interesting things.

Blagaj is also famous as the origin of the river Buna, inside a cave system.

Neum at the Adriatic Sea, Bosnia and Herzegovina's only coastal town, is also a popular tourist attraction.

Gallery[link]

• 

  The "Old Bridge" ("Stari most") in Mostar, rebuilt in 2004.

• 

  Neum and the Herzegovinian coast.

• 

  Počitelj, Old town

• 

  Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, near the mountain Ivan

• 

  Trebinje

• 

  River Neretva in Mostar, 2004

• 

  Bilećko jezero (Bileća Lake)

See also[link]

• Herzegovinians
• Old Herzegovina
• Zahumlje
• Herceg Novi
• Bosnia (region)
• Bosanska Krajina
• Sutjeska National Park

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tourism in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton
• Culture of Lower Herzegovina
• Poskok (Vipera) - herzegovinian portal
• Vinska Cesta
• Vinologue:Herzegovina - Herzegovina Wine Guide

v t e Geographical regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia (Bosanska Krajina • Semberija) • Herzegovina • Podrinje • Posavina • Romanija

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Herzegovina

Dino Merlin
Background information
Birth name	Edin Dervišhalidović
Also known as	Dino Merlin
Born	(1962-09-12) 12 September 1962 (age 49)
Origin	Sarajevo,  Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia[1]
Genres	Pop rock
Years active	1983–present
Associated acts	Merlin
Website	http://www.dinomerlin.net http://www.dinomerlin.com

Edin Dervišhalidović (pronounced [ědin derʋiʃxaːlǐdoʋitɕ]; born 12 September 1962), stage name Dino Merlin, pronounced [dǐːno měrlin], is a prominent Bosnian singer-songwriter and musician. He is a popular singer/songwriter in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is also popular in the other countries of the former Yugoslavia such as Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia.^[2]

Music career[link]

Merlin Band[link]

Edin Dervišhalidović founded the band Merlin in 1983 and has been its singer and songwriter since. With the band, he has recorded 5 studio albums: Kokuzna vremena in 1985, Teško meni sa tobom (a još teže bez tebe) in 1986, Merlin in 1987, Nešto lijepo treba da se desi in 1989, and Peta strana svijeta in 1990.

Solo career[link]

Dervišhalidović began his solo career under the name Dino Merlin in 1991, and recorded five studio albums: Moja bogda sna in 1993, Fotografija in 1995, Sredinom in 2000, Burek in 2004, Ispočetka in 2008 and 2 live albums, Vječna vatra in 1999 and Live Koševo 2004 in 2005.

Dino Merlin wrote the first national anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina called Jedna si, jedina.^{[citation needed]} He has also taken part in Eurovision Song Contests, in Millstreet in 1993 (Dino is the author of Sva bol svijeta) and in Jerusalem in 1999 (singing Putnici with Béatrice, a French singer). Dino Merlin has also taken part in other big European festivals, such as Copenhagen in 1996 and Turkovision in 1997.^{[citation needed]} His tour promoting his Sredinom album, which was released in 2000, included over 200 concerts, with a spectacular performance at the Koševo Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo, in front of an audience of about 80,000.^{[citation needed]} The Sredinom-album was the top-selling album in Bosnia and Herzegovina and sold in all of the countries that were once part of Yugoslavia.^{[citation needed]}

Dino Merlin's next album, Burek, was released in 2004. Three songs were featured as singles: Burek, Supermen and Ako Nastaviš Ovako. The album includes 15 tracks, many of which are new. The song Supermen is sung by Dino Merlin with a guest appearance by Željko Joksimović, who is also the composer of the song.

Many of the songs on this album have also appeared on his Live Koševo 2004 album released in 2005. The other guest appearances on the Burek album include Nina Badrić on "Ti si mene", Željko Joksimović on "Supermen" and Edo Zanki on "Verletzt" and many others.

Dino Merlin's tenth album titled Ispočetka (English Translation: From the Beginning) was released in 2008.

On 1 December 2010 it was revealed that Merlin will represent Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany.^[3][4] He came sixth in the final singing Love in Rewind.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

with Merlin band[link]

• Kokuzna vremena (1985)
• Teško meni sa tobom (a još teže bez tebe) (1986)
• Merlin (1987)
• Nešto lijepo treba da se desi (1989)
• Peta strana svijeta (1990)

Solo career[link]

• Moja bogda sna (1993)
• Fotografija (1995)
• Live: Vječna vatra (1999)
• Sredinom (2000)
• Burek (2004)
• Live Koševo 2004 (2005)
• Ispočetka (2008)

Compilations[link]

• Merlin (1990) - with the Merlin band
• Balade (1995) - with the Merlin band
• Rest of the Best (1995) - with the Merlin band
• Najljepše pjesme (1995) - with the Merlin band
• The Best of Dino Merlin (2001)
• The Platinum Collection (2006)
• The Ultimate Collection (2009)

DVDs[link]

• Live Koševo (2005)
• Koševo 19. Juli (2009)

Singles[link]

• 2007: "Otkrit ću ti tajnu"
• 2008: "Dabogda"
• 2008: "Da šutiš (Indigo)"
• 2008; "Deset Mlađa"
• 2009: "Nedostaješ"
• 2011: "Love in Rewind"

Songs produced by Dino Merlin[link]

Sampled Song[link]

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dino Merlin

External links[link]

• Official Website

Stacy Peralta circa 1976

Stacy Peralta (born October 15, 1957) is an American director and entrepreneur. Peralta was previously a professional skateboarder and surfer with the professional skateboarding group, the Z-Boys.

Early life[link]

Peralta was born in Venice, California and is of Mexican-American descent. Stacy attended and graduated from Venice High School in 1975. At age 15, he began competing with the Z-Boys, a group sponsored by the surf shop "Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions". His second sponsor was "Gordon and Smith".

Innovation and success[link]

Peralta can lay claim to the invention of the frontside lip to fakie, although this was on the rolled-over lip of skatepark bowls—it took the young Alan Losi to take it to the coping at the Upland Pipeline skatepark. To help skaters ride this maneuver in, Stacy came up with a device called a "lapper" which was essentially a tough polyethylene flap that bolted to the front of the board's rear truck. These are rarely seen nowadays. Part of his gear line also designed the first "mini-ripper" skateboard.

At the age of 19, Peralta became the highest-ranked professional skateboarder. Soon after, he joined with manufacturer George Powell to form the Powell-Peralta skate gear company. With the financial backing of Powell-Peralta, Peralta formed the seminal Bones Brigade, a skate team composed of some the best skaters at the time, many of whom revolutionized modern skateboarding. He also began directing and producing the first skating demo videos for skaters such as Tony Hawk.

Stacy Peralta is also credited in the 1985 movie Real Genius with Val Kilmer, William Atherton and Gabriel Jarret. Stacy played commander of a fictional space vehicle delivering a deadly laser toward an unsuspecting criminal during the film's opening scene.

Peralta holding a producer credit for The 1 Second Film in January 2005

Behind the camera[link]

In 1992, Peralta left Powell-Peralta to direct and produce for television full-time. His lingering love of the board manifested itself in the film, Dogtown and Z-Boys, a documentary film regarding the legendary skateboard team known as the Z-Boys, and Riding Giants, a 2004 documentary of the history of modern big wave surfing and tow-in surfing. Dogtown won an award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Peralta also wrote the screenplay for the dramatic retelling of the Dogtown days in Lords of Dogtown (2005). His most recently released film, Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008),^[1] focuses on gang violence in south-central Los Angeles which provides insights into the origins of the infamous Crips and Bloods with a look at the social injustice of 1950s and 60s L.A.

In 2008, Peralta directed a series of television commercials for Burger King in which the Inuit people of Greenland, Transylvanians of Romania and Hmong of Thailand, known as "Whopper virgins" in the ads, were offered their first taste of a fast food hamburger and asked to compare the Whopper to McDonald's Big Mac. Peralta subsequently came under attack for what some deemed exploitation of native peoples.^[2][3]

Peralta's experience as an entrepreneur and skate demo filmmaker was adapted for the video game Tony Hawk's Underground. In 2003 Peralta also did cameo work in the game where he played himself.

Divorced in the 1990s, Peralta has one son, Austin Peralta. He remarried in 2001 to Gemma Vizor; together they have one child named Willow.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Nonfiction Unlimited biography
• Stacy Peralta at the Internet Movie Database
• Stacy Peralta Producer Profile for The 1 Second Film
• Interview with the Palisadian-Post