Another amazing country in old Europe is Bosnia and Herzegovina. Let's get acquainted with this state a bit, and also find out what currency you can pay on its territory.
A little bit about the country
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a unique state of eastern Europe. How is it different?
Let's list:
- the state is an association of two autonomous administrative units - Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- there are three practically equivalent religions in the country - Catholicism, Islam and Orthodoxy;
- people speak three languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian.
In addition, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a pleasant climate with a mild summer (average temperature +16 - 25 ยฐ C) and frost-free winter (average temperature 0 - -10 ยฐ C).
And you can relax in Bosnia and Herzegovina both culturally and sportily. On the territory of the state there are many architectural monuments, reserves and attractions, because many cities, especially the capital, Sarajevo, have retained almost their original appearance. Excursions can be alternated with visits to ski resorts, which are also large in number, and all thanks to the geographical location of the country.
Monetary history of the state
From time to time, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina has changed. So, during the reign of Austria-Hungary, the Austro-Hungarian krone was considered the official currency. And when the state joined the structure of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), the money of Bosnia and Herzegovina was replaced by Yugoslav dinars.
During the Second World War, as in the neighboring territories, the Reichsmarks, the Italian lira, the Bulgarian levs, the Serbian dinars, the Hungarian pengyo, the Croatian kuns, and the Albanian francs were in circulation here. And between the end of the occupation and until 1990, the Yugoslav dinars returned again.
In 1995, after the civil war in Bosnia, according to the Dayton ceasefire and ceasefire agreement, the authorities introduced a new currency - a convertible mark (BAM or KM).
Currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
YOU and today continues to be the national monetary unit of the state.
A convertible brand of the following denomination is issued:
- banknotes - 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200;
- coins - 1, 2.
Mark (YOU) equals one hundred pfennigs. Coins come in values โโof 5, 10, 20, 50 pfennigs.
Convertible stamps of each denomination are issued in two types - for the Bosnian Federation and the Serbian Republic. Their difference lies in the images and the language in which the inscriptions are made. All banknotes have a mandatory watermark - a monogram of the Central Bank. The political and cultural figures of Bosnia and Herzegovina flaunt on the front side of the bill : Jovan Jukic (face value BAM 1), Mesha Selimovich (5th BAM), M. Dijdar (10th BAM), Antun imiฤ (20th BAM), Moussa Kazim Katic (50th BAM) , Nikola Shop (100 YOU), Ivo Andrich (200 YOU).
Currency exchange
As in other countries, it is better to exchange money in Bosnia and Herzegovina at banks and official exchange points (for example, hotels), since there is a possibility of fraud on the street.
The opening hours of most banks are from 8:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, and on Saturdays and Sundays it is a day off.
As for the exchange rate, the convertible mark is highly dependent on the euro (1 EUR to 2 YOU) and the dollar (1 USD to 1.4 YOU). As for the Russian ruble, the situation is as follows: 1 RUB = 0.04 YOU. The course shown is approximate and may fluctuate slightly.
Financial Travel Tips
A few financial tips that will come in handy when traveling to the country:
- Euro is the second currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which can be freely paid in the country, but only for tourists in tourist places;
- coordinate in advance in a taxi the route and its cost;
- it is customary to leave a tip to taxi drivers (if they helped you to put and remove your luggage), as well as in restaurants and hotels - in the amount of 10% of the total amount;
- the official currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the euro are not the only means of payment for tourists, in some areas you can pay with Serbian dinars and Croatian kunas;
- To complete the reverse currency exchange upon leaving the state, it is necessary to provide checks received as a result of the first conversion;
- Visa and Maestro credit cards are not accepted everywhere, and they can be cashed only in the capital's banks and large post offices, as well as in a few hotels, restaurants, shops; work with cards of other systems in the state is extremely difficult;
- travel checks are cashed only at bank offices;
- the cost of services should be carefully negotiated in advance, and it is better not to give money in advance (deposit) in order to avoid fraud;
- if the police require you to pay a fine (for example, if you rented a car and violated the rules of the road), then ask for a receipt, which can be paid at the bank, and not pay in cash;
- shops are open from 8:00 to 20:00 on weekdays, and on weekends - until 14:00.