Sokolac

Infobox Settlement

settlement_type =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name =Bosnia and Herzegovina

subdivision_type1 =
subdivision_name1 =
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =

timezone=CET
utc_offset=+1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2

unit_pref=
map_caption =Location of PAGENAME within Bosnia and Herzegovina
latNS=N
longEW=E
population_as_of= 1991
native_name = Соколац
official_name = Sokolac
other_name =
image_shield = Grb sokolac.gif

---

area_total_km2 = 729|population_blank1 = 15500|population_blank1_title=Municipality
population_total = 14,833
|parts_type=Settlements
parts =
latd=43|latm=94
longd=18|longm=80
area_code = 57
website = http://www.opstinasokolac.org
footnotes =
|leader_title=Mayor
leader_name = Dragan Cvijetić (SDS) [http://www.izbori.ba/documents/Rezultati%20izbora%202004/Utvrdjeni/2004NacelniciRS.pdf]
leader_party =
|

Sokolac (Cyrillic: Соколац) is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Republika Srpska entity.

Demographics

1971

17.053 total
* Serbs - 11.006 (64,53%)
* Muslims - 5.790 (33,95%)
* Croats - 128 (0,75%)
* Yugoslavs - 23 (0,13%)
* others - 106 (0,64%)

1991

In 1991, the population of the Sokolac municipality numbered 14,833 people, including:
*10,181 Serbs (68.64%) (See: Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
*4,486 Muslims by nationality (30.24%)
*84 Yugoslavs
*22 Croats (See: Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
*60 others

Last Census

Bosnia is the only country in Europe which didn't have census for 17 years. This would be very important for the Bosnian serb side in order to legitimate the results of the ethnical cleansing. The population of Sokolac almost doubled since the Dayton Peace Agreement. Almost 150.000 Bosnian Serbs left nearby Sarajevo after the war in Bosnia ended.

About Sokolac

There are many things centered around life in Sokolac. Forestry, agriculture and cattle breeding are, and always have been, important part of the community. The city is surrounded with many historical sites, not so much known to the residents of the community. Sokolac doesn’t have conveniences of larger towns, so we have the opportunity to experience small town living.
Agriculture has been important part of the community. For most inhabitants, the businesses of agriculture is the only a way to make a living, but also a tradition to the families. Potato is the main product of agriculture. Sokolac used to be known by high quality potato. Not a long ago, the potato chip industry was a promising industry for this region. At the same time, Center for Advancement of Agriculture (ogledno dobro) was established.
Livestock production is the second largest agriculture industry in the community. The area surrounding Sokolac is well known for its quality grasslands, due to foggy, moist conditions that keep the grasses green much of the year and make them well suited for grazing dairy, cattle and sheep. The beef cattle and sheep is the second larges export of the community. Although Sokolac has a small diary factory, the milk market production is very small.
Sokolac is surrounded by high quality woodlands, which have been recklessly destroyed in last ten years. Although this industry generates most revenue for the community, a small percentage of people work in the industry.
Not many people even in our community know that Sokolac is a well-known historic site. During the Early Iron Age (Hallstatt Period), this region was a center of a well-developed culture, which is in history known as the Glasinac Culture. The culture reached its highest level from 700 B. C. until 250 B. C. During the Early Iron Age, Glasinac had the same number of inhabitants like today! In the Middle Ages, residents of Glasinac, buried their dead under the medieval gravestones, called steci (the plural of steak). At the same time, Christianity came early to this region. One of first orthodox churches in Bosnia was built on a hill called Megara, near village of Bjelosavljevii.
Everyone in Sokolac enjoys different recreational activities and there are several to choose from. We have sports set up through school activities and also through other organizational groups. Some people enjoy school athletics such as football or volleyball, while others enjoy basketball and skiing. The countryside around our town is abundant with wildlife for the hunting enthusiasts. Due to luck of water resources, only limited fishing is possible on the Biostica river.
I like living in a small town because I know most of the people, and I have a lot of relatives in my town, too. Many people that live in Sokolac work a local factory called “AD Romanija”. They make windows, doors, plywood, boards and other wood products. Another large business that employs a many people in Sokolac is the Mental Hospital Podromanija. I should also mention “A.D. Karavan”, a private venture that has a Hotel and a Slaughterhouse.
So now you know why my town is the center of it all. We have agriculture, which is not only a tradition, but also a large portion of the economy. Sokolac is a well-known historic site to Europeans, but not to its inhabitants. Last of all, in Sokolac you can enjoy all opportunities of living in a small town. So if you are ever traveling from Belgrade to the Adriatic Sea, take the shortest way through Sokolac. Please stop and visit our town and you will see why I think my town is the center of it all!
Author: Zeljko Tomic. Originally posted on http://slavicnet.com/sokolac/sokolac_informator_forum.html

Sport

The local football club, FK Glasinac Sokolac, plays in the First League of the Republika Srpska.

Links

The following links can be found regarding the municipality Sokolac:

* [http://sokolac.slavicnet.com/sokolac/sokolac_najnoviji_forum.html History, Politics and much more]
* [http://www.glasinac.com/ About the Glasinac plane]

ee also

*Municipalities of Republika Srpska

[fr:Sokolac (Republika Srpska)]