Mrkonjić Grad


Mrkonjić Grad is a town and municipality located in western Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the region of Bosanska Krajina, between Banja Luka and Jajce. As of 2013, it has a population of 16,671 inhabitants, while the town of Mrkonjić Grad ha a population of 7,915 inhabitants.

Name

The town changed its name several times in history: Gornje Kloke, Novo Jajce, Varcarev Vakuf, Varcar Vakuf, and ultimately the present one. The last renaming took place in 1924 after King Peter I of Serbia, who had taken the nom de guerre "Mrkonjić" while fighting in the uprising against the Ottoman Empire.

History

From 1929 to 1941, Mrkonjić Grad was part of the Vrbas Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
In World War II, the town became renowned by the first meeting of ZAVNOBiH on 25 November 1943, when Bosnia and Herzegovina was proclaimed as a common republic of Serbs, Croats and Muslims.
During the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995, the town was within the territory controlled by Bosnian Serbs. The town is also known for the Mrkonjić Grad incident where the USAF lost one F-16 in June 1995. The pilot of the jet, Scott O'Grady, was stranded in the area for six days before being rescued by US Marines. In 8–12 October 1995, Mrkonjić Grad was in the hands of the Croatian Army and the Croatian Defence Council.
After the Dayton peace agreement the town was assigned to the entity of Republika Srpska. In 1996, a mass grave containing the bodies of 181 Serbs—mostly civilians—was uncovered in Mrkonjić Grad. Almost all were killed by Croat forces in late 1995.

Demographics

Population

Ethnic composition

Economy

The following table gives a preview of total number of registered employed people per their core activity :
ActivityTotal
Agriculture, forestry and fishing196
Mining and quarrying22
Manufacturing814
Distribution of power, gas, steam and air-conditioning235
Distribution of water and water waste management52
Construction499
Wholesale and retail, repair490
Transportation and storage171
Hotels and restaurants145
Information and communication25
Finance and insurance35
Real estate activities1
Professional, scientific and technical activities74
Administrative and support services3
Public administration and defence243
Education328
Healthcare and social work122
Art, entertainment and recreation15
Other service activities47
Total3,517

Tourism

The Balkana Lake lies near the town and presents a small, but beautiful tourist resort including the nearby Skakavac Waterfall.

Gallery