A country in Southeastern Europe situated on the Balkan Peninsula, Bosnia and Herzegovina shipped US$8.9 billion worth of products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a 44.6% increase compared to $6.15 billion 5 years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the value of total exports from Bosnia and Herzegovina fell by -3.6% compared to $9.23 billion starting from 2023.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Bosnia-Herzegovina convertible mark depreciated by -0.04% against the US dollar since 2020 but rose 4.9% from 2023 to 2024. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s weaker local currency versus 2020 made its exports paid for in stronger US dollars modestly less expensive for international buyers starting from American currency.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Major Trading Partners

The latest available country-specific data shows that 73.3% of products exported from Bosnia and Herzegovina was bought by importers in: Croatia (16.1% of the Bosnian/Herzegovinian total), Germany (15.3%), Austria (9.8%), Slovenia (8.2%), Italy (7.9%), Montenegro (3.7%), Netherlands (2.6%), France (2.3%), Czech Republic (2%), Türkiye (1.98%), Hungary (1.7%) and Switzerland (1.5%).

From a continental perspective, 92.8% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 4.6% was sold to importers in Asia. Bosnia and Herzegovina shipped another 2.0% worth of goods to buyers in North America.

Tinier percentages went to customers located in Africa (0.5%), Latin America (0.11%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania’s Australia and New Zealand only (0.06%).

Given Bosnia and Herzegovina’s population of 3.5 million people, its total US$8.9 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $2,600 for every resident in the Southeastern European nation. That dollar metric lags the average $2,700 per capita one year earlier during 2023.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Top 10 Exports

The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Bosniak and Herzegovinian global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: US$830.7 million (9.3% of total exports)
2. Machinery including computers: $692.7 million (7.8%)
3. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $655.9 million (7.4%)
4. Articles of iron or steel: $620.3 million (7%)
5. Mineral fuels including oil: $578.1 million (6.5%)
6. Wood: $509.8 million (5.7%)
7. Aluminum: $478.6 million (5.4%)
8. Inorganic chemicals: $437.4 million (4.9%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: $423.6 million (4.8%)
10. Footwear: $378.3 million (4.3%)

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s top 10 export product categories generated nearly two-thirds (63%) of the overall value of its global shipments.

Electrical machinery and equipment was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 5.7% from 2023 to 2024.

The other product category to show improved export sales was aluminum via a 1% advance.

The leading decliner among Bosnia and Herzegovina’s top 10 export categories was mineral fuels including oil, thanks to its -34.2% year-over-year drop.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most valuable export products are insulated wire or cable (4.3% of the country’s global total), electrical energy (4.2%), miscellaneous iron and steel structures (3.4%), chairs or seats (3.1%), automobile parts or accessories (3%), miscellaneous furniture (2.8%), sawn wood (2.4%), ammunition including bombs and grenades (2.3%), insole and heel cushions (2%), then aluminum oxides or hydroxides (1.8%).

Products Behind Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Best Trade Surpluses

The following types of Bosniak and Herzegovinian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.

In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.

1. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: US$427.1 million (Down by -16.9% since 2023)
2. Inorganic chemicals: $393.2 million (Down by -3.8%)
3. Wood: $289.3 million (Down by -2.9%)
4. Arms, ammunition: $204.7 million (Up by 25.9%)
5. Articles of iron or steel: $203.7 million (Down by -14.9%)
6. Footwear: $174.6 million (Down by -26.6%)
7. Ores, slag, ash: $83.6 million (Up by 92.3%)
8. Aluminum: $66.7 million (Reversing an -$11.5 million deficit)
9. Explosives, pyrotechnics, matches: $24.5 million (Up by 39.2%)
10. Umbrellas, walking-sticks: $15 million (Down by -19.3%)

Bosnia and Herzegovina generated highly positive net exports in the international trade of furniture and prefabricated buildings. In turn, these cashflows indicate Bosnia and Herzegovina’s strong competitive advantages under the furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricated buildings product category.

Products Causing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Worst Trade Deficits

Bosnia and Herzegovina incurred an overall -US$6.96 billion trade deficit during 2024, expanding by 13.7% from -$6.1 billion in red ink one year earlier.

Below are exports from Bosnia and Herzegovina that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Bosnia and Herzegovina’s goods trail Bosniak and Herzegovinian importer spending on foreign products.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: -US$1.4 billion (Up by 17.9% since 2023)
2. Vehicles: -$874.9 million (Up by 5.9%)
3. Machinery including computers: -$684 million (Up by 14.9%)
4. Pharmaceuticals: -$418.5 million (Up by 8.5%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$406.3 million (Up by 12.3%)
6. Iron, steel: -$325.6 million (Up by 27.2%)
7. Meat: -$301.7 million (Up by 15.2%)
8. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: -$266.1 million (Up by 7.2%)
9. Miscellaneous food preparations: -$237.5 million (Up by 14%)
10. Copper: -$228.4 million (Up by 16.2%)

Historically, Bosnia and Herzegovina posts highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for mineral fuels-related products notably petroleum oils, coal and petroleum gases.

These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Bosnia and Herzegovina’s competitive disadvantages in the international mineral fuels market, but also represent key opportunities for Bosnia and Herzegovina to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations.

Bosniak and Herzegovinian Export Companies

Not one Bosniak and Herzegovinian corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000.

Wikipedia does list exporters from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Selected examples are shown below.

• Agrokomerc (food)
• Aluminij d.d. Mostar (aluminum)
• Energopetrol (oil, gas)
• Sarajevska pivara (beer, soft drinks, water)
• Telekom Srpske (internet services)

 
In macroeconomic terms, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s total exported goods represent 11.9% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2024 ($74.5 billion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 11.9% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2024 compares to 13% one year earlier. Those percentages indicate a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s total economic performance, albeit based on a short timeframe.

The Bosnia-Herzegovina unemployment rate averaged 13.2% for 2024, mirroring the average 13.2% one year earlier in 2023.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital city is Sarajevo.

See also Germany’s Top Trading Partners, Croatia’s Top 10 Exports, France’s Top 10 Exports and European Union’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, Country Profiles, The World Factbook. Accessed on January 3, 2026

EXCHANGE-RATES.org, Exchange Rates History: Bosnia and Herzegovina Marka (BAM) To US Dollar (USD). Accessed on January 3, 2026

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on January 3, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on January 3, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on January 3, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 3, 2026

Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on January 3, 2026

Wikipedia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Accessed on January 3, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Companies of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Accessed on January 3, 2026

Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on January 3, 2026