Bileća

• Type — Town and municipality • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Bosnia and Herzegovina • Subdivision Type1 — Entity • Subdivision Name1 — Republika Srpska • Subdivision Type2 — Geographical region • Subdivision Name2 — Herzegovina • Time Zone — CET • Utc Offset — +1 • Time Zone Dst — CEST • Utc Offset Dst — +2 • Native Name — Билећа • Official Name — Bileća • Area Blank1 Title — Town • Area Blank2 Title — Municipality • Area Blank2 Km2 — 632.33 • Population As Of — 2013 census • Population Blank1 Title — Town • Population Blank1 — 8220 • Population Density Blank1 Km2 — auto • Population Blank2 Title — Municipality • Population Blank2 — 10807 • Population Density Blank2 Km2 — auto • Parts Type — Settlements • Parts — 61 (2013.) • Area Code — 59 • Website — opstinabileca.ba • Leader Title — Municipal mayor • Leader Name — Miodrag Parežanin • Leader Party — SNSD • Illustration — Architecture in the city centre • Illustration — Serbian Orthodox Vidovdanska church • Illustration — Church of Saint Sava • Illustration — Bileća lake

The first traces of civilization in Bileća date from the Neolithic period, although archaeological sites are insufficiently explored. During the Middle Ages, Bileća was located on the border with the župa of Vrm and the nearby Vlach necropolis, and was often mentioned as an important crossroad location for caravans on the route from Dubrovnik to Nikšić and Ključ, near Gacko. The town became part of the Bosnian state for the first time in 1373, after the defeat of Nikola Altomanović, but the first mention of the town under its present name was from 25 January 1387, while it was also mentioned as Bilechia in 1438. A document dated from 8 September 1388 mentions that the army of the duke Vlatko Vuković defeated the Turkish army at the Battle of Bileća. The period from the 13th to the 16th century was marked by the building of a large number of stećci. There were 1724 stećak monoliths recorded in Bileća area during the 1970s, with later research suggesting a higher number. Grebenice-Bunčići site of stećak monuments near Baljci is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Bileća was held by the Turks from 1466, although it was a rebellious area that was difficult to control. During Herzegovina Uprising one of the crucial battles occurred in July 1876 about 6km east of Bileća. Led by Prince Nikola, joint forces of Montenegrin and Herzegovian battalions defeated the Turks in the Battle of Vučji Do, forcing them to withdraw towards Trebinje. The Congress of Berlin in 1878 included Bileća in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which brought economic development to the region. The first primary school in Bileća was opened in 1880. • Illustration — Necropolis of stećak tombstones in Bileća • Illustration — Old fortification Drakuljica • Illustration — A pit in which Ustaše threw killed Serb civilians from Bileća, a part of the wider Genocide of Serbs • Illustration — Yugoslav Partisans from Bileća • Illustration — Park of People's Hero

Aside from the town of Bileća, the municipality includes the following settlements: • Baljci • Bijela Rudina • Bijeljani • Bodenik • Bogdašići • Brestice • Čepelica • Deleuša • Divin • Dlakoše • Dola • Donja Meka Gruda • Donji Davidovići • Đeče • Fatnica • Golobrđe • Gornja Meka Gruda • Gornji Davidovići • Granica • Hodžići • Kačanj • Kalac • Korita • Krivača • Krstače • Kukričje • Kuti • Lađevići • Milavići • Mirilovići • Miruše • Mrežica • Narat • Njeganovići • Oblo Brdo • Orah • Orahovice • Pađeni • Panik • Plana • Podgorje • Podosoje • Preraca • Prijevor • Prisoje • Rioca • Selišta • Simijova • Skrobotno • Šobadine • Todorići • Torič • Trnovica • Vlahinja • Vranjska • Vrbica • Zasada • Zaušje • Zvijerina • Žudojevići

• Population of settlements – Bileća municipality • Settlement — 1948. — 1953. — 1961. — 1971. — 1981. — 1991. — 2013. • Total — 13,531 — 14.026 — 14,125 — 13,444 — 13,199 — 13,284 — 10,807 • 1 — Baljci — 417 — 293 • 2 — Bileća — 1,270 — 1,563 — 2,491 — 4,033 — 5,763 — 7,568 — 7,476 • 3 — Podosoje — 971 — 1,055

• Illustration — Dam on Klinje Lake The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in professional fields per their core activity (as of 2018): • Professional field — Total • Agriculture, forestry and fishing — 2 • Mining and quarrying — 1 • Manufacturing — 377 • Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply — 78 • Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities — 107 • Construction — 195 • Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles — 267 • Transportation and storage — 86 • Accommodation and food services — 81 • Information and communication — 25 • Financial and insurance activities — 18 • Real estate activities — - • Professional, scientific and technical activities — 22 • Administrative and support service activities — 4 • Public administration and defense; compulsory social security — 225 • Education — 193 • Human health and social work activities — 80 • Arts, entertainment and recreation — 42 • Other service activities — 31 • Total — 1,834

The local football club FK Hercegovac has spent one season in the country's second tier — First League of the Republika Srpska.

• Illustration — Tijana Bošković, world and European champion • Illustration — Director Dušan Vukotić won the Academy Award for Animated Short Film in 1961 • Safet Isović, singer • Beba Selimović, singer • Fadil Hadžić, movie director and writer • Dušan Vukotić, Oscar for the best animated short in 1961 for Surogat • Karlo Mijić, painter • Jevto Dedijer, writer • Nenad Mišanović, basketball player • Prokopije Čokorilo, priest • Ervin Eleskovic, Swedish tennis player • Tijana Bošković, Serbian volleyball player, World and European champion, silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics