Kalesija

Kalesija
Kalesija; Каlesija
	Municipality and town
	; Coat of arms
	; Coat of arms
	; Location of Kalesija within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Government
• Municipality president	Nedžad Džafić (SDA)
Area
• Total	201 km2 (78 sq mi)
Population (2013 census)
• Total	36,748
• Density	183/km2 (470/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Area code(s)	+387 35
Website	http://www.kalesija.ba

Kalesija is a town and municipality in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town of Kalesija is located east of Tuzla. It is administratively part of the Tuzla Canton and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the area of municipality Kalesija there are six elementary schools. They are located in Kalesija Rainci Gornji, Gojcinu, Memići, Vukovije and Tojšići.

History

Atik Mosque in Tojšići was built at the end of 16th century.

Kalesija during the Yugoslav Wars

On 2 May 1992 Kalesija was one of the first Bosnian towns to be caught in the initial Serbian offensive. On 11 May 1992, Kalesija and territory east of the river Bjeljevac except for the settlements of Zukići and Jajić were placed under occupation.

On 23 May 1992, Kalesija was retaken by Bosnian forces.

Consequences of the occupation included ethnic cleansing, population displacement and suffering, many people being taken to the camps, the destruction of Kalesija villages, destruction of religious buildings and industrial plants.^{[citation needed]}

Dayton peace agreement appointed a new administrative arrangement of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 71 km2 (26.1%) of the territory of the municipality Kalesija became the new municipality of Osmaci. The following villages now form the municipality of Osmaci: Mahala, Hajvazi, Caparde, Kulina, Kusonje, Kosovača, Vilčevići, Matkovac, Osmaci, Šeher, Rakino Brdo, Borogovo, Sajtovići, Like and Drvenice.

Demographics

1971

The 1971 Yugoslav census showed that the population of Kalesija was 32,577 inhabitants, made up of:

24,771 Bosniaks - (76.03%)
7,606 Serbs - (23.34%)
40 Croats - (0.12%)
23 Yugoslavs - (0.07%)
137 others - (0.44%)

1991

In the 1991 census, the municipality of Kalesija had 41,795 inhabitants:

33,226 Bosniaks (79.5%)
7,669 Serbs (18.4%)
33 Croats (0.1%)
270 Yugoslavs (0.6%)
597 others (0.4%)

Current population

Today, the population of Kalesija is uncertain since no census has been conducted after 1991. However, it is certain that during the 1990s, the municipality of Kalesija received approximately 4,000 Bosniak refugees from primarily the nearby municipalities of Zvornik and Bijeljina. At the same time, parts of the Serb population left, after Kalesija became an administratively part of the Tuzla Canton and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So, today it is safe to say that the municipality of Kalesija has a clear Bosniak majority with a population of approx. 40,000 (est.) residents.

The results of the 2013 census will be announced in January 2014.