European Pond Turtle - Bosnia-Herzegovina

The Adriatic Sea separates the Italian and Balkan peninsulas. The surface area of the Adriatic is 139,000 square kilometers and it has 3,739 kilometers of coastline. Of the six countries bordering along the Adriatic, Bosnia-Herzegovina has 20 kilometers of frontage along the coast. It has the second smallest coastline in the world.

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Emys orbicularis - Pond turtles can be found in lentic areas throughout Southern and Central Europe; lentic denotes areas of slow moving waters such as ponds and lakes. After reaching sexual maturity, 5 to 6 years, the female will lay her first clutch of eggs. She will use her tail and hind legs to dig a hole, then deposit 8 to 10 eggs. Female parental investment ends once the nest is covered up. The temperature of the egg chamber will determine the gender of the hatchlings; below 25 C. results in males, above 30 C. results in females.

European Eagle Owl - Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bubo bubo - The European eagle owl is a large bird; females, growing to lengths of 75 centimeters and having wingspans of 190 centimeters, are larger than males. Nests are built in secluded areas, preferably along the edge of cliffs or rocky terrain. Females deposit up to six eggs, one every three days, and remain at the nest until all the eggs hatch, each one taking about 33 days. The male provides her and the nestlings with food as they hatch. The eagle owl has distinctive ear tufts and orange eyes.

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The 1878 signing of the Treaty of Berlin, placed Bosnia-Herzegovina under the administration of the Austro-Hungry Empire, but officially remained part of the Ottoman Empire. Austria took control of its mandate and formally annexed the territory in 1908. The Ottoman Empire, falling from one crisis to another, was powerless to resist. Bosnia-Herzegovina remained under Austrian control until the end of World War I, becoming part of Pan-Slavic Yugoslavia until gaining full independence in 1992.

Historical Flags of Europe

The area of present day Moldovia had been part of the Roman province of Dacia. It was proclaimed The Principality of Moldavia when Dragoş became the first Voivode or ruler of the country in 1346. Bosnia-Herzegovina obtained its independence from Yugoslavia in 1992. The new flag, based on the design of the former Bosnian Kingdom, was replaced in 1998 with the current flag. The Andorran flag used from 1806 until 1866 reflected the country’s close association with Spain. A third stripe was added to acknowledged the bond with France. Yugoslavia was created after World War I by the Treaty of Rapallo. When Yugoslavia declared itself a socialist republic in 1943, a red star was installed as the flag’s centerpiece. The constitute republics making up Yugoslavia began to separate in 1980’s. Serbia retained the flag it had used since 1835, but removed the star in favor of the national coat of arms.