The concept of landscape has opened up a vast field of contemporary multidisciplinary research. Character identification, typology, digital presentation, protection and evaluation from the aspect of tourist suitability are some of the main topics. Unfortunately, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a very small number of complex studies that try to study landscapes in the function of tourism development. The main purpose of the research is the identification of landscape characters, the creation of their typology, and the assessment of their suitability for the development of sustainable tourism in the area of the Vrbanja river basin. The methodological procedure consisted of three steps. The first was a desk study, which included a review of data from the available literature and maps of hydrological, geological, pedological, geomorphological, and climate studies of this area. In this way, the geographical basis of the research was created in the form of four thematic maps (relief, hydrographic, pedological, and forest complex maps) using the ArcGIS 10.8 software. The second step was the spatial identification of landscape types in the area of the studied basin. This was done in ArcGIS 10.8 by overlaying and combining the obtained thematic maps of the basin. The result was a map with four general types and 14 subtypes within the Vrbanja basin. The third and final step was the evaluation and assessment of the suitability of each type of landscape for tourism activities. The assessment was made by scoring factors of anthropogenic influence, natural characteristics, and visual impression on a Likert scale of 1–4. The final results of the research show that the high mountain areas with forest and semi-rural type and the hilly areas with forest and rural landscape type have the greatest overall suitability for the development of tourism.

This study aims to explore the opportunities and challenges of sustainable conservation in the Drina Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (TBR Drina). Two countries in 2004 launched activities on the designation of TBR Drina, which would make a unique territorial system of Tara National Park (NP Tara) in the Republic of Serbia and Drina National Park (NP Drina) in the Republic of Srpska/Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through the analysis of institutional and legal jurisdiction, the authors presented the management system of protected areas in both countries, with detailed insight into the specific mechanisms of government functioning and management in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its complex state apparatus represents the biggest limiting factor for the formation of TBR Drina. Through qualitative research, the researched area’s natural, cultural-historical, and socio-economic potentials were identified and recommendations were made for their optimal valorization and utilization. Research has shown that the natural, cultural-historical conditions of TBR Drina represent the potential for development, in contrast to the socio-economic conditions that make up its limiting factor. By planning through the cooperation between the border regions of both countries through support at the state level, TBR Drina can be recovered gradually, with the relative coexistence of ecological, social, and economic components of space, in the forthcoming period.

Small settlements in Serbia are confronted with long-term processes of depopulation, ageing, and migration, characterised by pronounced spatial and structural heterogeneity. This raises questions about the effectiveness of uniform development policies and underscores the need for a differentiated, place-based approach. The aim of this paper is to identify the demographic heterogeneity of small settlements (with fewer than 100 inhabitants) and to analyse its implications for decentralised territorial development. The research is based on the analysis of 1302 settlements in Serbia, using 26 demographic, socio-economic, and geographical indicators. The methodological framework is based on principal component analysis and cluster analysis, complemented by nonparametric tests and logistic regression. The results indicate pronounced population ageing, low labour potential, and a clear spatial polarisation between accessible and peripheral settlements. Four clearly differentiated types of small settlements are identified. It is concluded that demographic heterogeneity represents a key determinant of development capacity, indicating the need for territorially sensitive and differentiated development policies. In this context, decentralisation and tailored development models may contribute to the revitalisation and long-term sustainability of rural areas.

With the ratification of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the safeguarding of intangible cultural practices has been established as a normatively binding framework of international cultural policy. This development has placed the field at the core of contemporary discourses on cultural diversity, sustainable development, and identity revitalization. In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the processes of institutionalizing the protection of intangible heritage unfold under complex conditions of asymmetric constitutional division of competences, normative fragmentation, and functional dispersion of responsibilities, resulting in the absence of a coherent and coordinated cultural policy system. The paper focuses on assessing the potential of integrated and strategically structured management of intangible cultural assets to generate synergistic effects between cultural valorization, local sustainability, and transnational recognition. Methodologically, this study applies a critical, comparative-analytical interpretation of the institutional and legal framework of BiH, with special reference to the position of intangible cultural heritage within strategic policy documents. The analysis of the national register, including elements inscribed on the UNESCO lists, underscores the urgent need for intersectoral and transdisciplinary mechanisms to safeguard and valorize cultural heritage as instruments of cultural policy aimed at strengthening collective identity, fostering cultural tourism, and positioning BiH within the global cultural landscape.

Cross-border cooperation is one of the leading instruments of integrative processes in Europe. The formation of cross-border regions is an essential prerequisite for effective cooperation and sustainable development. Experiences have confirmed that this type of cooperation induces a whole spectrum of positive effects on the space. Cross-border spatial planning is an initial step towards successful territorial cohesion, but also a necessary condition for economic, ecological and political cooperation, especially those areas that define large differences. The territory of Republika Srpska, considering the specificity of the shape of the territory, the state organization and the asymmetric division of jurisdiction, is characterized by a large number of (potential) border regions with diff erent characteristics and potential. The paper treats the problem of cross-border cooperation, as the potential of the territory of the Republic of Srpska/Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also explains the necessity of forming regions, their connection and cooperation. Also, the paper shows pronounced integration functions and the role of Republika Srpska/Bosnia and Herzegovina in connecting the countries that surround it. The types of cross-border cooperation are presented with reference to the current and previous spatial plans of the Republic.