CIA claims BiH's population has grown despite ongoing emigration

The figures were published on the CIA's official website in its World Factbook, updated on 13 August under the Trump administration, when John Ratcliffe was appointed CIA director.

The CIA's 2024 estimate lists Bosnia and Herzegovina's population at 3,798,671. How the agency arrived at this figure is unclear, since demographic experts suggest that political instability and economic hardship have driven several hundred thousand people out of the country since 2013, putting the actual population closer to 2.9 million.

The CIA did not provide updated ethnic breakdowns, instead citing the 2013 census, when Bosniaks made up 50.1% of the population, Serbs 30.8%, and Croats 15.4%. These same percentages were applied to religious affiliation: Muslim, Orthodox, and Catholic respectively.

The agency also offered commentary on the country's name, noting that the northern part of Bosnia takes its name from the Bosna River, while the "smaller southern section" derives from the "Old Serbian" word herceg (duke). It lists the "golden lily" as Bosnia and Herzegovina's national symbol.

In addition, the CIA cited 2019 estimates on alcohol consumption, stating that the average resident consumes 5.46 litres of pure alcohol per year, mostly in the form of beer.