Neum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Neum Неум
Town and municipality
Neum
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Neum municipality within Bosnia and Herzegovina
Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entity	Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canton	Herzegovina-Neretva
Geographical region	Herzegovina
Area
• Total	246.03 km2 (94.99 sq mi)
Population  (2013 census)
• Total	4,653
• Density	22/km2 (60/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code(s)	+387 36

Neum is a unique town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the only place in the country that touches the Adriatic Sea. This means it's Bosnia and Herzegovina's only way to reach the sea!

In 2013, the Neum municipality had about 4,653 people living there. The town of Neum itself had a population of 3,013.

Exploring Neum's Location

Neum is the only town along Bosnia and Herzegovina's 20-kilometer (12-mile) coastline. This makes it the country's only direct access to the beautiful Adriatic Sea.

The town is about 47 kilometers (29 miles) northwest of Dubrovnik in Croatia. It's also 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Mostar and 122 kilometers (76 miles) southwest of Sarajevo, the capital city.

The narrow strip of land around Neum actually separates a part of Croatia from the rest of Croatia. This unusual border goes back to a peace treaty signed in 1699. Since 1991, when Yugoslavia broke up, the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina near Neum has become an international border.

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  Neum

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  Promenade along Neum's shoreline

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  Waterpolo court in Neum

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  Zenička beach in Neum

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  Residential Neum

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  Neum Lighthouse

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  Feral Beach on the southern side of Neum peninsula

Towns and Villages in Neum

The Neum municipality includes the main town of Neum. It also has several smaller villages. These include Babin Do, Borut, Brestica, Broćanac, Brštanica, Cerovica, Cerovo, Crnoglav, Dobri Do, Dobrovo, Donji Drijen, Donji Zelenikovac, Dubravica, Duži, Glumina, Gornje Hrasno, Gradac, Hotanj Hutovski, Hutovo, Kiševo, Moševići, Prapratnica, Previš, Rabrani, Vinine, and Žukovica.

Crossing the Border at Neum

Neum has two border crossings with Croatia. These are on the European route E65, also known as the Adriatic Highway. This road connects different parts of Croatia's coast.

Neum 1 is to the northwest of the town. On the Croatian side, it's called the Klek border checkpoint. Neum 2 is to the southeast. Its Croatian checkpoint is at Zaton Doli.

Neum's Past: A Brief History

The special border around Neum dates back to the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699. At that time, a city-state called the Republic of Ragusa (now Dubrovnik) wanted to protect itself. It gave two small areas, including Neum, to the Ottoman Empire. This created a "buffer zone" to stop its rival, Venice, from attacking by land.

Later, in 1878, the entire region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Neum, became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Neum had been under Ottoman control for 179 years.

Memorial to Croatian veterans in Neum.

After World War I, in 1918, Neum became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Later, when Yugoslavia became a socialist country, its leaders decided to keep the old borders from 1878. This is why Neum is now part of independent Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since the 1990s, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have discussed how to manage traffic through Neum. When Croatia joined the European Union in 2013, the Neum border crossings became important EU external borders.

To make travel easier, Croatia built the Pelješac Bridge. This bridge, opened in 2022, goes over the sea and completely bypasses Neum. It helps connect Dubrovnik to the rest of Croatia without needing to cross through Bosnia and Herzegovina. This saves time and avoids long waits at customs.

The European Union helped pay for the bridge. It cost €420 million, with the EU contributing €357 million. The EU also funded new access roads, tunnels, and other improvements.

There have been discussions about turning Neum into a large port for cargo ships. However, many local people and international groups are against this. They worry it would harm the environment of the protected Bay of Mali Ston, which includes Neum's bay. Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina's main cargo port is Ploče in Croatia, which has a railway connection.

Neum's Weather and Nature

Neum has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has mild winters and dry summers. It rains more in the cooler months than in the summer. The average yearly rainfall is about 1316 millimeters (51.8 inches).

The average sea temperature in Neum ranges from 13°C (55°F) in January to 28°C (82°F) in July and August.

The plants around Neum are mostly evergreen Mediterranean types. You can also find subtropical plants like palm trees, agaves, and cacti growing there.

People of Neum

Here's a look at the population and ethnic groups in Neum.

Population Changes in Neum

Ethnic Groups in Neum Town

Ethnic Groups in Neum Municipality

Fun in Neum: Culture and Sports

The traditional dance called the linđo is often performed in the Neum area. Neum celebrates its municipal day on the feast of Our Lady of Good Health. During these celebrations, Neum hosts the Music Festival Etnofest Neum. The town also has its own Neum Animated Film Festival.

Neum is home to local branches of cultural groups like Matica hrvatska and HKD Napredak.

Popular activities for visitors include swimming, sunbathing, going to the beach, boating, and other water sports. Neum has a water polo club called VK Jadran Neum. This club is part of the Croatian Water Polo Federation.

There is also a local football (soccer) club called HNK Neum.

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  Folk costumes from Neum

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  Roman Catholic church in Neum

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  Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Health

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  Hutovo fortress ruins

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  Stećak from Neum

Visiting Neum: Tourism

The Neum area has steep hills and beaches with both stone and sand. There are several large hotels for tourists. Neum can host about 5,000 visitors. About 1,810 of these beds are in hotels, with the rest in motels, villas, and private homes.

Tourism in Neum mainly happens along the coast. Prices for things in Neum are often lower than in nearby Croatia. This makes it a popular spot for shoppers. Tourism and the businesses it brings are the most important part of Neum's economy.

The area inland from Neum has a rich archeological history. It also has wild natural areas with very old olive groves.

Images for kids

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  BiH coast guard / border police

See also

In Spanish: Neum para niños