Ugljevik
Encyclopedia
Ugljevik is a municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina
. The municipality located in the eastern foothills of Mount Majevica
, in picturesque countryside, where wondrous and beautiful mountain starts descending towards the flatlands of Semberija
, to which it is tied more than any other surrounding area. The center of the municipality is the town of Ugljevik, the most sunbathed and modern of communities in the Republika Srpska
entity. This is the home of miners and other energy resource professionals.
“ugalj in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian” which began to be organizely exploited on Mount Majevica
in 1899.
production has been exploited on Mount Majevica
since 1899. Within a century, the Majevicans developed the initial small dig into today’s giant surface mine producing 6,000 tonne
s of coal per day and the giant coal-fired power plant “Termoelektrana Ugljevik” (Ugljevik Power Plant
), supplying the Republic with 300 megawatts of electricity
. Preparations are underway for the construction of another power-plant of 600 MW. Exploration indicates huge reserves of quality coal, with seams stretching in every direction, even reaching Zvornik
on the Drina
river. The administrative center of the Municipality was the village of Zabrdje, to be transferred to the mining community of Ugljevik (now named Stari Ugljevik (Old Ugljevik)) in 1941, after Zabrdje was burned by Ustaše
. The present-day Ugljevik began to be built in 1980 in the valley of Janja river (one of the Drina
’s tributaries) between Zabrdje, Stari Ugljevik and Bogutovo Selo, in answer to the need for increasing the surface mining operations and building the power-plant. The whole of the old Ugljevik was then moved to this new site.
At least ten archaeological archaeological locations have been found in the area. These includes five locations with groupings of medieval stone sarcophagi, called stecci in Serbian, and three dating from the Roman period. Though research into Neolithic
sites in the Municipality is lacking, near-by areas have Neolithic archaeological sites, allowing pòstulation that there may have been ancient sites present. The village of Tutnjevac contains the remains of a Roman
villa.
The first population census of the region showed five settlements with a total of 55 houses, which date from prior to arrival of Osmanli Turks
in the 15th century. During troubled times the population would leave these parts with most of the succeeding population—the forbears of the present Majevicans—coming from Eastern and ‘Old’ Herzegovina
in the 19th century.
During the past hundred years, the pace and extent of development of the Ugljevik region has been determined by coal production. With the increased need for coal
, coal exploitation began in 1899, and a narrow gauge railway was built from Rača
, on the Sava river, to the Ugljevik coal-mine via Bijeljina in 1919. Subsequently this railway was upgraded to normal narrow gauge, and later was connected to one of Ugljevik’s communities, Mezgraja, in 1938. This was the last narrow gauge
railway in the Europe before it was closed on May 26, 1979.
The coal from Bogutovo Selo surface mine has a calorific value
of 2,550 kcal
/kg (10.68 MJ/kg), and it is estimated that the reserves are sufficient to satisfy the needs of four 300 megawatt coal-fired power plants.
It is thanks to these coal giants that almost all of Ugljevik’s corporations developed.
After the Bosnian War
Ugljevik became a significant peacekeeping force post. For the first time after the World War II
, Russian (then Soviet) Army and Western Allies worked together in a military mission, as Implementation Force (IFOR
) and later Stabilization forces (SFOR
). Headquarters of Russian Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia
was in Ugljevik. Americans had a small base in Ugljevik, across the Janja river from the Russians. In relation to this, IFOR info magazine “Talon” wrote in one of its issues “Cold War melted on the Balkan sun”.
, with Lopare
Municipality marking the West and Zvornik
Municipality the South boundaries, and in the South also touching on Teočak
Municipality in the BiH Federation. The 1993 population census indicated a population of 16,456 residing in 4,733 households, in this Municipality covering 164 square kilometers. The population density is 12.44/km², thi being the result of dispersed nature of the communities.
Ugljevik is located on the inter-Entity Bijeljina
-Tuzla
highway—built in 1971—which connects it to all the surrounding regions, with asphalt roads branching off the highway towards Zabrdje, Trnova and other communities. It is now possible to reach every village in Ugljevik municipality by car. This, coupled with other circumstances—primarily the fine infrastructure, employment opportunities, healthy environment and proximity to populous towns—contribute to the municipality’s towns developing quickly and the residents choice to remain in them. Despite the destruction of the recent war and the postwar hardships of recovery, new houses are replacing old at every step.
. As a population census has not been conducted in Bosnia-Herzegovina since 1991, the exact demographic breakdown is unknown and all information is subject to error.
The town itself had a population of 2,981 with:
Today, most of villages with Muslim majority is part of municipality of Teočak
.
Before the war, the municipality included the Bosnian Muslim (Bosniak) village of Teočak
, located several miles to the south of Ugljevik, which did not become a part of Republika Srpska
, and is therefore not part of Ugljevik municipality today. Teocak municipality has a population estimated at 9,000 (believed to be 100% bosniak).
"On the eastern slopes, on the border of the Municipality – whence as through on the palms of one's hands are visible the flatlands between two rivers, rise in the distance the peaks of Mounts Gučevo
and Cer
, and (Fruška Gora
)—is located Gornja Trnova, the birthplace of the greatest of Serbian bards, the blind epic poet Filip Višnjić
. Born at Vilića Guvno, the great poet has been called by other poets the Serbian Homer. Witness to great historical events of exceptional significance to the Serbian nation, the bard immortalized these events in epic grandeur."
Cultural Club Rudar was founded in 1976 and in the composition of the club work: folk dance ensemble, drama and recitation section, original (authentic) creative work, folk music orchestra. With its good programme the Club takes part in all important manifestations in the municipality and economy collectives and they also often had their performances in other municipalities.
Building of Cultural Center “Filip Višnjić” was opened in 2006, and it is replica of Mine Head Office („Direkcija“ building) in Stari Ugljevik. Original building was built in 1921, but due to removal of Ugljevik on new location it was abandoned. New building is a center of rich cultural life in municipality and region.
are being built. The most impressive one is in Ugljevik, dedicated to the protesters of Ugljevik and the Municipality, Holy Mother Paraskeva
. The church was built in the traditional Serbian-Byzantine Church style, and dominates the town.
Mosque
s are also being rebuilt, after the war, in villages (Janjari, Atmačići, Glinje, Srednja Trnova).
Education has a long tradition in the Municipality of Ugljevik. An elementary school was founded in Zabrdje in 1875. The town was at the time the largest settlement in this part of Majevica, since it was located on the Bijeljina
-Tuzla
road. In the year of 1995 town marked the 120th anniversary of its school, making Zabrdje, one of privileged communities of Majevica
and Semberija
to have their own school for quite some time.
The second school to open in these parts began lesson in 1890 in Korenita. It was followed two years later by the opening of a school in Ugljevik. After the Second World War, village schools appeared in other Ugljevik communities—Tutnjevac, Malesevci, Trnova, Mezgraja, Bogutovo Selo, Ugljevicka Obrijez and other communities. All school-age children attend classes. School building are modern and well equipped, with an adequate number of teachers ensuring a high standard of education. Two thousand pupils attend Ugljevik Municipality schools each year.
Ugljevik also has a Secondary School training future energy technicians, covering the trades needed most by the Ugljevik Termoelektrana (Power Plant). Despite a number of Ugljevik students attending school in Bijeljina
secondary schools, and vice-versa, Ugljevik still has 600 students.
had once reached above New Ugljevik, its waves cutting into the mountainside above the school complex where fossilised traces of aquatic flora and fauna are visible. Above Old Ugljevik lie the Medieval remains of the fortress Jablangrad. From its cliffs, reaching to 451 m above sea level, can be had the best view of the flatlands of Semberija
, while beyond, across the Drina
, through the morning fog, are discernible Mačva
and Mount Cer
.
Udrigovo Peak, where a radio-TV relay tower was built after the war, rises like a sentinel above the Ugljevik region. Udrigovo is famous for its thick oak
stands.
Majevica’s hills are rich in forests, with the black oak
being famous in Udrigovo. Plans are therefore being made to protect the forests and natural beauty of the region and the Nature Reserves in Bogutovo Selo and Lazarevici, while maintaining lumber production. These are also the conditions necessary to the development of recreation and various forms of tourism in the region. This should be kept in mind when planning to expand surface coal exploitation or build new roads. Forest of sessile oak
, black oak and other varieties can be found at Bogutovo Selo, Korenita and Lazarevic, as elsewhere.
Land use is very significant feature of the documents on the developments on the development of the Municipality, dealing with natural resources preservation, mineral exploitation, and urbanization. Judging by this, one can with justification expect the region’s communities to be even more accommodating to contemporary life while offering the amenities of natural surroundings.
There are many varieties of medicinal herbs and fruit
grown locally, thus lending every village with exploit village tourism
.
The village of Krćina, in the direction of Zvornik
, has great potential for the development of village tourism
, it being located in beautiful natural surroundings and possessing a respectable cave nearby know by the local population as the cave of the epic hero Starina Novak. Nearby is also located the Tavna Monastery
, dating to Middle Ages. The village is accessible from the Podrinje, from the direction of Loznica, Jadar
, Radjevina, Zvornik
and Bijeljina
. The road is partly macadam, and once fully asphalted it will be the shortest way to reach Ugljevik and Majevica
from Podrinje.
In the valley of the little river Domana is located another cave, the Suplja Pecina, while in the cliff on Baljak hill is Kurtina Pecina.
, which has won the most important trophies and titles in Republika Srpska
and spread the name of Ugljevik throughout the Republic. The Club is a wellspring of talented players, and its successes have inspired the development of soccer in neighbour municipalities as well. Village soccer clubs and school soccer teams have increased and improved their programmes also.
Basketball
and other sports are on the rise. Great attention is being paid the construction of sports facilities—soccer stadium, swimming pool, universal gym—while minor sports facilities are available for the youth in the vicinity of the elementary and secondary schools.
The Rudar Karate
Club is a young sport
s club, but this does not prevent it from achieving high results in numerous domestic and international karate meets. Competition began with county and regional meets, to finally progress to the world karate scene, it being of exceptional quality past years.
The Rudar Basketball
Club was founded in 1984 and belongs to the Prime League of Republika Srpska. The club stopped operating in 1989, to renew itself in 1994 with great strides towards the Republic’s basketball elite.
Rudar is also the name of chess
club, which, through its competitions and work at popularising this ancient game, proudly represents the name of Rudar.
Volleyball
, judo
and bowling
are also represented in Rudar sport’s family.
There are additionally nine soccer clubs in the various villages: Partizan in Donja Trnova, Mladost in Bogutovo Selo, Buducnost in Ravno Polje, Strijelac in Tutnjevac, Proleter in Ugljevik Selo, Borac in Ugljevicka Obrijez, Majevica in Donja Zabrdje, Hajduk in Mezgraja and Granicar in Korenita.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. The municipality located in the eastern foothills of Mount Majevica
Majevica
Majevica is a mountain in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between Semberija, Posavina, and Tuzlanska Kotlina.Its highest peak is Stolice, some 10 miles east of Tuzla, and its stands 916 m high...
, in picturesque countryside, where wondrous and beautiful mountain starts descending towards the flatlands of Semberija
Semberija
Semberija is a geographical region in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main city in the region is Bijeljina. Semberija is located between Drina and Sava rivers and Majevica mountain...
, to which it is tied more than any other surrounding area. The center of the municipality is the town of Ugljevik, the most sunbathed and modern of communities in the Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
entity. This is the home of miners and other energy resource professionals.
Name
Ugljevik was named for the coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
“ugalj in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian” which began to be organizely exploited on Mount Majevica
Majevica
Majevica is a mountain in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between Semberija, Posavina, and Tuzlanska Kotlina.Its highest peak is Stolice, some 10 miles east of Tuzla, and its stands 916 m high...
in 1899.
History
CoalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
production has been exploited on Mount Majevica
Majevica
Majevica is a mountain in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between Semberija, Posavina, and Tuzlanska Kotlina.Its highest peak is Stolice, some 10 miles east of Tuzla, and its stands 916 m high...
since 1899. Within a century, the Majevicans developed the initial small dig into today’s giant surface mine producing 6,000 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s of coal per day and the giant coal-fired power plant “Termoelektrana Ugljevik” (Ugljevik Power Plant
Ugljevik Power Plant
The Ugljevik Power Plant is a coal-fired power plant in Ugljevik, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is owned and operated by Rudnik i termoelektrana Ugljevik, a subsidiary of Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske. RiTE Ugljevik is an integrated coal-mining and power generating...
), supplying the Republic with 300 megawatts of electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. Preparations are underway for the construction of another power-plant of 600 MW. Exploration indicates huge reserves of quality coal, with seams stretching in every direction, even reaching Zvornik
Zvornik
Zvornik is a city on the Drina river in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of the town of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town Mali Zvornik lies directly across the river in Serbia, and not far north is Loznica.-History:Zvornik is first mentioned in 1410, although it was...
on the Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
river. The administrative center of the Municipality was the village of Zabrdje, to be transferred to the mining community of Ugljevik (now named Stari Ugljevik (Old Ugljevik)) in 1941, after Zabrdje was burned by Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
. The present-day Ugljevik began to be built in 1980 in the valley of Janja river (one of the Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
’s tributaries) between Zabrdje, Stari Ugljevik and Bogutovo Selo, in answer to the need for increasing the surface mining operations and building the power-plant. The whole of the old Ugljevik was then moved to this new site.
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
sites in the Municipality is lacking, near-by areas have Neolithic archaeological sites, allowing pòstulation that there may have been ancient sites present. The village of Tutnjevac contains the remains of a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
villa.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in the 15th century. During troubled times the population would leave these parts with most of the succeeding population—the forbears of the present Majevicans—coming from Eastern and ‘Old’ Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
in the 19th century.
During the past hundred years, the pace and extent of development of the Ugljevik region has been determined by coal production. With the increased need for coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, coal exploitation began in 1899, and a narrow gauge railway was built from Rača
Raca
Raca or RACA can refer to:* Raca, a Biblical term of Aramaic origin used in Matthew 5:22. See Aramaic of Jesus or Expounding of the Law.* Rača, a town and municipality in Serbia* Rača , river in Serbia...
, on the Sava river, to the Ugljevik coal-mine via Bijeljina in 1919. Subsequently this railway was upgraded to normal narrow gauge, and later was connected to one of Ugljevik’s communities, Mezgraja, in 1938. This was the last narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
railway in the Europe before it was closed on May 26, 1979.
The coal from Bogutovo Selo surface mine has a calorific value
Energy value of coal
The energy value of coal, or the fuel content, raj is the amount of potential energy in coal that can be converted into actual heating ability. The value can be calculated and compared with different grades of coal or even other materials...
of 2,550 kcal
Calorie
The calorie is a pre-SI metric unit of energy. It was first defined by Nicolas Clément in 1824 as a unit of heat, entering French and English dictionaries between 1841 and 1867. In most fields its use is archaic, having been replaced by the SI unit of energy, the joule...
/kg (10.68 MJ/kg), and it is estimated that the reserves are sufficient to satisfy the needs of four 300 megawatt coal-fired power plants.
It is thanks to these coal giants that almost all of Ugljevik’s corporations developed.
After the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
Ugljevik became a significant peacekeeping force post. For the first time after the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Russian (then Soviet) Army and Western Allies worked together in a military mission, as Implementation Force (IFOR
IFOR
The Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour. Its task was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for...
) and later Stabilization forces (SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
). Headquarters of Russian Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
was in Ugljevik. Americans had a small base in Ugljevik, across the Janja river from the Russians. In relation to this, IFOR info magazine “Talon” wrote in one of its issues “Cold War melted on the Balkan sun”.
Location
The Municipality of Ugljevik borders to the East and North on the Municipality of BijeljinaBijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
, with Lopare
Lopare
Lopare is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Majevica region of the Republika Srpska entity.-Demographics:...
Municipality marking the West and Zvornik
Zvornik
Zvornik is a city on the Drina river in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of the town of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town Mali Zvornik lies directly across the river in Serbia, and not far north is Loznica.-History:Zvornik is first mentioned in 1410, although it was...
Municipality the South boundaries, and in the South also touching on Teočak
Teocak
thumb|Mosque in TeočakTeočak is a town and municipality in the northeastern part Bosnia and Herzegovina. Center of the municipality is town of Teočak-Krstac.-Geography:...
Municipality in the BiH Federation. The 1993 population census indicated a population of 16,456 residing in 4,733 households, in this Municipality covering 164 square kilometers. The population density is 12.44/km², thi being the result of dispersed nature of the communities.
Ugljevik is located on the inter-Entity Bijeljina
Bijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
-Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
highway—built in 1971—which connects it to all the surrounding regions, with asphalt roads branching off the highway towards Zabrdje, Trnova and other communities. It is now possible to reach every village in Ugljevik municipality by car. This, coupled with other circumstances—primarily the fine infrastructure, employment opportunities, healthy environment and proximity to populous towns—contribute to the municipality’s towns developing quickly and the residents choice to remain in them. Despite the destruction of the recent war and the postwar hardships of recovery, new houses are replacing old at every step.
Demographics
Both the municipality and the town are overwhelmingly populated by SerbsSerbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
. As a population census has not been conducted in Bosnia-Herzegovina since 1991, the exact demographic breakdown is unknown and all information is subject to error.
1971
24.178 total- Serbs - 14.816 (61,27%)
- Muslims - 8.859 (36,64%)
- Croats - 53 (0,21%)
- Yugoslavs - 35 (0,14%)
- others - 415 (1,74%)
1991
In 1991 census the municipality had 25,587 residents, including:- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
- 14,468 (56.54%) (See: Serbs of Bosnia and HerzegovinaSerbs of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina are people of Serb ethnicity inhabiting the Balkan regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or, since the establishment of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a state in the 1990s, the Serbs who have its citizenship. The Serbs are one of the three constitutive nations of this...
) - Muslims by nationalityMuslims by nationalityMuslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
- 10,241 (40.02%) - "YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
" - 290 (1.13%) - CroatsCroatsCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
- 56 (0.21%) (See: Croats of Bosnia and HerzegovinaCroats of Bosnia and HerzegovinaCroats of Bosnia and Herzegovina form one of the three constitutive nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.There is no precise data regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's population since the last war. Ethnic cleansing within Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s saw the vast majority of Croats move and take...
) - others and unknown - 532 (2.10%)
The town itself had a population of 2,981 with:
- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
- 2,426 (81.38%) - Muslims by nationalityMuslims by nationalityMuslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
- 348 (11.67%) - "YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
" - 133 (4.46%) - CroatsCroatsCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
- 39 (1.30%) - others and unknown - 35 (1.19%)
- Serbs were majority in settlements: Bogutovo Selo, Donja Krćina, Donja Trnova, Gornja Krćina, Gornja Trnova, Korenita, Maleševci, Mezgraja, Mukat-Stankovići, Ravno Polje, Sarije, Stari Ugljevik, Tutnjevac, Ugljevička Obrijež, Ugljevik, Ugljevik (village) and Zabrđe.
- Muslims by nationality (Bosniacs) were majority in settlements: Atmačići, Bilalići, Glinje, Janjari, Jasikovac, Sniježnica, Srednja Trnova, Stari Teočak, Teočak-Krstac and Tursunovo Brdo.
- Romas (Gypsies) were majority in settlement of Jasenje.
Today, most of villages with Muslim majority is part of municipality of Teočak
Teocak
thumb|Mosque in TeočakTeočak is a town and municipality in the northeastern part Bosnia and Herzegovina. Center of the municipality is town of Teočak-Krstac.-Geography:...
.
Before the war, the municipality included the Bosnian Muslim (Bosniak) village of Teočak
Teocak
thumb|Mosque in TeočakTeočak is a town and municipality in the northeastern part Bosnia and Herzegovina. Center of the municipality is town of Teočak-Krstac.-Geography:...
, located several miles to the south of Ugljevik, which did not become a part of Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, and is therefore not part of Ugljevik municipality today. Teocak municipality has a population estimated at 9,000 (believed to be 100% bosniak).
Territorial organisation
The Municipality of Ugljevik has the following 21 communities:- KorenitaKorenitaKorenita is a town in the municipality of Loznica, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 2680 people....
- Maleševci
- ZabrdjeZabrdjeZabrdje may refer to:*Zabrđe , a village in the Ugljevik municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina*Zabrdje, Trebnje, a settlement in the Trebnje municipality in Slovenia...
- Ugljevička Obrijež
- Stari Ugljevik
- Ugljevik Selo
- Gornje Zabrdje
- Ravno Polje
- Bogutovo Selo
- Gornja Krćina
- Gornja TrnovaTrnova- Gornja Trnova :total: 420* Serbs - 413 * Croats - 2 * "Yugoslavs" - 2 * others and unknown - 3 - Srednja Trnova :total: 721* Muslims by nationality - 682 * "Yugoslavs" - 24 * Serbs - 12...
- Mezgraja
- Modran
- Donje Zabrđe
- Janjari (Atmačići)
- Srednja TrnovaTrnova- Gornja Trnova :total: 420* Serbs - 413 * Croats - 2 * "Yugoslavs" - 2 * others and unknown - 3 - Srednja Trnova :total: 721* Muslims by nationality - 682 * "Yugoslavs" - 24 * Serbs - 12...
- Glinje
- Sarije
- Mukat
- StankovićiStankovićiStankovići is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D414 highway....
- Donja TrnovaTrnova- Gornja Trnova :total: 420* Serbs - 413 * Croats - 2 * "Yugoslavs" - 2 * others and unknown - 3 - Srednja Trnova :total: 721* Muslims by nationality - 682 * "Yugoslavs" - 24 * Serbs - 12...
Famous citizens
Filip VišnjićFilip Višnjic
Filip Višnjić was a popular Serbian epic poet and guslar , born in northern Bosnia. He is often described as the "Serbian Homer" both because he was blind and for his poetic gift...
"On the eastern slopes, on the border of the Municipality – whence as through on the palms of one's hands are visible the flatlands between two rivers, rise in the distance the peaks of Mounts Gučevo
Gučevo
Gučevo is a mountain in western Serbia, near the town of Loznica, overlooking the Drina river and Banja Koviljača. Its highest peak Crni vrh has an altitude of 779 meters above sea level....
and Cer
Cer
Cer or CER may refer to:* Cer , a mountain in Serbia* Cer , Greek goddess of violent death, one of the Protogenoi* Canonical Encoding Rules, a set of ASN.1 encoding rules for formatting data in binary* Centre for European Reform...
, and (Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora
Fruška Gora is a mountain in north Syrmia. Most part of the territory is located within Vojvodina, Serbia, but a smaller part on its western side overlaps the territory of Croatia...
)—is located Gornja Trnova, the birthplace of the greatest of Serbian bards, the blind epic poet Filip Višnjić
Filip Višnjic
Filip Višnjić was a popular Serbian epic poet and guslar , born in northern Bosnia. He is often described as the "Serbian Homer" both because he was blind and for his poetic gift...
. Born at Vilića Guvno, the great poet has been called by other poets the Serbian Homer. Witness to great historical events of exceptional significance to the Serbian nation, the bard immortalized these events in epic grandeur."
Culture
Culture in these parts is gaining momentum. Numerous cultural events are presented at the Cultural Center.Cultural Club Rudar was founded in 1976 and in the composition of the club work: folk dance ensemble, drama and recitation section, original (authentic) creative work, folk music orchestra. With its good programme the Club takes part in all important manifestations in the municipality and economy collectives and they also often had their performances in other municipalities.
Building of Cultural Center “Filip Višnjić” was opened in 2006, and it is replica of Mine Head Office („Direkcija“ building) in Stari Ugljevik. Original building was built in 1921, but due to removal of Ugljevik on new location it was abandoned. New building is a center of rich cultural life in municipality and region.
Religion
Religion assumed its proper place in the last decade among the lives of the local populace. In addition to the existing churches in Zabrdje, Tutnjevac, Stari Ugljevik, which all shared the fate of their faithful, new Orthodox churchesSerbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
are being built. The most impressive one is in Ugljevik, dedicated to the protesters of Ugljevik and the Municipality, Holy Mother Paraskeva
Paraskevi
Paraskevi is a female name. Variations include Petka, Paraskeva, Praskovia, Praskovie, Pyatnitsa, Pyetka, Paraskevoula, Paraschiva and Voula.Notable people with the name include:*Voula Patoulidou, Greek hurdler and long jumper*Paraskevi...
. The church was built in the traditional Serbian-Byzantine Church style, and dominates the town.
Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s are also being rebuilt, after the war, in villages (Janjari, Atmačići, Glinje, Srednja Trnova).
Education
Bijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
-Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
road. In the year of 1995 town marked the 120th anniversary of its school, making Zabrdje, one of privileged communities of Majevica
Majevica
Majevica is a mountain in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between Semberija, Posavina, and Tuzlanska Kotlina.Its highest peak is Stolice, some 10 miles east of Tuzla, and its stands 916 m high...
and Semberija
Semberija
Semberija is a geographical region in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main city in the region is Bijeljina. Semberija is located between Drina and Sava rivers and Majevica mountain...
to have their own school for quite some time.
The second school to open in these parts began lesson in 1890 in Korenita. It was followed two years later by the opening of a school in Ugljevik. After the Second World War, village schools appeared in other Ugljevik communities—Tutnjevac, Malesevci, Trnova, Mezgraja, Bogutovo Selo, Ugljevicka Obrijez and other communities. All school-age children attend classes. School building are modern and well equipped, with an adequate number of teachers ensuring a high standard of education. Two thousand pupils attend Ugljevik Municipality schools each year.
Ugljevik also has a Secondary School training future energy technicians, covering the trades needed most by the Ugljevik Termoelektrana (Power Plant). Despite a number of Ugljevik students attending school in Bijeljina
Bijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
secondary schools, and vice-versa, Ugljevik still has 600 students.
Natural beauties
The Ugljevik region is rich in natural beauty and rarities. The now evaporated Pannonian SeaPannonian Sea
The Pannonian Sea was a shallow ancient sea located in the area today known as the Pannonian Plain in Central Europe. The Pannonian Sea existed during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, when three to four kilometres of marine sediments were deposited in the Pannonian Basin.-History:The Pannonian Sea...
had once reached above New Ugljevik, its waves cutting into the mountainside above the school complex where fossilised traces of aquatic flora and fauna are visible. Above Old Ugljevik lie the Medieval remains of the fortress Jablangrad. From its cliffs, reaching to 451 m above sea level, can be had the best view of the flatlands of Semberija
Semberija
Semberija is a geographical region in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main city in the region is Bijeljina. Semberija is located between Drina and Sava rivers and Majevica mountain...
, while beyond, across the Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
, through the morning fog, are discernible Mačva
Macva
Mačva is a geographical region in Serbia, mostly situated in the northwest of Central Serbia. It is located in a fertile plain between the Sava and Drina rivers. The chief town of this region is Šabac. The modern Mačva District of Serbia is named after the region, although the region of Mačva...
and Mount Cer
Cer
Cer or CER may refer to:* Cer , a mountain in Serbia* Cer , Greek goddess of violent death, one of the Protogenoi* Canonical Encoding Rules, a set of ASN.1 encoding rules for formatting data in binary* Centre for European Reform...
.
Udrigovo Peak, where a radio-TV relay tower was built after the war, rises like a sentinel above the Ugljevik region. Udrigovo is famous for its thick oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
stands.
Majevica’s hills are rich in forests, with the black oak
Black oak
Quercus velutina, the eastern black oak or more commonly known as simply black oak, is an oak in the red oak group of oaks. It is native to eastern North America from southern Ontario south to northern Florida and southern Maine west to northeastern Texas...
being famous in Udrigovo. Plans are therefore being made to protect the forests and natural beauty of the region and the Nature Reserves in Bogutovo Selo and Lazarevici, while maintaining lumber production. These are also the conditions necessary to the development of recreation and various forms of tourism in the region. This should be kept in mind when planning to expand surface coal exploitation or build new roads. Forest of sessile oak
Sessile Oak
Quercus petraea , the Sessile Oak, also known as the Durmast Oak, is a species of oak native to most of Europe, and into Anatolia.-Description:...
, black oak and other varieties can be found at Bogutovo Selo, Korenita and Lazarevic, as elsewhere.
Land use is very significant feature of the documents on the developments on the development of the Municipality, dealing with natural resources preservation, mineral exploitation, and urbanization. Judging by this, one can with justification expect the region’s communities to be even more accommodating to contemporary life while offering the amenities of natural surroundings.
There are many varieties of medicinal herbs and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
grown locally, thus lending every village with exploit village tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
Tourism
Zvornik
Zvornik is a city on the Drina river in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of the town of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town Mali Zvornik lies directly across the river in Serbia, and not far north is Loznica.-History:Zvornik is first mentioned in 1410, although it was...
, has great potential for the development of village tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, it being located in beautiful natural surroundings and possessing a respectable cave nearby know by the local population as the cave of the epic hero Starina Novak. Nearby is also located the Tavna Monastery
Tavna Monastery
Monastery Tavna is located in the southern part of the Bijeljina municipality. The date of foundation is hidden somewhere in the shadows of the far past. The cronichles of monasteries Tronosha and Pech say it was built by Dragutin's sons Vladislav i Urosic. Stefan Dragutin was the King of Serbia...
, dating to Middle Ages. The village is accessible from the Podrinje, from the direction of Loznica, Jadar
Jadar
Jadar may refer to:* Jadar , a river in western Serbia, tributary to the Drina* Jadar , a river in eastern Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, tributary to the Drinjača...
, Radjevina, Zvornik
Zvornik
Zvornik is a city on the Drina river in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of the town of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town Mali Zvornik lies directly across the river in Serbia, and not far north is Loznica.-History:Zvornik is first mentioned in 1410, although it was...
and Bijeljina
Bijeljina
Bijeljina is a city and municipality in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is the second largest in the Republika Srpska entity after Banja Luka and fifth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is situated on the flat rich plains of Semberija...
. The road is partly macadam, and once fully asphalted it will be the shortest way to reach Ugljevik and Majevica
Majevica
Majevica is a mountain in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between Semberija, Posavina, and Tuzlanska Kotlina.Its highest peak is Stolice, some 10 miles east of Tuzla, and its stands 916 m high...
from Podrinje.
In the valley of the little river Domana is located another cave, the Suplja Pecina, while in the cliff on Baljak hill is Kurtina Pecina.
Industry
- Ugljevik Power PlantUgljevik Power PlantThe Ugljevik Power Plant is a coal-fired power plant in Ugljevik, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is owned and operated by Rudnik i termoelektrana Ugljevik, a subsidiary of Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske. RiTE Ugljevik is an integrated coal-mining and power generating...
(300 Megawatt coal-fired power station with 310 metre tall chimney)
Sport
Sport and physical culture are on the rise in Ugljevik. The pride of these parts is the Football Club RudarFK Rudar Ugljevik
FK Rudar is a football club from the town of Ugljevik, in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The club played in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 2004-05 season. However, they were relegated to the First League of the Republika Srpska at the end of the season...
, which has won the most important trophies and titles in Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska is one of two main political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
and spread the name of Ugljevik throughout the Republic. The Club is a wellspring of talented players, and its successes have inspired the development of soccer in neighbour municipalities as well. Village soccer clubs and school soccer teams have increased and improved their programmes also.
Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and other sports are on the rise. Great attention is being paid the construction of sports facilities—soccer stadium, swimming pool, universal gym—while minor sports facilities are available for the youth in the vicinity of the elementary and secondary schools.
The Rudar Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
Club is a young sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s club, but this does not prevent it from achieving high results in numerous domestic and international karate meets. Competition began with county and regional meets, to finally progress to the world karate scene, it being of exceptional quality past years.
The Rudar Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
Club was founded in 1984 and belongs to the Prime League of Republika Srpska. The club stopped operating in 1989, to renew itself in 1994 with great strides towards the Republic’s basketball elite.
Rudar is also the name of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
club, which, through its competitions and work at popularising this ancient game, proudly represents the name of Rudar.
Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
are also represented in Rudar sport’s family.
There are additionally nine soccer clubs in the various villages: Partizan in Donja Trnova, Mladost in Bogutovo Selo, Buducnost in Ravno Polje, Strijelac in Tutnjevac, Proleter in Ugljevik Selo, Borac in Ugljevicka Obrijez, Majevica in Donja Zabrdje, Hajduk in Mezgraja and Granicar in Korenita.