Demographics of Banja Luka
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Current population
From 2013 census, The City of Banja Luka has a population of 185,042 people.[1]
Ethnic composition
Religious composition
| Ethnicity | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Serbian Orthodox Church | 168,955 | 90.25% |
| Islam | 7,526 | 4.07% |
| Roman Catholic Church | 4,842 | 2.62% |
| Agnostic | 612 | 0.33% |
| Atheist | 885 | 0.45% |
| Others | 4,422 | 2.39% |
| Total | 185,042 | 100% |
1991
According to the 1991 census, the municipality of Banja Luka had a population of 195,692, including:[2]
- 106,826 (54.58%) Serbs
- 29,026 (14.83%) Croats
- 28,558 (14.59%) ethnic Muslims
- 23,656 (12.08%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 7,626 (3.92%) others and unknown
1981
According to the 1981. census, the municipality of Banja Luka had a population of 183,618, including:[3]
- 93,389 (50,86%) Serbs
- 30,442 (16,57%) Croats
- 21,726 (11,83%) ethnic Muslims
- 31,347 (17,07%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 6,714 (3,65%) others and unknown
1971
According to the 1971. census, the municipality of Banja Luka had a population of 158,736, including:[4]
- 92,465 (58,25%) Serbs
- 33,371 (21,02%) Croats
- 24,268 (15,28%) ethnic Muslims
- 4,684 (2,95%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 3,948 (2,48%) others and unknown
Settlements (over 1,500 residents), 1991. census
total: 143,079[2]
- 70,155 (49.03%) Serbs
- 27,689 (19.35%) ethnic Muslims
- 15,700 (10.97%) Croats
- 22,645 (15.82%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 6,890 (4.81%) others and unknown
- Ivanjska
total: 4,577[2]
- 3,306 (72.23%) Croats
- 1,095 (23.92%) Serbs
- 6 (0.13%) ethnic Muslims
- 118 (2.57%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 52 (1.13%) others and unknown
- Piskavica
total: 3,798[2]
- 3,729 (98.18%) Serbs
- 15 (0.39%) Croats
- 1 (0.02%) ethnic Muslims
- 27 (0.71%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 26 (0.68%) others and unknown
- Rekavice
total: 2,679[2]
- 2,487 (92.83%) Serbs
- 128 (4.77%) Croats
- 1 (0.03%) ethnic Muslims
- 49 (1.82%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 14 (0.52%) others and unknown
- Dragočaj
total: 2,578[2]
- 1,890 (73.31%) Croats
- 478 (18.54%) Serbs
- 21 (0.81%) ethnic Muslims
- 141 (5.46%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 48 (1.86%) others and unknown
- Kola
total: 2,241[2]
- 2,212 (98.70%) Serbs
- 1 (0.04%) ethnic Muslims
- 18 (0.80%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 10 (0.44%) others and unknown
- Motike
total: 2,009[2]
- 944 (46.98%) Croats
- 941 (46.83%) Serbs
- 10 (0.49%) ethnic Muslims
- 80 (3.98%) ethnic Yugoslavs
- 34 (1.69%) others and unknown
- Krupa na Vrbasu
total: 1,858[2]
- 1,826 - 98.27% Serbs
- 7 - 0.37% Croats
- 1 - 0.05% ethnic Muslims
- 14 - 0.75% ethnic Yugoslavs
- 10 - 0.53% others and unknown
- Bistrica
total: 1,703[2]
- 1,651 - 96.94% Serbs
- 6 - 0.35% ethnic Muslims
- 3 - 0.17% Croats
- 32 - 1.87% ethnic Yugoslavs
- 11 - 0.64% others and unknown
- Bočac
total: 1,685[2]
- 1,670 - 99.10% Serbs
- 1 - 0.05% Croats
- 1 - 0.05% ethnic Muslims
- 3 - 0.17% ethnic Yugoslavs
- 10 - 0.59% others and unknown
- Pavlovac
total: 1,522[2]
- 1,377 - 90.47% Serbs
- 26 - 1.70% Croats
- 7 - 0.45% ethnic Muslims
- 39 - 2.56% ethnic Yugoslavs
- 73 - 4.79% others and unknown
- Šimići
total: 1,516[2]
Historical population
Serbs
Croats
No clear majority (Serbs, Croats, Muslims, Yugoslavs)
Uninhabited or no data
At the first census, conducted by Austro-Hungarian authorities in 1879, Banja Luka had the following religious (ethnic) composition:[citation needed]
Banja Luka municipality - 86,209 citizens, Orthodox 74.46%, Muslims 14.33%, Catholics 10.52%
Banja Luka city - 13,566 citizens, Muslims 67.71%, 19.8% Orthodox.
As the city was industrialized and wider urbanization of the surrounding areas took place, Orthodox Serbs that typically inhabited surrounding rural areas (due to Ottoman feudal system) were incorporated into the city's urban structure.
Banja Luka is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka and home to the Cathedral of St. Bonaventure.
During World War II most of Banja Luka's prominent Serbian and Sephardic Jewish families were deported to nearby Croatian concentration camps, such as Jasenovac and Stara Gradiška in Croatia. Today, Banja Luka's Jewish community is virtually non-existent. A spike in Serbian immigration was mostly noted after the earthquake of 1969, when the city has seen a boom in housing construction.
In 1991 the city of Banja Luka was still an ethnically mixed city (with a relative Serb majority), while on the municipal level there was an evident Serb majority of 54.6%.[2]