Geographical location

Geographical location

Foca is situated in south-east part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is part of entity called Republic of Srpska. It is located on the crossroad North-South, East-West and connected by main roads M20 (Gacko-Foča-Ustipraca) and M18 (Sarajevo-Foca-Niksic) with other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

East and South border of Municipality is border with Montenegro (Pluzine and Pljevlja). On the North-East there is border with Cajnice municipality, on the North with Federation of B&H (Ustikolina and Gorazde), on the West with Kalinovik municipality and on the South-West with Gacko municipality. The position of Foca is natural settlement that connects northern parts of the country with southern, and eastern parts with western.  That characteristic of the road directions has affected the development of the main roads. Foca is connected with the wider area by main roads: Sarajevo, Podgorica, Dubrovnik, Belgrade. Because of the road directions significance, this municipality has suitable geographical location, which has the positive influence on the tourist activity development. 

The closest airports are Sarajevo 75 km, Mostar 140 km, Podgorica 163 km.

Today, Foca is one of the largest municipalities in RS and B&H. It was on the fouth place in Former Yugoslavia. It occupies area of  1115 km2, 71% covered with forests. Intersected with flows of 17 rivers and small rivers,  so as with 8 glacial lakes (on Zelengora mountain).

Foca is located on the altitude from 400 m (canyon valleys, river basins and fields) to 2386 m (Maglic mountain peak).

Foca has 20000 inhabitants.

On the municipality area mostly represented climate is mountaneous, while in the Drina valley the climate is moderate continental.

Average temperature in Foca is 10 ˚C, and the yearly rainfall is 900 mm, mostly in late autumn and early spring, which is the characteristic of Mediterranean rainfall. Perymountain air reaches upper part of Drina and valleys of rivers which are flowing into Drina (Bistrica, Sutjeska, Cehotina).

There are 17 rivers on the municipality territory in length of 250 km. The most famous are: Drina, Tara, Cehotina, Sutjeska and Bistrica.

All the mountains which are located on the Foca municipality area belong to the Dinaric mountain system, and over 70% of its territory has the altitude over 750 meters.

The most famous mountains are: Maglic, Volujak, Vucevo, Ljubisnja and Zelengora (with its 8 mountain lakes of glacier origin).  NP „Sutjeska“ is located on Foca municipality territory and it is a member of European park federation EUROPARC . With its content (flora and fauna, mountains, lakes and ecosystem) represents the riches tourist potential in B&H.

Very important hydrological significance of this area are numerous lakes and river flows. River Drina is 364 km long, starts at Scepan Polje where Piva and Tara join together. Through Foca municipality Drina flows in the length of 26 km.

River Tara flows through Foca in the length of 25 km, it is known as the deepest river valley in Europe (canyon depth 1300 m), and the second in the world behind The Great Canyon in North America. Tara is one of the rare rivers which is under UNESCO protection. Tara is the symbol of adventurous tourism and rafting.

River Tara, with its right riverbank, in the last 25 km, before creating Drina with Piva, belongs to Foca municipality. Even in the 19th century, forest has been exploited from these areas, and timber has been transported down the Tara and Drina. First, transport loggers used  rafts which they made by themselves, so that later wealthier  people would join and enjoy the beauty of canyon and rapids. Those were actually begenings of this tourism type. Today, that is completely different, faster and more exiting, on the rubber boats, with equipment which are run by skillfull scippers. With high dose of adrenaline, unique experience, all senses for new experiences wake up.