GEOECONOMIC POSITION – BASIC INFORMATION:

• position: North-West part of the Republic of Srpska
• area: 8.936 km² (about 35% of area of Republic of Srpska)
• number of inhabitants: 598.532
• the largest town in Republic of Srpska is Banja Luka which represents administrative, economic, university and cultural center of the Republic of Srpska
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Banja Luka Region (CCI BL) includes 21 local communities. Two cities (Banja Luka and Prijedor)  and 19 municipalities (Gradiška, Mrkonjić Grad, Prnjavor, Kotor Varoš, Šipovo, Kozarska Dubica, Ribnik, Novi Grad, Srbac, Laktaši, Čelinac, Kneževo, Oštra Luka, Petrovac-Drinić, Kostajnica, Krupa na Uni, Kupres, Istočni Drvar i Jezero).

Banja Luka region is a very important crossroad between South-North and East-West. Roads connecting Central and West of Europe with the Adriatic seaside.

With construction of the highway Banja Luka-Gradiška, this part of Republic of Srpska is connected with the highway Zagreb-Beograd, which facilitated and accelerated communication of goods and passengers. The highway Banja Luka-Doboj is link between the corridor Vc and the so-called European road which streches from Gradiška through Banja Luka and Mrkonjić Grad towards Split. At the same time there is going to be a better connection between Banja Luka and Sarajevo, and top quality link between the central part of BiH to Western Europe.

The railway network of the region is built by railroad direction East-West (aka. South highway) which connects eastern and western borders of Republic of Srpska, that is the link with Croatia and Serbia.

River transport on the Sava River and its tributaries has great significance in the system. Perspective of development of this transport depends on the development of the economic potential in the region.

The Republika Srpska’s Airport lays 23 km far from Banja Luka, in Mahovljani, (www.banjaluka-airport.com),which is the fastest and the most secure connection of the region with the world. There are daily flights Belgrade-Banja Luka-Belgrade from this Airport.