Gorazde, town in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, near the border with Serbia (part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). It is on the main road connecting central Serbia with Dubrovnik, Croatia. Gorazde is in a relatively remote and underdeveloped region. Located east of the capital, Sarajevo, it was one of six safe havens for Muslims of the former Yugoslavia established in June 1993 by the United Nations (UN) during the Bosnian civil war.
Gorazde, a predominantly Muslim town, had been badly damaged during a massive offensive by Bosnian Serb forces beginning in July 1992. It became a major local refugee center for Muslims fleeing the surrounding villages when they were threatened with extermination by Serbian forces. The entire corridor, along the Drina River near Gorazde was “ethnically cleansed” of its Muslim population by Serbs. Under the terms of the Dayton peace agreement of December 1995, Gorazde is part of the Bosnian government-held area, of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The population of Gorazde has swelled with Muslim refugees from eastern Bosnia. The city's population in January 1996 was estimated at 50,000, with at least half that number refugees. Population (1991) 37,505.
