Zenica, city in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, between Sarajevo and Banja Luka, located on the Bosna River. Zenica is on a rail line to Sarajevo to the south. Zenica is also on a main road that begins on the coast at Split and travels through eastern Croatia and on to Budapest, Hungary. An additional highway passes through Zenica and connects Osijek with Sarajevo. Zenica's strategic location at the juncture of these transportation routes gave it special significance during the civil war that raged in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995.
Zenica is situated in a mountainous region with poor agricultural potential. The city is a major center for heavy industry based on local brown coal and iron. Efforts have been made since the end of the war to restart the 100-year-old steel plant that once drew workers from all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, employing 22,000 people before the war. Zenica is also an important center for the dairy industry and the processing of forest products.
