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 Municipality
of Bijeljina is located in the area of Semberija and
encompass the area edged with the River of Drina, from
the Eastern side and the River of Sava on the Northern
side.
Bijeljina, the biggest town in the entire Drina River
basin, is not only the centre of municipality, but the
centre of the entire Semberija area.
The
municipality of Bijeljina, including the town itself,
has sixty settlements and covers the surface of 734 km².
According to the census dated 1991, there were 96.796
inhabitants (out of that number, 2/3 are the Serbs) and
the town of Bijeljina had 36.187 inhabitants.
During the
last war and after if, there were many migrations of
people, so today, Bijeljina
Municipality has about 110.000 inhabitants (95% are the
Serbs) and the town itself has about
450.00 inhabitants,
which makes Bijeljina the second largest town in the
Republic of Srpska, after Banja Luka.
The
agriculture is the main economic activity as it is the
most developed agricultural area in the Republic. The
agricultural production is characterised with the high
yields and quality of products. The focus of the
production in on the wheat and corns, vegetables,
cabbage, paprika, tomato and water-melon. Also,
cattle-breeding (fattening of cows and pigs) and fruit
growing are developed in here.
Semberija
–
the most important plain in the Republic of Srpska – is
located on the Southern bank of the Panonia basin.
Concerning
the climatic conditions, Semberija and its surroundings
has temperate continental weather.
The entire
Semberija area is typical agricultural region which,
besides fertile land and suitable weather conditions,
has also a significant potential of thermal water.
 Although
the name Bijeljina was mentioned in 1446, this name is
in use only after 1918. During Austro-Hungarian period,
the town had the name Bjelina and, before that, Belina
or Bilina.
The
Semberian villages are large when the area and the
number of households are concerned. There was a fair
place in the centre of the village and it was quite a
big empty space with a water-well in a common possession
where inhabitants used to gather during the village
celebrations, fairs, prayers and other events.
Folk
costumes in Semberija and the town itself symbolises
symbiosis of Dinara and Posavina type.
Jewelry of a
Semberian woman included: pafta, “bind” of ducats
(pearls), alal-bracelets, belenzuka, singirlia, pendant
in shape of cross, a ring and other parts of the
traditional folk jewelry. Recently, this jewelry was
rarely worn as a part of the folk costume and finally,
only few younger women wore pearls of ducats when going
to celebrations, prayers, fairs etc.
The homemade textile products mainly included very
beautiful carpets, covers, floor coverings made of wool,
as well as various sorts of fabrics. The old generation
of
carpets were having geometrical ornaments and the newer
ones are with herbs ornaments.
The genuine
folk customs are, mainly, abandoned and the folk customs
symbolize the symbiosis of the Dinara customs with
influents from Macva and Srem areas. Christmas and New
Year’s customs have all characteristics of Dinara
custom; numerous details connected with cattle-breeding,
one or three Christmas oak tree (this tree is a branch
with leafs that is leaned onto a house or by a house,
which is a custom in Posavina and Majevica Mountain).
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