Grude
Gruda is a large village ( Općina ) in Bosnia and Herzegovina with almost 18,000 inhabitants. The almost exclusively populated by Croats municipality is located in western Herzegovina, in the canton West Herzegovina Federation.
The eponymous main town is the administrative center of the municipality. The municipality is divided ( zajednica Mjesna, short MZ) in the 15 local communities Pocrte, Borajna, Tihaljina, Gruda Zapad, Cerov Dolac Pogana Vlake, Ledinac - Podledinac, Višnjica - Medovići, Dragicina, Jabuka - Puteševica, Ružići, Gorica, Sovici Donji, Sovici Gornji, Drinovci and Gruda Centar.
- 6.1 traffic
Population
Population in the municipality Gruda, according to the 1991 census:
- Total in 1991: 15,976
- Croats: 13,150 ( 99.77 %)
- Serbs: 8 (0.05 %)
- Bosniaks: 4 ( 0.03%)
- Other: 25 (0.16 %)
Geography
Geographically, the municipality is determined by the course of the Bekijsko Polje, which runs from northwest to southeast and then widened to the west to a low level. The plain is very fertile and is used mainly for agricultural purposes. The in the course of subsequent Taleinschnitte ridges and plateaus are karstified and agricultural barely usable. With 819 meters above sea level, the mountain is Trstike in the southwest is the highest elevation of the municipality, the low level is at about 250 m altitude. The community association Gruda has an area of approximately 221 km ². Gruda is ertfernt of Mostar 40 km from Split and 100 km.
Neighboring communities
Gruda is bordered to the northwest by Posušje, on the northeast by Široki Brijeg, on the southeast by Ljubuški, on the west by Imotski (Croatia) and on the south by Vrgorac (Croatia).
Geographical Location
The community association Gruda has an area of about 18 km in north-south direction and 22 km in west-east direction.
History
During the Bosnian War Gruda was the seat of government of the internationally unrecognized Croatian Republic of Herceg- Bosna, with its president Mate Boban.
On April 6, 2001, in the local branch of the Hercegovacka banka a hostage situation occurred in Gruda after a raid by SFOR troops.
Religion
A large village Gruda is mostly Catholic, including there is a Muslim minority and a very small number of other like Hindus or Buddhists.
In the municipality there are the six Roman Catholic parishes Gruda, Drinovci, Gorica, Ružići, Tihaljina and Ledinac. The parishes belong to the diocese of Mostar Ratko Peric.
Twinning
The community Gruda is twinned with Slunj (Croatia) and Baldissero Torinese (Italy).
Economy and infrastructure
- Kamenko ( Ice Factory)
- Violeta (toilet paper factory)
- Prima ( brewery )
- Grafotisak (printing )
Traffic
- Regional road R 420 Gruda - Privalj - Široki Brijeg - Mostar
- Regional road R - 421 Sovici Klobuk
- New regional road Grude - Posušje
Sports
- Basketball Club Gruda ( HKK Gruda )
- Women's Basketball Club ( CCC Gruda )
- Handball Club Gruda
- Football Club Gruda (NK Gruda )
- Football Club Drinovci
- Chess Club Gruda
- Majorets Club Gruda
- Annual marathon of Gruda on Ljubuški by Medjugorje
Personalities
- Milan Bandić ( b. 1955 ), mayor of Zagreb
- Mate Boban (1940-1997), President of the internationally unrecognized Croatian Republic of Herceg- Bosna
- Rafael Boban (1907 -? ) Ustaša officer and general
- Zvonimir Boban ( born 1968 ), football player
- Paškal Buconjić (1834-1910), Bishop of Mostar Ratko Peric ( Trebinje - Mrkan )
- Tomislav Bušić ( born 1986 ), football player
- Zvonko Bušić (1946-2013), political emigrant
- Krunoslav Jurčić (born 1969 ), football player
- Ljubo Jurčić (* 1954), politician
- Andrijica Simic (1833-1905), Heiduck
- Antun Branko Simic (1898-1925), writer
- Dario Simic ( b. 1975 ), football player
- Blago Zadro (1944-1991), politician and General