Pursuant to the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina", No. 1/94), the Assembly of the Canton of Sarajevo, at its session held on March 11, 1996, adopted the CONSTITUTION OF THE CANTON OF SARAJEVO, which regulated the organization and status of the Canton of Sarajevo, its powers and structure of government.

The area of ​​the City of Sarajevo, which was demarcated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the demarcation between the entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Peace Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina signed in Paris on December 14, 1995, is organized as a canton in accordance with the Constitution of the Federation of BiH and the Constitution of the Canton of Sarajevo. The official name of this canton is Sarajevo Canton, with its headquarters in Sarajevo.

The territory of the Canton covers the areas of the municipalities of Centar Sarajevo, Hadžići, Ilidža, Ilijaš, Novi Grad Sarajevo, Novo Sarajevo, Stari Grad Sarajevo, Trnovo and Vogošća, as defined by the Peace Agreement. In the Sarajevo Canton, the municipalities of Center, Novi Grad, Novo Sarajevo and Stari Grad form the City of Sarajevo as a unit of local self-government. The City of Sarajevo was formed by Amendment II to the Constitution of the Sarajevo Canton. The jurisdiction and internal organization of the City shall be regulated by the City Statute. The city has a City Council with 28 councilors.

The Canton has a coat of arms, a flag and a seal, as well as other features resulting from the decision of the Assembly of the KS. The official characteristics of the Cantons shall be used individually or in conjunction with the official characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of BiH, as defined in their respective regulations and regulations of the Canton.

Sarajevo Canton has legislative, executive and judicial powers. Legislative power in the Canton is exercised by the Cantonal Assembly. The Assembly is a unicameral representative body composed of 35 deputies. Deputies are elected by secret ballot in direct elections throughout the Canton. The term of office of a Member of Parliament is four years. The executive power in the Canton of Sarajevo is exercised by the Government of the KS. The Government of the Canton of Sarajevo is composed of the Prime Minister and 12 ministers. The Speaker of the Assembly, in consultation with the Deputy Speakers, appoints a candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Canton. The candidate for the post of PM Canton proposes ministers. The Government shall be approved by the Assembly by a majority vote. The judicial authority in the Sarajevo Canton is exercised by the Cantonal Court. The Cantonal Court has appellate jurisdiction over the Cantonal Municipal Court and first instance jurisdiction in matters that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Court, and other jurisdictions established by law. The judges of the cantonal court, including the president of the court, elect, appoint, conduct disciplinary proceedings against them, and replace the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, in accordance with the constitution and law.

Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of BiH, as defined in their respective constitutions. The authorities of the Canton are obliged to ensure full protection of the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of BiH in the territory of the Canton of Sarajevo.

The Canton has the competences established by the Constitution of the Federation of BiH and the Constitution of the Canton of Sarajevo. The Canton has all competences not explicitly vested in the Federal Government, as defined by the Constitution of the Federation of BiH.

The exclusive competencies of the Sarajevo Canton are:

• establishing and supervising police forces;
• the establishment of educational policies, including the adoption of education regulations and the provision of education;
• establishing and implementing cultural policy;
• determining housing policy, including the adoption of regulations regarding the design and construction of housing;
• establishing policies regarding the regulation and provision of public services;
• enacting local land use regulations, including zoning;
• adoption of regulations on the promotion of local business and charitable activities;
• adopting regulations on local energy production plants and ensuring their availability;
• establishing policies regarding the provision of radio and television, including the adoption of regulations to ensure their operation and construction;
• implementation of social policy and establishment of social protection services;
• creation and implementation of tourism policy and development of tourism resources;
• creating prerequisites for the optimal development of an economy appropriate to the urban environment
• financing the activities of the cantonal authorities or cantonal agencies through taxation, borrowing or other means.

Joint competences with the Federation of BiH

The Canton, together with the Federation of BiH, independently or in coordination with the federal authorities, exercises the following competencies:

• guaranteeing and enforcing human rights;
• health care;
• environmental policy;
• communication and transport infrastructure in accordance with the Constitution of the Federation of BiH;
• social politics;
• implementation of laws and other regulations on citizenship and travel documents of BiH citizens from the territory of the Federation of BiH and on the stay and movement of foreigners;
• tourism;
• use of natural resources.

Sarajevo Canton is located in the Dinaric Mountains massif, at the contact of two major natural-geographical entities: the Danube and the Adriatic Sea. It covers an area of ​​1,268.5 km², representing 2.5% of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo Canton is located between 43º35 'and 44º7' north latitude, and between 18º0 'and 18º38' east longitude. The distance between the northernmost point of the Canton and the southernmost is 62 km, and between the western and eastern points it is 52.5 km. The total length of the Sarajevo Canton border is 303.5 km.

From the geomorphological point of view, Sarajevo Canton is a highly mountainous area, with 78% of the area located in the area above 700 m above sea level, 13% in the mountainous area from 550 m to 700 m, while only 9% of the territory belongs to the lowland region. The area of ​​Sarajevo Canton is characterized by two climatic types: continental climate is represented up to 600 m above sea level, while continental-alpine and alpine climate is represented above the above-mentioned altitude.

Sarajevo Canton area is known for some natural mineral resources and their exploitation since pre-Roman times. The most used were natural building materials: gravel, sand, clay, dolomite, limestone and quartz sandstone, and to a lesser extent manganese, mercury, and drinking and mineral drinking water and thermomineral waters for spa purposes. However, today the most important and valuable natural resource of Sarajevo Canton is the drinking water of the Sarajevo Field. Second in terms of value are the thermal mineral waters of Ilidža and Blažuj and the thermal waters of Butmir.

It is estimated that around 400,000 people live in the Sarajevo Canton.