General data

“There is no greater plain in Serbia than Mačva. It stretches from Mišar to the Drina, and from the highest peak of Cera mountain, Vidojevica, to the Sava… It is a space of twelve hours’ walk. You can walk on Mačva in a long day and you will not see of a hill; everything is as flat as a pan…. She is a rich girl. Everything thrown into her black womb bears rich fruits. Her fields are beautiful when they are green, and even more beautiful when they are gilded with golden ears. She is like a stranger to you , not to be known to everyone!”
Janko Veselinović

The Municipality of Bogatić, according to the mentioned characteristics, represents a unique unit with the Mačvan plain. It stretches between the Drina and Sava rivers, in the northwestern part of the plain. Due to the erosive action of the dam, a part of the soil in the alluvial plain of the Drina was transferred to the left bank. It belongs to the municipality of Bijeljina (Republika Srpska), so the Drina cannot be considered the absolute western border of the Municipality. There are 14 settlements on an area of 384 square kilometers: the town of Bogatić; rural towns Badovinci, Glušci, Dublje, Klenje, Crna Bara; settlements of primary rural type Banovo Polje, Belotić, Glogovac, Mačvanski Metković, Očage, Salaš Crnobarski, Sovljak, Uzveće.

On the territory of Bogatić Municipality, according to the 2002 census. 32,990 inhabitants live there. According to data from 2007. the total number of employees is 3364. The largest part of the population is engaged in agriculture. The population originates from Montenegro, Herzegovina, Eastern Bosnia and other areas. The national composition is distinctly Serbian (98%), and the gender structure is relatively uniform. The fact that the reproductive power of the population is increasingly weakening is worrying. This is indicated by the increase in the number of elderly residents and the decrease in the number of residents under 40 years of age.

The location of the settlement is very favorable in terms of traffic and geography. They are connected by a network of roads 218 km long, of which 163 km are modern roads. The connection with the surrounding areas is also made possible by bridges, on the Sava near Sremska Mitrovica and Šabac, and on the Drina “Pavlovića ćuprija”. They connect the Municipality, and the whole of Mačva, with Srem, Republika Srpska, and beyond. According to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics (2007), there are 8,622 telephone subscribers in the territory of the municipality.

Thanks to the fertile land, mild climate and hard-working people, agricultural production was developed. Of the total land area of 38,397 hectares, agricultural land occupies 30,724 hectares. Wheat, corn, industrial and fodder plants are mostly sown. Animal husbandry (raising pigs, cattle, sheep) and vegetable farming (growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, vegetable gardens, etc.) are represented separately.

Among the larger companies, the most significant is the mill industry “Lala Stanković”, which has been privatized, as well as the PVC profile factory “Plastika”. The social enterprise “Ogled” was privatized through a bankruptcy sale, as was the trading enterprise “Mačva”, while the contract for the auction sale of the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Factory “Prvi Maj” was annulled.

Part of the bed and coastal part of the Drina today is one of the best maidans with high-quality gravel and sand. The exploitation of gravel and sand is carried out by several companies in Badovinci, Salaš Crnobarski and Crno Bara. The municipality of Bogatić mostly suffers from the exploitation of this natural wealth. Due to unplanned exploitation, the river changes its course, endangering fertile arable land on the right bank, and heavy trucks transporting gravel and sand destroy roads. Due to a lack of funds, the construction of the coastal fort was not completed, which is why settlements and fields are threatened during high water levels.

In the early nineties of the last century, inexhaustible reserves of geothermal water were discovered in the area of the municipality of Bogatić. At a depth of 450 meters, water with a temperature of 75 degrees Celsius was found, which is not yet used despite the possibilities of wide application (in agriculture, for heating, development of tourism…).

A 17-kilometer sewage network and two relay pumping stations have been built on the territory of the municipality, and it will start functioning after the main pumping station is built, which is expected in 2009. year. The water supply network was built only in the municipal center. Water supply and other communal services are entrusted to the Public Utility Company “Bogatić”. According to all analyses, the water that the residents of the town drink is of excellent quality, among the best in Serbia.

Residents of all settlements are covered by primary health care. The health center in Bogatić was founded in 1953. years. Through the organization of services, residents of the municipality of Bogatić are provided with all necessary health services, including emergency services. Since 2009 year, the Bogatić Municipal Assembly took over the founding rights over this health facility from the Republic. Social protection is implemented through the activities of the Center for Social Work.

In six villages there are primary primary schools, in other villages there are separate classes, and in Bogatić “Mačvanska srednja škola”. In total, about 3,500 students are enrolled in primary and secondary education. Pre-school institution “Slava Ković” in Bogatić organizes the stay of children in kindergarten, while the preschool education program of this institution included all future elementary school students in all 14 places.

Cultural life in the municipality of Bogatić is extremely rich, thanks to decades of organized work. As the only institution of its kind, the Cultural and Educational Center in Bogatic deals with cultural activities in the municipality. It includes the National Library, which has over 35,000 books, the “Janko Veselinović” Theater, the Cultural Center and the Ethno-park. Particularly high achievements are constantly achieved by Pozoriše, which was founded in 1950. and the “Đido” Folklore Ensemble, which gathers around 200 members of all ages, original singing groups, vocal soloists, a folk orchestra and an ensemble of folklore veterans. Particularly notable results were achieved by the first folklore ensemble that won numerous awards at international shows and festivals.

The ethno-park in the village of Sovljak has several objects of folk architecture, a significant collection of old objects and various ethnographic materials, and a permanent gallery display of the works of Mačva painters. Painters from Mačva are among the most important names in Serbian fine art (Milić from Mačva, Dragan Martinović, Mikan Aničić, Dragan Đuričić). Since 1998 Painting colony “Sovljak” is organized.

In the municipality of Bogatić, two significant cultural and tourist events are organized during the summer: “Izažanjac” dedicated to the end of the harvest and “Hajdučke večeri”. The traditional event “Hajdučka večeri” has been held since 1966. Mr. in Crno Bara on the Drina. The most interesting part is the bachelor’s competition to choose the Harambasha.

There are 20 football clubs in the municipality, which compete from the municipal to the District Fencing League. There is a women’s football club in Dublje that competes in the Second League. Also, in every populated place there are organized football fields with stands, while only Banovo Polje has a very modern sports hall. Along with football, other individual and team sports were also developed. Bogatić and Mačva have also long been known for breeding good racing horses. Equestrian sport was once very developed. While the land on which the hippodrome is located was not confiscated from the Equestrian Club “Hajduk Stanko” from Bogatić, several equestrian races were organized every year with the participation of elite groups from all over the country. Now horse races are organized once a year, on Christmas Day, and are watched by between two and three thousand spectators.