Where is Bosnia and Herzegovina? Meet USA’s World Cup opponent

The United States men’s national soccer team is back in action Wednesday night at the World Cup. It faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, with a win sending it to face either Belgium or Senegal in the Round of 16.

But that begs the question for now — how much do we know about Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Here are some facts about the country and team before it squares off against the United States on Wednesday at 8 p.m.:

Yes, Bosnia and Herzegovina is one country located in Europe. The two parts of the name represent two historical regions that were combined into one nation by the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is tucked in between Croatia and Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea. It lies east of Italy and is slightly fewer than 20,000 square miles in size.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina has had many names across its existence. It was officially declared “The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina” in 1992 after Yugoslavia was broken up, and the name was adjusted to simply “Bosnia and Herzegovina” in 1995 after the Bosnian War.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s population is estimated to be around 3.1 million people. It ranks 138th globally, comparable to countries such as Mongolia and Panama, and 32nd among European nations.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national team was established in 1992 following its independence from Yugoslavia. It was officially recognized by FIFA in 1996, and it first made the World Cup in 2014. This is the nation’s second-ever World Cup appearance.

BIH is the generally accepted international abbreviation for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been displayed on World Cup scoreboards across this tournament. It stands for “Bosnia i Herzegovina,” with the “i” as the local translation for “and.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Where is Bosnia and Herzegovina? Meet USA’s World Cup opponent