The Bosniaks, or less commonly Bosniacs, (Bosnian:Bošnjaci/Бошњаци, pronounced [boʃɲǎːt͡si]; singular masculine: Bošnjak/Бошњак, feminine: Bošnjakinja/Бошњакиња) are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group inhabiting mainly homeland Bosnia and Herzegovina along with a native minority present in other countries of the Balkan Peninsula; especially in the Sandžak region of Serbia and Montenegro (where Bosniaks form a regional majority), in Croatia, and in Kosovo. Bosniaks are typically characterized by their historic tie to the Bosnian historical region, traditional majority adherence to Islam since the 15th and 16th centuries, common culture and Bosnian language. In the English-speaking world, Bosniaks are also frequently referred to as Bosnian Muslims or simply Bosnians, though the latter is also used to denote all inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina regardless of ethnic origin or to describe citizenship in the country.