Serbia

Serbia,officially theRepublic of Serbia,is alandlocked countryat the crossroads ofSoutheastandCentral Europe,located in theBalkansand thePannonian Plain. It bordersHungaryto the north,Romaniato the northeast,Bulgariato the southeast,North Macedoniato the south,CroatiaandBosnia and Herzegovinato the west, andMontenegroto the southwest. Serbia claims a border withAlbaniathrough thedisputedterritory ofKosovo. Serbia has about 6.6 million inhabitants, excluding Kosovo. Its capitalBelgradeis also thelargest city.
Continuously inhabited since thePaleolithicAge, the territory of modern-day Serbia facedSlavic migrationsin the 6th century. Several regionalstateswere founded in the early Middle Ages and were at times recognised as tributaries to theByzantine,FrankishandHungariankingdoms. TheSerbian Kingdomobtained recognition by theHoly SeeandConstantinoplein 1217, reaching its territorial apex in 1346 as theSerbian Empire. By the mid-16th century, theOttomansannexed the entirety of modern-day Serbia; their rule wasat times interruptedby theHabsburg Empire, which began expanding towardsCentral Serbiafrom the end of the 17th century while maintaining a foothold inVojvodina. In the early 19th century, theSerbian Revolutionestablished thenation-stateas the region's firstconstitutional monarchy, which subsequentlyexpanded its territory.In 1918, in the aftermath ofWorld War I, theKingdom of Serbiaunited with theformer Habsburg crownland of Vojvodina; later in the same year it joined with other South Slavic nations in the foundation ofYugoslavia, which existed in various political formations until theYugoslav Warsof the 1990s. During thebreakup of Yugoslavia, Serbia formed aunion with Montenegro,which waspeacefully dissolvedin 2006, restoring Serbia's independence as a sovereign state.In 2008, representatives of the Assembly of Kosovo unilaterallydeclared independence, with mixed responses from the international community while Serbia continues to claim it as part of itsown sovereign territory.
Serbia is anupper-middle income economyand providesuniversal health careand freeprimary and secondary educationto its citizens. It is aunitaryparliamentaryconstitutional republic, member of theUN,CoE,OSCE,PfP,BSEC,CEFTA, and is acceding to theWTO. Since 2014, the country has been negotiatingits EU accession, with the possibility of joining theEuropean Unionby 2030.Serbia formally adheres to the policy of militaryneutrality.
The origin of the nameSerbiais unclear. Historically, authors have mentioned theSerbs(Serbian:Srbi/ Срби) and theSorbsof Eastern Germany (Upper Sorbian:Serbja;Lower Sorbian:Serby) in a variety of ways:Cervetiis(Servetiis),gentis (S)urbiorum,Suurbi,Sorabi,Soraborum,Sorabos,Surpe,Sorabici,Sorabiet,Sarbin,Swrbjn,Servians,Sorbi,Sirbia, Sribia, Zirbia, Zribia,Suurbelant,Surbia,Serbulia/Sorbuliaamong others.These authors used these names to refer to Serbs and Sorbs in areas where their historical and current presence is not disputable (notably in theBalkansandLusatia). However, there are also sources that have used similar names in other parts of the world (most notably in the AsiaticSarmatiain theCaucasus).
There exist two prevailing theories about the origin of the ethnonym*Sŕbъ(plur.*Sŕby), one from aProto-Slavic languagewith an appellative meaning of a "family kinship" and "alliance", while another from anIranian-Sarmatianlanguagewith various meanings.In his work,De Administrando Imperio,Constantine VII Porphyrogenitussuggests that the Serbs originated fromWhite SerbianearFrancia.
From 1815 to 1882, the official name for Serbia was thePrincipality of Serbia. From 1882 to 1918, it was renamed to theKingdom of Serbia, later from 1945 to 1963, the official name for Serbia was the People's Republic of Serbia. This was again renamed theSocialist Republic of Serbiafrom 1963 to 1990. Since 1990, the official name of the country has been the Republic of Serbia.
Archaeological evidence ofPaleolithicsettlements on the territory of present-day Serbia is scarce. A fragment of a hominid jaw found inSićevo(MalaBalanica) is believed to be up to 525,000–397,000 years old.
Approximately 6,500 BC, during theNeolithic, theStarčevoandVinčacultures existed in the region of modern-day Belgrade. They dominated much ofSoutheast Europeas well as parts ofCentral EuropeandAnatolia. Several important archaeological sites from this era, includingLepenski VirandVinča-Belo Brdo, still exist near theDanube.
During theIron Age, local tribes ofTriballi,Dardani, andAutariataewere encountered by theAncient Greeksduring their cultural and political expansion into the region, from the 5th up to the 2nd century BC. The Celtic tribe ofScordiscisettled throughout the area in the 3rd century BC. It formed a tribal state, building several fortifications, including their capital atSingidunum(present-day Belgrade) and Naissos (present-dayNiš).
TheRomansconquered much of the territory in the 2nd century BC. In 167 BC, theRoman provinceofIllyricumwas established; the remainder was conquered around 75 BC, forming the Roman province ofMoesia Superior; the modern-daySremregion was conquered in 9 BC; and Bačka and Banat in 106 AD after theDacian Wars. As a result of this, contemporary Serbia extends fully or partially over several former Roman provinces, includingMoesia,Pannonia,Praevalitana,Dalmatia,Dacia, andMacedonia. Seventeen Roman Emperors were born in the area of modern-day Serbia, second only to contemporary Italy.The most famous of these wasConstantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor, who issued an edict orderingreligious tolerance throughout the Empire.
When the Roman Empire was divided in 395, most of Serbia remained under theByzantine Empire, and its northwestern parts were included in theWestern Roman Empire. By the 6th century,South Slavsmigrated into the Byzantine territory in large numbers.They merged with the localRomanisedpopulation that was gradually assimilated.
White Serbs, anearly Slavictribe from White Serbia eventually settled in an area between theSavariver and theDinaric Alps.By the beginning of the 9th century, Serbia achieved a level of statehood.Christianizationof Serbia was a gradual process, finalized by the middle of the 9th century.In the mid-10th-century, theSerbian stateexperienced a fall. During the 11th and 12th century,Serbian statefrequently fought with the neighbouring Byzantine Empire.Between 1166 and 1371, Serbia was ruled by theNemanjić dynasty, under whom the state was elevated toa kingdomin 1217,and anempirein 1346,underStefan Dušan. TheSerbian Orthodox Churchwas organized as anautocephalousarchbishopric in 1219,through the effort ofSava, the country's patron saint, and in 1346 it was raised to thePatriarchate. Monuments of the Nemanjić period survive in manymonasteries(several beingWorld Heritage sites) andfortifications.
During these centuries the Serbian state (and influence) expanded significantly. The northern part (modernVojvodina), was ruled by theKingdom of Hungary. The period after 1371, known as theFall of the Serbian Empiresaw the once-powerful state fragmented into several principalities, culminating in theBattle of Kosovo(1389) against the risingOttoman Empire.By the end of the 14th century, the Turks had conquered and ruled the territories south of theŠar Mountains. The political center of Serbia shifted northwards, when the capital of the newly establishedSerbian Despotatewas transferred to Belgrade in 1403,before moving toSmederevoin 1430.The Despotate was then under the double vassalage of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.The fall of Smederevo on 20 June 1459, which marked the full conquest of the Serbian Despotate by the Ottomans, also symbolically signified the end of the Serbian state.
In all Serbian lands conquered by the Ottomans, the native nobility was eliminated and the peasantry wasenserfedto Ottoman rulers, while much of the clergy fled or were confined to the isolated monasteries. Under the Ottoman system, Serbs and Christians were considered aninferior classand subjected to heavy taxes, and a portion of the Serbian population experiencedIslamization. Many Serbs were recruited during thedevshirmesystem, aform of slavery, in which boys from Balkan Christian families wereforcibly convertedtoIslamand trained for infantry units of theOttoman armyknown as theJanissaries.The Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was extinguished in 1463,but reestablished in 1557,providing for limited continuation of Serbian cultural traditions within the Ottoman Empire, under theMillet system.
After the loss of statehood to the Ottoman Empire, Serbian resistance continued in northern regions (modern Vojvodina), under titular despots (until 1537), and popular leaders likeJovan Nenad(1526–1527). From 1521 to 1552, Ottomans conquered Belgrade and regions of Syrmia, Bačka, and Banat.Wars and rebellions constantly challenged Ottoman rule. One of the most significant was theBanat Uprisingin 1594 and 1595, which was part of theLong War(1593–1606) between the Habsburgs and the Ottomans.The area of modern Vojvodina endured a century-long Ottoman occupation before being ceded to theHabsburg monarchy, partially by theTreaty of Karlovci(1699),and fully by theTreaty of Požarevac(1718).
During theHabsburg-Ottoman war (1683–1699), much of Serbia switched from Ottoman rule toHabsburg controlfrom 1688 to 1690.However, the Ottoman army reconquered a large part of Serbia in the winter of 1689/1690, leading to a brutal massacre of the civilian population by uncontrolledAlbanianandTatarunits. As a result of the persecutions, several tens of thousands of Serbs, led by the patriarch,Arsenije III Crnojević, fled northwards to settle inHungary,an event known as theGreat Migration of 1690.In August 1690, following several petitions, the EmperorLeopold Iformally granted Serbs from the Habsburg monarchy a first set of "privileges",primarily to guarantee them freedom of religion.As a consequence, the ecclesiastical centre of the Serbs also moved northwards, to theMetropolitanate of Karlovci,and the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was once-again abolished by the Ottomans in 1766.
In 1718–39, the Habsburg monarchy occupied much ofCentral Serbiaand established theKingdom of Serbiaascrownland.Those gains were lost by theTreaty of Belgradein 1739, when the Ottomans retook the region.Apart from territory of modern-day Vojvodina which remained under the Habsburg Empire, central regions of Serbia were occupied once again by the Habsburgs in1788–1792.
TheSerbian Revolutionfor independence from the Ottoman Empire lasted eleven years, from 1804 until 1815.During theFirst Serbian Uprising(1804–1813), led by voždKarađorđe Petrović, Serbia was independent for almost a decade before the Ottoman army was able to reoccupy the country.TheSecond Serbian Uprisingbegan in 1815, led byMiloš Obrenović; it ended with a compromise between Serbian revolutionaries and Ottoman authorities.Serbia was one of the first nations in the Balkans to abolishfeudalism.TheAkkerman Conventionin 1826, theTreaty of Adrianoplein 1829 and finally, theHatt-i Sharif, recognised thesuzeraintyof Serbia. TheFirst Serbian Constitutionwas adopted on 15 February 1835, making the country one of the first to adopt a democratic constitution in Europe.15 February is now commemorated asStatehood Day, apublic holiday.
Following the clashes between the Ottoman army and Serbs in Belgrade in 1862,and under pressure from theGreat Powers, by 1867 the last Turkish soldiers left the Principality, making the countryde factoindependent.By enacting a new constitution in 1869,without consulting the Porte,Serbian diplomatsconfirmed thede factoindependence of the country. In 1876, Serbia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, siding with the ongoing Christian uprisings inBosnia-HerzegovinaandBulgaria.
The formal independence of the country was internationally recognised at theCongress of Berlinin 1878, which ended theRusso-Turkish War; this treaty, however, prohibited Serbia from uniting with other Serbian regions by placing Bosnia and Herzegovina underAustro-Hungarianoccupation, alongside the occupation of the region ofRaška.From 1815 to 1903, the principality was ruled by theHouse of Obrenović, save for the rule of PrinceAleksandar Karađorđevićbetween 1842 and 1858. In 1882, Principality of Serbia became the Kingdom of Serbia, ruled byKing Milan I.TheHouse of Karađorđević, descendants of the revolutionary leader Karađorđe Petrović, assumed power in 1903 following theMay Overthrow.The1848 revolution in Austrialed to the establishment of the autonomous territory ofSerbian Vojvodina; by 1849, the region was transformed into theVoivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar.
In theFirst Balkan Warin 1912, theBalkan Leaguedefeated the Ottoman Empire and captured itsEuropean territories, which enabled territorial expansion of the Kingdom of Serbia into regions of Raška,Kosovo,Metohija, andVardarian Macedonia. TheSecond Balkan Warsoon ensued when Bulgaria turned on its former allies, but was defeated, resulting in theTreaty of Bucharest. In two years, Serbia enlarged its territory by 80% and its population by 50%,it also suffered high casualties on the eve of World War I, with more than 36,000 dead.Austria-Hungary became wary of the rising regional power on its borders and its potential to become an anchor for unification of Serbs and other South Slavs, and the relationship between the two countries became tense.
TheassassinationofArchduke Franz Ferdinand of Austriaon 28 June 1914 inSarajevobyGavrilo Princip, a member of theYoung Bosniaorganisation, led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, on 28 July 1914, setting off World War I.
Serbia won the first major battles of the war, including theBattle of Cer,and theBattle of Kolubara.Despite initial success, it was eventually overpowered by theCentral Powersin 1915 andAustro-Hungarian occupation of Serbiafollowed. Most of its army and some peopleretreatedtoGreeceandCorfu, suffering immense losses on the way. After the Central Powers' military situation on other fronts worsened, the remains of the Serb army returned east and led a final breakthrough through enemy lines on 15 September 1918, liberating Serbia and defeating Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary.Serbia, with itscampaign, was a major Balkan Entente Powerwhich contributed significantly to the Allied victory in the Balkans in November 1918, especially by helping France force Bulgaria'scapitulation.Serbia's casualties accounted for 8% of the total Entente military deaths; 58% (243,600) soldiers of the Serbian army perished in the war.The total number of casualties is placed around 700,000,more than 16% of Serbia's prewar size,and a majority (57%) of its overall male population.Serbia sufferedthe biggest casualty rate in World War I.
TheCorfu Declarationwas a formal agreement between the government-in-exile of the Kingdom of Serbia and theYugoslav Committee(anti-Habsburg South Slav émigrés) that pledged to unify Kingdom of Serbia andKingdom of Montenegrowith Austria-Hungary's South Slav autonomous crown lands:Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia,Kingdom of Dalmatia,Slovenia, Vojvodina (then part of the Kingdom of Hungary) andBosnia and Herzegovinain a post-war Yugoslav state. It was signed on 20 July 1917 on Corfu.
As the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, the territory of Syrmia united with Serbia on 24 November 1918.Just a day later, theGreat People's Assembly of Serbs, Bunjevci and other Slavs in Banat, Bačka and Baranjadeclared the unification of these regions (Banat,Bačka, andBaranja) with Serbia.
On 26 November 1918, thePodgorica Assemblydeposed theHouse of Petrović-Njegošand united Montenegro with Serbia.On 1 December 1918, in Belgrade, Serbian Prince RegentAlexander Karađorđevićproclaimed theKingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, under KingPeter I of Serbia.King Peter was succeeded by his son, Alexander, in August 1921. Serb centralists and Croat autonomists clashed in the parliament, and most governments were fragile and short-lived.Nikola Pašić, a conservative prime minister, headed or dominated most governments until his death. King Alexander established adictatorshipin 1929 with the aim of establishing theYugoslav ideologyand singleYugoslav nation, changed the name of the country to Yugoslavia. The effect of Alexander's dictatorship was to further alienate the non-Serbs living in Yugoslavia from the idea of unity.
Alexander was assassinated inMarseille, during an official visit in 1934 byVlado Chernozemski, member of theIMRO. Alexander was succeeded by his eleven-year-old sonPeter II. In August 1939 theCvetković–Maček Agreementestablished an autonomousBanate of Croatiaas a solution to Croatian concerns.
In 1941, in spite of Yugoslav attempts to remain neutral, theAxis powersinvaded Yugoslavia. The territory of modern Serbia was divided between Hungary, Bulgaria, the Independent State of Croatia, Greater Albania and Montenegro, while the remainder was placed under themilitary administrationofNazi Germany, withSerbian puppet governmentsled byMilan AćimovićandMilan Nedićassisted byDimitrije Ljotić's fascist organizationYugoslav National Movement(Zbor).
The Yugoslav territory was the scene of a civil war betweenroyalist Chetnikscommanded byDraža Mihailovićandcommunist partisanscommanded byJosip Broz Tito. Axis auxiliary units of theSerbian Volunteer Corpsand theSerbian State Guardfought against both of these forces. Thesiege of Kraljevowas a major battle of theuprising in Serbia, led by Chetnik forces against the Nazis. Several days after the battle began the German forces committed a massacre of approximately 2,000 civilians in an event known as theKraljevo massacre, in a reprisal for the attack.
Draginac and Loznica massacreof 2,950 villagers in Western Serbia in 1941 was the first large execution of civilians in occupied Serbia byGermans, withKragujevac massacreandNovi Sad Raidof Jews and Serbs by Hungarian fascists being the most notorious, with over 3,000 victims in each case.After one year of occupation, around 16,000Serbian Jewswere murdered in the area, or around 90% of its pre-war Jewish population duringThe Holocaust in Serbia.
Many concentration camps were established across the area.Banjica concentration campwas the largest concentration camp and jointly run by the German army and Nedić's regime,with primary victims being Serbian Jews,Roma, and Serb political prisoners.
Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs fled the Axispuppet stateknown as theIndependent State of Croatiaand sought refuge in German-occupied Serbia, seeking to escape the large-scale persecution andGenocide of Serbs, Jews, and Roma being committed by theUstašeregime.The number of Serb victims was approximately 300,000 to 350,000.According to Tito himself, Serbs made up the vast majority ofanti-fascistfighters andYugoslav Partisansfor the whole course ofWorld War II.
TheRepublic of Užicewas a short-lived liberated territory established by the Partisans and the first liberated territory in World War II Europe, organised as a military mini-state that existed in the autumn of 1941 in the west ofoccupied Serbia. By late 1944, theBelgrade Offensiveswung in favour of the partisans in the civil war; the partisans subsequently gained control of Yugoslavia.Following the Belgrade Offensive, theSyrmian Frontwas the last major military action of World War II in Serbia. A study byVladimir Žerjavićestimates totalwar-related deathsin Yugoslavia at 1,027,000, including 273,000 in Serbia.
The victory of the Communist Partisans resulted in the abolition of the monarchy and a subsequent constitutional referendum. Aone-party statewas soon established in Yugoslavia by theCommunist Party of Yugoslavia. It is claimed between 60,000 and 70,000 people died in Serbia during the1944–45 communist purge.Serbia became a constituent republic within theFederal People's Republic of Yugoslaviaknown as thePeople's Republic of Serbia, and had a republic-branch of the federal communist party, theLeague of Communists of Serbia.
Serbia's most powerful and influential politician in Tito-era Yugoslavia wasAleksandar Ranković, one of the "big four" Yugoslav leaders. Ranković was later removed from the office because of the disagreements regarding Kosovo'snomenklaturaand the unity of Serbia. Ranković's dismissal was highly unpopular among Serbs. Pro-decentralisation reformers in Yugoslavia succeeded in the late 1960s in attaining substantial decentralisation of powers, creating substantial autonomy in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and recognising a distinctive "Muslim" nationality. As a result of these reforms, there was a massive overhaul of Kosovo's nomenklatura and police, that shifted from being Serb-dominated to ethnic Albanian-dominated through firing Serbs on a large scale. Further concessions were made to the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo in response to unrest, including the creation of theUniversity of Pristinaas anAlbanian languageinstitution. These changes created widespread fear among Serbs of being treated assecond-class citizens.
Belgrade, the capital of FPR Yugoslavia and PR Serbia, hosted the firstNon-Aligned MovementSummit in September 1961, as well as the first major gathering of theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe(OSCE) with the aim of implementing theHelsinki Accordsfrom October 1977 to March 1978.The1972 smallpox outbreakin SAP Kosovo and other parts of SR Serbia was the last major outbreak ofsmallpoxinEuropesince World War II.
In 1989,Slobodan Miloševićrose to power in Serbia. Milošević promised a reduction of powers for the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, where his allies subsequently took over power, during theAnti-bureaucratic revolution.This ignited tensions between the communist leadership of the other republics of Yugoslavia and awoke ethnic nationalism across Yugoslavia that eventually resulted in itsbreakup, withSlovenia,Croatia,Bosnia and Herzegovina, andMacedoniadeclaring independence during 1991 and 1992.Serbia and Montenegro remained together as theFederal Republic of Yugoslavia(FRY).However, according to theBadinter Commission, the country was not legally considered a continuation of the former SFRY, but a new state.
Fueled by ethnic tensions, theYugoslav Wars(1991–2001) erupted, with the most severe conflicts taking place inCroatiaandBosnia, where the large ethnic Serb communities opposed independence from Yugoslavia. The FRY remained outside the conflicts, but provided logistic, military and financial support to Serb forces in the wars. In response, the UN imposedsanctions against Yugoslaviawhich led to political isolation and the collapse of the economy (GDP decreased from $24 billion in 1990 to under $10 billion in 1993). Serbia was in the 2000s sued on the charges of alleged genocide by neighbouringBosnia and HerzegovinaandCroatiabut in both cases the main charges against Serbia were dismissed.
Multi-party democracy was introduced in Serbia in 1990, officially dismantling the one-party system. Despite constitutional changes, Milošević maintained strong political influence over the state media and security apparatus.When the rulingSocialist Party of Serbiarefused to accept its defeat inmunicipal elections in 1996, Serbians engaged inlarge protestsagainst the government.
In 1998,continued clashesbetween the Albanian guerillaKosovo Liberation Armyand Yugoslav security forces led to the shortKosovo War(1998–99), in whichNATOintervened, leading to the withdrawal of Serbian forces and the establishment ofUN administrationin the province.After the Yugoslav Wars, Serbia became home to highest number ofrefugeesandinternally displaced personsin Europe.
Afterpresidential electionsin September 2000, opposition parties accused Milošević ofelectoral fraud.A campaign ofcivil resistancefollowed, led by theDemocratic Opposition of Serbia(DOS), a broad coalition of anti-Milošević parties. This culminated on 5 October when half a million people from all over the country congregated in Belgrade, compelling Milošević to concede defeat.Thefall of Miloševićended Yugoslavia'sinternational isolation. Milošević was sent to theInternational Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The DOS announced that FR Yugoslavia would seek to join theEuropean Union. In 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was renamedSerbia and Montenegro;the EU opened negotiations with the country for theStabilisation and Association Agreement.
Serbia's political climate remained tense and in 2003, Prime MinisterZoran Đinđićwasassassinatedas result of a plot originating from organised crime and former security officials. In2004 unrest in Kosovotook place, leaving 19 people dead and a number of Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries destroyed or damaged.
On 21 May 2006, Montenegro held areferendumwhich showed 55.4% of voters in favour of independence, just above the 55% required by the referendum. This was followed on 5 June 2006 by Serbia's declaration of independence, marking the re-emergence of Serbia as an independent state. TheNational Assembly of Serbiadeclared Serbia to be the legal successor to the former state union.
The Assembly of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. Serbia immediately condemned the declaration and continues to deny any statehood to Kosovo. The declaration has sparked varied responses from the international community.Status-neutral talksbetween Serbia and Kosovo-Albanian authorities are held inBrussels, mediated by the EU.
Serbia officially applied for membership in the European Union on 22 December 2009,and received candidate status on 1 March 2012, following a delay in December 2011.Following a positive recommendation of theEuropean CommissionandEuropean Councilin June 2013, negotiations to join the EU commenced in January 2014.
In 2012Aleksandar Vučićand hisSerbian Progressive Partycame to power.According to a number of international analysts, Serbia has suffered fromdemocratic backslidingintoauthoritarianism,followed by a decline inmedia freedomand civil liberties.After theCOVID-19 pandemicspreadto Serbiain March 2020, astate of emergencywas declared and acurfewwas introduced for the first time in Serbia since World War II.In April 2022, President Aleksandar Vučić wasre-elected.In December 2023, President Vučić won a snapparliamentary election.The election resulted in protests, with opposition supporters claiming that the election result was fraudulent.On 16 January 2022, aSerbian constitutional referendumtook place in which citizens chose to amend the Constitution concerning the judiciary. The changes were presented as a step toward reducing political influence in the judicial system.
The country was chosen to host internationalspecialised expositionExpo 2027.The Serbian government is working withRio Tintocorporation on a project which aims to develop Europe's biggestlithiummine.Mining lithium became a matter of debate in the society and several protests against mining took place.
Alandlocked countrysituated at the crossroads between Centraland Southeastern Europe, Serbia is located in theBalkan peninsulaand thePannonian Plain. Serbia lies between latitudes41°and47° N, and longitudes18°and23° E. The country covers a total of 88,499 km(34,170 sq mi);with Kosovo excluded, the total area is 77,474 km(29,913 sq mi).Its total border length amounts to 2,027 km (1,260 mi): Albania 115 km (71 mi), Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km (188 mi), Bulgaria 318 km (198 mi), Croatia 241 km (150 mi), Hungary 151 km (94 mi), North Macedonia 221 km (137 mi), Montenegro 203 km (126 mi) and Romania 476 km (296 mi).All of Kosovo's border with Albania (115 km (71 mi)), North Macedonia (159 km (99 mi)) and Montenegro (79 km (49 mi))are under control of the Kosovo border police.Serbia treats the 352 km (219 mi) border with Kosovo as an "administrative line"; it is under shared control of Kosovo border police and Serbian police forces.ThePannonian Plaincovers the northern third of the country (Vojvodina andMačva) while the easternmost tip of Serbia extends into theWallachian Plain.
The terrain of the central part of the country consists chiefly of hills traversed by rivers. Mountains dominate the southern third of Serbia. Dinaric Alps stretch in the west and the southwest, following the flow of the riversDrinaandIbar. TheCarpathian MountainsandBalkan Mountainsstretch in a north–south direction in eastern Serbia.
Ancient mountains in the southeast corner of the country belong to theRilo-Rhodope Mountainsystem. Elevation ranges from theMidžorpeak of the Balkan Mountains at 2,169 metres (7,116 feet) (the highest peak in Serbia, excluding Kosovo) to the lowest point of just 17 metres (56 feet) near the Danube river atPrahovo.The largest lake isĐerdap Lake(163 square kilometres (63 sq mi)) and the longest river passing through Serbia is the Danube (587.35 kilometres (364.96 mi)).
The climate of Serbia is under the influences of the landmass of Eurasia and theAtlantic OceanandMediterranean Sea. With mean January temperatures around 0 °C (32 °F), and mean July temperatures of 22 °C (72 °F), it can be classified as awarm-humid continentalorhumid subtropical climate.In the north, the climate is more continental, with cold winters, and hot, humid summers along with well-distributed rainfall patterns. In the south, summers and autumns are drier, and winters are relatively cold, with heavy inland snowfall in the mountains.
Differences in elevation, proximity to the Adriatic Sea and large river basins, as well as exposure to the winds account for climate variations.Southern Serbia is subject to Mediterranean influences.The Dinaric Alps and other mountain ranges contribute to the cooling of most of the warm air masses. Winters are quite harsh in thePešterplateau, because of the mountains which encircle it.One of the climatic features of Serbia isKošava, a cold and verysquallysoutheastern wind which starts in the Carpathian Mountains and follows the Danube northwest through theIron Gatewhere it gains ajet effectand continues toBelgradeand can spread as far south as Niš.
The average annual air temperature for the period 1961–1990 for the area with an elevation of up to 300 m (984 ft) is 10.9 °C (51.6 °F). The areas with an elevation of 300 to 500 m (984 to 1,640 ft) have an average annual temperature of around 10.0 °C (50.0 °F), and over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) of elevation around 6.0 °C (42.8 °F).The lowest recorded temperature in Serbia was −39.5 °C (−39.1 °F) on 13 January 1985,Karajukića Bunariin Pešter, and the highest was 44.9 °C (112.8 °F), on 24 July 2007, recorded inSmederevska Palanka.
Serbia is one of few European countries with very high risk of natural hazards (earthquakes, storms, floods, droughts).It is estimated that potential floods, particularly in areas of Central Serbia, threaten over 500 larger settlements and an area of 16,000 square kilometres.The most disastrous were thefloods in May 2014, when 57 people died and a damage of over 1.5 billion euros was inflicted.
Almost all of Serbia's rivers drain to theBlack Sea, by way of theDanuberiver. The Danube, the second largest European river, passes through Serbia with 588 kilometres(21% of its overall length) and represents the major source of fresh water.It is joined by its biggest tributaries, theGreat Morava(longest river entirely in Serbia with 493 km (306 mi) of length), Sava andTiszarivers.One notable exception is thePčinjawhich flows into theAegean. Drina river forms the natural border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, and represents the mainkayakingandraftingattraction in both countries.
Due to configuration of the terrain, natural lakes are sparse and small; most of them are located in the lowlands of Vojvodina, like the aeolian lakePalićor numerousoxbow lakesalong river flows (likeZasavicaandCarska Bara). However, there are numerousartificial lakes, mostly due to hydroelectric dams, the biggest being Đerdap (Iron Gates) on the Danube with 163 km(63 sq mi) on the Serbian side(a total area of 253 km(98 sq mi) is shared with Romania);Perućacon the Drina, andVlasina. The largest waterfall,Jelovarnik, located in Kopaonik, is 71 m high.Abundance of relatively unpolluted surface waters and numerous underground natural and mineral water sources of highwater qualitypresents a chance for export and economy improvement; however, more extensive exploitation and production of bottled water began only recently.
Serbia is a country of rich ecosystem and species diversity—covering only 1.9% of the whole European territory, Serbia is home to 39% of European vascular flora, 51% of European fish fauna, 40% of European reptiles and amphibian fauna, 74% of European bird fauna, and 67% European mammal fauna.Its abundance of mountains and rivers make it an ideal environment for a variety of animals, many of which are protected including wolves, lynx, bears, foxes, and stags. There are 17 snake species living all over the country; 8 of them are venomous.
Mountain ofTarain western Serbia is one of the last regions in Europe where bears can still live in absolute freedom.Serbia is home to about 380 species of birds. In Carska Bara, there are over 300 bird species on just a few square
kilometres.Uvac Gorgeis considered one of the last habitats of theGriffon vulturein Europe.In area around the city ofKikinda, in the northernmost part of the country, some 145 endangeredlong-eared owlsare noted, making it the world's biggest settlement of these species.The country is considerably rich with threatened species of bats and butterflies as well.
There are 380protected areas of Serbia, encompassing 4,947 square kilometres or 6.4% of the country.Those protected areas include 5 national parks (Đerdap, Tara,Kopaonik,Fruška Goraand Šar Mountain), 15nature parks, 15 "landscapes of outstanding features", 61 nature reserves, and 281 natural monuments.With 29.1% of its territory covered by forest, Serbia is considered to be a middle-forested country, compared on a global scale to world forest coverage at 30%, and European average of 35%. The total forest area in Serbia is 2,252,000 ha (1,194,000 ha or 53% are state-owned, and 1,058,387 ha or 47% are privately owned) or 0.3 ha per inhabitant.It had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 5.29/10, ranking it 105th globally out of 172 countries.The most common trees are oak, beech, pines, and firs.
Air pollution is a significant problem inBorarea, due to work of large copper mining and smelting complex, andPančevowhere oil andpetrochemical industryis based.Some cities suffer from water supply problems, due to mismanagement and low investments in the past, as well as water pollution (like the pollution of theIbar Riverfrom theTrepčazinc-lead combinate,affecting the city ofKraljevo, or the presence of naturalarsenicin underground waters inZrenjanin).
Poor waste management has been identified as one of the most important environmental problems in Serbia and therecyclingis a fledgling activity, with only 15% of its waste being turned back for reuse.The1999 NATO bombingcaused serious damage to the environment, with several thousand tonnes of toxic chemicals stored in targeted factories and refineries released into the soil and water basins.
Serbia is aparliamentary republic, with the government divided into legislative, executive, and judiciary branches. The current constitution was adopted in 2006 in the aftermath of the Montenegro independence referendum.TheConstitutional Courtrules on matters regarding theConstitution.
ThePresident of the Republic(Predsednik Republike) is thehead of state, is elected by popular vote to a five-year term and is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of two terms. In addition to being thecommander in chiefof the armed forces, the president has the procedural duty of appointing the prime minister with the consent of the parliament, and has some influence on foreign policy.Aleksandar Vučić of the Serbian Progressive Party is the current president following the 2017 presidential election.Seat of the presidency isNovi Dvor.
TheGovernment(Vlada) is composed of theprime ministerand cabinet ministers. The Government is responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies. The current prime minister isMiloš Vučević, nominated by the Serbian Progressive Party.
TheNational Assembly(Narodna skupština) is aunicamerallegislative body. The National Assembly has the power to enact laws, approve the budget, schedule presidential elections, select and dismiss the Prime Minister and other ministers, declare war, and ratify international treaties and agreements.It is composed of 250proportionallyelected members who serve four-year terms. Following the2020 parliamentary election, the largest political parties in the National Assembly are the populist Serbian Progressive Party and Socialist Party of Serbia, that with its partners, hold more than asupermajoritynumber of seats.
In 2021, Serbia was the 5th country in Europe by the number of women holding high-ranking public functions.
Serbia has a three-tiered judicial system, made up of theSupreme Court of Cassationas the court of the last resort,Courts of Appealas the appellate instance, and Basic and High courts as the general jurisdictions at first instance.
Courts of special jurisdictions are the Administrative Court, commercial courts (including the Commercial Court of Appeal at second instance) and misdemeanor courts (includingHigh Misdemeanor Courtat second instance).The judiciary is overseen by the Ministry of Justice. Serbia has a typicalcivil lawlegal system.
Law enforcement is the responsibility of theSerbian Police, which is subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior. Serbian Police fields 27,363 uniformed officers.National security and counterintelligence are the responsibility of theSecurity Intelligence Agency (BIA).
Serbia has established diplomatic relations with 191UN member states, theHoly See, theSovereign Military Order of Maltaand the European Union.Foreign relations are conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Serbia has a network of 74 embassies and 25 consulates internationally.There are 69foreign embassies, 5 consulates and 4 liaison offices in Serbia.Serbian foreign policy is focused on achieving the strategic goal of becoming amember state of the European Union(EU). Serbia officially applied for membership in the European Union on 22 December 2009.It received a fullcandidate statuson 1 March 2012 and startedaccession talkson 21 January 2014.As of 2018, the European Commission considered accession possible by 2025.
On 17 February 2008, Kosovo unilaterallydeclared independencefrom Serbia. In protest, Serbia initially recalled its ambassadors from countries that recognised Kosovo's independence.The resolution of 26 December 2007 by theNational Assemblystated that both the Kosovo declaration of independence and recognition thereof by any state would be gross violation of international law.
Serbia began cooperation and dialogue with NATO in 2006, when the country joined thePartnership for Peaceprogramme and theEuro-Atlantic Partnership Council. The country's military neutrality was formally proclaimed by a resolution adopted by Serbia's parliament in December 2007, which makes joining any military alliance contingent on a popular referendum,a stance acknowledged by NATO.On the other hand, Serbia's relations with Russia are habitually described by mass media as a "centuries-old religious, ethnic and political alliance"and Russia is said to have sought to solidifyits relations with Serbiasince the imposition ofsanctions against Russiain 2014.
Following the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Serbia drew international scrutiny for not joiningEU sanctions against Russiaand maintaining bilateral relations, citing its own past suffering with sanctions.It is one of the only countries in Europe not to sanction Russia.However, Serbia voted to condemn the invasion, supporting the adoption of theUnited Nations draft resolutiondemanding Russia to withdraw its military forces from Ukraine, as well as supporting the suspension of Russia from theUN Human Rights Council.
The Serbian Armed Forces are subordinate to theMinistry of Defence, and are composed of theArmyand theAir Force. Although a landlocked country, Serbia operates aRiver Flotillawhich patrols on the Danube, Sava and Tisa rivers. The SerbianChief of the General Staffreports to the Defence Minister. The Chief of Staff is appointed by the president, who is thecommander-in-chief.As of 2019, Serbian defence budget amounts to $804 million.
Traditionally having relied on a large number ofconscripts, Serbian Armed Forces went through a period of downsizing, restructuring andprofessionalisation.Conscriptionwas abolished in 2011.Serbian Armed Forces have 28,000 active troops,supplemented by the "active reserve" which numbers 20,000 members and "passive reserve" with about 170,000.
The country participates in the NATOIndividual Partnership Action Planprogramme,but has no intention of joining NATO, due to significant popular rejection, largely a legacy of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999.It is an observer member of theCollective Security Treaty Organisation(CSTO) as of 2013.The country also signed theStability Pact for South Eastern Europe. The Serbian Armed Forces take part in several multinational peacekeeping missions, including deployments inLebanon,Cyprus,Ivory Coast, andLiberia.
Serbia is a major producer and exporter of military equipment in the region. Defence exports totaled around $600 million in 2018.The defence industry has seen significant growth over the years and it continues to grow on a yearly basis.
In 2024 the Serbian president approved the reintroduction of mandatory military service, which was abolished in 2011. If the Government adopts this decision, military service will last 75 days, starting with 2025.
Serbia is aunitary statecomposed ofmunicipalities/cities, districts, and two autonomous provinces. In Serbia, excluding Kosovo, there are 145 municipalities (opštine) and 29 cities (gradovi), which form the basic units of local self-government.Apart from municipalities/cities, there are 24districts(okruzi, 10 most populated listed below), with the City of Belgrade constituting an additional district. Except for Belgrade, which has an elected local government, districts are regional centres of state authority, but have no powers of their own; they present purely administrative divisions.
The Constitution of Serbia recognizes two autonomous provinces, Vojvodina in the north, and thedisputedterritory ofKosovo and Metohijain the south,while the remaining area of Central Serbia has never had its own regional authority. Following the Kosovo War,UN peacekeepersentered Kosovo and Metohija, as perUNSC Resolution 1244. The government of Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's February 2008 declaration of independence, considering it illegal and illegitimate.
As of the 2022 census, Serbia (excluding Kosovo) has a total population of 6,647,003 and the overallpopulation densityis medium as it stands at 85.8 inhabitants per square kilometre.The census was not conducted inKosovowhich held its own census that numbered their total population at 1,586,659. Serbia has been enduring a demographic crisis since the beginning of the 1990s, with adeath ratethat has continuously exceeded itsbirth rate.It is estimated that 500,000 people left Serbia during the 1990s, 20% of whom had a higher education.Serbia has one of the oldest populations in the world, with the average age of 43.3 years,and its population is shrinking at one of the fastest rates in the world.A fifth of all households consist of only one person, and just one-fourth of four and more persons.The averagelife expectancy in Serbiais 76.1 years.
During the 1990s, Serbia had the largest refugee population in Europe.Refugeesand internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Serbia formed between 7% and 7.5% of its population at the time – about half a million refugees sought refuge in the country following the series ofYugoslav wars, mainly from Croatia (and to a lesser extent from Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the IDPs from Kosovo.
Serbs with 5,360,239 are the largest ethnic group in Serbia, representing 81% of the total population (excluding Kosovo). Serbia is one of the European countries with the highest number of registered national minorities, while the province of Vojvodina is recognizable for itsmulti-ethnicandmulti-culturalidentity.Despite a decline in recent years, with a population of 184,442,Hungariansremain the largest ethnic minority in Serbia, concentrated predominantly in northern Vojvodina and representing 2.8% of the country's population (10.5% in Vojvodina). Romani population stands at 131,936 according to the 2022 census but unofficial estimates place their actual number between 400,000 and 500,000.Bosniakswith 153,801 andMuslims by nationalitywith 13,011 are concentrated inRaška (Sandžak), in the southwest. Other minority groups includeAlbanians,CroatsandBunjevci,Slovaks,Yugoslavs,Montenegrins,RomaniansandVlachs,MacedoniansandBulgarians.Chinese, estimated at 15,000, are the only significant non-Europeanimmigrantminority.Most recently, tens of thousands of Russians and Ukrainians have immigrated to Serbia following theRussian Invasion of Ukraine.
As of January 2024, more than 300,000 Russians had emigrated to Serbia since the start of the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. About one in 10 have been issued a residence permit, though integration issues have been reported, with Russian immigrants living in a "parallel society".
According to World Happiness Report 2024, Serbia is on 37th rank amount 140 countries.
The majority of the population, or 59.4%, reside in urban areas and some 16.1% in Belgrade alone. Belgrade is the only city with more than a million inhabitants and there are four more with over 100,000 inhabitants.
The Constitution of Serbia defines it as asecular statewith guaranteed religious freedom. Orthodox Christians with 6,079,396 comprise 84.5% of country's population. The Serbian Orthodox Church is the largest and traditional church of the country, adherents of which are overwhelmingly Serbs. Other Orthodox Christian communities in Serbia include Montenegrins, Romanians, Vlachs,MacedoniansandBulgarians.
In 2011,Roman Catholicsnumbered 356,957 in Serbia, or roughly 6% of the population, mostly in northern Vojvodina which is home to ethnic minority groups such as Hungarians, Croats, andBunjevci, as well as to some Slovaks and Czechs.Greek Catholic Churchis adhered by around 25,000 citizens (0.37% of the population), mostlyRusynsin Vojvodina.
Protestantismaccounts for 0.8% of the country's population,chieflyLutheranismamongSlovaks in Vojvodinaas well asCalvinismamongReformed Hungarians.
Muslims, with 222,282 or 3% of the population, form the third largest religious group. Islam has a strong historic following in the southern regions of Serbia, primarily in southern Raška.Bosniaksare the largest Islamic community in Serbia, followed byAlbanians; estimates are that around a third of the country's Roma people are Muslim.
In 2011, there were only 578Jews in Serbia,compared to over 30,000 prior to World War II.Atheistsnumbered 80,053, or 1.1% of the population, and an additional 4,070 declared themselves to beagnostics.
The official language is Serbian, native to 88% of the population.Serbian is the only European language with activedigraphia, using bothCyrillicandLatinalphabets.Serbian Cyrillicis designated in the Constitution as the "official script".A survey from 2014 showed that 47% of Serbians favour the Latin alphabet, 36% favour the Cyrillic one and 17% have no preference.
Standard Serbian is mutually intelligible with recognised minority languages ofBosnianandCroatian, as all three are based on the most widespreadShtokaviandialect fromEastern Herzegovina.Other recognised minority languages are:Hungarian,Slovak,Albanian,Romanian,Bulgarian,Rusyn, andMacedonian. All these languages are in official use in municipalities or cities where the ethnic minority exceeds 15% of the total population.In Vojvodina, the provincial administration co-officially uses, besides Serbian, five other languages (Slovak, Hungarian, Croatian, Romanian and Rusyn).
The healthcare system in Serbia is organized and managed by the three primary institutions:The Ministry of Health, The Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" and theMilitary Medical Academy. Healthcare protections are defined as a constitutional right in Serbia.The Serbian public health system is based on the principles of equity and solidarity, organized on the model ofcompulsory health insurance contributions.Private health care is not integrated into the public health system, but certain services may be included by contracting.
The Ministry of Health determines the healthcare policy and adopts standards for the work of the healthcare service. The Ministry is also in charge of the health care system, health insurance, preservation and improvement of health of citizens, health inspection, supervision over the work of the healthcare service and other tasks in the field of health care.
The Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" is responsible formedical statistics, epidemiology and hygiene. This central, tertiary institution manages and coordinates a dense network of municipal and regional Centers of Public Health that provideepidemiologicalandhygieneservices at primary and secondary levels.The National Health Insurance Fund finances the functioning of health care at all levels, and also provides and implements the compulsory health insurance.
One of the most important health institutions in Serbia is the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade.It takes care of about 30,000 patients a year (military and civilian insured). The academy performs around 30,000 surgical interventions and more than 500,000 specialist examinations.
TheClinical Centre of Serbiaspreads over 34 hectares in Belgrade and consists of about 50 buildings, while also has 3,150 beds considered to be the highest number in Europe,and amonghighest in the world.
Other important health institutions include: KBC Dr Dragiša Mišović, Cardiovascular institute Dedinje,Clinical Centre of Kragujevac,Clinical Centre of Niš,Clinical Center of Vojvodinaand others.
Serbia has an emergingmarket economyin upper-middle income range.According to theInternational Monetary Fund, Serbiannominal GDPin 2024 is officially estimated at $81.873 billion or $12,385 per capita whilepurchasing power parityGDP stood at $185.014 billion or $27,985 per capita.The economy is dominated byserviceswhich accounts for 67.9% of GDP, followed by industry with 26.1% of GDP, and agriculture at 6% of GDP.Serbia's arms industry, a legacy of Cold War Yugoslavia, is the leading weapons manufacturer in the Western Balkans and ranked 25th worldwide in arms exports, surpassing $1.6 billion in 2023 and employing 20,000 people.The official currency isSerbian dinar, and the central bank isNational Bank of Serbia. TheBelgrade Stock Exchangeis the only stock exchange in the country, with market capitalisation of $8.65 billion andBELEX15as the main index representing the 15 most liquid stocks.The country is ranked 52nd on theSocial Progress Indexas well as 54th on theGlobal Peace Index.
The economy has been affected by theglobal economic crisis. After almost a decade of strong economic growth (average of 4.45% per year), Serbia entered the recession in 2009 with negative growth of −3% and again in 2012 and 2014 with −1% and −1.8%, respectively.As the government was fighting effects of crisis the public debt has more than doubled: from pre-crisis level of just under 30% to about 70% of GDP and trending downwards recently to around 50%.Labour force stands at 3.2 million, with 56% employed in services sector, 28.1% in industry and 15.9% in the agriculture.The average monthly net salary in May 2019 stood at 47,575 dinars or $525.The unemployment remains an acute problem, with rate of 11% as of 2021.
Since 2000, Serbia has attracted over $40 billion inforeign direct investment(FDI).Blue-chipcorporations making investments include:Fiat Chrysler Automobiles,Siemens,Bosch,Philip Morris,Michelin,Coca-Cola,Carlsbergand others.In the energy sector, Russian energy giants,GazpromandLukoilhave made large investments.In metallurgy sector, Chinese steel and copper giants,HesteelandZijin Mininghave acquired key complexes.
Serbia has an unfavourable trade balance: imports exceed exports by 25%.Serbia's exports, however, recorded a steady growth in the 2010s reaching $19.2 billion in 2018.The country hasfree trade agreementswith theEFTAandCEFTA, a preferential trade regime with the European Union, aGeneralised System of Preferenceswith the United States, and individual free trade agreements with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.
Serbia has very favourable natural conditions (land and climate) for varied agricultural production. It has 5,056,000 ha of agricultural land (0.7 ha per capita), out of which 3,294,000 ha is arable land (0.45 ha per capita).In 2016, Serbia exported agricultural and food products worth $3.2 billion, and the export-import ratio was 178%.Agricultural exports constitute more than a fifth of all Serbia's sales on the world market. Serbia is one of the largest provider of frozen fruit to the EU (largest to the French market, and 2nd largest to the German market).
Agricultural production is most prominent in Vojvodina on the fertile Pannonian Plain. Other agricultural regions include Mačva, Pomoravlje,Tamnava,Rasina, andJablanica.
In the structure of the agricultural production, 70% is from the crop field production and 30% is from the livestock production.Serbia is world's second largest producer ofplums(582,485 tonnes; second to China), second largest ofraspberries(89,602 tonnes, second to Poland), it is also a significant producer of maize (6.48 million tonnes, ranked 32nd in the world) and wheat (2.07 million tonnes, ranked 35th in the world).Other important agricultural products are:sunflower,sugar beet,soybean, potato, apple, pork meat, beef,poultryand dairy.
There are 56,000 ha ofvineyards in Serbia, producing about 230 million litres of wine annually.The most famous viticulture regions are located in Vojvodina and Šumadija.
The industry was the economic sector hardest hit by theUN sanctions and trade embargoand NATO bombing during the 1990s and transition to market economy during the 2000s.The industrial output saw dramatic downsizing: in 2013 it was expected to be only a half of that of 1989.Main industrial sectors include: automotive, mining, non-ferrous metals, food-processing, electronics, pharmaceuticals, clothes. Serbia has 14 free economic zones as of September 2017,in which many foreign direct investments are realised.
The automotive industry is dominated by cluster located inKragujevacand its vicinity, and contributes to export with about $2 billion.Country is a leading steel producer in the wider region of Southeast Europe and had production of nearly 2 million tonnes of raw steel in 2018, coming entirely fromSmederevo steel mill, owned by the ChineseHesteel.Serbia's mining industry is comparatively strong: Serbia is the 18th largest producer of coal (7th in Europe) extracted from large deposits inKolubaraandKostolacbasins; it is also world's 23rd largest (3rd in Europe) producer of copper which is extracted byZijin Bor Copper, a large copper mining company, acquired by Chinese Zijin Mining in 2018; significant gold extraction is developed aroundMajdanpek. Serbia notably manufacturesintelsmartphones named Tesla smartphones.
Food industry is well known both regionally and internationally and is one of the strong points of the economy.Some of the international brand-names established production in Serbia:PepsiCoandNestléin food-processing sector; Coca-Cola (Belgrade),Heineken(Novi Sad) and Carlsberg (Bačka Palanka) in beverage industry; Nordzucker in sugar industry.Serbia's electronics industry had its peak in the 1980s and the industry today is only a third of what it was back then, but has witnessed a something of revival in last decade with investments of companies such as Siemens (wind turbines) in Subotica,Panasonic(lighting devices) in Svilajnac, andGorenje(electrical home appliances) in Valjevo.The pharmaceutical industry in Serbia comprises a dozen manufacturers of generic drugs, of whichHemofarmin Vršac andGalenikain Belgrade, account for 80% of production volume. Domestic production meets over 60% of the local demand.
The energy sector is one of the largest and most important sectors to the country's economy. Serbia is a net exporter of electricity and importer of key fuels (such as oil and gas).
Serbia has an abundance of coal, and significant reserves of oil and gas. Serbia's proven reserves of 5.5 billion tonnes ofcoal ligniteare the fifth largest in the world (second in Europe, after Germany).
Coal is found in two large deposits: Kolubara (4 billion tonnes of reserves) and Kostolac (1.5 billion tonnes).Despite being small on a world scale, Serbia's oil and gas resources (77.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent and 48.1 billion cubic metres, respectively) have a certain regional importance since they are largest in the region of former Yugoslavia as well as the Balkans (excluding Romania).Almost 90% of the discovered oil and gas are to be found in Banat and those oil and gas fields are by size among the largest in the Pannonian basin but are average on a European scale.
The production of electricity in 2015 in Serbia was 36.5 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh), while the final electricity consumption amounted to 35.5 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh).Most of the electricity produced comes from thermal-power plants (72.7% of all electricity) and to a lesser degree fromhydroelectric-power plants(27.3%).There are 6 lignite-operatedthermal-power plantswith an installed power of 3,936 MW.Total installed power of 9 hydroelectric-power plants is 2,831 MW.In addition to this, there are mazute and gas-operated thermal-power plants with an installed power of 353 MW.The entire production of electricity is concentrated inElektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), public electric-utility power company.
The current oil production in Serbia amounts to over 1.1 million tonnes of oil equivalentand satisfies some 43% of country's needs while the rest is imported.National petrol company,Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), was acquired in 2008 byGazprom Neft. The company's refinery in Pančevo (capacity of 4.8 million tonnes) is one of the most modern oil-refineries in Europe; it also operates network of 334 filling stations in Serbia (74% of domestic market) and additional 36 stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 31 inBulgaria, and 28 inRomania.There are 155 kilometres of crude oil pipelines connecting Pančevo and Novi Sad refineries as a part of trans-nationalAdria oil pipeline.
Serbia is heavily dependent on foreign sources of natural gas, with only 17% coming from domestic production (totalling 491 million cubic metres in 2012) and the rest is imported, mainly from Russia (via gas pipelines that run through Ukraine and Hungary).Srbijagas, public company, operates the natural gas transportation system which comprise 3,177 kilometres (1,974 mi) of trunk and regional natural gas pipelines and a 450 million cubic metre underground gas storage facility atBanatski Dvor.In 2021, Balkan Stream gas pipeline opened through Serbia.
Serbia has a strategic transportation location since the country's backbone, Morava Valley, represents the easiest land route from continental Europe to Asia Minor and theNear East.
Serbian road network carries the bulk of traffic in the country. Total length of roads is 45,419 km (28,222 mi) of which 962 km (598 mi) are "class-IA state roads" (i.e.motorways); 4,517 km (2,807 mi) are "class-IB state roads" (national roads); 10,941 km (6,798 mi) are "class-II state roads" (regional roads) and 23,780 km (14,780 mi) are "municipal roads".The road network, except for the most of class-IA roads, are of comparatively lower quality to the Western European standards because of lack of financial resources for their maintenance in the last 20 years.
Over 300 km (190 mi) of new motorways were constructed in the last decade and additional 154 km (96 mi) are currently under construction:A5 motorway(from north ofKruševactoČačak) and 31 km (19 mi)-long segment ofA2(between Čačak andPožega).Coachtransport is very extensive: almost every place in the country is connected by bus, from largest cities to the villages; in addition there are international routes (mainly to countries of Western Europe with large Serb diaspora). Routes, both domestic and international, are served by more than hundredintercity coach services, biggest of which areLastaandNiš-Ekspres. As of 2018, there were 1,999,771 registered passenger cars or 1 passenger car per 3.5 inhabitants.
Serbia has 3,819 km (2,373 mi) of rail tracks, of which 1,279 km (795 mi) are electrified and 283 km (176 mi) are double-track railroad.The major rail hub is Belgrade (and to a lesser degree Niš), while the most important railroads include: Belgrade–Subotica–Budapest (Hungary) (currently upgraded to high-speed status),Belgrade–Bar (Montenegro),Belgrade–Šid–Zagreb (Croatia)/Belgrade–Niš–Sofia (Bulgaria)(part ofPan-European Corridor X), and Niš–Thessaloniki (Greece). Some 75 km (46 mi) of new high-speed rail line between Belgrade and Novi Sad was opened in 2022 and additional 108 km (67 mi) from Novi Sad to Subotica and border with Hungary are currently under construction and due to open in 2025. Construction work for 212 km-long prolongation of the high-speed rail line to the south, to the city of Niš, is set to commence in 2024 and with its planned completion by the end of the decade four of country's five largest cities will be connected by the high-speed rail lines.Rail services are operated bySrbija Voz(passenger transport) andSrbija Kargo(freight transport).
There are three airports with regular passenger services reaching over 6 million passengers in 2022 withBelgrade Nikola Tesla Airportserving bulk of it, being a hub of flagship carrierAir Serbiawhich flies to 80 destinations in 32 countries (including intercontinental flights to New York City, Chicago and Tianjin) and carried 2.75 million passengers in 2022.
Serbia has a developed inland water transport since there are 1,716 km (1,066 mi) of navigable inland waterways (1,043 km, 648 mi of navigable rivers and 673 km, 418 mi of navigable canals), which are almost all located in northern third of the country.The most important inland waterway is the Danube. Other navigable rivers include Sava, Tisza,BegejandTimiş Rivers, all of which connect Serbia with Northern and Western Europe through theRhine–Main–Danube CanalandNorth Searoute, to Eastern Europe via the Tisza, Begej and Danube Black Sea routes, and to Southern Europe via the Sava river. More than 8 million tonnes of cargo were transported on Serbian rivers and canals in 2018 while the largest river ports are: Novi Sad, Belgrade, Pančevo,Smederevo, Prahovo and Šabac.
Fixed telephone lines connect 81% of households in Serbia, and with about 9.1 million users the number of cellphones surpasses the total population of by 28%.The largest mobile operator isTelekom Srbijawith 4.2 million subscribers, followed byYettelwith 2.8 million users andA1with about 2 million.Some 58% of households have fixed-line (non-mobile) broadband Internet connection while 67% are provided withpay television services(i.e. 38% cable television, 17% IPTV, and 10% satellite).Digital television transitionhas been completed in 2015 withDVB-T2standard for signal transmission.
Serbia is not a mass-tourism destination but nevertheless has a diverse range of touristic products.In 2019, total of over 3.6 million tourists were recorded in accommodations, of which half were foreign.Foreign exchange earnings from tourism were estimated at $1.5 billion.
Tourism is mainly focused on the mountains and spas of the country, which are mostly visited by domestic tourists, as well as Belgrade and, to a lesser degree,Novi Sad, which are preferred choices of foreign tourists (almost two-thirds of all foreign visits are made to these two cities).The most famous mountain resorts areKopaonik,Stara PlaninaandZlatibor. There are also manyspasin Serbia, the biggest of which areVrnjačka Banja,Soko Banja, andBanja Koviljača. City-break and conference tourism is developed in Belgrade and Novi Sad.Other touristic products that Serbia offer are natural wonders likeĐavolja varoš,Christian pilgrimage to the manyOrthodox monasteriesacross the country and the river cruising along the Danube. There are several internationally popular music festivals held in Serbia, such asEXITand theGuča trumpet festival.
According to 2011 census, literacy in Serbia stands at 98% of population while computer literacy is at 49% (complete computer literacy is at 34.2%).Same census showed the following levels of education: 16.2% of inhabitants have higher education (10.6% have bachelors or master's degrees, 5.6% have an associate degree), 49% have a secondary education, 20.7% have an elementary education, and 13.7% have not completed elementary education.
Education in Serbia is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science. Education starts in either preschools or elementary schools. Children enroll in elementary schools at the age of seven. Compulsory education consists of eight grades of elementary school. Students have the opportunity to attendgymnasiumsandvocational schoolsfor another four years, or to enroll in vocational training for two to three years.
Following the completion of gymnasiums or vocational schools, students have the opportunity to attend university.Elementary and secondary education are also available in languages of recognised minorities in Serbia, where classes are held in Hungarian, Slovak, Albanian, Romanian, Rusyn, Bulgarian as well as Bosnian and Croatian languages.Petnica Science Centeris a notable institution for extracurricular science education focusing on gifted students.
There are 19 universities in Serbia (nine public universities with a total number of 86facultiesand ten private universities with 51 faculties).In 2018/2019 academic year, 210,480 students attended 19 universities (181,310 at public universities and some 29,170 at private universities) while 47,169 attended 81 "higher schools".Public universities in Serbia are: theUniversity of Belgrade,University of Novi Sad,University of Niš,University of Kragujevac,University of Priština,Public University of Novi Pazaras well as three specialist universities –University of Arts,University of Defenceand University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies. Largest private universities includeMegatrend UniversityandSingidunum University, both in Belgrade, and Educons University in Novi Sad. The University of Belgrade (placed in 301–400 bracket on2013 Shanghai Ranking of World Universities, being best-placed university in Southeast Europe after those in Athens and Thessaloniki) and University of Novi Sad are generally considered the best institutions of higher learning in the country.
Serbia spent 0.9% of GDP on scientific research in 2017, which is slightly below the European average.Serbia was ranked 52nd in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.Since 2018, Serbia is a full member ofCERN.Serbia has a long history of excellence in maths and computer sciences which has created a strong pool of engineering talent, although economic sanctions during the 1990s and chronic underinvestment in research forced many scientific professionals to leave the country.Nevertheless, there are several areas in which Serbia still excels such as growing information technology sector, which includes software development as well as outsourcing. It generated over $1.2 billion in exports in 2018, both from international investors and a significant number of dynamic homegrown enterprises.Serbia is one of the countries with the highest proportion ofwomen in science.Among the scientific institutes operating in Serbia, the largest are theMihajlo Pupin InstituteandVinča Nuclear Institute, both in Belgrade. TheSerbian Academy of Sciences and Artsis alearned societypromoting science and arts from its inception in 1841.
For centuries straddling the boundaries between East and West, the territory of Serbia had been divided among the Eastern and Western halves of theRoman Empire; then betweenByzantiumand the Kingdom of Hungary; and in the early modern period between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Empire. These overlapping influences have resulted in cultural varieties throughout Serbia; its north leans to the profile of Central Europe, while the south is characteristic of the wider Balkans and even the Mediterranean. Serbia was influenced by theRepublic of Veniceas well, mainly though trade, literature andromanesque architecture.
Serbia has five cultural monuments inscribed in the list ofUNESCO World Heritage: the early medieval capitalStari Rasand the 13th-century monasterySopoćani; the 12th-centuryStudenica monastery; the Roman complex ofGamzigrad–Felix Romuliana; medieval tombstonesStećci; and finally the endangeredMedieval Monuments in Kosovo(the monasteries ofVisoki Dečani,Our Lady of Ljeviš,GračanicaandPatriarchal Monastery of Peć).
There are four literary works on UNESCO'sMemory of the World Programme: the 12th-centuryMiroslav Gospel, the electrical engineer and inventorNikola Tesla's archive, the telegram ofAustria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia, and the1st Summit of the Non-Aligned Movementarchives.Theslava(patron saint veneration),kolo(traditional folk dance), singing to the accompaniment of thegusle,Zlakusa pottery,slivovitz(plum brandy) andnaïve paintingpractices ofKovačicaare inscribed onUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.TheMinistry of Culture and Informationis tasked with preserving the nation'scultural heritageand overseeing its development, with further activities undertaken by local governments.
Traces of Roman and early Byzantine Empire architectural heritage are found in many royal cities and palaces in Serbia, such asSirmium,Viminacium,Mediana,Felix RomulianaandJustiniana Prima, since 535 the seat of theArchbishopric of Justiniana Prima.
Serbian monasteries were under the influence ofByzantine art, particularly after the fall of Constantinople in 1204 when many Byzantine artists fled to Serbia.The monasteries include Studenica (built around 1190), which was a model for such later monasteries asMileševa, Sopoćani,Žiča,Gračanicaand Visoki Dečani. Numerous monuments and cultural sites were destroyed at various stages of Serbian history, includingdestruction in Kosovo. In the late 14th and the 15th centuries, an autochthonous architectural style known asMorava styleevolved in the area around Morava Valley. A characteristic of this style was the wealthy decoration of the frontal church walls. Examples of this includeManasija,RavanicaandKalenićmonasteries.
Frescos includeWhite Angel(Mileševa monastery),Crucifixion(Studenica monastery) andDormition of the Virgin(Sopoćani).
The country is dotted with many well-preserved medieval fortifications and castles such asSmederevo Fortress(largest lowland fortress in Europe),Golubac,Maglič,Soko grad,Belgrade Fortress,OstrvicaandRam.
Under Ottoman occupation, Serbian art was virtually non-existent outside the lands ruled by the Habsburg monarchy. Traditional Serbian art showedBaroqueinfluences at the end of the 18th century as shown in the works ofNikola Nešković,Teodor Kračun,Zaharije OrfelinandJakov Orfelin.Serbian painting showed the influence ofBiedermeierandNeoclassicismas seen in works byKonstantin Danil,Arsenije TeodorovićandPavel Đurković.Many painters followed the artistic trends set in the 19th century Romanticism, notablyĐura Jakšić,Stevan Todorović,Katarina IvanovićandNovak Radonić.Serbian painters of the first half of the 20th century includePaja JovanovićandUroš PredićofRealism, CubistSava Šumanović,Milena Pavlović-BariliandNadežda Petrovićof Impressionism, ExpressionistMilan Konjović. Painters of the second half of 20th century includeMarko Čelebonović,Petar Lubarda,Milo Milunović,Ljubomir PopovićandVladimir Veličković.
Anastas Jovanovićwas one of the earliest photographers in the world.Marina Abramovićis a performance artist.Pirot carpetis a traditional handicraft in Serbia.
There are around 180 museums in Serbia,including theNational Museum of Serbia, founded in 1844, houses one of the largest art collections in the Balkans.Other art museums include theMuseum of Contemporary Artin Belgrade, theMuseum of Vojvodinaand theGallery of Matica Srpskain Novi Sad.
Serbian uses the Cyrillic alphabet created by the students of the brothersCyril and Methodiusat thePreslav Literary Schoolin Bulgaria.Serbian works from the early 11th century are written inGlagolitic. Starting in the 12th century, books were written in Cyrillic. TheMiroslav Gospelsfrom 1186 are considered to be the oldest book of Serbian medieval history and are listed inUNESCO'sMemory of the World Register.
There are 551 public libraries, the largest of which are theNational Library of Serbiain Belgrade with about 6 million items, andMatica Srpska(the oldestmaticaand Serbian cultural institution, founded in 1826) in Novi Sad with nearly 3.5 million volumes.In 2010, there were 10,989 books and brochures published.The book publishing market is dominated by several major publishers such as Laguna and Vulkan. The industry's centrepiece event, annualBelgrade Book Fair, is the most visited cultural event in Serbia with 158,128 visitors in 2013.The highlight of the literary scene is awarding ofNIN Prize, given every January since 1954 for the best newly published novel in Serbian.
Medieval authors include Saint Sava,Jefimija,Stefan Lazarević,Constantine of Kostenetsand others.Under Ottoman occupation, when Serbia was not part of the EuropeanRenaissance, the tradition of oral story-telling throughepic poetrywas inspired by theKosovo battleand folk tales rooted inSlavic mythology.Serbian epic poetryin those times was seen as the most effective way in preserving the national identity.The oldest known, entirely fictional poems, make up theNon-historic cycle, which is followed by poems inspired by events before, during and after the Battle of Kosovo. Folk ballads includeThe Death of the Mother of the Jugović FamilyandThe Mourning Song of the Noble Wife of the Asan Aga(1646), translated into European languages byGoethe,Walter Scott,PushkinandMérimée. A tale from Serbian folklore isThe Nine Peahens and the Golden Apples.
Baroque trends in Serbian literature emerged in the late 17th century. Baroque-influenced authors includeGavril Stefanović Venclović,Jovan Rajić, Zaharije Orfelin andAndrija Zmajević.Dositej Obradovićwas a prominent figure of theAge of Enlightenment, whileJovan Sterija Popovićwas aClassicistwriter whose works also contained elements of Romanticism.In the era of national revival, in the first half of the 19th century,Vuk Stefanović Karadžićcollected Serbianfolk literature, and reformed the Serbian language and spelling,paving the way for Serbian Romanticism. The first half of the 19th century was dominated by Romanticist writers, includingPetar II Petrović-Njegoš,Branko Radičević, Đura Jakšić,Jovan Jovanović ZmajandLaza Kostić, while the second half of the century was marked byRealistwriters such asMilovan Glišić,Laza Lazarević,Simo Matavulj,Stevan Sremac,Vojislav Ilić,Branislav Nušić,Radoje DomanovićandBorisav Stanković.
The 20th century was dominated by the prose writersMeša Selimović(Death and the Dervish),Miloš Crnjanski(Migrations),Isidora Sekulić(The Chronicle of a Small Town Cemetery),Branko Ćopić(Eagles Fly Early),Borislav Pekić(The Time of Miracles),Danilo Kiš(The Encyclopedia of the Dead),Dobrica Ćosić(The Roots),Aleksandar Tišma(The Use of Man),Milorad Pavićand others.Notable poets includeMilan Rakić,Jovan Dučić,Vladislav Petković Dis,Rastko Petrović,Stanislav Vinaver,Dušan Matić,Branko Miljković,Vasko Popa,Oskar Davičo,Miodrag Pavlović, andStevan Raičković.
Pavić is a 21st-century Serbian author whoseDictionary of the Khazarshas been translated into 38 languages.Contemporary authors includeDavid Albahari,Svetislav Basara,Goran Petrović,Gordana Kuić,Vuk DraškovićandVladislav Bajac.Serbian comicsemerged in the 1930s and the medium remains popular today.
Ivo Andrić(The Bridge on the Drina) is a Serbian authorwho won theNobel Prize in Literaturein 1961. Another writer wasDesanka Maksimović, who for seven decades was the leading lady of Yugoslav poetry.
Composer andmusicologistStevan Stojanović Mokranjacis considered the founder of modern Serbian music.The Serbian composers of the first generationPetar Konjović,Stevan Hristić, andMiloje Milojevićmaintained the national expression and modernised the romanticism into the direction of impressionism.Other famousclassicalSerbian composers includeIsidor Bajić,Stanislav BiničkiandJosif Marinković.There are three opera houses in Serbia:Opera of the National TheatreandMadlenianum Opera, both in Belgrade, andOpera of the Serbian National Theatrein Novi Sad. Four symphonic orchestra operate in the country:Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra,Niš Symphony Orchestra, Novi Sad Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphonic Orchestra of Radio Television of Serbia. The Choir of Radio Television of Serbia is a leading vocal ensemble in the country.TheBEMUSis one of the most prominent classical music festivals in the Southeastern Europe.
Traditional Serbian music includes various kinds ofbagpipes,flutes,horns,trumpets,lutes,psalteries, drums and cymbals. Thekolois the traditional collective folk dance, which hasa number of varietiesthroughout the regions. The most popular are those fromUžiceand Morava region. Sung epic poetry has been an integral part of Serbian and Balkan music for centuries. In the highlands of Serbia these long poems are typically accompanied on a one-string fiddle called thegusle, and concern themselves with themes from history and mythology. There are records ofguslebeing played at the court of the 13th-century kingStefan the First-Crowned.
Balkan Brass, ortruba("trumpet") is a popular genre, especially in Central and Southern Serbia where Balkan Brass originated. There are two main varieties of this genre, one from Western Serbia and the other from Southern Serbia, with brass musicianBoban Markovićbeing one of the most respected names in the world of modern brass band bandleaders.
The most popular music festivals areGuča Trumpet Festival, with over 300,000 annual visitors, andExitin Novi Sad (won the Best Major Festival award at theEuropean Festivals Awardsfor 2013 and 2017.), with 200,000 visitors in 2013.Other festivals includeNišville Jazz Festivalin Niš andGitarijadarock festival in Zaječar.
Pop musicartistŽeljko Joksimovićwon second place at the2004 Eurovision Song ContestandMarija Šerifovićwon the2007 Eurovision Song Contestwith the song "Molitva", andSerbia was the hostof the2008 editionof the contest. Pop singers includeZdravko Čolić,Vlado Georgiev,Aleksandra Radović,Jelena Tomašević,Nataša Bekvalac,Jelena KarleušaandTeya Doraamong others.
Serbian rockwas part of theformer Yugoslav rock sceneduring the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. During the 1990s and 2000s, the popularity ofrock musicdeclined in Serbia,and although several major mainstream acts managed to sustain their popularity, anundergroundandindependent musicscene developed.The 2000s saw a revival of the mainstream scene and the appearance of a large number of notable acts. Serbian rock acts includeAtheist Rap,Bajaga i Instruktori,Đorđe Balašević,Bjesovi,Block Out,Crni Biseri,Darkwood Dub,Disciplina Kičme,Elipse,Ekatarina Velika,Električni Orgazam,Eva Braun,Galija,Generacija 5,Goblini,Idoli,Kanda, Kodža i Nebojša,Kerber,Korni Grupa,Laboratorija Zvuka,Slađana Milošević,Neverne Bebe,Obojeni Program,Orthodox Celts,Partibrejkers,Pekinška Patka,Piloti,Riblja Čorba,Ritam Nereda,Rambo Amadeus,S.A.R.S.,Siluete,S Vremena Na Vreme,Šarlo Akrobata,Pop Mašina,Smak,U Škripcu,Van Gogh,YU Grupa,Zanaand others.
Folk music in its original form has been a prominent music style sinceWorld War Ifollowing the early success ofSofka Nikolić. The music has been further promoted by Danica Obrenić, Anđelija Milić,Nada Mamula, and during the 60s and 70s with performers likeSilvana Armenulić,Toma Zdravković,Lepa Lukić, Vasilija Radojčić, Vida Pavlović and Gordana Stojićević.
Turbo-folkmusic is a subgenre that was developed in Serbia in the late 1980s and the beginning of the 1990sand has since enjoyed an immense popularitythrough acts ofDragana Mirković,Zorica Brunclik,Šaban Šaulić,Ana Bekuta,Sinan Sakić,Vesna Zmijanac,Mile Kitić,Snežana Đurišić,Šemsa Suljaković, andNada Topčagić. It is a blend offolk musicwithpopanddanceelements and can be seen as a result of the urbanisation of folk music. In recent years, turbo-folk has featured even more pop music elements, and some of the performers have been labeled as pop-folk. The most famous among them areCeca(often considered to be the biggest music star of Serbia),Jelena Karleuša,Aca Lukas,Seka Aleksić,Dara Bubamara,Indira Radić,Saša Matić,Viki Miljković,StojaandLepa Brena, arguably the most prominent performer of formerYugoslavia.
Serbia has a well-established theatrical tradition withJoakim Vujićconsidered the founder of modern Serbian theatre.Serbia has 38 professional theatres and 11 theatres for children,the most important of which are National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad,National Theatre in Subotica,National Theatre in NišandKnjaževsko-srpski teatarin Kragujevac (the oldest theatre in Serbia, established in 1835). TheBelgrade International Theatre Festival – BITEF, founded in 1967, is one of the oldest theatre festivals in the world, and it has become one of the five biggest European festivals.Sterijino pozorjeis, on the other hand, a festival showcasing national drama plays. The most important Serbian playwrights were Jovan Sterija Popović and Branislav Nušić, while recent renowned names areDušan KovačevićandBiljana Srbljanović.
The country has a rich cinematic legacy.Serbia's film scene is one of the most dynamic smaller European cinemas. The film industry is heavily subsidized by the government, mainly through grants approved by the Film Centre of Serbia.As of 2019, there were 26 feature films produced in Serbia, of which 14 were domestic films.There are 23 operating cinemas in the country, with total attendance reaching 4.8 million. A comparatively high percentage of 20% of total tickets sold were for domestic films.ModernPFI Studioslocated inŠimanovciis nowadays Serbia's only major film studio complex.TheYugoslav Film Archiveused to be former Yugoslavia's and now is Serbia's national film archive – with over 100 thousand film prints, it is among the five largest film archives in the world.
Famous Serbian filmmakerEmir Kusturicawon twoPalmes d'Orfor Best Feature Film at theCannes Film Festival, forWhen Father Was Away on Businessin 1985 and then again forUndergroundin 1995; he has also won aSilver Bearat theBerlin Film FestivalforArizona Dreamand aSilver Lionat theVenice Film FestivalforBlack Cat, White Cat.Other renowned directors includeDušan Makavejev,Želimir Žilnik(Golden Berlin Bearwinner),Aleksandar Petrović,Živojin Pavlović,Goran Paskaljević,Goran Marković,Srđan Dragojević,Srdan GolubovićandMila Turajlićamong others. Serbian-American screenwriterSteve Tesichwon theAcademy AwardforBest Original Screenplayin 1979.
Prominent movie stars in Serbia have left a celebrated heritage in the cinematography of Yugoslavia as well. Notable mentions areZoran Radmilović,Pavle Vuisić,Ljubiša Samardžić,Olivera Marković,Mija Aleksić,Miodrag Petrović Čkalja,Ružica Sokić,Velimir Bata Živojinović,Danilo Bata Stojković,Seka Sablić,Dragan Nikolić,Mira Stupica,Nikola Simić,Bora Todorović,Nebojša Glogovac,Miloš Bikovićand others.Milena Dravićwas one of the most celebrated actresses in Serbian cinematography, winning theBest Actress Awardat the Cannes Film Festival in 1980.
Freedom of the press and freedom of speech are guaranteed by the constitution of Serbia.Serbia is ranked 90th out of 180 countries in the 2019Press Freedom Indexreport compiled byReporters Without Borders.The report noted that media outlets and journalists continue to face partisan and government pressure over editorial policies.
According toEBUresearch in 2018, Serbs on average watch five and a half hours of television per day, making it the second highest average in Europe.There are seven nationwidefree-to-airtelevision channels, with public broadcasterRadio Television of Serbia (RTS)operating three (RTS1,RTS2and RTS3) and private broadcasters operating four (Pink,Prva,Happy, andO2).There are 28 regional television channels and 74 local television channels.Besides terrestrial channels there are dozens of Serbian television channels available only on cable or satellite. These include regional newsN1, commercial channelNova S, and regional sports channelsSport KlubandArena Sport, among others.
There are 247 radio stations in Serbia.Out of these, six are radio stations with national coverage, including two of public broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (Radio Belgrade 1and Radio Belgrade 2/Radio Belgrade 3) and four private ones (Radio S1, Radio S2, Play Radio, and Radio Hit FM). Also, there are 34 regional stations and 207 local stations.
There are 305newspaperspublished in Serbiaof which 12 are daily newspapers. DailiesPolitikaandDanasare Serbia'spapers of record, the former being the oldest newspaper in the Balkans, founded in 1904.Highest circulation newspapers are tabloidsVečernje Novosti,Blic,Kurir, andInformer, all with more than 100,000 copies sold.There is one daily newspaper devoted to sports (Sportski žurnal), one business daily (Privredni pregled), two regional newspapers (Dnevnikpublished in Novi Sad andNarodne novinefrom Niš), and one minority-language daily (Magyar Szoin Hungarian, published in Subotica).
There are 1,351magazinespublished in the country.These include: weeklynews magazinesNIN,VremeandNedeljnik; popular science magazinePolitikin Zabavnik; women's magazineLepota & Zdravlje; auto magazineSAT revija; and IT magazineSvet kompjutera. In addition, there is a wide selection of Serbian editions of international magazines, such asCosmopolitan,Elle,Men's Health,National Geographic,Le Monde diplomatique,Playboy, andHello!, among others.
The main news agencies areTanjug,Betaand Fonet.
As of 2017, out of 432 web-portals (mainly on the.rsdomain)the most visited are online editions of printed dailies Blic and Kurir, news web-portal B92 and classifiedsKupujemProdajem.
Serbian cuisine is largely heterogeneous in a way characteristic of the Balkans and, especially, the former Yugoslavia. It features foods characteristic of lands formerly underTurkishsuzerainty as well as cuisine originating from other parts ofCentral Europe(especiallyAustriaandHungary). Food is very important in Serbian social life, particularly during religious holidays such asChristmas,Easterand feast days i.e.slava.
Staples of the Serbian diet include bread, meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Bread plays an important role in Serbian cuisine and can be found in religious rituals. A traditional Serbian welcome is to offer bread andsaltto guests. Meat is widely consumed, as is fish. The southern Serbian city ofLeskovacis host toRoštiljijada, considered the biggest barbecue festival in the Balkans.
Other Serbian specialties includećevapčići(grilled and seasoned caseless sausages made from minced meat),pljeskavica(grilled spiced meat patty made from a mixture of pork, beef and lamb),gibanica(cheese pie),burek(baked pastry made from a thin flaky dough that is stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables),sarma(stuffed cabbage),punjena paprika(stuffed pepper),moussaka(casserole made from minced meat, eggs, and potatoes),Karađorđeva šnicla(veal or porkschnitzelthat is stuffed with kajmak),đuveč(meat and vegetable stew),pasulj(bean soup),podvarak(roast meat with sauerkraut),ajvar(roasted red pepper spread),kajmak(dairy product similar toclotted cream),čvarci(variant ofpork rinds),proja(cornbread) andkačamak(corn-flour porridge).
Serbians claim their country as the birthplace ofrakia(rakija), a highly alcoholic drink primarily distilled from fruit. Rakia in various forms is found throughout the Balkans, notably in Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Hungary and Turkey.Slivovitz(šljivovica), a plum brandy, is a type of rakia which is considered thenational drinkof Serbia.In 2021, Serbia's sljivovica was added to theUnited Nations Intangible Cultural Heritage Listas a "cherished tradition to be preserved by humanity".
Serbian wines are produced in 22 different geographical regions, with white wine dominating the total amount.Besides rakia and wine,beeris a very popular alcoholic beverage in the country.Pale lagersare currently and have been the traditional beer choice for Serbians.The most popular domestic brands of beer are Jelen, followed by Lav.
As in the rest of the former Yugoslavia,coffee drinkingis an important cultural and social practice and Serbian coffee (a local variant ofTurkish coffee) is the most commonly consumed non-alcoholic beverage.
Serbia has hosted a number of major international sport competitions. The most important annual sporting events in the country are theBelgrade Marathonand theTour de Serbiecycling race.
Football is the most popular sport in Serbia, with theFootball Association of Serbiabeing the largest sporting association, with 146,845 registered players.Dragan Džajićwas recognized as "the best Serbian player of all time" by the association. More recently, players likeNemanja Vidić,Dejan Stanković,Branislav Ivanović,Aleksandar Kolarov,Nemanja Matić,Dušan TadićandAleksandar Mitrovićhave achieved significant success in theUEFA Champions League, boosting Serbia's reputation as a leading exporter of footballers.The national team has qualified for three of the last fourFIFA World Cupsbut lacks significant success. Serbia's two main football clubs,Red Star BelgradeandPartizan, have storied histories, with Red Star winning the1990–91 European Cupand Partizan reaching the1965–66 European Cupfinal. Their rivalry is known as the "Eternal Derby".
The country is a powerhouse in world basketball, with the men's national team winning twoWorld Championships, threeEuroBaskettitles, two Olympic silver medals, and a bronze medal in 2024. The women's team has won twoEuroBasket Womentitles and an Olympic bronze medal. Serbia'smen's 3x3 teamhas won sixFIBA 3x3 World Cupsand fiveFIBA 3x3 Europe Cups. A total of 34 Serbian players have played in the NBA over the last three decades, includingNikola Jokić, a three-timeNBA MVPand 2023NBA FinalsMVP.The "Serbian coaching school" has produced many of Europe's most successful basketball coaches, includingŽeljko Obradović, who has won a record 9 Euroleague titles.KK Partizanwon the1992 EuroLeague, andKK Crvena zvezdawon the1974 FIBA Saporta Cup.
TheSerbia men's national water polo teamis one of the most successful, with threeOlympicgold medals, threeWorld Championships, and sevenEuropean Championships.VK Partizanhas won sevenChampions Leaguetitles.
The recent success of Serbian tennis players, especiallyNovak Djokovic, who holds a record 24Grand Slamsingles titles, has led to a surge in the sport's popularity in Serbia. Djokovic has held the No. 1 ATP ranking for a record 428 weeks and achieved aCareer Super Slamwith his Olympic gold in 2024.Ana Ivanovic,Jelena JankovićandNenad Zimonjićhave also been ranked No. 1 in the WTA rankings.
The men's national team won the2010 Davis Cupand2020 ATP Cup. Serbia'smen's national volleyball teamwon the 2000 Olympic gold medal, three European Championships, and the 2016FIVB Volleyball World League. The women's team has won twoWorld Championships, three European Championships, and two Olympic medals.
Serbian chess players excelled from 1950 to 1980, winning 15 Olympic medals. The men's team won the2023 European Team Competition, and women's clubs have won the European Champions Cup five times.Svetozar GligorićandLjubomir Ljubojevićwere among the world's best players outside the USSR.
Notable Serbian athletes include sport shootersJasna ŠekarićandDamir Mikec, handball playerSvetlana Kitić, volleyball playerNikola Grbić, swimmerMilorad Čavić, track and field athleteIvana Španović, wrestlerDavor Štefanek, and taekwondoistMilica Mandić.
44°N21°E﻿ / ﻿44°N 21°E﻿ /44; 21