Map of Serbia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: The Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany's occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945 but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist TITO's new government and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989 Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991 Croatia Slovenia and Macedonia declared independence followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a 'Greater Serbia.' These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992 but Serbia continued its - ultimately unsuccessful - campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998 an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual withdrawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region's ethnic communities created a UN interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing institutions and reserved the issue of Kosovo's final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001 UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institutions of self-government and led to Kosovo's first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. DOS arrested MILOSEVIC in 2001 and allowed for him to be tried in The Hague for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001 the country's suspension from the UN was lifted. In 2003 the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 caused the international community to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006 Montenegro invoked its right to secede from the federation and - following a successful referendum - it declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. A new Serbian constitution was approved in October 2006 and adopted the following month. After 15 months of inconclusive negotiations mediated by the UN and four months of further inconclusive negotiations mediated by the US EU and Russia on 17 February 2008 the UNMIK-administered province of Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia.


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Location: Southeastern Europe between Macedonia and Hungary

Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N 21 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 77,474 km²
Rank: 116
Land: 77,474 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries
Total: 2026 km
Border countries: (8) Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km; Bulgaria 318 km; Croatia 241 km; Hungary 151 km; Kosovo 352 km; Macedonia 62 km; Montenegro 124 km; Romania 476 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: in the north continental climate (cold winters and hot humid summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts continental and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot dry summers and autumns)

Terrain: extremely varied; to the north rich fertile plains; to the east limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast ancient mountains and hills

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: NA
Extremes highest point: Midzor 2,169 m

Natural resources: oil gas coal iron ore copper zinc antimony chromite gold silver magnesium pyrite limestone marble salt arable land

Land use
Arable land: NA
Permanent crops: NA
Other: NA

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 208.5 km³ (note - includes Kosovo) (2003)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Geography
Note: controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East


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Population: 7,379,339
Rank: 95
Note: does not include the population of Kosovo (July 2009 est.)
Growth rate: -0.468% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 227
Below poverty line: 6.5% (2007 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Serb
Adjective: Serbian

Ethnic groups: Serb 82.9% Hungarian 3.9% Romany (Gypsy) 1.4% Yugoslavs 1.1% Bosniaks 1.8% Montenegrin 0.9% other 8% (2002 census)

Languages: Serbian 88.3% (official) Hungarian 3.8% Bosniak 1.8% Romany (Gypsy) 1.1% other 4.1% unknown 0.9% (2002 census)
Note: Romanian Hungarian Slovak Ukrainian and Croatian all official in Vojvodina

Religions: Serbian Orthodox 85% Catholic 5.5% Protestant 1.1% Muslim 3.2% unspecified 2.6% other unknown or atheist 2.6% (2002 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.4%
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,503,194/female 2,502,807)
65 years and over: 16.8% (male 508,606/female 728,026) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 41 years
Male: 39.3 years
Female: 42.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.468% (2009 est.)
Rank: 227

Birth rate: 9.19 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 207

Death rate: 13.86 deaths/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 25

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)
Rank: 79

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 52% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and above: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.75 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 173
Male: 7.79 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.64 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.9 years
Rank: 96
Male: 71.09 years
Female: 76.89 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.38 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 198

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 146
People living with hivaids: 6,400 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 117
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 134

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible r

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.4%
Male: 98.9%
Female: 94.1% (2003 census)
Note: includes Montenegro

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Serbia
Conventional short form: Serbia
Local long form: Republika Srbija
Local short form: Srbija
Former: People's Republic of Serbia Socialist Republic of Serbia

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Belgrade
Geographic coordinates: 44 50 N 20 30 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 167 municipalities (opcstine singular - opcstina)
Serbia proper: Belgrade City (Beograd): Barajevo Cukarica Grocka Lazarevac Mladenovac Novi Beograd Obrenovac Palilula Rakovica Savski Venac Sopot Stari Grad Surcin Vozdovac Vracar Zemun Zvezdara; Bor: Bor Kladovo Majdanpek Negotin; Branicevo: Golubac Kucevo Malo Crnice Petrovac Pozarevac Veliko Gradiste Zabari Zagubica; Grad Nis: Crveni Krst Mediana Niska Banja Palilula Pantelej Jablanica: Bojnik Crna Trava Lebane Leskovac Medveda Vlasotince; Kolubara: Lajkovac Ljig Mionica Osecina Ub Valjevo; Macva: Bogatic Koceljeva Krupanj Ljubovija Loznica Mali Zvornik Sabac Vladimirci; Moravica: Cacak Gornkji Milanovac Ivanjica Lucani; Nisava: Aleksinac Doljevac Gadzin Han Merosina Nis Razanj Svrljig; Pcinja: Bosilegrad Bujanovac Presevo Surdulica Trgoviste Vladicin Han Vranje; Pirot: Babusnica Bela Palanka Dimitrovgrad Pirot; Podunavlje: Smederevo Smederevskia Palanka Velika Plana; Pomoravlje: Cuprija Despotovac Jagodina Paracin Rekovac Svilajnac; Rasina: Aleksandrovac Brus Cicevac Krusevac Trstenik Varvarin; Raska: Kraljevo Novi Pazar Raska Tutin Vrnjacka Banja; Sumadija: Arandelovac Batocina Knic Kragujevac Lapovo Raca Topola; Toplica: Blace Kursumlija Prokuplje Zitorada; Zajecar: Boljevac Knjazevac Sokobanja Zajecar; Zlatibor: Arilje Bajina Basta Cajetina Kosjeric Nova Varos Pozega Priboj Prijepolje Sjenica Uzice
Vojvodina autonomous province: South Backa: Bac Backa Palanka Backi Petrovac Becej Beocin Novi Sad Sremski Karlovci Srobobran Temerin Titel Vrbas Zabalj; South Banat: Alibunar Bela Crkva Kovacica Kovin Opovo Pancevo Plandiste Vrsac; North Backa: Backa Topola Mali Idjos Subotica; North Banat: Ada Coka Kanjiza Kikinda Novi Knezevac Senta; Central Banat: Nova Crnja Novi Becej Secanj Zitiste Zrenjanin; Srem: Indija Irig Pecinci Ruma Sid Sremska Mitrovica Stara Pazova; West Backa: Apatin Kula Odzaci Sombor

Dependent areas

Independence: 5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday: National Day 15 February

Constitution: adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006

Legal system: based on civil law system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Boris TADIC
Head of government: Prime Minister Mirko CVETKOVIC (since 7 July 2008)
Cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet
Elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 February 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister elected by the National Assembly
Election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round of voting; Boris TADIC received 51.2% of the vote and Tomislav NIKOLIC 48.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (250 seats; deputies elected according to party lists to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 11 May 2008 (next to be held in May 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - For a European Serbia coalition 38.4% SRS 29.5% DSS-NS 11.6% SPS-led coalition 7.6% LPD 5.2% other 7.7%; seats by party - For a European Serbia coalition 102 SRS 77 DSS-NS 30 SNS 21 SPS-led coalition 20 LDP 13 other 7; note - the seat allocation for the SNS and SRS is uncertain because of an ongoing dispute with the SRS

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court Supreme Court (to become court of cassation under new constitution) appellate courts district courts municipal courts

Political parties and leaders: Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza HALIMI]; Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGLJANIN]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Ragmi MUSTAFA]; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Union of the Valley or BDL [Skender DESTANI]; For a European Serbia [Boris TADIC]; Force of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASTOR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; Movement for Democratic Progress or LPD [Jonuz MUSLIU]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Party of Democratic Action or PVD [Riza HALIMI]; People's Party or NS [Maja GOJKOVIC]; Roma Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ (currently on trial at The Hague) with Dragan TODOROVIC as acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]; Union of Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]

International organization participation: BSEC CE CEI EAPC EBRD FAO G-9 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD (suspended) IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MONUC NAM (observer) OAS (observer) OIF (observer) OPCW OSCE PCA PFP SECI UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIL UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Vladimir PETROVIC
In the us chancery: 2,134 Kalorama Road NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
In the us fax: [1] (202) 332-3,933
In the us consulate general: Chicago New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron MUNTER
From the us embassy: Kneza Milosa 50 11,000 Belgrade
From the us mailing address: 5,070 Belgrade Place Washington DC 20,521-5,070
From the us telephone: [381] (11) 361-9,344
From the us fax: [381] (11) 361-8,230

Flag description: three equal horizontal stripes of red (top) blue and white; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy an extended period of international economic sanctions and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in September 2000 the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000 Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. In November 2001 the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country's $4.5 billion public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004 the London Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt just over half the total owed. Belgrade has made progress in trade liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization including telecommunications and small- and medium-size firms. It has made halting progress towards EU membership despite signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels in May 2008. Serbia is also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization. Unemployment and the large current account deficit remain ongoing political and economic problems.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 75
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 77

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 100
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 12.3%
Industry: 24.2%
Services: 63.5% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat maize sugar beets sunflower raspberries beef pork milk

Industries: sugar agricultural machinery electrical and communication equipment paper and pulp lead transportation equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2007 est.)
Rank: 111

Labor force: 2.961 million (2002 est.)
Rank: 100
By occupation agriculture: 30%
By occupation industry: 46%
By occupation services: 24% (2002)

Unemployment rate: 18.8% (2007 est.)
Rank: 163

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 6.5% (2007 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 30 (2003)
Rank: 116

Budget
Revenues: $9.6 billion
Expenditures: $9.8 billion (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 37% of GDP (2007 est.)
Rank: 63

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.8% (2007)
Rank: 114

Central bank discount rate: 9.57% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 45

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 11.13% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 73

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $13.44 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 63

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 66

Current account balance: -$6.889 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 167

Exports: $8.824 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 92
Commodities: manufactured goods food and live animals machinery and transport equipment

Imports: $18.35 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 73

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $14.22 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 59

Debt external: $26.24 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 66

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $11.95 billion (2006 est.)
Rank: 76

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates: Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - 54.5 (2007) 59.98 (2006)


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Electricity
Production: 33.87 billion kWh (2004)
Production rank: 61
Consumption: NA kWh
Exports: 12.05 billion kWh (2004 est.)
Imports: 11.23 billion kWh (2004)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 650 million m³ (2005 est.)
Production rank: 66
Consumption: 2.55 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption rank: 76
Exports: 0 m³ (2005)
Exports rank: 129
Imports: 2.1 billion m³ (2004 est.)
Imports rank: 44
Proven reserves: 48.14 billion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 66

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 3.085 million (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 49
Mobile cellular: 9.619 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 61

Telephone system
General assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and transition to a competitive market-based system; network was 90% digitalized in 2006
Domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring states; GSM wireless service available through multiple providers with national coverage is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications service centered in urban centers
International: country code - 381

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .rs
Hosts: 181,313 (2009)
Hosts rank: 64
Users: 2.936 million (2008)
Users rank: 59

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; under a state of war or impending war conscription can begin at age 16; conscription is to be abolished in 2010; 6-month service obligation with a reserve obligation to age 60 for men and 50 for women (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 28 (2009)
Rank: 121
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 18
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 9
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports: 2 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 1921 km; oil 323 km (2008)

Railways
Total: 3,379 km
Rank: 52
Standard gauge: 3,379 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1254 km) (2006)

Roadways
Total: 36,875 km
Rank: 92
Paved: 31,392 km
Unpaved: 5,483 km (2006)

Waterways: 587 km (primarily on Danube and Sava rivers) (2008)
Rank: 81

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Serbia with several other states protest the U.S. and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 71,111 (Croatia); 27,414 (Bosnia and Herzegovina); 206,000 (Kosovo) note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999 (2007)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering