Serbia

In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. The monarchy remained in power until 1945, when the communist Partisans headed by Josip Broz (aka TITO) took control of the newly created Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). After TITO died in 1980, communism in Yugoslavia gradually gave way to resurgent nationalism. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Republic of Serbia, and his 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 1992, and MILOSEVIC led military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions ultimately failed, and international intervention led to the signing of the Dayton Accords in 1995.

In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo resulted in a brutal Serbian counterinsurgency campaign. Serbia rejected a proposed international settlement, and NATO responded with a bombing campaign that forced Serbian forces to withdraw from Kosovo in June 1999. In 2003, the FRY became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics. In 2006, Montenegro seceded and declared itself an independent nation. 

In 2008, Kosovo also declared independence -- an action Serbia still refuses to recognize. In 2013, Serbia and Kosovo signed the first agreement of principles governing the normalization of relations between the two countries. Additional agreements were reached in 2015 and 2023, but implementation remains incomplete. Serbia has been an official candidate for EU membership since 2012, and President Aleksandar VUCIC has promoted the ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2025.

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

44 00 N, 21 00 E

Europe

slightly smaller than South Carolina

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

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)

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

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

550 sq km (2022)

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

destructive earthquakes

landlocked; controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East

Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.)

Serbian Orthodox 81.1%, unknown 5.3%, Islam 4.2%, Catholic 3.9%, no response 2.5%, atheist 1.1%; less than 1%: other Christians, Protestant, agnostic (2022)

-0.6% (2025 est.)

8.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

14.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

1.408 million BELGRADE (capital) (2023)

28.2 years (2020 est.)

11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.47 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.71 (2025 est.)

3.1 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

5.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

21.5% (2016)

1% (2019 est.)

54.3% (2022 est.)

air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes in rivers; inadequate management of domestic, industrial, and hazardous waste

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)

21.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

162.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

parliamentary republic

117 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina) and 28 cities (gradovi, singular - grad)

municipalities: Ada*, Aleksandrovac, Aleksinac, Alibunar*, Apatin*, Arandelovac, Arilje, Babusnica, Bac*, Backa Palanka*, Backa Topola*, Backi Petrovac*, Bajina Basta, Batocina, Becej*, Bela Crkva*, Bela Palanka, Beocin*, Blace, Bogatic, Bojnik, Boljevac, Bosilegrad, Brus, Bujanovac, Cajetina, Cicevac, Coka*, Crna Trava, Cuprija, Despotovac, Dimitrov, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Golubac, Gornji Milanovac, Indija*, Irig*, Ivanjica, Kanjiza*, Kladovo, Knic, Knjazevac, Koceljeva, Kosjeric, Kovacica*, Kovin*, Krupanj, Kucevo, Kula*, Kursumlija, Lajkovac, Lapovo, Lebane, Ljig, Ljubovija, Lucani, Majdanpek, Mali Idos*, Mali Zvornik, Malo Crnice, Medveda, Merosina, Mionica, Negotin, Nova Crnja*, Nova Varos, Novi Becej*, Novi Knezevac*, Odzaci*, Opovo*, Osecina, Paracin, Pecinci*, Petrovac na Mlavi, Plandiste*, Pozega, Presevo, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raca, Raska, Razanj, Rekovac, Ruma*, Secanj*, Senta*, Sid*, Sjenica, Smederevska Palanka, Sokobanja, Srbobran*, Sremski Karlovci*, Stara Pazova*, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Svrljig, Temerin*, Titel*, Topola, Trgoviste, Trstenik, Tutin, Ub, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Veliko Gradiste, Vladicin Han, Vladimirci, Vlasotince, Vrbas*, Vrnjacka Banja, Zabalj*, Zabari, Zagubica, Zitiste*, Zitorada

cities: Beograd (Belgrade), Bor, Cacak, Jagodina, Kikinda*, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Loznica, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad*, Pancevo*, Pirot, Pozarevac, Prokuplje, Sabac, Smederevo, Sombor*, Sremska Mitrovica*, Subotica*, Uzice, Valjevo, Vranje, Vrsac*, Zajecar, Zrenjanin*

civil law system

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM or VMSZ 
Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina or DSHV 
Democratic Party or DS 
Ecological Uprising or EU 
Green - Left Front or ZLF 
Greens of Serbia or ZS 
Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS)
Movement for Reversal or PZP 
Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia or POKS 
Movement of Free Citizens or PSG 
Movement of Socialists or PS 
National Democratic Alternative or NADA (electoral coalition includes NDSS and POKS)
New Communist Party of Yugoslavia or NKPJ 
New Democratic Party of Serbia or NDSS or New DSS  (formerly Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS)
New Face of Serbia or NLS 
Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDAS 
Party of Freedom and Justice or SSP 
Party of United Pensioners, Farmers, and Proletarians of Serbia – Solidarity and Justice or PUPS - Solidarity and Justice (formerly Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS)
People's Movement of Serbia or NPS 
People's Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija or Fatherland 
People's Peasant Party or NSS 
Political Battle of the Albanians Continues 
Russian Party or RS 
Serbia Against Violence or SPN (electoral coalition includes DS, SSP, ZLF, Zajedno, NPS, PSG, EU, PZP, USS Sloga, NLS, Fatherland)
Serbia Must Not Stop (electoral coalitions includes SNS, SDPS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, PS, NSS, USS)
Serbian People's Party or SNP 
Serbian Progressive Party or SNS 
Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO 
Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS 
Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS 
Strength of Serbia or PSS 
Together or ZAJEDNO 
United Peasant Party or USS 
United Serbia or JS 
United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" or USS Sloga 
We - The Voice from the People or MI-GIN 

BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

5 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 1217 (Serbian Kingdom established); 16 April 1346 (Serbian Empire established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Serbian independence); 1 December 1918 (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes established, later known as Yugoslavia)

Statehood Day, 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adopted

description: three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; the national coat of arms is shifted to the left side; the principal field of the coat of arms displays a two-headed white eagle on a red shield; a smaller red shield on the eagle is divided into four quarters by a white cross; a royal crown is on top of the coat of arms

meaning: red, blue, and white are the pan-Slav colors that represent freedom and revolutionary ideals; the eagle on a red shield represents the government; the smaller shield represents the country; the meaning and origin of the curved white symbols in each quarter are not clear

white double-headed eagle

red, blue, white

upper middle-income Balkan economy; current EU accession candidate; hit by COVID-19; pursuing green growth development; manageable public debt; new anticorruption efforts; falling unemployment; historic Russian relations; energy import-dependent

$89.084 billion (2024 est.)

maize, wheat, sugar beets, milk, sunflower seeds, soybeans, potatoes, barley, apples, plums (2023)

automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals

2.9% (2024 est.)

3.23 million (2024 est.)

20% (2021 est.)

23.9% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Germany 15%, Hungary 7%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 5%, Italy 5%, Romania 5% (2023)

insulated wire, electricity, copper ore, plastic products, electric motors (2023)

Germany 12%, China 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 5%, Hungary 5% (2023)

crude petroleum, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023)

.rs

YU

46 (2025)

11 (2025)

Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Army (aka Land Forces; includes Riverine Component, consisting of a naval flotilla on the Danube), Air and Air Defense Forces, Serbian Guard

Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs: Police Directorate (2025)

approximately 25,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Land Forces; 5,000 Air/Air Defense; 5,000 other, including Serbian Guard) (2025)

the military's inventory consists of a mix of Soviet/Cold War-era and some more modern weapons systems from suppliers such as China, France, and Russia; Serbia has a defense industry focused on armored vehicles, artillery systems, and munitions (2025)

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2011 (2025)

180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

the Serbian military is responsible for defense and deterrence against external threats, supporting international peacekeeping operations, and providing support to civil authorities for internal security; specific areas of concerns for the military include ethnic and religious extremism, separatism, and deepening international recognition of Kosovo; Serbia has cooperated with NATO since 2006, when it joined the Partnership for Peace program, and the military trains with NATO countries, particularly other Balkan states; Serbia has participated in EU peacekeeping missions, as well as missions under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the UN; it traditionally has maintained close security ties with Russia and has a growing security relationship with China

the modern Serbian military was established in 2006 but traces its origins back through World War II, World War I, the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, and the Bulgarian-Serb War of 1885 to the First (1804-1813) and Second (1815-1817) Uprisings against the Ottoman Empire (2025)