Europe
Page last updated: April 24, 2024
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
Total: 77,474 km²
Land: 77,474 km²
Water: 0 km²
Slightly smaller than South Carolina
Area comparison map:
Total: 2,322 km
Border countries (8): Bosnia and Herzegovina 345 km; Bulgaria 344 km; Croatia 314 km; Hungary 164 km; Kosovo 366 km; North Macedonia 101 km; Montenegro 157 km; Romania 531 km
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
Highest point: Midzor 2,169 m
Lowest point: Danube and Timok Rivers 35 m
Mean elevation: 442 m
Oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land
Agricultural land: 57.9% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 37.7% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 3.4% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 16.8% (2018 est.)
Forest: 31.6% (2018 est.)
Other: 10.5% (2018 est.)
520 km² (2020)
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
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 km²)
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
6,693,375 (2023 est.)
Note: does not include the population of Kosovo
Noun: Serb(s)
Adjective: Serbian
Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.)
Note: most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 5–11% of Serbia's population
Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romani 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8%; note - Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, and Ruthenian (Rusyn) are official in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina; most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census (2011 est.)
Major-language sample(s):
Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Orthodox 84.6%, Catholic 5%, Muslim 3.1%, Protestant 1%, atheist 1.1%, other 0.8% (includes agnostics, other Christians, Eastern, Jewish), undeclared or unknown 4.5% (2011 est.)
Note: most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census
0-14 years: 14.45% (male 498,534/female 468,853)
15-64 years: 65.81% (male 2,216,701/female 2,188,267)
65 years and over: 19.74% (2023 est.) (male 547,344/female 773,676)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 53.8
Youth dependency ratio: 21.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 31.9
Potential support ratio: 3.1 (2021 est.)
Note: data include Kosovo
Total: 43.7 years (2023 est.)
Male: 42.2 years
Female: 45.2 years
-0.63% (2023 est.)
8.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
15.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
A fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Urban population: 57.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Kosovo
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
1.408 million BELGRADE (capital) (2023)
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
28.2 years (2020 est.)
Note: data does not cover Kosovo or Metohija
10 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 75.1 years (2023 est.)
Male: 72.5 years
Female: 77.9 years
1.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.71 (2023 est.)
62.3% (2019)
Improved: urban: 99.7% of population
Rural: 99.4% of population
Total: 99.5% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population
Rural: 0.6% of population
Total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)
8.7% of GDP (2020)
3.11 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
5.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Improved: urban: 99.6% of population
Rural: 95.7% of population
Total: 97.9% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population
Rural: 4.3% of population
Total: 2.1% of population (2020 est.)
Degree of risk: intermediate (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
21.5% (2016)
Total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 2.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 39.8% (2020 est.)
Male: 40.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 39.1% (2020 est.)
1% (2019)
60.8% (2023 est.)
Women married by age 15: 1.2%
Women married by age 18: 5.5% (2019 est.)
3.6% of GDP (2019 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.5%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 99.1% (2019)
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2021)
Air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube; inadequate management of domestic, industrial, and hazardous waste
Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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)
Agricultural land: 57.9% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 37.7% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 3.4% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 16.8% (2018 est.)
Forest: 31.6% (2018 est.)
Other: 10.5% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 57.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Note: data include Kosovo
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0.38% of GDP (2018 est.)
0.25% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 21.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 45.22 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 11.96 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.84 million tons (2015 est.)
Municipal solid waste recycled annually: 13,984 tons (2015 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.8% (2015 est.)
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
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 km²)
Municipal: 680 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 3.99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 660 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
162.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) (note - includes Kosovo)
Total global geoparks and regional networks: 1
Global geoparks and regional networks: Djerdap (2023)
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
Etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but seems to be related to the name of the West Slavic Sorbs who reside in the Lusatian region in present-day eastern Germany; by tradition, the Serbs migrated from that region to the Balkans in about the 6th century A.D.
Parliamentary republic
Name: Belgrade (Beograd)
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
Etymology: the Serbian "Beograd" means "white fortress" or "white city" and dates back to the 9th century; the name derives from the white fortress wall that once enclosed the city
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*
Note: the northern 37 municipalities and 8 cities - about 28% of Serbia's area - compose the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and are indicated with *
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 (Yugoslavia) established)
Statehood Day, 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adopted
History: many previous; latest adopted 30 September 2006, approved by referendum 28-29 October 2006, effective 8 November 2006
Amendments: proposed by at least one third of deputies in the National Assembly, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition of at least 150,000 voters; passage of proposals and draft amendments each requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Assembly; amendments to constitutional articles including the preamble, constitutional principles, and human and minority rights and freedoms also require passage by simple majority vote in a referendum
Civil law system
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Serbia
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Chief of state: President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017)
Head of government: Acting Prime Minister Ivica DACIC (since 20 March 2024); note - former Prime Minister Ana BRNABIC stepped down on 20 March 2024 after her election as parliament speaker; Ivica DACIC will be acting prime minister until the next election (date not yet set)
Cabinet: Cabinet elected by the National Assembly
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 December 2023 (next to be held in 2028); prime minister elected by the National Assembly; note - on 1 November 2023 President VUCIC dissolved parliament and called for snap elections on 17 December 2023
Election results:
2022: Aleksandar VUCIC reelected in first round; percent of vote - Aleksandar VUCIC (SNS) 60%, Zdravko PONOS (US) 18.9%, Milos JOVANOVIC (NADA) 6.1%, Bosko OBRADOVIC (Dveri-POKS) 4.5%, Milica DJURDJEVIC STAMENKOVSKI (SSZ) 4.3%, other 6.2%
2017: Aleksandar VUCIC elected president in first round; percent of vote - Aleksandar VUCIC (SNS) 55.1%, Sasa JANKOVIC (independent) 16.4%, Luka MAKSIMOVIC (independent) 9.4%, Vuk JEREMIC (independent) 5.7%, Vojislav SESELJ (SRS) 4.5%, other 7.3%, invalid/blank 1.6%; Prime Minister Ana BRNABIC reelected by the National Assembly on 5 October 2020; National Assembly vote - NA
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Narodna Skupstina (250 seats; members directly elected by party list proportional representation vote in a single nationwide constituency to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 17 December 2023 (next to be held in 2027)
Election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Serbia Must Stop 48%, SPN 24.4%, SPS-JS-ZS 6.7%, NADA 5.2%, MI-GIN 4.8%, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians 1.7%, SPP-DSHV 0.8%, SDAS 0.6%, Political Battle of the Albanians Continues 0.4%, RS-NKPJ 0.3%, other 7.1%; seats by party/coalition - Serbia Must Stop 128, SPN 65, SPS-JS-ZS 18, NADA 13, MI-GIN 13, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians 6, SPP-DSHV 3, SDAS 2, Political Battle of the Albanians Continues 1, RS-NKPJ 1; composition as of February 2024 - men 155, women 95; percentage women 38%
Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Cassation (consists of 36 judges, including the court president); Constitutional Court (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court justices proposed by the High Judicial Council (HJC), an 11-member independent body consisting of 8 judges elected by the National Assembly and 3 ex-officio members; justices appointed by the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges elected - 5 each by the National Assembly, the president, and the Supreme Court of Cassation; initial appointment of Supreme Court judges by the HJC is 3 years and beyond that period tenure is permanent; Constitutional Court judges elected for 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: basic courts, higher courts, appellate courts; courts of special jurisdiction include the Administrative Court, commercial courts, and misdemeanor courts
Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM or VMSZ [Shepherd BALINT, acting]
Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina or DSHV [Tomislav ZIGMANOV]
Democratic Party or DS [Zoran LUTOVAC]
Ecological Uprising or EU [Aleksandar JOVANOVIC]
Green - Left Front or ZLF [Radomir LAZOVIC, Biljana DORDEVIC]
Greens of Serbia or ZS [Ivan KARIC]
Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP [Usame ZUKORLIC] (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS)
Movement for Reversal or PZP [Janko VESELINOVIC]
Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia or POKS [Vojislav MIHAILOVIC]
Movement of Free Citizens or PSG [Pavle GRBOVIC]
Movement of Socialists or PS [Aleksandar VULIN]
National Democratic Alternative or NADA [Milos JOVANOVIC and Vojislav MIHAILOVIC] (electoral coalition includes NDSS and POKS)
New Communist Party of Yugoslavia or NKPJ [Aleksandar BANJANAC]
New Democratic Party of Serbia or NDSS or New DSS [Milos JOVANOVIC] (formerly Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS)
New Face of Serbia or NLS [Milos PARANDICOVIC]
Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDAS [Sulejman UGLJANIN]
Party of Freedom and Justice or SSP [Dragan DJILAS]
Party of United Pensioners, Farmers, and Proletarians of Serbia – Solidarity and Justice or PUPS - Solidarity and Justice [Milan KRKOBABIC] (formerly Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS)
People's Movement of Serbia or NPS [Miroslav ALEKSIC]
People's Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija or Fatherland [Stavica RISTIC]
People's Peasant Party or NSS [Marijan RISTICEVIC]
Political Battle of the Albanians Continues [Shaip KAMBERI]
Russian Party or RS [Slobodan NIKOLIC]
Serbia Against Violence or SPN [collective leadership] (electoral coalition includes DS, SSP, ZLF, Zajedno, NPS, PSG, EU, PZP, USS Sloga, NLS, Fatherland]
Serbia Must Not Stop [Milenko JOVANOV] (electoral coalitions includes SNS, SDPS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, PS, NSS, USS)
Serbian People's Party or SNP [Nenad POPOVIC]
Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Miloš VUCEVIC]
Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]
Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS [Rasim LJAJIC]
Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]
Strength of Serbia or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]
Together or ZAJEDNO [Biljana STOJKOVIC, Nebojsa ZELENOVIC]
United Peasant Party or USS [Milija MILETIC]
United Serbia or JS [Dragan MARKOVIC]
United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" or USS Sloga [Zeljko VESELINOVIC]
We - The Voice from the People or MI-GIN [collective leadership)
Note: Serbia has more than 110 registered political parties and citizens' associations
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)
Note: Serbia is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership
Three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white - the Pan-Slav colors representing freedom and revolutionary ideals; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side; the principal field of the coat of arms represents the Serbian state and displays a white two-headed eagle on a red shield; a smaller red shield on the eagle represents the Serbian nation, and is divided into four quarters by a white cross; interpretations vary as to the meaning and origin of the white, curved symbols resembling firesteels (fire strikers) or Cyrillic "C's" in each quarter; a royal crown surmounts the coat of arms
Note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia
White double-headed eagle; national colors: red, blue, white
Name: "Boze pravde" (God of Justice)
Lyrics/music: Jovan DORDEVIC/Davorin JENKO
Note: adopted 1904; song originally written as part of a play in 1872 and has been used as an anthem by the Serbian people throughout the 20th and 21st centuries
Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales: Stari Ras and Sopoćani; Studenica Monastery; Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius; Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards
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
$139.193 billion (2022 est.)
$135.732 billion (2021 est.)
$125.997 billion (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
2.55% (2022 est.)
7.73% (2021 est.)
-0.9% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$20,900 (2022 est.)
$19,900 (2021 est.)
$18,300 (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
$63.563 billion (2022 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
11.98% (2022 est.)
4.09% (2021 est.)
1.58% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Fitch rating: BB+ (2019)
Moody's rating: Ba3 (2017)
Standard & Poors rating: BB+ (2019)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 9.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 41.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 49.1% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 184; industry 24; agriculture 91
Household consumption: 78.2% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 10.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 18.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 52.5% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -61.3% (2017 est.)
Maize, wheat, sugar beet, milk, sunflower seed, potatoes, soybeans, plums/sloes, apples, barley
Automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals
-0.06% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
3.373 million (2022 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
8.68% (2022 est.)
10.06% (2021 est.)
9.01% (2020 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 30.4% (2021 est.)
Male: 28.5%
Female: 33.7%
21.2% (2020 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
35 (2020 est.)
Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
On food: 25.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Lowest 10%: 2.3%
Highest 10%: 27.1% (2020 est.)
Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
8.81% of GDP (2022 est.)
7.29% of GDP (2021 est.)
7.25% of GDP (2020 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $21.858 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $25.72 billion (2020 est.)
Note: data include both central government and local goverment budgets
0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
62.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
73.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
20.61% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
-$4.457 billion (2022 est.)
-$2.654 billion (2021 est.)
-$2.177 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$39.905 billion (2022 est.)
$34.035 billion (2021 est.)
$25.5 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Germany 12%, Italy 10%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 7%, Romania 6%, Russia 5% (2019)
Insulated wiring, tires, corn, cars, iron products, copper (2019)
$47.395 billion (2022 est.)
$39.476 billion (2021 est.)
$30.177 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Germany 13%, Russia 9%, Italy 8%, Hungary 6%, China 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019)
$20.68 billion (2022 est.)
$18.617 billion (2021 est.)
$16.587 billion (2020 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$30.927 billion (2019 est.)
$30.618 billion (2018 est.)
Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
111.662 (2022 est.)
99.396 (2021 est.)
103.163 (2020 est.)
105.25 (2019 est.)
100.175 (2018 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 8.986 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 29,933,262,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 5.943 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 5.002 billion kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 4.332 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Comparison rankings: imports 39; exports 33; installed generating capacity 69; transmission/distribution losses 163; consumption 65
Fossil fuels: 69.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Wind: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 27.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Production: 39.673 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 40.83 million metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 72,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 987,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 7.514 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Total petroleum production: 15,200 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 79,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 200 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 53,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 77.5 million barrels (2021 est.)
74,350 bbl/day (2015 est.)
15,750 bbl/day (2015 est.)
18,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Production: 455.787 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
Consumption: 2,619,191,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 1,980,647,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Proven reserves: 48.139 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
47.735 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 32.686 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 10.17 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 4.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
98.195 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Total subscriptions: 2,538,727 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 8,621,147 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2021 est.)
General assessment: Serbia’s telecom industry has been liberalized in line with the principles of the EU’s regulatory framework for communications, focused on encouraging competition in telecom products and services, and ensuring universal access; considerable network investment has been undertaken in Serbia by incumbent and alternative operators in recent years, despite economic difficulties; this has helped to stimulate internet usage, which has also been bolstered by improved affordability as prices are reduced through competition; the pandemic has stimulated consumer take up of services, particularly mobile data; the government’s various initiatives to improve rural broadband availability have also been supported by European development loans; Serbia’s high mobile services, partly the result of multiple SIM card use, has weighed on revenue growth in recent years, placing further pressure on operators to develop business models which encourage consumer use of mobile data services also in response to the continued substitution of fixed-line for mobile voice calls; the regulator has yet to auction 5G-suitable frequencies, though operators are already investing in their networks in preparation for this next growth frontier; during 2021 the regulator resumed the process towards a 5G spectrum auction, which had been delayed owing to the onset of the covid-19 pandemic (2022)
Domestic: fixed-line over 37 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 124 per 100 persons (2021)
International: country code - 381
.rs
Total: 5.589 million (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 81% (2021 est.)
Total: 1,730,496 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 43
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,262,703 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 17.71 million (2018) mt-km
YU
43 (2024)
8 (2024)
1,936 km gas, 413 km oil
Total: 3,333 km (2020) 1,274 km electrified
Total: 45,022 km (2022)
587 km (2009) (primarily on the Danube and Sava Rivers)
River port(s): Belgrade (Danube)
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: General Police Directorate (2024)
Note: the Serbian Guard is a brigade-sized unit that is directly subordinate to the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff; its duties include safeguarding key defense facilities and rendering military honors to top foreign, state, and military officials
2% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
2% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Approximately 25,000 active-duty troops (15,000 Land Forces; 5,000 Air/Air Defense; 5,000 other); approximately 3,000 Gendarmerie (2023)
The military's inventory consists of domestically produced equipment and weapons systems, as well as Russian, Yugoslav, and Soviet-era weapons systems; in recent years, China and Russia have been the largest suppliers of arms to Serbia (2023)
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2011 (2024)
Note: as of 2021, women made up about 16% of the military's full-time personnel
180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2024)
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 threat concerns of the military include 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 also maintains 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; the military’s combat forces are organized into Army and Air and Defense commands under a General Staff, as well as some independent forces; the Army’s combat forces include four combined arms brigades and an artillery brigade, plus several independent battalions and a river flotilla; there are also independent brigades of parachute infantry, special operations, and security/guard forces, which are directly under the General Staff; the Air and Air Defense force is organized into brigades and squadrons of aircraft, air defense missiles, and early warning and surveillance; its combat aircraft include approximately 25 Russian- and Yugoslavian-made multirole and attack aircraft, as well as a force of attack and multirole helicopters (2023)
Refugees (country of origin): 17,334 (Croatia), 7,997 (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (mid-year 2022)
IDPs: 196,066 (most are Kosovar Serbs, some are Roma, Ashkalis, and Egyptian (RAE); some RAE IDPs are unregistered) (2022)
Stateless persons: 2,594 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (2022)
Note: 1,045,323 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-March 2024)
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Serbia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government identified more victims and its Center for Protection of Trafficking Victims (CPTV) established a panel with a psychologist, educator, and social worker to conduct victim assessments within 24 hours of a referral; a court seized a house built from the profits of forced begging and gave ownership of the house to the victim as restitution; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; fewer investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of traffickers took place; officials decreased resources for the CPTV, despite its lack of staff, skills, and resources to assess victims, coordinate care, and run the CTPV shelter; standard operating procedures on victim identification remained unclear, and implementation was “recommended” rather than required; authorities inappropriately penalized victims with imprisonment, probation, and fines for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; the Anti-Trafficking Council has not met in three years, and the government has not adopted the 2021-2022 National Action Plan; official complicity in trafficking or inaction remained significant concerns; the government did not fully protect victims or fully investigate credible allegations that approximately 500 Vietnamese workers were subjected to forced labor at a factory owned by China; therefore, Serbia remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year (2023)
Trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Serbia, as well as Serbians abroad; Serbian women and girls are exploited in sex trafficking in Serbia, neighboring countries, and throughout Europe; Serbian nationals, primarily men, are exploited in forced labor in labor-intensive sectors, such as construction, in European countries—including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Russia, and Switzerland—and the UAE; children, particularly Roma, are victims within the country in sex trafficking, forced labor, forced begging, and petty crime; foreign victims in Serbia have been identified from Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Cameroon, Croatia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, and Vietnam; thousands of migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia transiting through or stranded in Serbia are vulnerable to trafficking; the government has not reported fully investigating credible allegations during the past several years of Vietnamese victims of forced labor in a Chinese-owned factory and instead has stated that the workers are not trafficking victims; Chinese workers at the same factory conducted a strike during the reporting period over claims that they had not been paid (2023)
Drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets