Basic Facts

The Republic of Serbia is a democratic state of all its citizens. Its history and achievements make it an integral part of modern civilisation.

Apart from Serbia Proper, the Republic of Serbia contains two autonomous provinces: Vojvodina and Kosovo-Metohija. Belgrade is the capital of Serbia. With a population of 1.6 million, it is the country's administrative, economic and cultural centre.

Position, Relief, Climate

Serbia is located in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula, on the most important route linking Europe and Asia, occupying an area of 88, 361 sq. km. Serbia is in the West European time zone (one hour ahead of Greenwich time). Its climate is temperate continental, with a gradual transition between the four seasons of the year.

Serbia is referred to as the cross-roads of Europe. The international roads and railways passing down its river valleys make up the shortest link between Western and Central Europe, on the one side, and the Middle East, Asia and Africa, on the other. Hence the geopolitical importance of its territory . These roads follow the course of the valley of the river Morava, splitting in two near the city of Nis. One track follows the valleys of the rivers Southern Morava and Vardar to Thessaloniki; the other, the river Nisava to Sofia and Istanbul.

Serbian rivers belong to the basins of the Black, Adriatic and Aegean Seas. Three of them, the Danube, Sava and Tisa, are navigable. The longest river is the Danube, which flows for 588 of its 2.857 kilometer course through Serbia. The Danube basin has always been important for Serbia. With the commissioning of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal in September 1992, the Black Sea and the Near and Far Eastern ports have come much nearer to Europe. Serbia is linked to the Adriatic Sea and Montenegro via Belgrade-Bar railway.

Northern Serbia is mainly flat, while its central and southern areas consist of highlands and mountains. The flatlands are mainly in Vojvodina (the Pannonian Plain and its rim: Macva, the Sava Valley, the Morava Valley, Stig and the Negotin Marches in Eastern Serbia). 55 per cent of Serbia is arable land, and 27 per cent is forested. Of its mountains 15 reach heights of over 2,000 meters , the highest being Djeravica in the Prokletija range (2,656 m).

The length of Serbia's border is 2.114,2 km. To the East Serbia borders with Bulgaria, to the North East with Romania, to the North with Hungary, to the West with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to the South with Albania and Macedonia.

Population, Language and Religion

The ethnic composition of the population of the Republic of Serbia is very diverse, which is a result of the country's turbulent past. The majority of the population of Serbia are Serbs, but another 37 ethnicities also live on its territory. All citizens have equal rights and responsibilities and enjoy full ethnic equality.

The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia guarantees rights to minorities, in accordance with the highest international standards. The latest 2002 census puts the population of Serbia (excluding Kosovo-Metohija) at 7,498,001, which made up 92.3% of the population of the former State Union of Serbia-Montenegro. Serbs make up 82.86% of the population, Hungarians 3.91%, Bosniaks 1.81%, Roma 1.44%, Yugoslavs 1.08%, Croats 0.94%, Montenegrins 0.92%, Albanians 0.82%, Slovaks 0.79%, Vlachs 0.53%, Romanians 0.46%, Macedonians 0.34%, Bulgarians and Vojvodina Croats 0.27% each, Muslims 0.26%, Ruthenians 0.21%, Slovaks and Ukrainians 0.7% each, Gorani 0.06%, Germans 0.05%, and Russians and Czechs 0.03% each.

The official language in Serbia is Serbian and the script in official use is Cyrillic, while Latin script is also used. In the areas inhabited by ethnic minorities, the languages and scripts of the minorities are in official use, as provided by law.

The main religion of Serbia is Christian Orthodox, the faith of the Serbian people. The Serbian Orthodox Church, which has been autonomous since 1219, has played an important role in the development and preservation of the Serbian national identity. Beside the Christian Orthodox population, there are also other religious communities in Serbia: Islamic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and others.