Serbia
Republic of SerbiaRepublika Srbija
parliamentary republic
Serbia as the 2016 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 164 fields, one of 20 editions from 2006 to 2025.
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Communist Partisans resisted the Axis occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945 and fought nationalist opponents and collaborators as well. The military and political movement headed by Josip Broz "TITO" (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when their domestic rivals and the occupiers were defeated in 1945.
Although communists, TITO and his successors (Tito 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 Republic of Serbia 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 ultimately failed and, after international intervention, led to the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995.
MILOSEVIC retained 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.
Serbian military and police forces withdrew from Kosovo in June 1999, and the UN Security Council authorized an interim UN administration and a NATO-led security force in Kosovo. FRY elections in late 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and the installation of democratic government. In 2003, the FRY became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 led to more intense calls to address Kosovo's status, and the UN began facilitating status talks in 2006. In June 2006, Montenegro seceded from the federation and declared itself an independent nation. Serbia subsequently gave notice that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro.
In February 2008, after nearly two years of inconclusive negotiations, Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia - an action Serbia refuses to recognize. At Serbia's request, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in October 2008 sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on whether Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was in accordance with international law. In a ruling considered unfavorable to Serbia, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion in July 2010 stating that international law did not prohibit declarations of independence.
In late 2010, Serbia agreed to an EU-drafted UNGA Resolution acknowledging the ICJ's decision and calling for a new round of talks between Serbia and Kosovo, this time on practical issues rather than Kosovo's status. Serbia and Kosovo signed the first agreement of principles governing the normalization of relations between the two countries in April 2013 and are in the process of implementing its provisions. Prime Minister Aleksandar VUCIC, has promoted an ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2020. Under his leadership, in January 2014 Serbia opened formal negotiations for accession.
Geography
Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary
19 fieldsClimate
- 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
Natural resources
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 57.9%;
- arable land 37.7%;
- permanent crops 3.4%;
- permanent pasture 16.8%
- forest:
- 31.6%
- other:
- 10.5% (2011 est.)
Population - distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
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
Environment - 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
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East
People and Society
38 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2016 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2016 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2011 est.)
Religions(2011 est.)
Languages
Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romany 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8% note: Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, and Rusyn are official in Vojvodina (2011 est.)
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.93 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.7 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- intermediate
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea (2016)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
- total:
- 49.4%
- male:
- N/A
- female:
- N/A (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Tomislav NIKOLIC (since 11 June 2012); Prime Minister Aleksandar VUCIC (since 27 April 2014)
22 fieldsPresidential election, second roundpercent of vote
National Assembly or Narodna Skupstina, elected 24 April 2016percent of vote
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
- etymology:
- the origin of the name in 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.
Capital
- 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
Administrative divisions
119 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina) and 26 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, Bor, 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, Prokuplje, 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, Cacak, Jagodina, Kikinda*, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Loznica, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad*, Pancevo*, Pirot, Pozarevac, Sabac, Smederevo, Sombor*, Sremska Mitrovica*, Subotica*, Uzice, Valjevo, Vranje, Vrsac, Zajecar, Zrenjanin*
note: the northern 39 municipalities and 6 cities - about 28% of Serbia's area - compose the autonomous province of Vojvodina and are indicated with *
National holiday
National Day, 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adopted
Constitution
- many previous;
- latest approved by referendum 28-29 October 2006, adopted 30 September 2006, effective 8 November 2006;
- note - proposed amendments to establish a special court for war crimes were defeated in June 2015 by the National Assembly (2016)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- 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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Tomislav NIKOLIC (since 11 June 2012)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Aleksandar VUCIC (since 27 April 2014)
- 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 20 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017);
- prime minister elected by the National Assembly
- election results:
- Tomislav NIKOLIC elected president; percent of vote in second round - Tomislav NIKOLIC (SNS) 51.2%, Boris TADIC (NDS-Z) 48.8%
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral National Assembly or Narodna Skupstina (250 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by party list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 24 April 2016 (next to be held by April 2020)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party/coalition - Serbia is Winning 48.2%, SPS-JS-ZS-KP 11.0%, SRS 8.1%, For a Just Serbia 6.0%, Enough is Enough 6.0%, Alliance for a Better Serbia 5.0%, Dveri-DSS 5.0%, SVM 1.5%, other 9.2%;
- seats by party/coalition Serbia is Winning 131, SPS-JS-ZS-KP 29, SRS 22, For a Just Serbia 16, Enough is Enough 16, Alliance for a Better Serbia 13, Dveri-DSS 13, SVM 4, other 6
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court of Cassation (consists of more than 60 judges organized into 3- and 5-member panels for criminal, civil, and administrative cases);
- Constitutional Court (consists of 15 judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court justices proposed by the High Judicial Council (HJC), an 11-member body of which 7 are judges, and elected by the National Assembly;
- Constitutional Court judges appointed - 5 each by the National Assembly, the president, and the Supreme Court of Cassation;
- judges of both courts appointed to permanent tenure by the HJC
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts, higher courts, and municipal and district courts;
- courts of special jurisdiction include the Administrative Court, Appellate Commercial Court, and 2 levels of misdemeanor courts
note: in 2003, specialized panels on war crimes were established within the Serbian court system; the panels have jurisdiction over alleged violations of the Basic Criminal Code and crimes against humanity,
international law, and criminal acts as defined by the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
Political parties and leaders
- Alliance for a Better Serbia - coalition includes LDP, LSV, SDS
- Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASZTOR]
- Communist Party or KP [Josip Joska BROZ]
- Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina [Petar KUNTIC]
- Democratic Party or DS [Dragan SUTANOVAC]
- Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Sanda RASKOVIC-IVIC]
- Dveri [Bosko OBRADOVIC]
- Enough of Enough [Sasa RADULOVIC]
- For a Just Serbia - coalition includes DS, NS, RS, DSVH, VVS, Together for Sumadija
- Greens of Serbia or ZS [Ivan KARIC]
- League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina or LSV [Nenad CANAK]
- Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]
- Movement of Socialists or PS [Aleksandar VULIN]
- New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]
- Party for Democratic Action or PDD [Riza HALIMI]
- Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDA [Sulejman UGLJANIN]
- Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS [Milan KRKOBABIC]
- Reformist Party or RS [Aleksandar VISNJIC]
- Serbia is Winning - coalition includes SNS, SDPS, PUPS, NS, SPO, PS, PSS, NDSS, SNP
- Serbian People's Party or SNP [Nenad POPOVIC]
- Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Aleksandar VUCIC]
- Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ]
- Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]
- Social Democratic Party or SDS [Boris TADIC]
- 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 for Serbia or ZZS [Dusan PETROVIC]
- Together for Sumadija [Veroljub STEVANOVIC]
note: as of April 2016, Serbia had 111 registered political parties and citizens' associations
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia or NUNS
- Journalists Association of Serbia (Udruzenje novinara Srbije) or UNS
- Obraz (Orthodox clero-fascist organization)
- SNP 1389 (Serbian nationalist movement)
- SNP NASI 1389 (Serbian National Movement NASI)
- Eastern Alternative (pro-Russian association)
International organization participation
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)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Djerdj MATKOVIC (since 23 February 2015)
- chancery:
- 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 332-0333
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 332-3933
- consulate(s) general:
- Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Kyle SCOTT (since 4 February 2016)
- embassy:
- 92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia
- mailing address:
- 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070
- telephone:
- [381] (11) 706-4000
- FAX:
- [381] (11) 706-4005
Flag description
- 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 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
National anthem
- 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
Economy
Serbia has a transitional economy largely dominated by market forces, but the state sector remains significant in certain areas and many institutional reforms are needed.
39 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2015 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Serbia has a transitional economy largely dominated by market forces, but the state sector remains significant in certain areas and many institutional reforms are needed. The economy relies on manufacturing and exports, driven largely by foreign investment. MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of international economic sanctions, civil war, 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 former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC was ousted in September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. Serbia renewed its membership in the IMF in December 2000 and rejoined the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Serbia has made progress in trade liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization, but many large enterprises - including the power utilities, telecommunications company, natural gas company, and others - remain state-owned. Serbia has made some progress towards EU membership, signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels in May 2008, and with full implementation of the Interim Trade Agreement with the EU in February 2010, gained candidate status in March 2012. In January 2014, Serbia's EU accession talks officially opened. Serbia's negotiations with the WTO are advanced, with the country's complete ban on the trade and cultivation of agricultural biotechnology products representing the primary remaining obstacle to accession. Serbia's program with the IMF was frozen in early 2012 because the 2012 budget approved by parliament deviated from the program parameters; the arrangement is now void. In late 2014, Serbia and the IMF announced a tentative plan for a precautionary loan worth approximately $1 billion, but the government will be challenged to implement IMF-mandated reforms that will target social spending and the large public sector.; High unemployment and stagnant household incomes are ongoing political and economic problems. Structural economic reforms needed to ensure the country's long-term prosperity have largely stalled since the onset of the global financial crisis. Growing budget deficits constrain the use of stimulus efforts to revive the economy and contribute to growing concern of a public debt crisis, given that Serbia's total public debt as a share of GDP more than doubled between 2008 and 2014. Serbia's concerns about inflation and exchange-rate stability preclude the use of expansionary monetary policy. During 2014 the SNS party addressed issues with the fiscal deficit, state-owned enterprises, the labor market, construction permits, bankruptcy and privatization, and other areas.; Major challenges ahead include: high unemployment rates and the need for job creation; high government expenditures for salaries, pensions, healthcare, and unemployment benefits; a growing need for new government borrowing; rising public and private foreign debt; attracting new foreign direct investment; and getting the IMF program back on track. Other serious longer-term challenges include an inefficient judicial system, high levels of corruption, and an aging population. Factors favorable to Serbia's economic growth include its strategic location, a relatively inexpensive and skilled labor force, and free trade agreements with the EU, Russia, Turkey, and countries that are members of the Central European Free Trade Agreement.
Gross national saving
12.2% of GDP (2015 est.) · 11.5% of GDP (2014 est.) · 11.5% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Agriculture - products
wheat, maize, sunflower, sugar beets, grapes/wine, fruits (raspberries, apples, sour cherries), vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes), beef, pork, and meat products, milk and dairy products
Industries
automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals
Distribution of family income - Gini index
38.7 (2014 est.) · 28.2 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Public debt
77% of GDP (2015 est.) · 70.4% of GDP (2014 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued or owned by government entities other than the treasury (for which the Government of Singapore issued guarantees); the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities (for which the GOS also issued guarantees), as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions country comparison to the world: 33
Central bank discount rate
9.5% (18 March 2014) · 11.75% (6 February 2013) country comparison to the world: 28
Commercial bank prime lending rate
11% (31 December 2015 est.) · 14.81% (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Stock of narrow money
$4.535 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $4.332 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Stock of broad money
$18.37 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $18.75 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Stock of domestic credit
$19.81 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $20.59 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Current account balance
-$1.765 billion (2015 est.) · -$2.632 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Exports - commodities
iron and steel, rubber, clothes, wheat, fruit and vegetables, nonferrous metals, electric appliances, metal products, weapons and ammunition, automobiles
Imports - commodities
machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$11.35 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $12.05 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Debt - external
$32.44 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $33.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$36.67 billion (31 December 2009 est.) · $11.95 billion (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Exchange rates
Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar - 108.811 (2015 est.) · 88.405 (2014 est.) · 88.405 (2013 est.) · 87.99 (2012 est.) · 72.455 (2011 est.)
Energy
24 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2016)
Installed generating capacity, 7.368 million kW(2014 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es) country comparison to the world: 65
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
46 million Mt (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Communications
5 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(July 2015 est.)
Telephone system
- general assessment:
- replacements of, and upgrades to, telecommunications equipment damaged during the 1999 war resulted in a modern digitalized telecommunications system
- domestic:
- wireless service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing very rapidly;
- best telecommunications services are centered in urban centers;
- 3G mobile network launched in 2007
- international:
- country code - 381 (2011)
Transportation
10 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 2; inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 2,424,886
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 2.748 million mt-km (2015)
Railways
- total:
- 3,808 km
- standard gauge:
- 3,808 km 1.435-m gauge (1,196 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 46
Waterways
587 km (primarily on the Danube and Sava rivers) (2009) country comparison to the world: 80
Military and Security
Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Air and Air Defense Forces (2016)
3 fieldsMilitary branches
Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Air and Air Defense Forces (2016)
Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for voluntary military service;
- conscription abolished December 2010;
- reserve obligation to age 60 for men and age 50 for women (2013)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
- Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of its status 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 Kosovo Force peacekeepers under UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo 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 (country of origin):
- 25,996 (Croatia); 9,288 (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (2015)
- IDPs:
- 220,002 (most are Kosovar Serbs, some are Roma, Ashkalis, and Egyptian (RAE); some RAE IDPs are unregistered) (2015)
- stateless persons:
- 2,700 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (2015)
note: 670,425 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (2015 - November 2016)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Serbia.” The World Factbook 2016. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/serbia/2016.