Serbia

• 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

noun:

Serb(s)

adjective:

Serbian

total:

43.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

42.4 years

female:

45.4 years

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 (2024 est.)

total:

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male:

5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

75.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.7 years

female:

78.1 years

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.)

women married by age 15:

1.2%

women married by age 18:

5.5% (2019 est.)

• 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

• 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)

urban population:

57.1% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data include Kosovo

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.)

municipal:

680 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial:

3.99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural:

660 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

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.

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

• 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)

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

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

chief of state:

President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017)

head of government:

Prime Minister Milos Vucevic (since 2 May 2024)

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

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 - men 155, women 95;
• percentage of 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
• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Vladimir MARIC (since 30 April 2024)

chancery:

1333 16th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 507-8654

FAX:

[1] (202) 332-3933

email address and website:

[email protected]; http://www.washington.mfa.gov.rs/

consulate(s) general:

Chicago, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Christopher R. HILL (since 1 April 2022)

embassy:

92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade

mailing address:

5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070

telephone:

[381] (11) 706-4000

FAX:

[381] (11) 706-4481

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://rs.usembassy.gov/

• 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

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

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:

5.2% (2023 est.)

industry:

26.4% (2023 est.)

services:

51.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

24.3% (2023 est.)

male:

23.2% (2023 est.)

female:

26.1% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

22.9% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

8.4% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.5% (2021 est.)

highest 10%:

25.9% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

35.129 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption:

38.297 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports:

9,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports:

1.641 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

7.514 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

total petroleum production:

13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

82,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

77.5 million barrels (2021 est.)

production:

353.376 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

consumption:

2.939 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports:

2.652 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

48.139 billion cubic meters (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

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

• the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced, Russian/Soviet-era, and Yugoslav equipment and weapons systems;
• in recent years, it has purchased some weapons systems from China, such as anti-aircraft missiles and armed aerial drones (2024)

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 — the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards;
• therefore, Serbia was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/serbia/