2019 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)
Introduction
Background
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. In 2015, Serbia and Kosovo reached four additional agreements within the EU-led Brussels Dialogue framework. These included agreements on the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities; telecommunications; energy production and distribution; and freedom of movement. President Aleksandar VUCIC has promoted an ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2025. Under his leadership as prime minister, in 2014 Serbia opened formal negotiations for accession.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 77,474 sq km
- Total
- 77,474 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
Area Comparative
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Climate
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)
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- Highest Point
- Midzor 2,169 m
- Lowest Point
- Danube and Timok Rivers 35 m
- Mean Elevation
- 442 m
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; inadequate management of domestic, industrial, and hazardous waste
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
Geographic Coordinates
44 00 N, 21 00 E
Geography Note
landlocked; controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East
Irrigated Land
950 sq km (2012)
Land Boundaries
- Border Countries
- Bosnia and Herzegovina 345 km, Bulgaria 344 km, Croatia 314 km, Hungary 164 km, Kosovo 366 km, Macedonia 101 km, Montenegro 157 km, Romania 531 km
- Total
- 2,322 km
Land Use
- Agricultural Land
- 57.9% (2011 est.)
- Agricultural Land Arable Land
- 37.7% (2011 est.)
- Agricultural Land Permanent Crops
- 3.4% (2011 est.)
- Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture
- 16.8% (2011 est.)
- Forest
- 31.6% (2011 est.)
- Other
- 10.5% (2011 est.)
Location
Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary
Map References
Europe
Maritime Claims
none (landlocked)
Natural Hazards
destructive earthquakes
Natural Resources
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land
Population Distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Terrain
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills
People and Society
Age Structure
- 0 14 Years
- 14.35% (male 523,473 /female 492,339)
- 15 24 Years
- 11.19% (male 408,379 /female 383,385)
- 25 54 Years
- 41.27% (male 1,475,243 /female 1,445,935)
- 55 64 Years
- 14.21% (male 485,849 /female 520,126)
- 65 Years And Over
- 18.98% (male 557,307 /female 786,074) (2018 est.)
Birth Rate
8.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight
1.8% (2014)
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate
58.4% (2014)
Current Health Expenditure
9.1% (2016)
Death Rate
13.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Elderly Dependency Ratio
- 24.3 (2015 est.)
- Potential Support Ratio
- 4.1 (2015 est.)
- Total Dependency Ratio
- 49.2 (2015 est.)
- Youth Dependency Ratio
- 24.9 (2015 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved Rural
- 98.9% of population
- Improved Total
- 99.2% of population
- Improved Urban
- 99.4% of population
- Unimproved Rural
- 1.1% of population
- Unimproved Total
- 0.8% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Urban
- 0.6% of population
Education Expenditures
4% of GDP (2017)
Ethnic Groups
Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate
<.1% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS Deaths
<100 (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS
3,000 (2018 est.)
Hospital Bed Density
5.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Female
- 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births
- Male
- 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
Languages
Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romani 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8% (2011 est.)
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Female
- 79 years
- Male
- 73 years
- Total Population
- 75.9 years (2018 est.)
Literacy
- Definition
- age 15 and over can read and write
- Female
- 98.2% (2016)
- Male
- 99.5%
- Total Population
- 98.8%
Major Infectious Diseases
- Degree Of Risk
- intermediate (2016)
- Food Or Waterborne Diseases
- bacterial diarrhea (2016)
Major Urban Areas Population
1.394 million BELGRADE (capital) (2019)
Maternal Mortality Rate
12 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Median Age
- Female
- 44.5 years
- Male
- 41.2 years
- Total
- 42.8 years (2018 est.)
Mother's Mean Age at First Birth
27.9 years (2014 est.)
Nationality
- Adjective
- Serbian
- Noun
- Serb(s)
Net Migration Rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate
21.5% (2016)
Physicians Density
3.13 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Population
7,078,110 (July 2018 est.)
Population Growth Rate
-0.47% (2018 est.)
Religions
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.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved Rural
- 94.2% of population (2015 est.)
- Improved Total
- 96.4% of population (2015 est.)
- Improved Urban
- 98.2% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Rural
- 5.8% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Total
- 3.6% of population (2015 est.)
- Unimproved Urban
- 1.8% of population (2015 est.)
School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education
- Female
- 15 years (2017)
- Male
- 14 years
- Total
- 15 years
Sex Ratio
- 0 14 Years
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15 24 Years
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 25 54 Years
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 55 64 Years
- 0.93 male(s)/female
- 65 Years And Over
- 0.71 male(s)/female
- At Birth
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- Total Population
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Total Fertility Rate
1.44 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24
- Female
- 32% (2018 est.)
- Male
- 28.3%
- Total
- 29.7%
Urbanization
- Rate Of Urbanization
- -0.07% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
- Urban Population
- 56.3% of total population (2019)
Government
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*
Capital
- Daylight Saving Time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- Geographic Coordinates
- 44 50 N, 20 30 E
- Name
- Belgrade (Beograd)
- Time Difference
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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
Constitution
- 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 (2016)
- History
- many previous; latest adopted 30 September 2006, approved by referendum 28-29 October 2006, effective 8 November 2006
Country Name
- Conventional Long Form
- Republic of Serbia
- Conventional Short Form
- 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.
- Former
- People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia
- Local Long Form
- Republika Srbija
- Local Short Form
- Srbija
Diplomatic Representation From The Us
- Chief Of Mission
- Ambassador Anthony GODFREY (since 24 October 2019)
- Embassy
- 92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia
- Fax
- [381] (11) 706-4005
- Mailing Address
- 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070
- Telephone
- [381] (11) 706-4000
Diplomatic Representation In The Us
- Chancery
- 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW, #410, Washington, DC 20007
- Chief Of Mission
- Ambassador Djerdj MATKOVIC (since 23 February 2015)
- Consulate's General
- Chicago, New York
- Fax
- [1] (202) 332-3933
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 332-0333
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Cabinet elected by the National Assembly
- Chief Of State
- President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017)
- Election Results
- Aleksandar VUCIC elected president in the 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%, Bosko OBRADOVIC (Dveri) 2.3%, other 5.0%, invalid/blank 1.6%
- 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 2 April 2017 (next to be held in 2022); prime minister elected by the National Assembly
- Head Of Government
- Prime Minister Ana BRNABIC (since 29 June 2017)
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 (fire strikers) or Cyrillic "C's" in each quarter; a royal crown surmounts the coat of arms
Government Type
parliamentary republic
Independence
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)
International Law Organization Participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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)
Judicial Branch
- Highest Courts
- 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
Legal System
civil law system
Legislative Branch
- 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)
- Election Results
- percent of vote by party/coalition - Serbia is Winning 48.3%, SPS-JS-ZS-KP 11.0%, SRS 8.1%, For a Just Serbia 6.0%, DJB 6.0%, Alliance for a Better Serbia 5.0%, Dveri-DSS 5.0%, SVM 1.5%, other 9.1%; seats by party/coalition Serbia is Winning 131, SPS-JS-ZS-KP 29, SRS 22, For a Just Serbia 16, DJB 16, Alliance for a Better Serbia 13, Dveri-DSS 13, SVM 4, other 6; composition - men 165, women 85, percent of women 34%
- Elections
- last held on 24 April 2016 (next to be held by April 2020)
National Anthem
- Lyrics Music
- Jovan DORDEVIC/Davorin JENKO
- Name
- "Boze pravde" (God of Justice)
National Holiday
National Day (Statehood Day), 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adopted
National Symbol S
white double-headed eagle; national colors: red, blue, white
Political Parties And Leaders
Alliance for a Better Serbia (electoral coalition including LDP, LSV, SDS) Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASZTOR] Communist Party or KP [Josip Joska BROZ] Democratic Party or DS [Zoran LUTOVAC] Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Milos JOVANOVIC] Dveri [Bosko OBRADOVIC] Enough is Enough or DJB [Branislav MIHAJLOVIC] For a Just Serbia (electoral coalition including DS, NS, DSVH, VVS) Greens of Serbia or ZS [Ivan KARIC] Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP [Muamer ZUKORLIC] (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS) 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 Party or NOVA [Zoran ZIVKOVIC] New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC] Party for Democratic Action or PDD [Shaip KAMBERI] Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDA [Sulejman UGLJANIN] Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS [Milan KRKOBABIC] People's Party or NARODNA [Vuk JEREMIC] Serbia is Winning (electoral coalition including NDSS, NS, PS, PSS, PUPS, SDPS, SNP, SNS, SPO) 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 [Hebojsa ZELENOVIC] United Serbia or JS [Dragan MARKOVIC]
Suffrage
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Economy
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
Budget
- Expenditures
- 17.59 billion (2017 est.)
- Revenues
- 17.69 billion (2017 est.)
Budget Surplus Or Deficit
0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Central Bank Discount Rate
- 31 December 2016
- 4%
- 9 October 2017
- 3.5%
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
- 31 December 2016
- 8.45%
- 31 December 2017
- 8.2%
Current Account Balance
- 2016
- -$1.189 billion
- 2017
- -$2.354 billion
Debt External
- 31 December 2016
- $30.38 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $29.5 billion
Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index
- 2008
- 28.2
- 2014
- 38.7
Economy Overview
Serbia has a transitional economy largely dominated by market forces, but the state sector remains significant in certain areas. 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 worse off than it was in 1990. In 2015, Serbia’s GDP was 27.5% below where it was in 1989.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, gaining candidate status in March 2012. In January 2014, Serbia's EU accession talks officially opened and, as of December 2017, Serbia had opened 12 negotiating chapters including one on foreign trade. 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 maintains a three-year Stand-by Arrangement with the IMF worth approximately $1.3 billion that is scheduled to end in February 2018. The government has shown progress implementing economic reforms, such as fiscal consolidation, privatization, and reducing public spending.Unemployment in Serbia, while relatively low (16% in 2017) compared with its Balkan neighbors, remains significantly above the European average. Serbia is slowly implementing structural economic reforms needed to ensure the country's long-term prosperity. Serbia reduced its budget deficit to 1.7% of GDP and its public debt to 71% of GDP in 2017. Public debt had more than doubled between 2008 and 2015. Serbia's concerns about inflation and exchange-rate stability preclude the use of expansionary monetary policy.Major economic challenges ahead include: stagnant household incomes; the need for private sector job creation; structural reforms of state-owned companies; strategic public sector reforms; and the need for new foreign direct investment. 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 the economic reforms it is undergoing as part of its EU accession process and IMF agreement, 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.
Exchange Rates
- 2013
- 88.405
- 2014
- 108.811
- 2015
- 111.278
- 2016
- 111.278
- 2017
- 112.4
- Currency
- Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar -
Exports
- 2016
- $13.99 billion
- 2017
- $15.92 billion
Exports Commodities
automobiles, iron and steel, rubber, clothes, wheat, fruit and vegetables, nonferrous metals, electric appliances, metal products, weapons and ammunition
Exports Partners
Italy 13.5%, Germany 12.8%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.2%, Russia 6%, Romania 4.9% (2017)
GDP Composition By End Use
- Exports Of Goods And Services
- 52.5% (2017 est.)
- Government Consumption
- 10.1% (2017 est.)
- Household Consumption
- 78.2% (2017 est.)
- Imports Of Goods And Services
- -61.3% (2017 est.)
- Investment In Fixed Capital
- 18.5% (2017 est.)
- Investment In Inventories
- 2% (2017 est.)
GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin
- Agriculture
- 9.8% (2017 est.)
- Industry
- 41.1% (2017 est.)
- Services
- 49.1% (2017 est.)
GDP Official Exchange Rate
$41.43 billion (2017 est.)
GDP Per Capita Ppp
- 2015
- $14,200
- 2016
- $14,700
- 2017
- $15,100
GDP Purchasing Power Parity
- 2015
- $101 billion
- 2016
- $103.8 billion
- 2017
- $105.7 billion
GDP Real Growth Rate
- 2015
- 0.8%
- 2016
- 2.8%
- 2017
- 1.9%
Gross National Saving
- 2015
- 14.1% of GDP
- 2016
- 16% of GDP
- 2017
- 15.3% of GDP
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share
- Highest 10
- 23.8% (2011)
- Lowest 10
- 2.2%
Imports
- 2016
- $17.63 billion
- 2017
- $20.44 billion
Imports Commodities
machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials
Imports Partners
Germany 12.7%, Italy 10%, China 8.2%, Russia 7.3%, Hungary 4.9%, Poland 4.1% (2017)
Industrial Production Growth Rate
3.9% (2017 est.)
Industries
automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals
Inflation Rate Consumer Prices
- 2016
- 1.1%
- 2017
- 3.1%
Labor Force
2.92 million (2017 est.)
Labor Force By Occupation
- Agriculture
- 19.4%
- Industry
- 24.5%
- Services
- 56.1% (2017 est.)
Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
- 31 December 2014
- $4.525 billion
- 31 December 2015
- $5.841 billion
- 31 December 2016
- $5.064 billion
Population Below Poverty Line
8.9% (2014 est.)
Public Debt
- 2016
- 73.1% of GDP
- 2017
- 62.5% of GDP
Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold
- 31 December 2016
- $10.76 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $11.91 billion
Stock Of Broad Money
- 31 December 2016
- $5.189 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $6.756 billion
Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad
NA
Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home
- 31 December 2015
- $11.95 billion
- 31 December 2016
- $41.52 billion
Stock Of Domestic Credit
- 31 December 2016
- $20.22 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $24.42 billion
Stock Of Narrow Money
- 31 December 2016
- $5.189 billion
- 31 December 2017
- $6.756 billion
Taxes And Other Revenues
42.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment Rate
- 2016
- 15.9%
- 2017
- 14.1%
Energy
Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy
50.21 million Mt (2017 est.)
Crude Oil Exports
123 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude Oil Imports
40,980 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude Oil Production
17,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude Oil Proved Reserves
77.5 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity Access
100% (2016)
Electricity Consumption
29.81 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity Exports
6.428 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity From Fossil Fuels
65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants
35% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity From Nuclear Fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity From Other Renewable Sources
1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity Imports
5.068 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity Installed Generating Capacity
7.342 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity Production
36.54 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Natural Gas Consumption
2.718 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Imports
2.01 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Production
509.7 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural Gas Proved Reserves
48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption
74,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Exports
15,750 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Imports
18,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined Petroleum Products Production
74,350 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Communications
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants
- 21 (2017 est.)
- Total
- 1,474,970
Internet Country Code
.rs
Internet Users
- Percent Of Population
- 67.1% (July 2016 est.)
- Total
- 4,790,488
Telephone System
- Domestic
- fixed-line 37 per 100 and mobile-cellular 121 per 100 persons (2018)
- General Assessment
- Serbia's integration with the EU has helped regulator reforms and promotion of telecoms; wireless service are available through multiple providers; national coverage is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications services are centered in urban centers; 4G/LTE mobile network launched; 5G trials (2018)
- International
- country code - 381
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants
- 37 (2017 est.)
- Total Subscriptions
- 2,609,592
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants
- 121 (2017 est.)
- Total Subscriptions
- 8,626,903
Transportation
Airports
26 (2013)
Airports With Paved Runways
- 1 524 To 2 437 M
- 3 (2017)
- 2 438 To 3 047 M
- 3 (2017)
- 914 To 1 523 M
- 2 (2017)
- Over 3 047 M
- 2 (2017)
- Total
- 10 (2017)
Airports With Unpaved Runways
- 1 524 To 2 437 M
- 1 (2013)
- 914 To 1 523 M
- 10 (2013)
- Total
- 16 (2013)
- Under 914 M
- 5 (2013)
Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix
YU (2016)
Heliports
2 (2012)
National Air Transport System
- Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers
- 2.748 million mt-km (2015)
- Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers
- 2,424,886 (2015)
- Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers
- 21 (2015)
- Number Of Registered Air Carriers
- 2 (2015)
Pipelines
1936 km gas, 413 km oil
Ports And Terminals
Belgrade (Danube)
Railways
- Standard Gauge
- 3,809 km 1.435-m gauge (3,526 km one-track lines and 283 km double-track lines) out of which 1,279 km electrified (1,000 km one-track lines and 279 km double-track lines) (2015)
- Total
- 3,809 km (2015)
Roadways
- Paved
- 28,000 km (16,162 km state roads, out of which 741 km highways) (2016)
- Total
- 44,248 km (2016)
- Unpaved
- 16,248 km (2016)
Waterways
587 km (primarily on the Danube and Sava Rivers) (2009)
Military and Security
Military And Security Forces
Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces (includes Riverine Component, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Air and Air Defense Forces (2019)
Military Expenditures
- 2014
- 1.49% of GDP
- 2015
- 1.41% of GDP
- 2016
- 1.25% of GDP
- 2017
- 1.34% of GDP
- 2018
- 1.39% of GDP
Military Note
Serbia has a Gendarmerie that falls under the Ministry of Interior (2019)
Military Service Age And Obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished December 2010 (2019)
Transnational Issues
Disputes 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
Illicit Drugs
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering
Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 199,584 (most are Kosovar Serbs, some are Roma, Ashkalis, and Egyptian (RAE); some RAE IDPs are unregistered) (2019)
- Refugees Country Of Origin
- 18,232 (Croatia), 8,270 (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (2018)
- Stateless Persons
- 2,052 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (2018)