2023 Edition

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. In 2023, VUCIC and Kosovan Prime Minister Albin KURTI verbally agreed on the Implementation Annex to the Agreement of the Path to Normalization of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

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

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

520 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

2,322 km

Land use

agricultural land

57.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 37.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 16.8% (2018 est.)

forest

31.6% (2018 est.)

other

10.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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

Age structure

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

8.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

1.2%

women married by age 18

5.5% (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

62.3% (2019)

Current health expenditure

8.7% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

60.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

15.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

31.9

note

note: data include Kosovo

potential support ratio

3.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.8

youth dependency ratio

21.9

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.4% of population

improved: total

total: 99.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.3% of population

Education expenditures

3.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Ethnic groups

Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.)

note

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.71 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

5.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

5.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.9 years

male

72.5 years

total population

75.1 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.1% (2019)

male

99.9%

total population

99.5%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Major urban areas - population

1.408 million BELGRADE (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

10 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

45.2 years

male

42.2 years

total

43.7 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.2 years (2020 est.)

note

note: data does not cover Kosovo or Metohija

Nationality

adjective

Serbian

noun

Serb(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.5% (2016)

Physicians density

3.11 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

6,693,375 (2023 est.)

note

note: does not include the population of Kosovo

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Population growth rate

-0.63% (2023 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.)

note

note: most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 95.7% of population

improved: total

total: 97.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 4.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2021)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

39.1% (2020 est.)

male

40.5% (2020 est.)

total

39.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Kosovo

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

57.1% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

note: the northern 37 municipalities and 8 cities - about 28% of Serbia's area - compose the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and are indicated with *

Capital

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

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

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 Christopher R. HILL (since 1 April 2022)

email address and website

belgradeacs@state.govhttps://rs.usembassy.gov/

embassy

92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade

FAX

[381] (11) 706-4481

mailing address

5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070

telephone

[381] (11) 706-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Marko DJURIC (since 18 January 2021)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, New York

email address and website

info@serbiaembusa.orghttp://www.washington.mfa.gov.rs/

FAX

[1] (202) 332-3933

telephone

[1] (202) 507-8654; [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

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

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 3 April 2022 (next to be held on 17 December 2023); 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

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

note

note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia

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)

note

note: Serbia is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

Judicial branch

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

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 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 NA, women NA; percent of women NA%

elections

last held on 17 December 2023 (next to be held in 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jovan DORDEVIC/Davorin JENKO

name

"Boze pravde" (God of Justice)

note

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

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Stari Ras and Sopoćani; Studenica Monastery; Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius; Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards

total World Heritage Sites

4 (all cultural)

National holiday

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 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

note: Serbia has more than 110 registered political parties and citizens' associations

Suffrage

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Agricultural products

maize, wheat, sugar beet, milk, sunflower seed, potatoes, soybeans, plums/sloes, apples, barley

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

25.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$25.72 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: data include both central government and local goverment budgets

revenues

$21.858 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB+ (2019)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB+ (2019)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$3.535 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$2.177 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.742 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$30.618 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$30.927 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

107.759 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

100.175 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

105.25 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

103.163 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

99.396 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$26.127 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$25.5 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$33.726 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

insulated wiring, tires, corn, cars, iron products, copper (2019)

Exports - partners

Germany 12%, Italy 10%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 7%, Romania 6%, Russia 5%  (2019)

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)

$51.449 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

34.5 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.8% (2011)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$31.286 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$30.177 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$39.039 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019)

Imports - partners

Germany 13%, Russia 9%, Italy 8%, Hungary 6%, China 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

8.63% (2021 est.)

Industries

automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.85% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1.58% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.09% (2021 est.)

Labor force

3.176 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

23.2% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

73.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

62.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$127.168 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$126.019 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$135.534 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

4.33% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-0.9% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.55% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$18,300 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$18,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$19,800 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$14.995 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$16.587 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$18.617 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.49% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

10.39% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

9.01% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

11.81% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

33.7%

male

28.5%

total

30.4% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

32.686 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

4.878 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

10.17 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

47.735 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

40.83 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

72,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

987,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

39.673 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

7.514 billion metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

29,933,262,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

5.943 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

5.002 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

8.986 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.332 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

69.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

27.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

2.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

98.195 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

2,619,191,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

1,980,647,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

455.787 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

48.139 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

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.)

refined petroleum consumption

79,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

15,200 bbl/day (2021 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.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2020 est.)

total

1,730,496 (2020 est.)

Internet country code

.rs

Internet users

percent of population

81% (2021 est.)

total

5.589 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line over 37 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 124 per 100 persons (2021)

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)

international

country code - 381

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

37 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

2,538,727 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

124 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

8,621,147 (2022 est.)

Airports

26 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

10

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

16

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

YU

Heliports

2 (2021)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

17.71 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,262,703 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

43

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

1,936 km gas, 413 km oil

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Belgrade (Danube)

Railways

total

3,333 km (2020) 1,274 km electrified

Roadways

paved

28,000 km (2016) (16,162 km state roads, out of which 741 km highways)

total

44,248 km (2016)

unpaved

16,248 km (2016)

Waterways

587 km (2009) (primarily on the Danube and Sava Rivers)

Military - note

the Serbian military is a professional and voluntary force 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 aspires to join the EU and 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 Chinathe 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)

Military and security forces

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 GuardSerbian Ministry of Interior: General Police Directorate (2023)

note

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 

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25,000 active-duty troops (15,000 Land Forces; 5,000 Air/Air Defense; 5,000 other); approximately 3,000 Gendarmerie (2023)

Military deployments

175 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems; in recent years, China and Russia have been the largest suppliers of arms to Serbia (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2011 (2023)

note

note: as of 2021, women made up about 16% of the military's full-time personnel

Disputes - international

Serbia-Bosnia and Herzegovina: Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute Serbia-Bulgaria: none identified Serbia-Croatia: Serbia and Croatia dispute their border along the Danube; Serbia claims the border is the median between the current Danube shorelines, with the land to the eastern side of the median belonging to Serbia; Croatia contends that the boundary is demarcated according to historic maps, despite the river having meandered since then Serbia-Hungary: none identified Serbia-Kosovo: Serbia with several other states protested 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; since 1999, NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers under UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) authority have continued to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority; in October 2021, NATO-led KFOR increased patrols along the border with Serbia to deescalate hostilities caused by a dispute over license plates Serbia-Montenegro: the former republic boundary serves as the boundary until a line is formally delimited and demarcated Serbia-North Macedonia: none identified Serbia-Romania: none identified

Illicit drugs

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

196,066 (most are Kosovar Serbs, some are Roma, Ashkalis, and Egyptian (RAE); some RAE IDPs are unregistered) (2022)

note

note: 1,031,608 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2023)

refugees (country of origin)

17,334 (Croatia), 7,997 (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (mid-year 2022)

stateless persons

2,594 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (2022)

Trafficking in persons

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)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

45.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

11.96 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

21.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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)

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, 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

Land use

agricultural land

57.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 37.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 16.8% (2018 est.)

forest

31.6% (2018 est.)

other

10.5% (2018 est.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.25% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.38% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

162.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.) (note - includes Kosovo)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

660 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

3.99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

680 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

note

note: data include Kosovo

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

57.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

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.)