2025 Edition Primary
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Introduction
Background
<p>In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. The monarchy remained in power until 1945, when the communist Partisans headed by Josip Broz (aka TITO) took control of the newly created Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). After TITO died in 1980, communism in Yugoslavia gradually gave way to resurgent nationalism. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Republic of Serbia, and his 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 1992, and MILOSEVIC led military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." These actions ultimately failed, and international intervention led to the signing of the Dayton Accords in 1995.</p> <p>In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo resulted in a brutal Serbian counterinsurgency campaign. Serbia rejected a proposed international settlement, and NATO responded with a bombing campaign that forced Serbian forces to withdraw from Kosovo in June 1999. In 2003, the FRY became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics. In 2006, Montenegro seceded and declared itself an independent nation. </p> <p>In 2008, Kosovo also declared independence -- an action Serbia still refuses to recognize. In 2013, Serbia and Kosovo signed the first agreement of principles governing the normalization of relations between the two countries. Additional agreements were reached in 2015 and 2023, but implementation remains incomplete. Serbia has been an official candidate for EU membership since 2012, and President Aleksandar VUCIC has promoted the ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2025.</p>
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)
Continent
Europe
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
550 sq km (2022)
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
- number of neighbors
- 8
- Total
- 2,322 km
Land use
- Agricultural land
- 40.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 31% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 6.6% (2023 est.)
- arable land
- 30.95%
- Forest
- 40.4% (2023 est.)
- Other
- 27.2% (2023 est.)
- permanent crops
- 2.54%
Landlocked
Yes
Location
Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary
Major rivers (by length in km)
Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
- Atlantic Ocean drainage
- <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)
Map links
- Google Maps
- https://goo.gl/maps/2Aqof7aV2Naq8YEK8
- OpenStreetMap
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1741311
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
Subregion
Southeast Europe
Terrain
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills
Time zone
- UTC+01:00
- number of time zones
- 1
People and Society
Age structure
- 0-14 years
- 14.4% (male 492,963/female 463,995)
- 15-64 years
- 65.6% (male 2,198,591/female 2,168,113)
- 65 years and over
- 20% (2024 est.) (male 551,197/female 777,353)
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
8.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Child marriage
- Women married by age 15
- 1.2% (2019)
- Women married by age 18
- 5.5% (2019)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1% (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
54.3% (2022 est.)
Death rate
- 14.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- adult female
- 71 per 1,000
- adult male
- 141 per 1,000
Dependency ratios
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 30.4 (2024 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 3.3 (2024 est.)
- Total dependency ratio
- 52.3 (2024 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 21.9 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
- improved total
- 74.97%
- Improved: rural
- rural: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 3.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 8.4% national budget (2023 est.)
Education expenditures
3 % of GDP
Ethnic groups
- Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.)
- note
- <strong>note:</strong> 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 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
- 8 % of GDP
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 10% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 13.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.1%
Hospital bed density
5.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- Female
- 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
- Male
- 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- neonatal
- 3 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Languages
- Languages
- Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romani 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8% (2011 est.)
- Major-language sample(s)
- <br>Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Note
- <strong>note:</strong> Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, and Ruthenian (Rusyn) are official in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina; most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census
- number of languages
- 1
Life expectancy at birth
- Female
- 78.1 years
- Male
- 72.7 years
- Total population
- 75.3 years (2024 est.)
Literacy
- Female
- 99.1% (2022 est.)
- Male
- 99.6% (2022 est.)
- Total population
- 99.3% (2022 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.408 million BELGRADE (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age
- Female
- 45.4 years
- Male
- 42.4 years
- Total
- 44.1 years (2025 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
- 28.2 years (2020 est.)
- note
- <strong>note:</strong> data does not cover Kosovo or Metohija
Nationality
- Adjective
- Serbian
- Noun
- Serb(s)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
21.5% (2016)
Physician density
3.1 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Population
- Female
- 3,409,461
- Male
- 3,242,751
- Total
- 6,652,212 (2024 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.6% (2025 est.)
Religions
Serbian Orthodox 81.1%, unknown 5.3%, Islam 4.2%, Catholic 3.9%, no response 2.5%, atheist 1.1%; less than 1%: other Christians, Protestant, agnostic (2022)
Sanitation facility access
- improved total
- 24.07%
- Improved: rural
- rural: 95.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- Female
- 16 years (2022 est.)
- Male
- 14 years (2022 est.)
- Total
- 15 years (2022 est.)
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 (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
- Female
- 34.5% (2025 est.)
- Male
- 37.8% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 36% (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.47 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Note
- <strong>note:</strong> data include Kosovo
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- Urban population
- 57.1% of total population (2023)
Vaccination rate
- measles
- 84%
Government
Administrative divisions
- 117 municipalities (<em>opstine</em>, singular - <em>opstina</em>) and 28 cities (<em>gradovi</em>, singular - <em>grad</em>) <br><br><strong>municipalities:</strong> 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 <br><br><strong>cities:</strong> 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
- <strong>note:</strong> the northern 37 municipalities and 8 cities -- about 28% of Serbia's area -- compose the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and are indicated with an asterisk
Capital
- Daylight saving time
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
- Etymology
- the name comes from the Serbian words <em>beo </em>(white) and <em>grad </em>(city); it probably referred to the white stone of the city fortress
- 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
Coat of arms
- svg
- https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/rs.svg
Constitution
- Amendment process
- 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
- alternative spellings
- RS, Srbija, Republic of Serbia, Република Србија, Republika Srbija
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Serbia
- Conventional short form
- Serbia
- Etymology
- the country takes its name from the Serb people; the origin of their name is unclear but may derive from the Caucasian root word <em>ser</em>, meaning "man"
- FIFA code
- SRB
- Former
- People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia
- Local long form
- Republika Srbija
- local long form (srp)
- Република Србија
- Local short form
- Srbija
Diplomatic representation from the US
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alexander TITOLO (since January 2025)
- Email address and website
- <br>belgradeacs@state.gov<br><br>https://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 Dragan ŠUTANOVAC (since 24 July 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Chicago, New York
- Email address and website
- <br>info@serbiaembusa.org<br><br>http://www.washington.mfa.gov.rs/
- FAX
- [1] (202) 332-3933
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 507-8654
Executive branch
- Cabinet
- Cabinet elected by the National Assembly
- Chief of state
- President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017)
- Election results
- <em><br>2022:</em> 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%<br><br><em>2017:</em> 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
- Election/appointment process
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister elected by the National Assembly
- Expected date of next election
- 2028
- Head of government
- Prime Minister Djuro MACUT (since 16 April 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 17 December 2023
Flag
- <strong>description:</strong> three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; the national coat of arms is shifted to the left side; the principal field of the coat of arms displays a two-headed white eagle on a red shield; a smaller red shield on the eagle is divided into four quarters by a white cross; a royal crown is on top of the coat of arms<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> red, blue, and white are the pan-Slav colors that represent freedom and revolutionary ideals; the eagle on a red shield represents the government; the smaller shield represents the country; the meaning and origin of the curved white symbols in each quarter are not clear
- note
- <strong>note:</strong> the pan-Slav colors were inspired by Russia's flag
Flag description
The flag of Serbia is composed of three equal horizontal bands of red, blue and white. The coat of arms of Serbia is superimposed at the center of the field slightly towards the hoist side.
Flag image
- svg
- https://flagcdn.com/rs.svg
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 established, later known as Yugoslavia)
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
- <strong>note</strong>: Serbia is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full 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
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Expected date of next election
- December 2027
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Legislature name
- National Assembly (Narodna skupstina)
- Most recent election date
- 12/17/2023
- Number of seats
- 250 (all directly elected)
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Aleksandar Vucic – Serbia Must Not Stop (129); Serbia Against Violence (65); Ivica Dacic - Prime Minister of Serbia (18); Dr Miloš Jovanović - Hope for Serbia (13); We – Voice of the People, Prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorovic (13); Other (12)
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 37.2%
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Term in office
- 4 years
National color(s)
red, blue, white
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
Political parties
Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM or VMSZ <br>Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina or DSHV <br>Democratic Party or DS <br>Ecological Uprising or EU <br>Green - Left Front or ZLF <br>Greens of Serbia or ZS <br>Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS)<br>Movement for Reversal or PZP <br>Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia or POKS <br>Movement of Free Citizens or PSG <br>Movement of Socialists or PS <br>National Democratic Alternative or NADA (electoral coalition includes NDSS and POKS)<br>New Communist Party of Yugoslavia or NKPJ <br>New Democratic Party of Serbia or NDSS or New DSS (formerly Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS)<br>New Face of Serbia or NLS <br>Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDAS <br>Party of Freedom and Justice or SSP <br>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)<br>People's Movement of Serbia or NPS <br>People's Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija or Fatherland <br>People's Peasant Party or NSS <br>Political Battle of the Albanians Continues <br>Russian Party or RS <br>Serbia Against Violence or SPN (electoral coalition includes DS, SSP, ZLF, Zajedno, NPS, PSG, EU, PZP, USS Sloga, NLS, Fatherland)<br>Serbia Must Not Stop (electoral coalitions includes SNS, SDPS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, PS, NSS, USS)<br>Serbian People's Party or SNP <br>Serbian Progressive Party or SNS <br>Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO <br>Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS <br>Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS <br>Strength of Serbia or PSS <br>Together or ZAJEDNO <br>United Peasant Party or USS <br>United Serbia or JS <br>United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" or USS Sloga <br>We - The Voice from the People or MI-GIN
Start of week
Monday
Suffrage
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
UN Member
Yes
Economy
Agricultural products
- maize, wheat, sugar beets, milk, sunflower seeds, soybeans, potatoes, barley, apples, plums (2023)
- note
- <b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Average household expenditures
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 7.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On food
- 24.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Budget
- Expenditures
- $28.12 billion (2022 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $26.077 billion (2022 est.)
Currency
- code
- RSD
- name
- Serbian dinar (RSD) [дин.]
Current account balance
- $-4,104,883,017
- Current account balance 2021
- -$2.654 billion (2021 est.)
- Current account balance 2022
- -$4.457 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$1.947 billion (2023 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
- $51.98 billion
- Debt - external 2023
- $21.726 billion (2023 est.)
- Note
- <strong>note:</strong> present value of external debt in current US dollars
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 2020
- 103.163 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 99.396 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 111.662 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 108.403 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 108.208 (2024 est.)
Exports
- $48.28 billion
- Exports 2021
- $34.035 billion (2021 est.)
- Exports 2022
- $39.905 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $44.352 billion (2023 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
- insulated wire, electricity, copper ore, plastic products, electric motors (2023)
- note
- <b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
- Germany 15%, Hungary 7%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 5%, Italy 5%, Romania 5% (2023)
- note
- <b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Foreign direct investment
- net inflows
- $5.59 billion
GDP - composition, by end use
- Exports of goods and services
- 52.7% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 17.8% (2024 est.)
- Household consumption
- 62.7% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -58.8% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 23.6% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 2% (2024 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- Agriculture
- 3.1% (2024 est.)
- Industry
- 23.3% (2024 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Services
- 58.5% (2024 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
- $89.084 billion (2024 est.)
- note
- <b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP per capita (nominal)
$13,679
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
- 36.2 (2017)
- Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
- 32.8 (2022 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
GNI (gross national income)
$84.45 billion
GNI per capita
$11,610
Gross domestic investment
25 % of GDP
Household income or consumption by percentage share
- Highest 10%
- 24.7% (2022 est.)
- Lowest 10%
- 2.4% (2022 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports
- $52.38 billion
- Imports 2021
- $39.476 billion (2021 est.)
- Imports 2022
- $47.395 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $48.158 billion (2023 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
- crude petroleum, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023)
- note
- <b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
- Germany 12%, China 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 5%, Hungary 5% (2023)
- note
- <b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
- 2.9% (2024 est.)
- note
- <b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
automobiles, base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemicals, sugar, tires, clothes, pharmaceuticals
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- 4.67%
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 12% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 12.4% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 4.7% (2024 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
- 3.23 million (2024 est.)
- note
- <b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
- total
- 3.31 million persons
Labor force - by occupation
- agriculture
- 18.03%
- industry
- 27.07%
- services
- 54.9%
Population below poverty line
- 20% (2021 est.)
- note
- <b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line
Public debt
- Public debt 2016
- 73.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- $216.25 billion
- Note
- <b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $164.166 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $170.482 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $177.093 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
- 3.95%
- Note
- <b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 2.6% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 3.8% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 3.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita
- $32,832
- Note
- <b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $24,600 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $25,700 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $26,900 (2024 est.)
Remittances
- $5.76 billion
- Note
- <b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2021
- 6.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Remittances 2022
- 8.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 7.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
- $30.48 billion
- Note
- <b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $20.68 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $27.569 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $30.484 billion (2024 est.)
Revenue (excl grants)
39 % of GDP
Tax revenue
24 % of GDP
Taxes and other revenues
- 23.9% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
- note
- <b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate
- 7.12%
- Note
- <b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 8.5% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 8.3% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 7.4% (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- Female
- 24.1% (2024 est.)
- Male
- 21.8% (2024 est.)
- Note
- <b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 22.7% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Consumption
- 37.828 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Exports
- 16,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 4.542 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 33.219 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 7.112 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 34.413 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- consumption per capita
- 5,090 kWh
- Exports
- 7.351 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 5.395 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 8.202 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 4.881 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
- Electrification - total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
- Biomass and waste
- 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 65.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- hydroelectric
- 32.68%
- Hydroelectricity
- 30.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- nuclear
- 0%
- renewable
- 34.98%
- Solar
- 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Wind
- 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
- 2,378 kg of oil equivalent
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 91.884 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas
- Consumption
- 2.886 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 2.471 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 336.605 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 48.139 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 77.5 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 88,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Total petroleum production
- 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Renewable energy consumption
27.2%
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- per 100 inhabitants
- 31 per 100
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 31 (2023 est.)
- Total
- 2.08 million (2023 est.)
Internet country code
.rs
Internet users
- Percent of population
- 85% (2023 est.)
Postal code format
######
Telephone calling code
+381
Telephones - fixed lines
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 37 (2023 est.)
- Total subscriptions
- 2.485 million (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
- subscriptions per 100
- 128 per 100
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 124 (2021 est.)
- Total subscriptions
- 8.53 million (2023 est.)
Transportation
Air transport
- passengers carried
- 3.87 million passengers
- registered carrier departures
- 43,287 departures
Airports
46 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
YU
Driving side
Right
Heliports
11 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 3,333 km (2020) 1,274 km electrified
Vehicle registration code
SRB
Military and Security
Land forces
- armored vehicles
- tanks
Military - note
the Serbian military is responsible for defense and deterrence against external threats, supporting international peacekeeping operations, and providing support to civil authorities for internal security; specific areas of concerns for the military include ethnic and religious 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 has participated in EU peacekeeping missions, as well as missions under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the UN; it traditionally has maintained close security ties with Russia and has a growing security relationship with China<br><br>the 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 (2025)
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 Guard<br><br>Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs: Police Directorate (2025)
- active duty personnel
- 32,000
- note
- <strong>note:</strong> 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 <br>
- percent of total labor force
- 1.01 %
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 25,000 active-duty Armed Forces (15,000 Land Forces; 5,000 Air/Air Defense; 5,000 other, including Serbian Guard) (2025)
Military deployments
180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists of a mix of Soviet/Cold War-era and some more modern weapons systems from suppliers such as China, France, and Russia; Serbia has a defense industry focused on armored vehicles, artillery systems, and munitions (2025)
Military expenditures
- 3 % of GDP
- current USD
- $2,322,830,102
- 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 Expenditures 2023
- 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military Expenditures 2024
- 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
- percent of central government expenditure
- 6.05 %
- percent of GDP
- 2.60 % of GDP
Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2011 (2025)
- note
- <strong>note:</strong> as of 2024, women made up about 11% of the military's full-time personnel
Military strength ranking
- PowerIndex score
- 1.2938
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- IDPs
- 194,171 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 36,270 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 1,715 (2024 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 27.743 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 11.665 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Total emissions
- 44.782 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environmental issues
air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes in rivers; inadequate management of domestic, industrial, and hazardous waste
Geoparks
- Global geoparks and regional networks
- Djerdap (2023)
- Total global geoparks and regional networks
- 1
International environmental 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
Particulate matter emissions
21.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Protected areas
13 % of total land area
Renewable electricity output
4 % of total
Total renewable water resources
- 162.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- note
- <strong>note:</strong> data includes Kosovo
Total water withdrawal
- 61 % of internal resources
- Agricultural
- 422 million cubic meters (2022)
- Industrial
- 3.967 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Municipal
- 702 million cubic meters (2022)
Waste and recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 2.347 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 1% (2022 est.)