Serbia

Republic of Serbia

Europe Belgrade

Population

6.65M

Area

77,474 km²

GDP

$89.08B

GDP Per Capita

$26,900

Pop. Density

86/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

дин.Serbian dinar(RSD)

Calling Code

+381

Timezone

UTC+01:00

Languages

Serbian

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Serbian

Background

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.

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.

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.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑170.6% since 2006

$33B (2006)$90B (2024)

Population

↓11.1% since 2006

7.4M (2006)6.6M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 76.2 years

2006: 73.4 years2023: 76.2 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography19

Location

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Geographic coordinates

44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 77,474 sq km
land: 77,474 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries

total: 2,322 km
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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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)

Terrain

extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills

Elevation

highest point: Midzor 2,169 m
lowest point: Danube and Timok Rivers 35 m
mean elevation: 442 m

Natural resources

oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land

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.)

forest

40.4% (2023 est.)

other

27.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

550 sq km (2022)

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

note: [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)

Population distribution

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

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Geography - note

landlocked; controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East

People & Society36

Population

total: 6,652,212 (2024 est.)
male: 3,242,751
female: 3,409,461

Nationality

noun: Serb(s)
adjective: Serbian

Ethnic groups

Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romani 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 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):
Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

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)

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)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 21.9 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 30.4 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.3 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 44.1 years (2025 est.)
male: 42.4 years
female: 45.4 years

Population growth rate

-0.6% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

8.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

14.66 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

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

Urbanization

urban population: 57.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.408 million BELGRADE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

28.2 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

11 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 72.7 years
female: 78.1 years

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.71 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 10% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 13.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

3.1 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

5.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 95.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.1% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.5% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 36% (2025 est.)
male: 37.8% (2025 est.)
female: 34.5% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.3% (2022 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 1.2% (2019)
women married by age 18: 5.5% (2019)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 8.4% national budget (2023 est.)

Literacy

total population: 99.3% (2022 est.)
male: 99.6% (2022 est.)
female: 99.1% (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years (2022 est.)
male: 14 years (2022 est.)
female: 16 years (2022 est.)

Government23

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Serbia

conventional short form

Serbia

local long form

Republika Srbija

local short form

Srbija

former

People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia

etymology

the country takes its name from the Serb people; the origin of their name is unclear but may derive from the Caucasian root word ser, meaning "man"

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Belgrade (Beograd)
geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: the name comes from the Serbian words beo (white) and grad (city); it probably referred to the white stone of the city fortress

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*

Legal system

civil law system

Constitution

history: many previous; latest adopted 30 September 2006, approved by referendum 28-29 October 2006, effective 8 November 2006
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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Serbia
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage

18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Aleksandar VUCIC (since 31 May 2017)

head of government

Prime Minister Djuro MACUT (since 16 April 2025)

cabinet

Cabinet elected by the National Assembly

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

most recent election date

17 December 2023

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

expected date of next election

2028

Legislative branch

legislature name

National Assembly (Narodna skupstina)

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

250 (all directly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

most recent election date

12/17/2023

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%

expected date of next election

December 2027

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

Political parties

Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM or VMSZ
Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina or DSHV
Democratic Party or DS
Ecological Uprising or EU
Green - Left Front or ZLF
Greens of Serbia or ZS
Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS)
Movement for Reversal or PZP
Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia or POKS
Movement of Free Citizens or PSG
Movement of Socialists or PS
National Democratic Alternative or NADA (electoral coalition includes NDSS and POKS)
New Communist Party of Yugoslavia or NKPJ
New Democratic Party of Serbia or NDSS or New DSS (formerly Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS)
New Face of Serbia or NLS
Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDAS
Party of Freedom and Justice or SSP
Party of United Pensioners, Farmers, and Proletarians of Serbia – Solidarity and Justice or PUPS - Solidarity and Justice (formerly Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS)
People's Movement of Serbia or NPS
People's Movement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija or Fatherland
People's Peasant Party or NSS
Political Battle of the Albanians Continues
Russian Party or RS
Serbia Against Violence or SPN (electoral coalition includes DS, SSP, ZLF, Zajedno, NPS, PSG, EU, PZP, USS Sloga, NLS, Fatherland)
Serbia Must Not Stop (electoral coalitions includes SNS, SDPS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, PS, NSS, USS)
Serbian People's Party or SNP
Serbian Progressive Party or SNS
Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO
Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS
Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS
Strength of Serbia or PSS
Together or ZAJEDNO
United Peasant Party or USS
United Serbia or JS
United Trade Unions of Serbia "Sloga" or USS Sloga
We - The Voice from the People or MI-GIN

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Dragan &Scaron;UTANOVAC (since 24 July 2025)

chancery

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

telephone

[1] (202) 507-8654

FAX

[1] (202) 332-3933

email address and website

[email protected]

http://www.washington.mfa.gov.rs/

consulate(s) general

Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alexander TITOLO (since January 2025)

embassy

92 Bulevar kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica, 11040 Belgrade

mailing address

5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070

telephone

[381] (11) 706-4000

FAX

[381] (11) 706-4481

email address and website

[email protected]

https://rs.usembassy.gov/

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)

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)

National holiday

Statehood Day, 15 February (1835), the day the first constitution of the country was adopted

Flag

description: 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

meaning: 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

National symbol(s)

white double-headed eagle

National color(s)

red, blue, white

National anthem(s)

title: "Boze pravde" (God of Justice)
lyrics/music: Jovan DORDEVIC/Davorin JENKO
history: adopted 1904; song originally written as part of a play in 1872, and the Serbian people have used it as an anthem in the 20th and 21st centuries

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Stari Ras and Sopoćani; Studenica Monastery; Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius; Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards

Economy32

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $177.093 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $170.482 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $164.166 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 2.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $26,900 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $25,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $24,600 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$89.084 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 4.7% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 12.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 12% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 23.3% (2024 est.)
services: 58.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

62.7% (2024 est.)

government consumption

17.8% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.6% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

2% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

52.7% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-58.8% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

maize, wheat, sugar beets, milk, sunflower seeds, soybeans, potatoes, barley, apples, plums (2023)

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (2024 est.)

Labor force

3.23 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 7.4% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 8.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 8.5% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 22.7% (2024 est.)
male: 21.8% (2024 est.)
female: 24.1% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

20% (2021 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 32.8 (2022 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 24.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 7.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.4% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 24.7% (2022 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2023: 7.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 8.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 6.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget

revenues: $26.077 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $28.12 billion (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 73.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.9% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2023: -$1.947 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$4.457 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$2.654 billion (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2023: $44.352 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $39.905 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $34.035 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners

Germany 15%, Hungary 7%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 5%, Italy 5%, Romania 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

insulated wire, electricity, copper ore, plastic products, electric motors (2023)

Imports

Imports 2023: $48.158 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $47.395 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $39.476 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners

Germany 12%, China 10%, Italy 7%, Turkey 5%, Hungary 5% (2023)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, natural gas, packaged medicine, plastic products, cars (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $30.484 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $27.569 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $20.68 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $21.726 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

Serbian dinars (RSD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

108.208 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

108.403 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

111.662 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

99.396 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

103.163 (2020 est.)

Energy7

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 8.202 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 34.413 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 7.351 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 5.395 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 4.881 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 65.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 30.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 33.219 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 37.828 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 16,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 4.542 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 7.112 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 88,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 77.5 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 336.605 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.886 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.471 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 48.139 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 91.884 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications5

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2.485 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 8.53 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 124 (2021 est.)

Internet country code

.rs

Internet users

percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 2.08 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (2023 est.)

Transportation4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

46 (2025)

Heliports

11 (2025)

Railways

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

Military & Security7

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

Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs: Police Directorate (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 2.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 2% of GDP (2020 est.)

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 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 service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished in 2011 (2025)

Military deployments

180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

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

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)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 36,270 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 194,171 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 1,715 (2024 est.)

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