The territory of the Republic of Serbia covers an area of 88,361 km2. Of this, the two autonomous provinces cover 21,506 km2, 24% – Vojvodina and 10,887 km2, 12.3% – Kosovo and Metohija.

The Republic of Serbia is organised territorially into territorial units of local self-government: municipalities, towns and the City of Belgrade; and territorial autonomy: the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija
In the Republic of Serbia there are 150 municipalities, 23 cities and the City of Belgrade, as the capital. The Republic of Serbia has 29 administrative districts, excluding the City of Belgrade which is the seat of all state administration bodies. Serbia has 6,169 populated areas, of which 207 are urban.
On the basis of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, Kosovo and Metohija has been under the temporary civil and military administration of the United Nations since 10th June, 1999.

The climate of Serbia is moderately continental, with localized variations and a gradual change between the seasons. 



Nearby geographical regions like the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, the Bay of Genoa, the Pannonian Basin and the Morava Valley, the Carpathian and Rhodope mountains, as well as Serbia’s hilly and mountainous region, with its valleys and plateaus, significantly influence the weather and climate in Serbia. The dominant position of river valleys from the south towards the hilly areas in the north of the country allows the deep penetration of polar air masses in southern regions. 

The vast majority of Serbian territory lies in a temperate climate zone, but the southwestern regions border the subtropical and continental climate zones.
The mean annual air temperature for areas 300 m above sea-level is 10.9°C and for regions at an altitude of 300 m to 500 m it is around 10°C. In mountainous regions above 1000 m the air temperature is around 6°C, while in regions above 1500 m it is around 3°C. 


Autumn is warmer than spring. The coldest month is January with the mean monthly temperature ranging from -6°C in mountainous regions to around 0°C in the country’s flat regions. The warmest month is July with the mean monthly temperature ranging from 11°C to 22°C The highest recorded temperature was 44.9°C in 2007 in Smederevska Palanka and the lowest recorded temperature was -39.5° in 1985 in the Pešter Plateau.

The annual rainfall in low-lying areas ranges from 540 to 820 mm. Regions which are 1000 m above sea-level have between 700 and 1000 mm of rainfall annually, while some mountain peaks in southwestern Serbia have up to 1500 mm of rainfall a year. The majority of Serbia has continental rainfall patterns, with larger volumes in the warmer half of the year, apart from southwestern areas which have the most rainfall in autumn. June is the rainiest month, with an average of 12 to 13% of the total annual rainfall that month. February and October are the least rainy months. The normal annual volume of rainfall for the entire country is 896 mm.


Snow cover is characteristic of the period between November and March, and sometimes there is snowfall in April and October too. Mountains above 1000 m can have snow cover all year round. January has the most days with snow cover, with 30 to 40% of the total annual number of days with snow cover occurring during that month.


The annual number of hours of sunshine ranges from 1500 to 2200 hours.
The winds which dominate the warmer part of the year are north-westerly and westerly. The Košava – an easterly and south-easterly wind which brings clear and dry weather in intervals of two to three days – is common in autumn and winter. South-westerly winds dominate the mountainous regions of south-western Serbia.


The mean atmospheric pressure in Belgrade is 1001 mb and the mean relative air humidity is 69.5%

The northern part of Serbia, Vojvodina, located in the Pannonian Plain, is predominately flat. There are also plains in Mačva, Posavina, Pomoravlje and Stig, as well as in Negotinska Krajina in eastern Serbia. 


55% of Serbia’s land is arable, the large part of which is located in Vojvodina, the country’s main agricultural region. 

The central part of Serbia and the hilly Šumadija region are located south of the Sava and Danube rivers. Further south, the hills gradually give way to mountains. The valleys of the Great, South and West Morava, Nišava and Ibra rivers cut through the hilly and mountainous areas of Serbia and are the main travel routes.



The forest coverage in Serbia is 27.3% in total and regional coverage varies: Vojvodina 6.8%, central Serbia 32.8% and Kosovo and Metohija 39.4%.

The mountain landscape of Serbia is rich in canyons, gorges and caves, as well as preserved forests which are home to a multitude of endemic species. Serbia’s mountains belong to:
  • The Rhodopes range, which runs along the right and left sides of the South and Great Morava rivers.
  • The Carpathians and Balkan Mountains, which are located in the eastern part of Serbia, south of the Danube river.

The Dinaric Alps mountain chain, the largest of the mountain regions, is divided into eight sub-regions: Prokletiije, Šar, Stari Vlah-Raška, Kopaonik, Kosovo-Metohija, Šumadija, and the Rudne and Flišne mountains. 15 peaks reach an altitude of over 2000 m, of which the highest is Đeravica in the Prokletije, with a height of 2656 m.

Serbia’s rivers belong to the drainage basins of the Black, Adriatic and Aegean seas. Three rivers are fully navigable in Serbia: the Danube, Sava and the Tisa. The Velika Morava and Tamiš rivers are partly navigable. 

The longest river to flow through Serbia is the Danube, 588 km of its total 2783 km-long course, and over 90% of the river basin is occupied by this river. 


The largest lake in Serbia is the artificial Đerdap lake on the Danube which covers an area of 253 km2.
Largest cities in Serbia (populations according to the 2002 census):
  • Belgrade; 1,576,124
  • Novi Sad; 299,294
  • Niš; 250,518
  • Kragujevac; 175,802
Longest rivers in Serbia:
  • Danube, 588 km (of a total 2783 km)
  • Zapadna Morava, 308 km
  • Južna Morava, 295 km
  • Ibar, 272 km
  • Drina, 220 km (of a total 346 km)
  • Sava, 206 km (of a total 945 km)
  • Timok, 202 km
  • Great Morava, 185 km
  • Tisa, 168 km (of a total 966 km)
  • Nišava, 151 km (of a total 218 km)
  • Tamiš, 118 km (of a total 359 km)
  • Begej, 75 km (of a total 244 km)
Largest lakes in Serbia:
  • Đerdap Lake, 253 km2
  • Vlasina Lake, 16 km2
  • Perućac Lake, 12.4 km2
  • Gazivode Lake, 11.9 km2
  • Zvornik Lake, 8.1 km2
  • Zlatar Lake, 7.2 km2
  • Potpeć Lake, 7 km2
  • Palić Lake, 5.6 km2
Highest mountain peaks in Serbia:
  • Đeravica, 2656 m (Prokletije)
  • Crni Vrh, 2585 m (Šar Mountains)
  • Gusam, 2539 m (Prokletije)
  • Bogdaš, 2533 m (Prokletije)
  • Žuti Kamen, 2522 m (Prokletije)
  • Ljuboten, 2498 m (Šar Mountains)
  • Veternik, 2461 m (Koprivnik)
  • Crni Krš, 2426 m (Prokletije)
  • Hajla, 2403 m (Hajla)

Serbia is a landlocked country situated in southeastern Europe, in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, between 41°53′ and 46°11′ latitude North and 18°49′ and 23°00′ longitude East. 


Because Serbia covers part of the Pannonian Plain in the north, the country also belongs to Central Europe, while due to its southern region, in terms of geography and climate, Serbia is also considered a Mediterranean country.

Serbia stands at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe, its routes leading via the Morava-Vardar and Nišava-Marica valleys to the Aegean coast, to Asia Minor and to the Middle East. 

European Transport Corridors 7 (the Danube) and 10 (road and rail) pass through Serbia and meet in Belgrade. 


Belgrade, the Serbian capital, lies on the Danube, a waterway connecting Western and Central European countries with the countries of Southeastern and Eastern Europe. 

Its harbor is visited by ships from the Black Sea, and with the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal it became a central point of the most important waterway in Europe which extends from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Black Sea. The Belgrade-Bar railway line connects the city with the Adriatic Sea and Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport is a hub for key European air routes.




Serbia’s borders are 2114.2 km in length. Serbia borders Bulgaria to the east, Romania to the northeast, Hungary to the north, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the west, Montenegro to the southwest and Albania and Macedonia to the south.

Extending to the south from central Europe into the Mediterranean Sea, the Balkan Peninsula  includes the countries of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and the geographical/political region of European Turkey.
 

Albania 

Albania, on Southeastern Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, is a small country with coastlines on the Adriatic and Ionian seas and an interior crossed by the Albanian Alps. Along its southern coast, the Albanian Riviera is known for its traditional Mediterranean villages, beach resorts and vibrant nightlife. With history stretching back to antiquity, Albania is also rich in castles and archaeological sites.

Albania Capital: Tirana

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe, encompasses mountainous terrain, medieval villages and Muslim and Christian landmarks. Its countryside is marked by deep gorges, turquoise rivers and lakes, and the Dinaric Alps’ forests and crags. It's a popular destination for outdoor sports such as hiking, mountain biking, white-water rafting and skiing.
 
  Bosnia and Herzegovina Capital: Sarajevo

Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a Balkan nation with diverse terrain encompassing Black Sea coastline, rivers, including the Danube, and a mountainous interior. A cultural melting pot with Greek, Slavic, Ottoman and Persian influences, it has a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes and crafts. 
 
Bulgaria Capital: Sofia

Croatia

Croatia is an Eastern European country with long coastlines on the Adriatic Sea, encompassing more than a thousand islands, crossed by the Dinaric Alps and dotted with castles. The major coastal city Dubrovnik has massive 16th-century walls encircling an Old Town with Gothic and Renaissance buildings.
 
Croatia Capital: Zagreb 

Greece

Greece is a country in southeastern Europe consisting of 2 mainland peninsulas and thousands of islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. It's often called the birthplace of Western civilization, and Athens, its capital, retains ancient landmarks including the 5th-century-B.C.E. Acropolis citadel and Parthenon temple. Greece is also known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.
 
 Greece Capital: Athens 

Macedonia (FYROM)

Macedonia is a landlocked Balkan nation of mountains, lakes and ancient towns with Ottoman and European architecture. The capital, Skopje, is known for its sprawling Old Bazaar quarter and historic buildings turned museums, including the National Gallery of Macedonia, housed in a 15th-century Turkish bath complex. The southern city Ohrid, on a lake of the same name, has a medieval townscape and hilltop castle.
 
 Macedonia Capital: Skopje
 
Montenegro

Montenegro is a small Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline. The Bay of Kotor, resembling a fjord, is dotted with coastal churches and fortified towns such as Kotor and Herceg Novi. Durmitor National Park encompasses limestone peaks, glacial lakes, wildlife such as bears and wolves, and 1,300m-deep Tara River Canyon.
 
 Montenegro Capital: Podgorica

Romania

Romania is a central European country known for the forested region of Transylvania, preserved medieval towns such as Sighişoara and many fortified churches and castles, notably clifftop Bran Castle, long associated with the Dracula legend. The area is ringed by the Carpathian Mountains, which are popular for trekking, climbing, skiing and bathing in natural thermal spas.
 
Romani Capital: Bucharest 

Serbia

Serbia is a country on southeast Europe's Balkan peninsula with vast northern plateaus and mountains with ski resorts to the south. Capital city Belgrade is home to Communist-era architecture and Kalemegdan Park, site of an ancient fortress held successively by the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Floating nightclubs on the Danube and Sava rivers are a distinctive part of the city’s nightlife.
 
 Serbia Capital: Belgrade

Slovenia

Slovenia, a country in Central Europe, is known for its mountains, outdoor recreation and ski resorts. Set on a glacial lake fed by thermal springs, the town of Bled contains a church-topped islet and a cliffside medieval castle. Nearby Triglav National Park in the Julian Alps offers skiing and hiking, plus rafting along the Soča River, renowned for aquamarine water.
 
 Slovenia Capital: Ljubljana
 
Turkey

Turkey is a nation straddling eastern Europe and western Asia with cultural connections to ancient Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Cosmopolitan Istanbul, on the Bosphorus Strait, is home to the iconic Hagia Sophia, with its soaring dome and Christian mosaics, the massive 17th-century Blue Mosque and the circa-1460 Topkapı Palace, former home of sultans.
 
 Turkey Major City in Europe:   Istanbul
Name of state: Republic of Serbia


Capital city: Belgrade, population more than 1,600,000 

Autonomous regions: Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija 

Geographic location: Southeastern and Central Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Western Balkans

Area: 88,509 km2

Climate: moderate continental


Longest river: Danube, Serbian section, 588 km 

Highest mountain peak: Đeravica (in the Prokletije range), 2656 m

International dialing code: +381

Official currency: the dinar (RSD)
 

National Internet domain: .rs

National vehicle code: SRB

Population (excluding Kosovo and Metohija): more than 7,000,000, 83% Serbs

Official language: Serbian

Official script: Cyrillic


Faiths: 85% Eastern Orthodox Christian, 5.5% Roman Catholic Christian, 3.2% Muslim

National holiday: 15th February – Serbian National Statehood Day

Time zone: central European, CET (GMT + 1 hour)

Electricity: 220 ~ 230V, 50 Hz

Water from public mains: Safe to drink
An old country. Like most Balkan countries Serbia also bounds West with East for centuries.  Land of many civilizations, cultures, faiths, climates and landscapes



It is located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, in southeastern Europe. The northern portion belongs to central Europe, but in terms of geography and climate it is also partly a Mediterranean country. 

It is landlocked, without direct access to the seaside, but as a Danube country it is connected to distant seas and oceans. Serbia is a crossroads of Europe and a geopolitical important territory. 


The international roads and railway lines, which run through the country’s river valleys, form the shortest link between Western Europe and the Middle East.


From the agricultural regions of the Pannonian Basin in the north, across the fertile river valleys and orchard-covered hills of Šumadija, the landscape of Serbia continues southward, gradually giving way to mountains rich in canyons, gorges and caves, as well as well-preserved forests. 


Serbia’s beautiful mountains, national parks, rivers and lakes are the perfect location for an active outdoor holiday – from hunting and fishing to extreme sports.


Many times during its rich, centuries-long history, Serbia has been at the center of Europe’s and the world’s attention, out of all proportion to its modest size, economic might and number of inhabitants. 

Many lessons on bravery, patriotism and the struggle for freedom can be learned wherever you turn in Serbia, as you pass through its cities and regions.


The cultural and historical heritage of Serbia begins with prehistoric archaeological sites and its legacy from classical antiquity.


Perhaps its greatest riches, though, are in the many medieval Serbian churches and monasteries, some of which are included on the UNESCO World Heritage list.


All year round, numerous cultural, entertainment, traditional and sporting events are held in Serbia, demonstrating the creative power and spiritual vitality of this country.


Today, Serbia is a modern, democratic European country, on the path to membership of the European Union, which a diverse range of visitors – from young backpackers to participants in congresses and fairs – visit every day.


Statistically, the most-visited tourist destinations are the cities of Belgrade and Novi Sad, the mountains of Kopaonik and Zlatibor and the spa towns of Vrnjačka Banja and Sokobanja.