Serbia

Republic of Serbia

LOCATION

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.

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 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)
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

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.)

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
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
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)
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.)
Urbanization: urban population: 57.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 44.782 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 27.743 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 11.665 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 5.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 21.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.347 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 1% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 702 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 3.967 billion cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 422 million cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources: 162.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks: 1
global geoparks and regional networks: Djerdap (2023)

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: info@serbiaembusa.orghttp://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: belgradeacs@state.govhttps://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 armsmeaning: 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

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.)

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.)

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.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YU
Airports: 46 (2025)
Heliports: 11 (2025)
Railways: total: 3,333 km (2020) 1,274 km electrified

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 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 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 (2025)

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