Serbia

Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia, is a landlocked country in Southeast and Central Europe. It is in the Balkans and borders Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Serbia also claims a border with Albania through the disputed territory of Kosovo. Belgrade is the capital and largest city, with about 6.6 million people living in Serbia.

The land now called Serbia has been home to people for a very long time. It was once part of the Roman Empire and later saw people from Slavic groups move there. Many different kingdoms and empires ruled the area over the years. Serbia became a kingdom in 1217 and was strong as the Serbian Empire in 1346. By the mid-1500s, the Ottoman Empire took control.

In 1918, after World War I, Serbia joined with Vojvodina and other South Slavic nations to form Yugoslavia. This union stayed together in different ways until the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s. Serbia then joined with Montenegro, but they peacefully separated in 2006. In 2008, representatives of Kosovo said they wanted to be independent, but Serbia still thinks of Kosovo as part of its country.

Today, Serbia has a strong economy and offers free health care and free schooling for children. It is a democratic country and a member of the United Nations. Serbia is working toward joining the European Union and hopes to become a member by 2030. Serbia chooses to stay neutral and not join any military alliances.

Etymology

See also: Names of the Serbs and Serbia and Origin hypotheses of the Serbs

The name "Serbia" is not very clear. Over time, people have used many names to talk about the Serbs and a group called the Sorbs. Some of these names are Triballi, Cervetiis, Sorabi, and Sarbin. These names were used where Serbs and Sorbs lived, like the Balkans and Lusatia.

There are two main ideas about where the name *Sŕbъ came from. One idea is that it started in an old Slavic language and means something like "family group." The other idea is that it came from an old Iranian language with other meanings. A writer named Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus wrote that the Serbs came from a place called White Serbia near Francia.

Serbia has had different official names. From 1815 to 1882, it was called the Principality of Serbia. From 1882 to 1918, it was the Kingdom of Serbia. From 1945 to 1963, it was the People's Republic of Serbia, and from 1963 to 1990, it was the Socialist Republic of Serbia. Since 1990, the country has been called the Republic of Serbia.

History

Main article: History of Serbia

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Serbian history.

Prehistory and antiquity

Archaeological evidence of old settlements in Serbia is limited. A jaw fragment found in Sićevo (Mala Balanica) is believed to be very old.

Around 6,500 BC, cultures existed in the region of modern-day Belgrade. They dominated parts of Southeast Europe, Central Europe, and Anatolia. Important archaeological sites from this time still exist near the Danube.

Later, local tribes met the Ancient Greeks. The Celtic tribe settled the area, building fortifications, including their capital at Singidunum (present-day Belgrade) and Naissos (present-day Niš).

The Romans conquered much of the land. In 167 BC, the Roman province of Illyricum was established; the rest was conquered around 75 BC, forming the Roman province of Moesia Superior; the Srem region was conquered in 9 BC; and Bačka and Banat in 106 AD. Seventeen Roman Emperors were born in the area of modern-day Serbia, second only to Italy. The most famous was Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor.

When the Roman Empire split, most of Serbia stayed under the Byzantine Empire, and its northwestern parts joined the Western Roman Empire. By the 6th century, South Slavs moved into the Byzantine area in large numbers. They mixed with the local Romanised people.

Middle Ages

White Serbs, an early Slavic tribe, settled between the Sava river and the Dinaric Alps. By the early 9th century, Serbia had a level of statehood. Christianisation of Serbia finished by the middle of the 9th century. In the mid-10th century, the Serbian state fell. During the 11th and 12th centuries, Serbia often fought with the Byzantine Empire. Between 1166 and 1371, Serbia was ruled by the Nemanjić dynasty, and became a kingdom in 1217 and an empire in 1346, under Stefan Dušan. The Serbian Orthodox Church became an archbishopric and later a Patriarchate. Monuments from this time survive in many monasteries and fortifications.

During these years, Serbia expanded. The northern part (modern Vojvodina) was ruled by the Kingdom of Hungary. After 1371, the once-powerful state split into several parts, leading to the Battle of Kosovo against the rising Ottoman Empire. By the late 14th century, the Ottomans had conquered areas south of the Šar Mountains. The capital moved north to Belgrade, then to Smederevo in 1430. The Despotate fell under the control of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. The fall of Smederevo in 1459 marked the full Ottoman conquest.

Ottoman and Habsburg rule

Main articles: Ottoman Serbia and Great Migrations of the Serbs

In lands conquered by the Ottomans, the native nobility was removed and peasants were forced to work for Ottoman rulers. Much of the clergy fled or were confined to monasteries. Under Ottoman rule, Serbs and Christians were treated as an inferior class and faced heavy taxes. Some Serbs were recruited into the devshirme system, in which boys were taken to serve in Ottoman army units known as the Janissaries. The Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was ended in 1463 but restored in 1557, allowing some Serbian traditions to continue.

After losing statehood to the Ottomans, Serbian resistance continued in northern regions (modern Vojvodina). From 1521 to 1552, the Ottomans conquered Belgrade and regions of Syrmia, Bačka, and Banat. Wars and rebellions challenged Ottoman rule. The area of modern Vojvodina was occupied by the Ottomans for a century before being taken by the Habsburg monarchy.

During the Habsburg-Ottoman war, much of Serbia moved from Ottoman to Habsburg control. However, the Ottoman army took back much of Serbia, leading to a massacre of civilians. As a result, many Serbs fled north to Hungary, an event known as the Great Migration of 1690. In August 1690, Emperor Leopold I granted Serbs in the Habsburg monarchy privileges, mainly to guarantee religious freedom. The ecclesiastical centre of the Serbs also moved north.

In 1718–39, the Habsburg monarchy occupied much of Central Serbia and established the Kingdom of Serbia as crownland. These gains were lost by the Treaty of Belgrade in 1739, when the Ottomans took the region back. Apart from the territory of modern-day Vojvodina which stayed under the Habsburg Empire, central regions of Serbia were occupied again by the Habsburgs in 1788–1792.

Revolution and independence

The Serbian Revolution for independence from the Ottoman Empire lasted eleven years, from 1804 until 1815. During the First Serbian Uprising (1804–1813), led by Karađorđe Petrović, Serbia was independent for almost a decade before the Ottoman army reoccupied the country. The Second Serbian Uprising began in 1815, led by Miloš Obrenović; it ended with a compromise between Serbian leaders and Ottoman authorities. Serbia was one of the first nations in the Balkans to end feudalism. The Akkerman Convention in 1826, the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829 and finally, the Hatt-i Sharif, recognised Serbia's suzerainty. The First Serbian Constitution was adopted on 15 February 1835, making the country one of the first in Europe to adopt a democratic constitution. 15 February is now Statehood Day, a public holiday.

After clashes between the Ottoman army and Serbs in Belgrade in 1862, and under pressure from the Great Powers, the last Turkish soldiers left the Principality in 1867. By enacting a new constitution in 1869, Serbian diplomats confirmed the country's independence. In 1876, Serbia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, siding with Christian uprisings in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bulgaria.

The country's formal independence was recognised at the Congress of Berlin in 1878, ending the Russo-Turkish War; this treaty, however, stopped Serbia from uniting with other Serbian regions by placing Bosnia and Herzegovina under Austro-Hungarian control, along with the region of Raška. From 1815 to 1903, the principality was ruled by the House of Obrenović, except for the rule of Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević between 1842 and 1858. In 1882, Principality of Serbia became the Kingdom of Serbia, ruled by King Milan I. The House of Karađorđević took power in 1903 after the May Overthrow. The 1848 revolution in Austria led to the establishment of the autonomous territory of Serbian Vojvodina; by 1849, the region became the Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar.

Balkan Wars and World War I

In the First Balkan War in 1912, the Balkan League defeated the Ottoman Empire and took its European territories, allowing Serbia to expand into regions of Raška, Kosovo, Metohija, and Vardarian Macedonia. The Second Balkan War soon followed when Bulgaria fought its former allies, but was defeated, leading to the Treaty of Bucharest. In two years, Serbia enlarged its land by 80% and its population by 50%, but suffered heavy losses before World War I.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo by a member of the Young Bosnia organisation led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia on 28 July 1914, starting World War I.

Serbia won the first major battles of the war, including the Battle of Cer and the Battle of Kolubara. Despite early success, it was eventually defeated by the Central Powers in 1915 and occupied by Austro-Hungary. Most of its army and some people retreated to Greece and Corfu, suffering great losses. After the Central Powers' situation worsened, the Serb army returned and broke through enemy lines on 15 September 1918, freeing Serbia and defeating Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary.

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Main articles: Creation of Yugoslavia and Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Corfu Declaration was an agreement between the government-in-exile of the Kingdom of Serbia and the Yugoslav Committee to unite Serbia and Kingdom of Montenegro with South Slav lands from Austria-Hungary in a post-war Yugoslav state. It was signed on 20 July 1917 on Corfu.

As the Austro-Hungarian Empire ended, the territory of Syrmia joined Serbia on 24 November 1918. The next day, the Great People's Assembly of Serbs, Bunjevci and other Slavs in Banat, Bačka and Baranja declared these regions united with Serbia.

On 26 November 1918, the Podgorica Assembly ended the rule of the House of Petrović-Njegoš and united Montenegro with Serbia. On 1 December 1918, in Belgrade, Serbian Prince Regent Alexander Karađorđević announced the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, under King Peter I of Serbia. King Peter was succeeded by his son, Alexander, in August 1921. Serb centralists and Croat autonomists disagreed in parliament, and most governments were weak and short-lived. Nikola Pašić, a conservative prime minister, led or influenced most governments until his death. King Alexander made himself a dictator in 1929 to support a single Yugoslav nation, changing the country's name to Yugoslavia.

Alexander was killed in Marseille in 1934 during an official visit. He was succeeded by his young son Peter II. In August 1939 the Cvetković–Maček Agreement created an autonomous Banate of Croatia to address Croatian concerns.

World War II

Main articles: World War II in Yugoslavia, The Holocaust in German-occupied Serbia, and Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia

In 1941, despite Yugoslav efforts to stay neutral, the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia. The area of modern Serbia was split between Hungary, Bulgaria, the Independent State of Croatia, Greater Albania and Montenegro, with the rest under military control by Nazi Germany, with Serbian puppet governments helped by a fascist group.

The Yugoslav area saw a civil war between royalist Chetniks led by Draža Mihailović and communist partisans led by Josip Broz Tito. Axis units fought both groups. The siege of Kraljevo was a major battle in Serbia, led by Chetnik forces against the Nazis.

Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs fled the Axis puppet state known as the Independent State of Croatia to seek safety in German-occupied Serbia, trying to escape persecution.

The Republic of Užice was a short-lived free area set up by the Partisans in the autumn of 1941 in western occupied Serbia. By late 1944, the Belgrade Offensive favoured the partisans in the civil war; they then took control of Yugoslavia. The Syrmian Front was the last major battle of World War II in Serbia.

Socialist Yugoslavia

Main articles: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Communist purges in Serbia in 1944–45

The victory of the Communist Partisans ended the monarchy and led to a new constitution. A one-party state was set up in Yugoslavia by the Communist Party. Serbia became a republic within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia known as the People's Republic of Serbia, with a branch of the federal communist party, the League of Communists of Serbia. Serbia's most powerful leader in Tito-era Yugoslavia was Aleksandar Ranković, one of the "big four" Yugoslav leaders. Ranković was later removed from office due to disagreements about Kosovo.

Belgrade, the capital of FPR Yugoslavia and PR Serbia, hosted the first Non-Aligned Movement Summit in September 1961, and the first major meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to carry out the Helsinki Accords from October 1977 to March 1978. The 1972 smallpox outbreak in SAP Kosovo and other parts of SR Serbia was the last major outbreak of smallpox in Europe since World War II.

Breakup of Yugoslavia and political transition

In 1989, Slobodan Milošević became powerful in Serbia. Milošević wanted to reduce the powers of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, which caused tensions and conflict with other republics. Yugoslavia broke up, with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia declaring independence in 1991 and 1992. Serbia and Montenegro stayed together as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). The Yugoslav Wars (1991–2001) caused severe conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia. The FRY stayed out of these wars but supported Serb forces. The UN put sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro, leading to political isolation and economic problems.

Multi-party democracy began in Serbia in 1990. Despite changes, Milošević kept strong control. When the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia lost municipal elections in 1996, people protested against the government.

In 1998, fighting between the Kosovo Liberation Army and Yugoslav forces led to the short Kosovo War (1998–99), with NATO getting involved. After the wars, Serbia had the most refugees and displaced people in Europe.

Slobodan Milošević was a key leader in the 1990s, criticised for his rule during the Kosovo war, NATO bombing, sanctions, and refugee problems.

Zoran Đinđić was a leader in the protest against Milošević and became Serbia's first democratically elected prime minister in 2001. After elections in September 2000, opponents said Milošević stole the vote. Protests led by the Democratic Opposition of Serbia forced Milošević to accept defeat. Milošević was sent to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The DOS said FR Yugoslavia would join the European Union. In 2003, the country was renamed Serbia and Montenegro; the EU began talks for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

Serbia's politics stayed tense and in 2003, Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić was killed in a plot by organised crime and former security officers. In 2004 unrest in Kosovo, 19 people died and Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries were damaged.

Contemporary period

On 21 May 2006, Montenegro voted to leave the union by a referendum. On 5 June 2006, Serbia declared independence, re-emerging as an independent country. The National Assembly of Serbia said Serbia was the legal successor to the former union.

The Assembly of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. Serbia disagreed and still does not recognise Kosovo's statehood. Talks between Serbia and Kosovo are held in Brussels, mediated by the EU.

Serbia applied to join the European Union on 22 December 2009 and became a candidate country on 1 March 2012. After recommendations from the European Commission and European Council in June 2013, talks to join the EU began in January 2014.

In 2012 Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party took power. Some analysts say Serbia has moved towards authoritarianism, with less media freedom and civil liberties. After the COVID-19 pandemic reached Serbia in March 2020, a state of emergency was declared and a curfew was introduced for the first time since World War II. In April 2022, President Aleksandar Vučić was re-elected. In December 2023, President Vučić won a quick parliamentary election. The election led to protests, with opponents saying the result was wrong. On 16 January 2022, a Serbian constitutional referendum happened to change the Constitution about the judiciary. The country will host international specialised exposition Expo 2027. The Serbian government is working with Rio Tinto on a plan to develop Europe's biggest lithium mine. Lithium mining has caused debate and protests. In 2024–2025, there were large anti-corruption protests, some of which were violent.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Serbia

Serbia is a landlocked country where Central and Southeastern Europe meet. It is part of the Balkan peninsula and the Pannonian Plain. Serbia lies between latitudes 41° and 47° N, and longitudes 18° and 23° E. The country covers 88,499 km² (34,170 sq mi); without Kosovo, it is 77,589 km² (29,957 sq mi). Serbia borders Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and also claims a border with Albania through Kosovo.

The Pannonian Plain is in northern Serbia, while mountains are in the south. The Danube River, one of Europe’s largest rivers, flows through Serbia and provides important water. The highest point in Serbia is Midžor peak at 2,169 metres (7,116 feet), and the lowest point is near the Danube River at 17 metres (56 feet) above sea level. Đerdap Lake is the largest lake in Serbia.

Main article: Climate of Serbia

Serbia’s climate is affected by Eurasia and the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Winters are cold, and summers are warm, with temperatures from around 0 °C (32 °F) in January to 22 °C (72 °F) in July. The north has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, humid summers. The south is drier, especially in summer, with cold winters and heavy snow in the mountains. The Košava wind, a cold southeastern wind, can cause strong storms.

Almost all of Serbia’s rivers flow into the Black Sea through the Danube River. The Danube is the longest river in the country. Other important rivers are the Great Morava, Sava, and Tisza. Natural lakes are few and small, but there are many artificial lakes from dams, with Đerdap Lake being the largest. The country has many sources of mineral and thermal water.

Serbia has rich wildlife and many protected areas. It is home to many species of birds, mammals, and plants. Forests cover about 29% of the land, with common trees like oak and beech. Some areas have problems with air and water pollution, especially near industrial regions. Managing waste and protecting the environment are important tasks for the country.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Serbia

Serbia is a parliamentary republic. The government has three parts: making laws, running the country, and courts. The current rules were made in 2006. The Constitutional Court decides questions about the constitution.

The President of the Republic is the head of state. People vote for the president every five years. The president helps choose the prime minister and works on relations with other countries. Aleksandar Vučić is the current president. The government is led by the prime minister and other leaders. They suggest new laws and guide the country. The current prime minister is Đuro Macut.

The National Assembly makes the laws. It has 250 members who are elected for four years. The National Assembly also approves money and chooses the prime minister.

Serbia has a three-level court system. The Supreme Court is the highest court. The Serbian Police enforce the laws.

Serbia has friends with many countries and wants to join the European Union. It asked to join in 2009 and started talks in 2014.

The Serbian Armed Forces have an Army and Air Force. They help keep peace and make military tools. Conscription stopped in 2011 but might start again in 2026.

Serbia is divided into areas called municipalities, cities, and districts. It also has two special areas: Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija. The government of Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's independence from 2008.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Serbia

Serbia has a growing market economy and is considered upper-middle income. Its nominal GDP in 2025 is estimated at $100.048 billion. The economy is mostly made up of services, followed by industry and agriculture.

Serbia makes and sells weapons, a tradition from the Cold War country of Yugoslavia. The official money used in Serbia is the Serbian dinar, and the main bank is the National Bank of Serbia. The Belgrade Stock Exchange is the only stock market in the country.

Agriculture

Main article: Agriculture in Serbia

Serbia has great land and weather for growing many different foods. It grows a lot of frozen fruit, especially for France and Germany.

Farming is strongest in an area called Vojvodina. Most farming comes from growing crops, while the rest is from animals. Serbia grows plums, raspberries, corn, wheat, sunflower, sugar beet, soybean, potatoes, apples, and raises pigs, cows, poultry, and makes dairy products.

Serbia has a long history of making wine. The main wine areas are in Vojvodina and Šumadija.

Industry

See also: Automotive industry in Serbia

The industry in Serbia was affected by changes in past years. Today, main industries include making cars, mining, metals, food, electronics, medicines, and clothes. Serbia has special areas for businesses, where many foreign companies have invested.

The car industry is strong around Kragujevac. Serbia makes a lot of steel, mainly from a big factory in Smederevo. The country also mines coal and copper, and makes smartphones.

Serbia's food industry is well-known, with big names like PepsiCo and Nestlé. The electronics industry is growing again with companies like Siemens and Panasonic. The medicine industry makes generic drugs.

Energy

Main article: Energy in Serbia

Energy is very important to Serbia. The country makes its own electricity but needs to import fuels like oil and gas.

Serbia has lots of coal and some oil and gas. The coal is mainly found in two big places: Kolubara and Kostolac. The main electricity company is Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS). Oil is partly made in Serbia, with a big refinery in Pančevo. Natural gas mostly comes from other countries.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Serbia

Serbia is in a good spot for travel, with easy routes to many parts of Europe and beyond.

The country's roads carry most travel. There are over 45,000 km of roads, including almost 1,000 km of motorways. Buses connect almost every place in the country. As of 2025, there were over 2.4 million cars on the roads.

Serbia has about 3,800 km of railway tracks. The main train station is in Belgrade. Trains go to places like Hungary, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Greece.

There are three airports with regular flights, serving over 6 million passengers in 2022. Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is the biggest, and the airline Air Serbia flies to many places around the world.

Serbia has many rivers that can be used for travel, mainly the Danube. Other rivers include Sava, Tisza, Begej, and Timiş Rivers.

Telecommunications

Main article: Telecommunications in Serbia

Most homes in Serbia have fixed telephone lines, and there are more mobile phones than people. The biggest mobile company is Telekom Srbija, followed by Yettel and A1. Almost all homes have broadband Internet.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Serbia

Serbia is not a very big place for tourists, but it has many things to see. In 2025, over 4 million tourists visited. Tourists mostly visit mountains and spas, like Kopaonik, Stara Planina, and Zlatibor. Many tourists also visit Belgrade and Novi Sad. Other attractions include natural wonders like Đavolja varoš, Orthodox monasteries, and river cruises on the Danube. Popular music festivals include EXIT and the Guča trumpet festival.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Serbia and Serbs

Serbia has about 6.6 million people, not counting Kosovo. The number of people living in each area is medium, with about 86 people for every square kilometre. Serbia's population is getting smaller and older. Many people left during the 1990s, and the average age is about 43 years. Most people live in cities, with Belgrade being the largest city, having over a million people.

Serbia has many different ethnic groups. The largest group is Serbs, who make up most of the population. Other groups include Hungarians, Roma, Bosniaks, and many more. The country also has people from Russia and Ukraine who moved there recently.

Language

The main language in Serbia is Serbian, spoken by most people. Serbian uses two alphabets: Cyrillic, which is the official one, and Latin. Many people prefer the Latin alphabet, but both are used.

Religion

Serbia is a country where people can practice any religion freely. Most people are Orthodox Christians, and the Serbian Orthodox Church is the biggest church. There are also Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and a small number of Jews and people who do not follow any religion.

Education

Main article: Education in Serbia

Most people in Serbia can read and write. Schools start when children are seven years old and last for eight years. After that, students can go to gymnasiums or vocational schools. Serbia has many universities, with the University of Belgrade being the largest. The country also has strong skills in science and technology.

Health

Main article: Health in Serbia

See also: Healthcare in Serbia

Serbia’s healthcare is managed by the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health. The system is based on health insurance, and there are both public and private healthcare services. The University Clinical Centre of Serbia in Belgrade is one of the biggest hospitals in Europe.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Serbia

Serbia's culture is shaped by its history, sitting between East and West. Influences from the Roman Empire, Byzantium, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Habsburg Empire have created a rich cultural mix. The north feels more connected to Central Europe, while the south has ties to the Balkans and the Mediterranean. The Republic of Venice also played a role through trade, literature, and architecture.

Serbia has five important cultural sites recognized by UNESCO. Traditional practices like folk dancing, singing with special instruments, and making crafts are also protected. The Ministry of Culture works to preserve and promote Serbia's heritage.

Art and architecture

Serbia has many examples of ancient Roman and Byzantine architecture, such as old cities and palaces. Serbian monasteries, influenced by Byzantine art, include famous sites like Studenica and Mileševa. The country also has many well-preserved castles and fortresses, like Smederevo Fortress and Belgrade Fortress.

Serbian art grew under different influences, including Baroque, Biedermeier, and Neoclassicism. Famous painters include Paja Jovanović, Uroš Predić, and Sava Šumanović. Photography, performance art, and traditional crafts like Pirot carpet are also part of Serbia's artistic heritage. There are many museums, including the National Museum of Serbia.

Literature

Serbian literature uses the Cyrillic alphabet, developed by Saint Cyril and Methodius. Old Serbian books date back to the 12th century. The Miroslav Gospels, from 1186, is a key historic book. There are many public libraries, with the National Library of Serbia being the largest. The Belgrade Book Fair is a big annual event, and the NIN Prize is awarded for the best new novel each year.

Medieval writers include Saint Sava and Jefimija. During Ottoman rule, oral storytelling and epic poetry were important. The 19th century saw the work of Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, who reformed the Serbian language. In the 20th century, writers like Meša Selimović, Miloš Crnjanski, and Danilo Kiš made their mark. Ivo Andrić won the Nobel Prize in Literature for The Bridge on the Drina.

Music

Main article: Music of Serbia

Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac is known as the father of modern Serbian music. Serbia has three opera houses and several symphony orchestras. Traditional Serbian music uses bagpipes, flutes, horns, trumpets, and other instruments. The kolo dance is a popular folk dance with many regional styles.

Balkan Brass music is well-known, especially from Western and Southern Serbia. Boban Marković is a famous brass band leader. Popular music festivals include the Guča Trumpet Festival and the Exit Festival. Pop singers like Željko Joksimović and Marija Šerifović have represented Serbia in international contests. Serbian rock has a long history with many famous bands. Folk music has been popular since World War I. Turbo-folk, a mix of folk, pop, and dance music, became very popular in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Theatre and cinema

Main articles: Theater of Serbia and Cinema of Serbia

Serbia has a strong tradition of theatre. There are many professional theatres, including the National Theatre in Belgrade and the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad. The Belgrade International Theatre Festival (BITEF) is one of the oldest in the world.

Serbia has a vibrant film industry, supported by government grants. There are many cinemas. Emir Kusturica has won major international awards. Other notable directors include Dušan Makavejev and Želimir Žilnik.

Media

Main article: Media of Serbia

Freedom of the press and speech is protected by Serbia's constitution. People in Serbia watch a lot of television, with seven national channels and many regional and local ones. There are over 300 radio stations and many newspapers, including daily papers like Politika and Danas. There are also many magazines and news websites.

Cuisine

Serbian food is diverse, influenced by the Balkans and Central Europe. Important meals are enjoyed during holidays like Christmas and Easter. Common foods include bread, meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. Bread is very important. Meat and fish are popular, and Leskovac is famous for its barbecue festival.

Serbian dishes include Ćevapčići (grilled sausages), Pljeskavica (meat patties), Gibanica (cheese pie), and Burek (stuffed pastry). Rakia, a strong fruit alcohol, is popular, with Slivovitz (plum brandy) being the national drink. Serbian wines and beer are also enjoyed. Coffee, especially a local version of Turkish coffee, is a common non-alcoholic drink.

Sports

Main article: Sport in Serbia

Serbia has hosted many big sports events, like the Belgrade Marathon and the Tour de Serbie cycling race.

Football is the most popular sport, with many talented players and strong clubs like Red Star Belgrade and Partizan. Basketball is also very popular, with the national team winning many championships and many players in the NBA, including Nikola Jokić. Water polo, tennis, volleyball, and chess are also strong in Serbia. Notable athletes include tennis star Novak Djokovic, who has won many Grand Slam titles.