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Serbia
Relevant information about Serbia.The Republic of Serbia is located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe and forms a part of the Balkans. Serbia’s capital city is Belgrade, and its neighboring countries are Hungary to the north, Republic of Macedonia to the south, Romania and Bulgaria to the east, and Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the west. The Danube, the largest river in Europe, passes through Serbia. Categorized as an emerging and developing economy by the IMF (International Monetary Fund), Serbia is a member of the United Nations and will preside over the CEFTA in 2010. As a product of World War I, the country united with Croatians and Slovenes into Yugoslavia. Several decades later, in 1991, Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia declared their independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992, and Serbia and Montenegro proclaimed a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 2003. Due to the violence spread particularly directed to the Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004, the international community started negotiations. Montenegro, after a successful referendum, declared its independence on June 2006: Serbia and Montenegro were two different countries. The Republic of Serbia was declared, and it became the successor to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The new constitution was approved on October 2006.
Serbia is estimated to have 7,379,339 citizens. The largest ethnic group is the Serbs, who represent 83% of the population. They are followed by Hungarians (representing 14.3% of the population). Bosnians (1,81%), Roma (1,44%), Croats (0,94%), Montenegrins (0,92%), Albanians (0,82%), Slovaks (0,79%) and Vlachs (0,53%) are other minority groups which make of Serbia their home. As the country with the fourth oldest population on the planet, refugees represent between 7% and 7.5% of the population: the majority were victims of the Yugoslav wars, from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. Serbia is the country with the largest refugee population in the European continent, and the highest negative population growth in the world (-0,468%, estimated in 2009, it is ranked in the 225th place of 233 countries). While life expectancy at birth is, in men 71 years, and in women 77 years, the total fertility rate is 1.38 children born per woman (calculated in 2009). Serbia is among the most diverse countries on the continent: Orthodoxy (84.1%), Roman Catholicism (6.24%) and Islam (3,42%) are the most representative religions. Protestantism accounts for about 1,1% of Serbia’s population. A vast number of Jews escaped from Spain during the Inquisition and settled in Serbia, becoming an accepted part of the population. Stari Ras, Sopoćani, Studenica monasteries, the Medieval Serbian Monastic Complex in Kosovo, Gamzigrad – Romuliana, Palace of Galerius, and 2 literary memorials are the eight cultural sites marked on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Some of the largest universities are University of Belgrade (the oldest one, established in 1808), University of Kraguievac and University of NiÅ¡. Regarding cuisine, Serbian gastronomy is widely varied; it was strongly influenced by the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungarian Empire, Mediterranean, Oriental and Greek cuisine. Each region has its own particularities and differences. The typical dish and oldest specialty is Kaimak, and it is not possible to find in any menu.It is what is take off the milk to make it low fat and is considered to be delicious. Other traditional Serbian foods are rakija (fruit brandy), slatko, jam, jelly, various pickled foods, kiseli kupus (sauerkraut), ajvar and sausages. Football, basketball, water polo, volleyball, handball and tennis are the main sports in Serbia. Both from the capital city of Belgrade, Red Star Belgrade (which won, in 1991, the European Cup in Italy and the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo) and FK Partizan are the two most important football clubs. Tennis player, Novak Djokovic, is part of the top 5 best players in the world, and popularized this sport in Serbia, along with Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic.
Serbia is considered by the World Bank as an upper-middle income economy. Its unemployment rate is high: 16,6%, estimated in October 2009; and the population below the poverty line is 7.9%. Serbia’s main industries are base metals, furniture, food processing, machinery, chemical, sugar, tires, clothes and pharmaceuticals. Among the agricultural products you can find: wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, raspberries, beef pork and milk. The Republic of Serbia is the only European country outside the former Soviet Union to have free trade agreements with EU and the Russian Federation (enabling exports of all products from Serbia without customs), and it expects to build an export-oriented economy, since the country has positive agreements with the East and the West. However, the economy has an unfavorable trade deficit and an inflation rate of 6.8% (estimated in 2008). Serbia is seeking membership in the WTO (World Trade Organization) as well as foreign direct investments. US Steel, Philip Morris, Microsoft, FIAT, Coca-Cola, Lafarge, Siemens, Gazprom (in the energy sector) and many other companies and corporations are investing in the country. In addition to the EU and USA investments, major interest is being shown from countries like India and Russia. The Republic has felt the impact of the crisis, which has led to a hard drop in the exports to Western Europe and in manufacturing output.
Serbia owns a variety of cultural and historical monuments, spas, fishing areas and national parks that attract thousands of visitors every year. The medieval monasteries, the Belgrade Fortress, Petrovaradin Fortress, Roman and Byzantine edifices are part of the rich cultural heritage of Serbia. Across Serbia, you can find a vast number of animal species, which is a condition for the hunting activities and tourism. Flora and fauna are shockingly attractive. Serbia has two national parks: Äerdap and FruÅ¡ka Gora. The National Museum, located specifically in Belgrade, is the most outstanding museum in Serbia: it has more than 400,000 exhibits, approximately 5600 paintings and 8400 drawings and prints, and it houses masterpiece collections. You can also visit the Museum of Applied Arts (in Belgrade), the Museum of Vojvodina, the Gallery of Fine Arts, the Å umarice Memorial Park and the Pavle Beljanski Memorial Collection. Serbia, apart from having a strong museum foundation, is also owner of an established theatrical tradition: the Serbian National Theatre was founded in 1861.
The Republic of Serbia is gradually becoming a popular medical tourist destination, by providing medical and tourist services such as spas, hospital, clinics, institutes, hotels, reliable healthcare and other facilities that are able to provide medical treatments and have luxurious accommodation. Its prices are extremely cheap and among its procedures you can find: cosmetic, bariatric, fertility, dermatology, dental and ophthalmology.
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