SERBIA Country Profile

Info4Migrants SERBIA Country profile Project number: UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615 77,474 km2 Excluding Kosovo POPULATION 7,209 mln GDP per capita Excluding Kosovo $5,924 CURRENCY Serbian dinar (RSD) Language SERBIAN COUNTRY BACKGROUND HUNGARY ROMANIA CROATIA Belgrade BOSNIA AND HERZE- GOVINA SERBIA MONTENEGRO BULGARIA ALBANIA MACEDONIA Official name: the Republic of Serbia Location: the central part of the Balkan Peninsula in Central Southeastern Europe. Capital and largest city: Belgrade, 1.135 million National Flag Climate: In the north, continental climate (cold winter and hot, humid summers; central portion, continental and Mediterra- nean climate; to the south, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland. Languages: Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romani 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8%. Note: Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, and Rusyn all official in Vojvodina. Ethnicity: Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romany 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% Coat of arms Religions: Serbian Orthodox 84.6%, Catholic 5%, Muslim 3.1%, Protestant 1%, atheist 1.1%, other 0.8%, undeclared or unknown 4.5% 3 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profile SERBIA SERBIA FACTS Yugoslavia The name Yugoslavia previously designated six republics: Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia. The word means “land of the southern Slavs.” Within Serbia, there are several national cul- tures. In addition to the dominant Serb tradition, there is a large Hungarian population in the northern province of Vojvodina, where Hungarian is the common language and the culture is highly influenced by Hungary (which borders the province to the north). In southern Serbia, the province of Kosovo is primarily Albanian, and has an Islamic culture that bears many remnants of the earlier Turkish conquest. Languages The official language is Serbian, member of the South Slavic group of languages, and native to 88% of the population. Serbian is the only European language with active digraphia, using both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. Serbian Cyrillic was devised in 1814 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić, who creat- ed the alphabet on phonemic principles. The Cyrillic script itself has its origins in Cyril and Methodius’s transformation of the Greek script in the 9th century. Recognized minority languages are: Hungarian, Slovak, Al- banian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Rusyn as well as Bosnian and Croatian, which are completely mutually intelligible with Serbian. All these languages are in official use in mu- nicipalities or cities where more than 15% of the population consists of a national minority. In Vojvodina, the provincial administration uses, besides Serbian, five other languages (Hungarian, Slovak, Croatian, Romanian and Rusyn). 4 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profile SERBIA SERBIA FACTS Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla (1856 - 1943) was a world-renowned inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer of Serbian origin. He is regarded as one of the most important inventors in history. Tesla’s patents and theoretical work form the basis of modern alternating current electric power (AC) systems, including the polyphase power distribution systems and the AC motor. Ethnic groups Ethnic Serbs constitute a majority in Serbia, at about 82.86% (excluding Kosovo). There are 37 different ethnicities in Serbia. Ethnic Albanians are concentrated in the Kosovo re- gion of southwest Serbia. Ethnic Hungarians make up about 3.91% of the population and live in northern Serbia near the Hungarian border. The remaining population consists primarily of Slavic Muslims, Bulgarians, Slovaks, Macedonians, Cro- ats, Roma, Montenegrins, Ruthenians, Romanians, Vlachs, Bunjevci, and Turks. Belgrade Belgrade is the capital of the Republic of Serbia. It has been the capital of all of the many versions of Yugoslavia through- out history (starting with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in 1918, through the communist Socialist Federa- tive Republic of Yugoslavia, and ending with the romp Fed- eral Republic of Yugoslavia that lasted through the 1990’s to 2003). It is located on the outfall of the river Sava into the Danube. In Serbian, the city is called Beograd. The name (meaning white city: beo - white, grad - city) is the Slavic version of its old Celtic name, Singidunum. 5 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profile SERBIA SERBIA FACTS Kosovo Serbs Kosovo Serbs (Serbian: Kosovski Srbi/Косовски Срби) are the Serbs living in Kosovo, where they are the second largest ethnic group. During the 12-13th century, Kosovo was the cultural, diplomatic and religious core of the Serbian Kingdom. It was also an important part of the 14th century Serbian Empire, but was occupied by the Ottomans following the Battle of Kosovo. After five centuries as part of the Ottoman Empire, Kosovo was annexed by the Kingdom of Serbia in 1912, following the First Balkan War. It was then part of Serbia (and later Yugoslavia), until the 1999 Kosovo War resulted in the de facto separation of Kosovo from the rest of Serbia, followed by its final secession from Serbia in 2008. Slava The Slava, also called Krsna Slava (Крсна Слава, “christened Slava”) and Krsno ime (Крсно име, “christened name”), is a Serbian Orthodox Church tradition of the rit- ual glorification of one’s family’s patron saint among Serbs and Montenegrins, and also Serbs in Macedonia. The family celebrates the Slava annually on the saint’s feast day. Unlike other major Orthodox Christian nations, i.e. Greeks, Russians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Georgians etc., Serbs do not celebrate individual name days, as when a person named after a saint would celebrate that saint’s feast day, but instead they do it collectively as the name day of a certain family and/or clan. Serbs usually regard the Slava as their most significant and most solemn feast day. 6 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profile SERBIA PUBLIC HOLIDAYS State holidays: Moveable date during • Moveable date during spring: Orthodox Easter spring: Easter 1-2 January: New Year’s Day Monday • Moveable date during New Year’s Day is a pub- Easter Monday is known as spring: Easter Monday lic holiday in many places “Bright Monday” or “Renew- around the world and Serbia al Monday”. Serbian Orthodox Chris- is no exception. tians: 1-2 May: May Day • Moveable date: Slava 7 January: Julian Orthodox Celebration of the interna- The celebration of patron Christmas tional Labour Day saint day of the family, the Orthodox Christmas or Božić dates vary among families. is based on the Old Julian 11 November: calendar. Armistice Day Western Christians and Re- This day is commemorated vised Julian Calendar Ortho- 15-16 February: since 2012 to mark the ar- dox Christians: National day mistice signed between the • 25 December: Christmas It is the anniversary of the Allies of World War I and day First Serbian Uprising in 1804 Germany at Compiègne, and the first Serbian Consti- France, for the cessation of Muslims: tution in 1835. hostilities on the Western • 1 Shawwal (Moveable Front of World War I. date): Eid ul-Fitr Moveable date during Feast of the end of RAmadan spring: Orthodox Good Fri- The employees of Chris- • 10 Dhu al-Hijjah (Move- day tian, Muslim and Jewish able date): Eid al-Adha Easter Monday is the day religion are allowed not Feast of the Sacrifice following Easter Day. to work on some of their religious holidays: Jews: Moveable date during 10 Tishrei (moveable date during autumn): Yom Kippur spring: Orthodox Easter Western Christians: Day of Atonement is the holi- This day celebrates the res- • Moveable date during est day of the year for Jewish urrection of Jesus Christ spring: Good Friday from the dead. people. 7 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profile SERBIA TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Serbia has a lot of history packed within its relatively small borders, including some of Europe’s oldest settlements and the birthplaces of no fewer than 17 Ro- man emperors, all of which left monuments and palaces behind. Dozens of cul- tures and ethnic groups have left their influence on the country, which has acted as one of Europe’s major crossroads over the centuries. Belgrade’s famous 1st- century fortress has survived at least 38 fires and 60 invasions over its 2,000-year history. Another popular landmark in Serbia’s capital is the former island of Ada Ciganlija, now a popular holiday spot for locals and visitors alike. Belgrade Fortress Belgrade’s landmark fortress was originally built as a Roman military camp during the 1st century. Visitors who look closely at the walls will notice that they contain dozens of lay- ers, one for nearly each of the 38 fires set in Serbia’s capital over the 2,000-year history of the fortress. The Turks added outer fortifications in 1760, after which the fortress’ appear- ance has remained relatively unchanged. Ada Ciganlija This island-turned-peninsula on the Sava River has become Belgrade’s most popular re- laxation spot, attracting up to 300,000 visitors on summer weekends. Over four miles of beaches line the manmade Sava Lake’s shores. However, Ada Ciganlija also contains most of Belgrade’s sport facilities - including those of the extreme variety – as well as tracks for walking or cycling. Ada Ciganlija also transforms into the city’s hottest beach party and concert venue after dark. Fruska Gora National Park At least one full day is recommended to fully explore Fruska Gora National Park, named after its highest mountain, and frequently referred to as ‘the jewel of Serbia’ thanks to its picturesque countryside. Riesling and Traminer are just two of the wines produced from the grapes that grow on the mountains, and visitors can even harvest honey from bee- hives in late spring.

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