Serbia – formerly one-half of Serbia-Montenegro, and well-known for its hilly backdrop, is a country millions of people love to visit. But what is it about this Eastern European country that fascinates travellers so much? Here are some fun facts about Serbia to help clue you in.
1. Where is Serbia?
Serbia is a southeastern country in Europe. It neighbours Hungary towards its northern border, with Bulgaria and Romania out east, Macedonia towards the south east, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina heading west, and Albania in the southwest. It’s surrounded!
2. How big is Serbia?
Serbia covers an area of about 88,499 square km, or 34,169 square miles! To give you some perspective, it is slightly smaller than South Carolina.
3. It’s home to millions.
As of 2021, approximately 6.834 million people were living in Serbia, with many of them being ex-patriated from elsewhere in Europe or even further afield.
4. What is the difference between Serbs and Serbians?
A “Serbian” refers to someone who is from Serbia. On the other hand, a “Serb” is someone of a Serbian ethnicity, but is not necessarily from Serbia! Generally speaking, it’s wise to avoid mixing the two up just in case you upset someone.
5. Head to Belgrade!
Belgrade has been the capital city of Serbia since 1992. The city covers an area of 360 square km (about 138 square miles) and, as of 2022, was home to about 1.405 million people. That means just over a fifth of the country’s population lives in the capital.
6. What can you spend in Serbia?
If you’re planning a trip to Serbia anytime soon, you’ll need to change your money first! The currency in Serbia is the Serbian Dinar. However, as long as you have a functioning bank card, you should be able to get around just fine!
7. It’s berry nice!
If you happen to be a fan of raspberries, then you might like to know that your usual sweet treats could very well have come from Serbia! Serbia produces about 127,000 tons of raspberries per year, making it the world’s third-largest raspberry producer – no wonder it smells so sweet!
8. It’s a polyglot nation.
If you are traveling to Serbia, it’s worth learning a phrase or two before you go, as the country’s official language is, you guessed it, Serbian!
Other languages, such as Hungarian, Slovak, Bosnian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, and more are spoken around the country, too. But most people stick to Serbian!
9. Here’s what Serbia brings to the table.
Serbia is known for producing and exporting lots of essential goods! Their primary exports include furniture, machinery, furniture, automobiles, food processing, sugar, clothes, tires, and pharmaceuticals.
FAQs about Serbia
What was Serbia formerly known as?
Serbia’s name has changed multiple times throughout the centuries! In the middle of the nineteenth century (from 1815 to 1882, to be more specific), the country was known as the Principality of Serbia.
Then, from 1882 to 1918, it was known as the Kingdom of Serbia. And the name changed again from 1945 to 1963 to the People’s Republic of Serbia! Thankfully, to save a bit of time, today it just goes by Serbia.
Is Serbia a member of the EU?
Serbia is not currently a member of the European Union. In fact, the country applied for membership back in 2009. However, accession negotiations are still taking place. It is believed that the negotiations should be completed by the end of 2024. And if all goes well, Serbia should officially become a member of the European Union in 2025.
What is the main religion in Serbia?
While there are multiple religions in Serbia, the overwhelming majority of people follow the Serbian Orthodox Church. Islam is also followed by certain Serbians, although there are far fewer people who do practice the faith.
Further reading:
https://facts.uk/tag/serbia
https://www.serbia.travel/
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Serbia
Do you know any fun facts about Serbia? Share them in the comments below!