SERBIA
Society
Society
Cities in SERBIA
| Belgrade |
Society
State institution
The current Serbian constitution was adopted after a referendum in October 2006. It declares Kosovo an integral part of Serbia and grants Vojvodina financial autonomy. Kosovar Albanians were not entitled to vote.
The legislature is formed by a 250-seat directly elected National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia or "Narodna skupština Republike Srbije". Municipal councils are directly elected every four years.
The Serbian president is elected by direct elections for five years. He must get at least 50% of the vote, and if that doesn't happen, a second round of elections is needed. The president can be re-elected once. The president nominates the prime minister, after which the parliament has to give its approval. For the current political situation see chapter history.
Administrative division
Serbia also includes the provinces of Kosovo with the capital Pristina, and Vojvodina with the capital Novi Sad. Until 1990, these provinces were autonomous.
Serbia consists of 29 districts (okrug) and 108 municipalities (opština):
| District | Capital | Population |
| Backa North | Subotica | 205,000 |
| Backa South | Novi Sad | 560,000 |
| Backa West | Sombor | 220,000 |
| Banat South | Pancevo | 330,000 |
| Banat North | Kikinda | 180,000 |
| Banat Central | Zrenjanin | 225,000 |
| Borski | Bor | 180,000 |
| Branicevski | Pozarevac | 230,000 |
| Jablanicki | Leskovac | 260,000 |
| Kolubarski | Valjevo | 205,000 |
| Kosovski | Pristina | 680,000 |
| Kosovsko-Mitrovacki | Kosovsko-Mitrovacki | 280,000 |
| Kosovsko-Pomoravski | Gnjilane | 220,000 |
| Macvanski | Sabac | 345,000 |
| Moravicki | Cacak | 235,000 |
| Nisavski | Nis | 385,000 |
| Pcinjski | Vranje | 245,000 |
| Pecki | Pec | 420,000 |
| Podunavski | Smederevo | 230,000 |
| Pomoravski | Jagodina | 315,000 |
| Pirotski | Pirot | 120,000 |
| Prizrenski | Prizren | 380,000 |
| Raski | Kraljevo | 305,000 |
| Rasinski | Krusevac | 300,000 |
| Sremski | Sremska Mitrovica | 310,000 |
| Sumadija | Kragujevac | 315,000 |
| Toplicki | Prokuplje | 115,000 |
| Zaljecarski | Zajecar | 160,000 |
| Zlatiborski | Uzice | 340,000 |
Education
Primary education in Serbia, for children between the ages of seven and fifteen, is free and after eight years of primary school, children can opt for vocational training or general secondary education (‘sredjna skola’). These follow-up courses last three or four years. However, about a third of the students go to the 'gimnazija', where a general education forms the basis for a university career.
University studies last four to six years, depending on the chosen field. Serbia has universities in Belgrade (2x), Nis, Kragujevac, Novi Sad (Vojvodina) and Pristina (Kosovo).
Sources
Detrez, R. / Servië-Montenegro : mensen, politiek, economie, cultuur, milieu
Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen ; Novib
Milivojevic, J. / Serbia
Children’s Press
Mitchell, L. / Serbia
Bradt Travel Guides
Schuman, M.A. / Serbia and Montenegro
Facts On File
CIA - World Factbook
BBC - Country Profiles
Last updated March 2024Copyright: Team The World of Info