Serbia

Serbia is a country in the Balkans, a former part of Yugoslavia. It's south of Hungary, west of Romania and Bulgaria, north of the Republic of Macedonia and east of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Some consider it to also border Albania, depending on whether you count Kosovo as an independent country or not.

Population

The country's population is 7.2 million (excluding Kosovo), most of whom are Serbs (82%). With Kosovo, the population of Serbia raises to some 9 million, while the ratio of Serbs drops below 70%. Also, some, 1-1.5 million Serbs live in neighboring countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina (where they are one of three constituent peoples)[notes 1], Montenegro, and Croatia. Prior to the Kosovo War, Albanians were the second-largest ethnic group. From 1999 Kosovo was supervised by the UN; it declared independence in 2008; international supervision ended in 2012. Other substantial ethnic groups are Hungarians and Slavic Muslims (they call themselves "Bosniaks", but be careful; ethnoreligious labels can have subtle implications, or very serious ones).

Serbs (religious ones) are predominantly followers of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Political parties

Serbian Progressive Party

Populist conservatives and the largest party in government since 2012, founded after split of Serbian Radical Party. Vaguely pro-EU.

Socialist Party of Serbia

The second largest party in coalition government, and ruling party through turbulent 1990s. Successors of League of Communists and Slobodan Milošević, now identifies as social-democratic.

Democratic Party

Governing party 2000–2012. Serbian equivalent of Democratic Party.

Serbian Radical Party

Once the largest (eternal, except during Kosovo crisis in late 1990s) opposition party. Economically left and socially conservative. Staunchly anti-EU and anti-USA, and pro-Russian, pro-Castro, pro-Gaddafi, pro-Chávez, pro-everyone-that-opposes-USA-except-Al-Qaeda. Great fans of Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Jean-Marie Le Pen. Western media usually portray them as ultra-nationalists, although there are more nationalistic options. Fell short of census at 2012 elections, but again became largest opposition party in 2016.

Minor parties

Liberal-Democratic party

Offshoot of Democratic Party. Staunchly pro-EU and pro-NATO, even if it means losing Kosovo.

Christian Democratic Party of Serbia

The Christian democratic party, so basically centrists on economics and social issues.

Social Democratic Union of Serbia

First integration merged with Social Democracy, but split off. It has been in a coalition with the Liberal-Democratic party since 2014.

Serbian Renewal Movement

Moderate monarchist, pro-NATO. Main opposition party at early 1990s, today lost almost all significance.

New Serbia

Socially conservative offspring of Serbian Renewal Movement.

Democratic Party of Serbia

Opposition. Serbian equivalent of Republican Party. Staunchly anti-EU, due to Kosovo problem.

League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina

Social Democrats that advocate an increase of Vojvodina's autonomy in Serbia.

United Regions of Serbia

Moderates that advocate decentralization of Serbia, defunct.

Dveri

Serbian Religious Right (anti-gay, anti-EU, conspiracy theorists, anti-"Darwinists" etc). Fell short of census at 2012 elections.

Organizations

• Obraz (Honor) - batshit crazy far right religious fundies. The Constitutional court of Serbia outlawed the organization, and its leader is facing trial.

Miscellaneous

• Teaching creationism in schools: elective subject alongside civics. Religious groups had/have great liberty in education (they write textbooks, choose teachers)...
• Abortion - legal
• Gay-marriages - Constitution of Serbia only recognizes heterosexual marriages.

People

Who you would like to meet

• Nikola Tesla
• Novak Đoković
• Ana Ivanović

Who you certainly don't want to meet

• Miroljub Petrović
• Jovan I. Deretić
• Ljiljana Čolić
• Muamer Zukorlić

Other

• Slobodan Milošević, deceased war criminal, genocidal maniac and president of FR Yugoslavia
• Radovan Karadžić, war criminal, genocidal maniac and president of Republika Srpska, sentenced to life imprisonment
• Nikolaj Velimirović

Напомене

1. Republika Srpska (nearly 49% of Bosnia) is a Serb-dominated entity

Референце

Nations of the world

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Europe: Austria — Belarus — Belgium — Bosnia and Herzegovina — Bulgaria — Croatia — Cyprus — Czechia — Denmark — Estonia — Finland — France — Germany — Greece — Hungary — Iceland — Ireland — Isle of Man — Italy — Latvia — Lithuania — Moldova — Netherlands — North Macedonia — Norway — Poland — Portugal — Romania — Russia — Serbia — Slovenia — Spain — Sweden — Switzerland — Turkey — Ukraine — United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales) — Vatican City

North America: Canada — Costa Rica — Cuba — Grenada — Haiti — Jamaica — Mexico — Nicaragua — Panama — United States

Oceania: Australia — Kiribati — Nauru — New Zealand — Papua New Guinea — Pitcairn Islands

South America:Argentina — Bolivia — Brazil — Chile — Colombia — Ecuador — Falkland Islands (Malvinas)— Paraguay — Uruguay — Venezuela

Historical, separatist or disputed: Ancient Egypt — Belgian Congo — British Empire — Catalonia — Confederate States of America — Czechoslovakia — East Germany — French colonial empire — German Empire - Greenland — Holy Roman Empire — Imperial China — Kurdistan — Kosovo — Micronation — Nazi Germany — Palestine — Roman Empire — Soviet Union — Taiwan — Tibet — Vichy France — Western Sahara — Yugoslavia

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