Serbia Country & Tourist Information

Location
Southern Central Europe.

Area
88,361 sq km (39,449 sq miles) (includes Kosovo).

Population
7.5 million (2002 census, excluding Kosovo). Kosovo population: 2 million (UN estimate).

Population Density
108 per sq km.

Capital
Belgrade.
Population: 1.5 million (2002 census).

Government
Republic since 2006. 
Recent history: Serbia and Montenegro formally declared independence from each other following a May 2006 referendum on independence in Montenegro. Serbia maintains membership of international institutions, including the UN.

Kosovo: The former Serbian autonomous region of Kosovo is currently self-governing with the support of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) under the authority of UN Security Council resolutions. Recent history: Ibrahim Rugova, the President of Kosovo, died on 21 January 2006 just before talks on Kosovo’s future were due to take place. Fatmir Sejdiu was elected by parliament as his replacement in February 2006. Sejdiu is the leader of Kosovo’s biggest party, the Democratic League of Kosovo. Pro-independence Prime Minister Agim Ceku was elected in March 2006.

Language
Serbian, which uses the Cyrillic script, Albanian and Hungarian.

Religion
Majority Eastern Orthodox Serbs, with a Muslim ethnic Albanian minority (especially in the province of Kosovo), a Roman Catholic ethnic Serbian minority (mainly located in the province of Vojvodina) and a small Jewish community.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica since 2004.

Head of State
President Boris Tadic since 2004.

Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 381.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good in the north and in Belgrade, but patchy in the south.

Internet
Internet cafes can be found in the main urban centers.

Post
Postal services are reasonably good.

Press
The main daily newspapers are Vecernje Novosti (website: www.novosti.co.yu), Blic (website: www.blic.co.yu) and Politika (website: www.politika.co.yu).

Radio
Serbian Radio is state-run, B92 is private and the Association of Independents Electronic Media is a network of local broadcasting stations.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1-2 Jan New Year’s Day.
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas Day.
15 Feb National Day.
6 Apr Orthodox Good Friday.
1-2 May Labor Days.
9 May* Victory Day.
28 Jun* St Vitus’ Day.

2008
1-2 Jan New Year’s Day.
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas Day.
15 Feb National Day.
25 Apr Orthodox Good Friday.
1-2 May Labor Days.
9 May* Victory Day.
28 Jun* St Vitus’ Day.

Note
Orthodox Christian holidays may also be celebrated in most parts.
* Working holidays.

Contact Information:

National Tourism Organization of Serbia (NTOS)
Decanska 8a/V, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Tel: (11) 3342 521 or 3232 586.
Website: www.serbia-tourism.org

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the UK
28 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QB, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 9049.
Website: www.serbianembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1300 (visa section); 1400-1600 (visa telephone enquiries).

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the USA
2134 Kalorama Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 332 0333 or 0333 (consular section).
Website: www.serbiaembusa.org
Opening hours: 0900-1700 Mon-Fri or 1000-1300 (consular section).


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