Serbia is a country situated at the crossroads ofCentral andSoutheast Europe, covering the far southern edges of thePannonian Plain and the centralBalkans. It shares borders withBosnia and Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Croatia,Hungary,North Macedonia,Montenegro, andRomania. Serbia shares a contested border withAlbania as it doesn't recognise the independence ofKosovo. Serbia islandlocked, though it is able to access theAdriatic Sea through Montenegro and inland Europe and theBlack Sea via theDanube.
Arable land covers 19,194 km2 (7,411 sq mi) (24.8%), andforests cover 19,499 km2 (7,529 sq mi) (25.2%) of the territory of Serbia.[1][2]
Serbia's total border length amounts to 2,246.7 km (1,396.0 mi), with Bosnia and Herzegovina 370.9 km (230.5 mi), with Bulgaria 360.5 km (224.0 mi), with Croatia 261.7 km (162.6 mi), with Hungary 174.7 km (108.6 mi), with North Macedonia 282.9 km (175.8 mi), with Montenegro 249.5 km (155.0 mi), with Romania, 546.5 km (339.6 mi).[3]
Serbia's terrain ranges from fertile plains of northernVojvodina to limestone ranges and basins in the east and ancient mountains and hills in the southeast. The north is dominated by the Danube River. TheMorava River, a tributary of the Danube, flows through the more mountainous southern regions of Serbia.
The terrain of central Serbia consists chiefly of hills and low to medium-high mountains, interspersed with numerous rivers and creeks. The main communication and development line stretches southeast of Belgrade towardsNiš andSkopje (inNorth Macedonia), along the valley formed by the Great and SouthMorava rivers. Most major cities, as well as the main railroad andhighway, are located on or around this line. To the east of this line, in an area that is relatively sparsely populated, the terrain rises to the limestone ranges ofStara Planina and theSerbian Carpathians. To the west, mountains slowly rise towards the southwest, but do not form realridges.Zlatibor andKopaonik are the highest mountains of this area.
Mountains cover the largest parts of the country.[citation needed] Four mountain systems meet in Serbia: theDinaric Alps in the west cover the greatest territory, stretching from northwest to southeast. TheCarpathian andBalkan Mountains stretch in a north–south direction in eastern Serbia, east of the Morava valley. Ancient mountains along theSouth Morava, the highest one beingBesna Kobila, belong to theRila-Rhodopemountain system.
The most significant mountains in Serbia are:
The highest peak in Serbia isMidžor with 2169m.
Practically the entire territory (92%) of Serbia belongs to theDanube (Black Sea)drainage basin.
The Danube flows 588 km through Serbia or as a border river (withCroatia in the northwest andRomania in the southeast). Other chief rivers in Serbia are tributaries of the Danube including theSava (flowing from the west),Tisa (flowing from the north),Drina (flowing from the south, forming anatural border withBosnia and Herzegovina), andMorava. Only the Morava flows nearly entirely through Serbia. Their tributaries form a dense network of smaller rivers and creeks that cover most of the country.
Due to its terrain, naturallakes in Serbia are sparse and small and most are located inVojvodina, such as theglacial lakePalić and numerousoxbow lakes along rivers. There are, however, numerousartificial lakes, mostly due to the construction ofhydroelectric dams, the biggest beingĐerdap on the Danube,Perućac on the Drina, andVlasina Lake.
The abundance of relatively unpolluted surface water and numerous underground water sources of highquality might present opportunities for exportation and economic improvement. Extensive exploitation and production of bottled water has begun only recently. Despite the country's access to these water resources, water supply to many Serbian cities is poor due to mismanagement and a lack of adequate investment in infrastructure. This is complicated by water pollution (e.g., pollution in theIbar River fromTrepčazinc-lead compounds affectingKraljevo and the presence of naturalarsenic in underground waters inZrenjanin).
The theoretical hydroenergetic potential in Serbia is estimated to be around 17,000GWh.[4] Roughly 10,000 GWh or 60% of Serbia's hydroenergetic potential is generated by large power plants. The remainder could be generated in small and medium power plants (<25 MW), whose construction by the private sector may improve Serbia's economy and energy reliability.[4]
Serbia also has a hugegeothermal potential, but it is only partially and sporadically accessed. Geothermal water is primarily used forbalneological purposes: there are around 60spas in Serbia, which are seen as an opportunity to improvetourism in the country.[5]
Climate of Serbia is moderatecontinental with a diversity on local level, caused by geographic location, relief, terrain exposition, presence of river and lake systems, vegetation, urbanization etc. Proximity of the mountain ranges ofAlps,Carpathians,Rhodopes, as well asAdriatic Sea andPannonian plain affect the climate. Location of river ravines and plains in the northern area of the country enable occasional deep southward protrusion of polar air masses on winters, while hotSaharan air often intrudes over theMediterranean Sea on summers.
Average annual air temperature for the period 1961-1990 for the area with the altitude of up to 300 m (980 ft) amounts to 11 °C (51.8 °F). The areas with the altitudes of 300 to 500 m (984 to 1,640 ft) have average annual temperature of around 10.5 °C (50.9 °F), and over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) of altitude around 6 °C (42.8 °F).
Annualprecipitation, generally, rises withaltitude. In lower regions, it ranges in the interval from 540 to 820 mm (21.3 to 32.3 in), areas on altitude over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) receive in average 700 to 1,000 mm (27.6 to 39.4 in), and some mountainous summits in southwestern Serbia up to 1,500 mm (59.1 in). Major part of Serbia has continental precipitation regimen, with peak in the earlier summer period, except for southwest, which receives highest precipitation autumn. May–June is the rainiest month, with the average of 12 to 13% of total annual amount. February and October have the least precipitation. Snow cover can occurs from late November to early March, and majority of days with snow cover is in January.
Annual sums ofsolar radiation are in the interval from 1500 to 2200 hours annually.
Surface air circulation is largely influenced byorographic lift. In warmer part of the year, winds from northwest and west prevail. In Vojvodina and Sumadija, east-southeast wind,Košava, dominates over autumn and winter. Southwestern winds prevail in mountainous part of southwestern Serbia.[6]
Serbia has fivenational parks and many national nature reserves encompassing 5% of the territory.[7]
Serbia has 6,167 registered settlements: 207 urban and 5,960 rural.[8]
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