History of Serbia in Timeline
Serbia is a landlocked country in Southeast and Central Europe, situated in the Balkans and the Pannonian Plain. It shares borders with Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Serbia also claims a border with Albania via Kosovo. The country has a population of approximately 6.6 million, excluding Kosovo, and its capital and largest city is Belgrade.
1903: The House of Karađorđević assumed power
In 1903, the House of Karađorđević, descendants of Karađorđe Petrović, gained power following the May Overthrow.
1904: Politika founded
In 1904, Politika, the oldest newspaper in the Balkans, was founded.
June 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
In June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip.
1915: Central Powers overpowered Serbia
In 1915, despite initial success in the war, Serbia was overpowered by the Central Powers, leading to Austro-Hungarian occupation.
July 1917: Corfu Declaration
On 20 July 1917, the Corfu Declaration, a formal agreement between the government-in-exile of the Kingdom of Serbia and the Yugoslav Committee, was signed, pledging to unify Kingdom of Serbia and Kingdom of Montenegro with Austria-Hungary's South Slav autonomous crown lands in a post-war Yugoslav state.
September 1918: Serb army breakthrough
On 15 September 1918, the remains of the Serb army returned east and led a final breakthrough through enemy lines, liberating Serbia and defeating Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary.
November 1918: Allied victory in the Balkans
In November 1918, Serbia contributed significantly to the Allied victory in the Balkans, especially by helping France force Bulgaria's capitulation.
November 1918: Syrmia united with Serbia
On 24 November 1918, the territory of Syrmia united with Serbia. The Great People's Assembly of Serbs, Bunjevci and other Slavs in Banat, Bačka and Baranja declared the unification of these regions with Serbia on 25 November 1918.
December 1918: Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes proclaimed
On 1 December 1918, in Belgrade, Serbian Prince Regent Alexander Karađorđević proclaimed the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, under King Peter I of Serbia.
1918: Serbia as the Kingdom of Serbia
From 1882 until 1918, Serbia was named the Kingdom of Serbia.
1918: Kingdom of Serbia united with Vojvodina and joined Yugoslavia
In 1918, after World War I, the Kingdom of Serbia united with Vojvodina and joined with other South Slavic nations to establish Yugoslavia.
August 1921: Alexander succeeded King Peter I
In August 1921, King Peter I was succeeded by his son, Alexander.
1929: King Alexander established a dictatorship
In 1929, King Alexander established a dictatorship with the aim of establishing the Yugoslav ideology and single Yugoslav nation, changed the name of the country to Yugoslavia.
1934: Assassination of Alexander
In 1934, Alexander was assassinated in Marseille by Vlado Chernozemski, leading to his eleven-year-old son Peter II succeeding him.
August 1939: Cvetković–Maček Agreement
In August 1939, the Cvetković–Maček Agreement established an autonomous Banate of Croatia.
1941: Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia
In 1941, despite Yugoslav attempts to remain neutral, the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia, dividing the territory of modern Serbia.
1941: Draginac and Loznica Massacre
In 1941, the Draginac and Loznica massacre of 2,950 villagers in Western Serbia marked the first large execution of civilians in occupied Serbia by Germans.
1941: Republic of Užice Established
In 1941, the Republic of Užice was established by the Partisans as a short-lived liberated territory in occupied Serbia.
1944: Belgrade Offensive
By late 1944, the Belgrade Offensive swung in favour of the partisans in the civil war; the partisans subsequently gained control of Yugoslavia.
1944: Communist Purge
Following the victory of the Communist Partisans, it is claimed between 60,000 and 70,000 people died in Serbia during the 1944 communist purge.
1945: Serbia as the People's Republic of Serbia
From 1945 to 1963, the official name for Serbia was the People's Republic of Serbia.
1950: Chess Excellence
From 1950, Serbian chess players started excelling.
1954: Awarding of NIN Prize
Since January 1954, the NIN Prize is given every January for the best newly published novel in Serbian.
September 1961: Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Belgrade
In September 1961, Belgrade hosted the first Non-Aligned Movement Summit.
1961: Ivo Andrić wins Nobel Prize
In 1961, Serbian author Ivo Andrić (The Bridge on the Drina) won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
1961: Air temperature Data Collection Begins
In 1961, the air temperature data collection started for the period between 1961-1990.
1963: Serbia as the Socialist Republic of Serbia
From 1963 to 1990, Serbia was named the Socialist Republic of Serbia.
1965: Partizan reaches European Cup final
In 1965, Partizan reached the 1965-66 European Cup final.
1967: Belgrade International Theatre Festival
In 1967, the Belgrade International Theatre Festival – BITEF was founded.
1974: KK Crvena zvezda wins FIBA Saporta Cup
In 1974, KK Crvena zvezda won the FIBA Saporta Cup.
October 1977: OSCE Gathering in Belgrade
From October 1977 to March 1978, Belgrade hosted the first major gathering of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
March 1978: OSCE Gathering in Belgrade
From October 1977 to March 1978, Belgrade hosted the first major gathering of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
1979: Steve Tesich wins Academy Award
In 1979, Serbian-American screenwriter Steve Tesich won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
1980: Milena Dravić wins Best Actress Award
In 1980, Milena Dravić won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
January 1985: Lowest Recorded Temperature
On 13 January 1985, the lowest recorded temperature in Serbia was −39.5 °C (−39.1 °F).
1985: Emir Kusturica wins Palme d'Or
In 1985, Emir Kusturica won a Palme d'Or for Best Feature Film at the Cannes Film Festival for When Father Was Away on Business.
1989: Milošević rose to power
In 1989, Slobodan Milošević rose to power in Serbia and promised a reduction of powers for the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina.
1989: Reference Point for Industrial Output
The industrial output in 2013 was compared to the level in 1989.
1990: Red Star wins European Cup
In 1990, Red Star Belgrade won the 1990-91 European Cup.
1990: Multi-party democracy introduced
In 1990, multi-party democracy was introduced in Serbia, officially dismantling the one-party system.
1990: Air temperature Data Collection Ends
In 1990, the air temperature data collection ended for the period between 1961-1990.
1990: Serbia as the Republic of Serbia
Since 1990, the official name of the country has been the Republic of Serbia.
1991: Declarations of independence
During 1991 and 1992, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia declared independence.
1991: Yugoslav Wars Erupted
Fueled by ethnic tensions, the Yugoslav Wars erupted in 1991, with severe conflicts in Croatia and Bosnia.
1992: KK Partizan wins EuroLeague
In 1992, KK Partizan won the EuroLeague.
1992: Serbia and Montenegro remained as FRY
In 1992, Serbia and Montenegro remained together as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY).
1995: Emir Kusturica wins second Palme d'Or
In 1995, Emir Kusturica won a second Palme d'Or for Best Feature Film at the Cannes Film Festival for Underground.
1996: Protests against the government
In 1996, Serbians engaged in large protests against the government after the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia refused to accept its defeat in municipal elections.
1999: NATO Bombing Damage
In 1999, the NATO bombing caused serious environmental damage in Serbia, releasing toxic chemicals into the soil and water basins.
September 2000: Opposition Parties Accuse Milošević of Electoral Fraud
In September 2000, opposition parties accused Milošević of electoral fraud, leading to civil resistance, culminating in his concession of defeat on October 5th.
2000: Olympic gold medal
In 2000, Serbia's men's national volleyball team won the Olympic gold medal.
2000: Foreign Direct Investment
Since 2000, Serbia has attracted over $40 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI).
2001: End of Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars, which began in 1991, concluded in 2001.
2003: Assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić
In 2003, Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić was assassinated due to a plot originating from organized crime and former security officials.
2003: Serbia and Montenegro
In 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was renamed Serbia and Montenegro, and the EU opened negotiations for the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.
2004: Željko Joksimović at Eurovision
In 2004, pop music artist Željko Joksimović won second place at the Eurovision Song Contest.
2004: Unrest in Kosovo
In 2004, unrest in Kosovo resulted in 19 deaths and damage to Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries.
May 2006: Montenegro Referendum
On 21 May 2006, Montenegro held a referendum resulting in 55.4% of voters in favor of independence.
June 2006: Serbia's Declaration of Independence
On 5 June 2006, Serbia declared independence, marking its re-emergence as an independent state and successor to the former state union.
2006: Adoption of the Current Constitution
In 2006, the current constitution was adopted in Serbia following the Montenegro independence referendum.
2006: Dissolution of the Serbia and Montenegro union
In 2006, the union between Serbia and Montenegro was peacefully dissolved, leading to Serbia's restoration as an independent sovereign state.
July 2007: Highest Recorded Temperature
On 24 July 2007, the highest recorded temperature in Serbia was 44.9 °C (112.8 °F).
December 2007: Military Neutrality Proclaimed
In December 2007, Serbia's parliament proclaimed military neutrality, making joining any military alliance contingent on a referendum.
December 2007: National Assembly Resolution
On 26 December 2007, the National Assembly stated that the Kosovo declaration of independence would be a gross violation of international law.
2007: Marija Šerifović wins Eurovision
In 2007, Marija Šerifović won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Molitva".
2008: Acquisition of NIS by Gazprom Neft
In 2008, Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) was acquired by Gazprom Neft.
2008: Serbia hosts Eurovision
In 2008, Serbia was the host of the Eurovision Song Contest.
2008: Kosovo declared independence
In 2008, representatives of the Assembly of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence, which has received mixed reactions from the international community, while Serbia continues to claim Kosovo as part of its territory.
December 2009: Serbia Applies for EU Membership
On 22 December 2009, Serbia officially applied for membership in the European Union.
2009: Economic Recession
In 2009, Serbia entered a recession with negative growth of −3%.
2010: Book Publication
In 2010, there were 10,989 books and brochures published in Serbia.
December 2011: Delay in Candidate Status
In December 2011 there was a delay for Serbia to receive candidate status for EU membership.
2011: Census Data
According to the 2011 census, literacy in Serbia was at 98% while computer literacy was at 49%. The census also detailed levels of education among the population.
2011: Mandatory Military Service Abolished
In 2011 mandatory military service was abolished.
2011: Religious Demographics in Serbia
In 2011, Roman Catholics in Serbia numbered 356,957, representing about 6% of the population, primarily in Vojvodina. The Greek Catholic Church had around 25,000 adherents, mainly Rusyns in Vojvodina.
2011: Conscription Abolished
In 2011, conscription was abolished in the Serbian Armed Forces.
March 2012: Serbia Receives Candidate Status for EU Membership
On 1 March 2012, Serbia received candidate status for membership in the European Union.
2012: Serbian Progressive Party came to power
In 2012 Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party came to power.
2012: Economic Recession
In 2012, Serbia experienced another economic recession with negative growth of −1%.
2012: Natural Gas Production
In 2012, Serbia's domestic natural gas production totalled 491 million cubic metres.
June 2013: EU Recommendation
Following a positive recommendation of the European Commission and European Council in June 2013, negotiations to join the EU commenced.
2013: Industrial Output Downsizing
In 2013, Serbia's industrial output was expected to be only half of what it was in 1989.
2013: Belgrade Book Fair Visitors
In 2013, the Belgrade Book Fair, the most visited cultural event in Serbia, had 158,128 visitors.
2013: Exit Festival Visitors
In 2013, the Exit Festival in Novi Sad had 200,000 visitors.
2013: University of Belgrade ranking
In 2013, the University of Belgrade was placed in the 301-400 bracket on the Shanghai Ranking of World Universities, making it the best-placed university in Southeast Europe after those in Athens and Thessaloniki.
2013: Observer Member of CSTO
Serbia became an observer member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) as of 2013.
January 2014: EU Negotiations Commenced
In January 2014, negotiations for Serbia to join the EU commenced.
January 2014: Accession Talks Began
On 21 January 2014, Serbia started accession talks with the EU.
May 2014: Disastrous Floods
In May 2014, Serbia experienced disastrous floods resulting in 57 deaths and over 1.5 billion euros in damages.
2014: Serbian Language and Script Preferences
A 2014 survey showed that 47% of Serbians preferred the Latin alphabet, 36% favored the Cyrillic alphabet, and 17% had no preference.
2014: Economic Recession
In 2014, Serbia faced another economic recession with negative growth of −1.8%.
2014: Relations with Russia Solidified
Since 2014, Russia sought to solidify its relations with Serbia following the imposition of sanctions against Russia.
2014: EU Accession Negotiations
Since 2014, Serbia has been in negotiations to join the European Union.
2015: Digital television transition completed
In 2015, Serbia completed its digital television transition using the DVB-T2 standard for signal transmission.
2015: Electricity Production and Consumption
In 2015, Serbia's electricity production was 36.5 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh), while consumption was 35.5 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh). Most electricity came from thermal-power plants (72.7%).
2016: Agricultural and Food Exports
In 2016, Serbia exported agricultural and food products worth $3.2 billion, with an export-import ratio of 178%.
2016: FIVB Volleyball World League
In 2016, the men's national volleyball team won the FIVB Volleyball World League.
September 2017: Free Economic Zones
As of September 2017, Serbia had 14 free economic zones, facilitating foreign direct investments.
2017: Most Visited Web-Portals
As of 2017, the most visited web-portals in Serbia were online editions of Blic and Kurir, news web-portal B92, and classifieds KupujemProdajem.
2017: Aleksandar Vučić elected President
Following the 2017 presidential election, Aleksandar Vučić of the Serbian Progressive Party became the current president of Serbia.
2017: Exit Festival Award
In 2017, Exit in Novi Sad won the Best Major Festival award at the European Festivals Awards.
2017: Scientific research spending
In 2017, Serbia spent 0.9% of its GDP on scientific research, which is slightly below the European average.
2018: Television Viewership
According to EBU research in 2018, Serbs on average watch five and a half hours of television per day.
2018: European Commission Considered Accession Possible
As of 2018, the European Commission considered accession possible by 2025.
2018: Passenger Car Registrations
As of 2018, there were 1,999,771 registered passenger cars in Serbia, or 1 car per 3.5 inhabitants.
2018: Steel Production
In 2018, Serbia produced nearly 2 million tonnes of raw steel, entirely from the Smederevo steel mill, owned by Chinese Hesteel.
2018: Defense Exports
In 2018, Serbia's defense exports totaled around $600 million.
2018: Cargo Transport on Waterways
In 2018, more than 8 million tonnes of cargo were transported on Serbian rivers and canals.
2018: University Attendance
In the 2018 academic year, 210,480 students attended 19 universities in Serbia, with 181,310 at public universities and 29,170 at private universities, while 47,169 attended "higher schools".
2018: Full member of CERN
Since 2018, Serbia became a full member of CERN, and the information technology sector generated over $1.2 billion in exports.
May 2019: Average Monthly Net Salary
In May 2019, the average monthly net salary in Serbia was 47,575 dinars, or $525.
2019: Defence budget
As of 2019, Serbian defence budget amounts to $804 million.
2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index
In 2019, Serbia had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.29/10, ranking it 105th globally.
2019: Tourism Statistics
In 2019, Serbia recorded over 3.6 million tourists in accommodations, half of whom were foreign, with foreign exchange earnings from tourism estimated at $1.5 billion.
2019: Press Freedom Index Ranking
In 2019, Serbia was ranked 90th out of 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index report compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
2019: University Attendance
In the 2018/2019 academic year, 210,480 students attended 19 universities in Serbia, with 181,310 at public universities and 29,170 at private universities, while 47,169 attended "higher schools".
March 2020: State of Emergency Declared
In March 2020, following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic to Serbia, a state of emergency was declared and a curfew was introduced.
2020: Parliamentary Election
Following the 2020 parliamentary election, the Serbian Progressive Party and Socialist Party of Serbia hold a supermajority in the National Assembly.
2021: Unemployment Rate
As of 2021, the unemployment rate in Serbia was 11%.
2021: Women in High-Ranking Public Functions
In 2021, Serbia was the 5th country in Europe by the number of women holding high-ranking public functions.
2021: Sljivovica added to Intangible Cultural Heritage List
In 2021, Serbia's sljivovica was added to the United Nations Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
2021: Balkan Stream Gas Pipeline
In 2021, the Balkan Stream gas pipeline opened through Serbia.
January 2022: Serbian constitutional referendum
On 16 January 2022, a Serbian constitutional referendum took place in which citizens chose to amend the Constitution concerning the judiciary.
April 2022: President Aleksandar Vučić Re-elected
In April 2022, President Aleksandar Vučić was re-elected.
2022: Air Serbia Passenger Numbers
In 2022, Air Serbia carried 2.75 million passengers.
2022: Serbia Population Census
In 2022, Serbia (excluding Kosovo) had a population of 6,647,003, with a population density of 85.8 inhabitants per square kilometre. Kosovo held its own census, numbering their total population at 1,586,659.
2022: Ethnic Composition of Serbia
In 2022, Serbs constituted the largest ethnic group in Serbia, comprising 81% of the population (excluding Kosovo), totaling 5,360,239 people. Hungarians were the largest ethnic minority with 184,442 people, and the Romani population was estimated between 400,000 and 500,000. Bosniaks and Muslims were concentrated in the Raška (Sandžak) region.
2022: High-Speed Rail Line Opens
In 2022, about 75 km of new high-speed rail line between Belgrade and Novi Sad was opened.
2022: Start of Russian Emigration
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there was a mass emigration of Russians to Serbia.
December 2023: President Vučić wins snap parliamentary election
In December 2023, President Vučić won a snap parliamentary election that resulted in protests.
2023: Nikola Jokić NBA Finals MVP
In 2023, Nikola Jokić was named NBA Finals MVP.
2023: Arms Exports
In 2023, Serbia's arms exports surpassed $1.6 billion, ranking 25th worldwide.
2023: Men's team won the European Team Competition
In 2023, the men's chess team won the European Team Competition.
January 2024: Russian Emigration to Serbia
As of January 2024, over 300,000 Russians had emigrated to Serbia since the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, with about one in ten being issued a residence permit.
2024: World Happiness Report Ranking
According to the World Happiness Report 2024, Serbia ranked 37th among 140 countries.
2024: High-Speed Rail Line Construction
Construction work for the 212 km high-speed rail line to Niš is set to commence in 2024.
2024: Reintroduction of Mandatory Military Service Approved
In 2024 the Serbian president approved the reintroduction of mandatory military service, which was abolished in 2011.
2024: Djokovic Career Super Slam
In 2024, Novak Djokovic achieved a Career Super Slam with his Olympic gold.
2024: Global Innovation Index ranking
In 2024, Serbia was ranked 52nd in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Serbia's Nominal GDP
In 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund, Serbia's nominal GDP was estimated at $81.873 billion, or $12,385 per capita.
2024: Olympic bronze medal
In 2024, the men's basketball team won a bronze medal.
2025: Possible EU Accession
As of 2018, the European Commission considered accession possible by 2025.
2025: Military service
If the Government adopts the decision in 2024, military service will last 75 days, starting with 2025.
2025: High-Speed Rail Line Expansion
In 2025, the 108 km rail line from Novi Sad to Subotica and border with Hungary is due to open.
2027: Serbia to host Expo 2027
In 2027, Serbia is chosen to host international specialised exposition Expo 2027.
2030: Possible EU Membership
Serbia is aiming for the possibility of joining the European Union by 2030.
