Country characteristics

Landscape
Serbia is situated in 2 geographic parts of Europe. The northern part of the Republic are Central-European lowlands while the southern parts are hilly and mountainous. There are more than 15 mountain peaks rising to over 2,000 metres above sea level. The navigable rivers are the Danube, Sava and Tisa. A moderate continental climate predominates, with more Mediterranean climate in the south.

History
The Serbian lands were the crossroads of various civilizations in the past, with different spiritual, architectural, artistic and cultural influences. Serbian culture and its historical heritage is diverse because of mixture of various influences. Numerous prehistoric and classical monuments represent some unique examples of the changing times (Vinca culture, Starcevo culture, Lepenski Vir, etc). Serbia is a land of natural, historic, cultural and ethnic contrasts.

Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and the "soul" of modern Serbia. It is is situated at the confluence of the Sava and the Danube. In the course of its long history it has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times. Today, it is a modern city of about 2 million inhabitants. To visitors Belgrade offers its rich programme of cultural, artistic and sports events, many museums, cultural and historic monuments.

Northern lowlands
Vojvodina is the Central European part of the country. It differs from the south by its sophisticated style, pure European culture and different mentality of its people. Fruska Gora hills are the only mountains in that part of Central Europe. The Central Serbia is rolling region hills with fields, hedges, orchards and meadows. Southern Serbia has big mountain ranges with wide river valleys and hollows. The altitude of some of the mountains is over 2,500 m, highest peak being in Kosovo province- Djeravica with 2,656 m above sea level.

Eastern and Western Serbia
Eastern Serbia is covered with mountains which belong to the Carpathian mountains but also to the Balkan mountain system. Here the Danube river cuts the Kazan, the longest and narrowest part of the Djerdap Gorge.
Western Serbia is another mountainous region, with many picturesque canyons, forests and great natural and climatic advantages. Waters in Serbia - rivers, lakes, artificial lakes and mineral springs, represent an important natural resource for tourism. The Danube, the largest and the most important waterway in Europe flows through Serbia, covering some 591 km inside its borders.