tly
targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 caused the
international community to open negotiations on the future status of
Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right to
secede from the federation and - following a successful referendum -
it declared itself an independent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days
later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union
of Serbia and Montenegro. A new Serbian constitution was approved in
October 2006 and adopted the following month. After 15 months of
inconclusive negotiations mediated by the UN and four months of
further inconclusive negotiations mediated by the US, EU, and
Russia, on 17 February 2008, the UNMIK-administered province of
Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia.

Geography
Serbia

Location:

Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary

Geographic coordinates:

44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 77,474 sq km
land: 77,474 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 2,026 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km, Bulgaria 318 km,
Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Kosovo 352 km, Macedonia 62 km,
Montenegro 124 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid
summers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental
and Mediterranean climate (relatively cold winters with heavy
snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns)

Terrain:

extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east,
limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and
hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: NA
highest point: Midzor 2,169 m

Natural resources:

oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, chromite, gold,
silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land

Land use:

arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

208.5 cu km (note - includes Kosovo) (2003)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water
pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows
into the Danube

Environment - international agreements:

party