The Republic of Serbia is a developed multinational state of Eastern Europe. Located in the south of the Balkan Peninsula. Since 2000, he has been a member of the UN, and since 2012, a candidate for membership in the European Union. Administratively, the country is divided into several regions. Recently, Kosovo and Vojvodina are considered autonomous. The latter region is the most multinational region of Europe.
Settlement history
Since the 6th century AD e. on the territory of modern Serbia, ancient Slavic communities began to appear . For the most part, they populated the western regions of the Balkan Peninsula. After one and a half hundred years, such proto-state associations began to emerge as Duklya, Travuniya, Zakhumye and Paganiya. The largest and most numerous of them was the Serbian principality. For a long time, all areas of the Baltic were under the rule of the Byzantine Empire.
In the 14th century, the Serbian principality managed to defend its independence. Thus began a modern power. In the period from 1330 to 1350, the princedom flourished rapidly. Nevertheless, closer to the end of the century, Serbia was again conquered. Now it has become the administrative region of the Ottoman Empire. Throughout the next century, thousands of Turks came to the principality. It is noteworthy that by the middle of the 16th century the population of Serbia was half composed of the indigenous representatives of the Ottoman Empire.
At the end of the 17th century, the principality became part of the Austrian state. Since the beginning of 1810, several major uprisings have taken place in Serbia. The civil war claimed thousands of lives. And only in 1878 the long-awaited independence of the state was proclaimed in Berlin. At the beginning of the 20th century, territories such as Kosovo, part of Sanjak and Macedonia became part of the new country. During the First and Second World War, the state lost part of its possessions. In 2006, Montenegro separated from Serbia, and after a couple of years - Kosovo.
Demographic indicators
The first census in the country took place only at the end of 2011. Even then, the demography of Serbia was negative. According to the census, the country's population was about 7.5 million people. At the same time, the largest number was noted in the southern and northern regions of the country. Following similar indicators are Shumadia, Belgrade and Vojvodina. As for Kosovo, its population is just over 1.7 million inhabitants.
The demographic crisis is complicated by an increased mortality rate. By this indicator, Serbia is ahead of all European countries. Mortality exceeds birth rates by almost 40%. Life expectancy is 74 years. Since the mid-2000s, a large family is considered a huge rarity.
In recent years, the level of migration in the country has been holding at 0%. Moreover, tens of thousands of young working people leave Serbia every year.
Multinational composition
The population of Serbia is 83% of the indigenous people of the republic. The next predominant ethnic group are Hungarians. Their share is about 4%. Most of the Hungarians are concentrated in the region of Vojvodina. Among the other most numerous nationalities, it is worth highlighting Gypsies, Croats, Bosnians, Slovaks, Vlachs, Montenegrins, Romanians and Macedonians.
In Kosovo, the majority of the population is Albanian - more than 93%. Following were the Bosnians, Serbs and Turks. Regarding religion, Serbia is a liberal country. Most of the population refers to the Orthodox Church. The share of Christians is about 85%. Catholic parishioners - about 5.5%. The rest of the inhabitants are either Muslims or Protestants.
Serbia population
Since the 1990s, the demographic indicators of the republic leave much to be desired. The country's authorities are trying to motivate residents to increase the birth rate, but economic instability and political tension play a negative role.
From 1990 to 1995, the population of Serbia grew by only 180 thousand people. By the end of this period, the population was 7.74 million inhabitants. In subsequent years, the population counter in Serbia began to decline. Negative dynamics are noted to this day. From 1995 to 2005, the population of Serbia decreased by 300 thousand people. Over the next 10 years - fell another 4%. As a result of the emigration of local residents and an increased mortality rate, the republic loses up to 0.49% of its inhabitants annually.
Number in 2015
By September 2015, the population of Serbia decreased by almost 25 thousand people. Experts note that by the end of the year, indicators will amount to more than 33,000 residents. As a result, by January 2016, the number of the republic will fall to the level of 7.09 million people. Thus, the population growth will again be negative and amount to about -0.47%.
In 2015, about 60 thousand children were born, and 1.5 times more inhabitants died. Natural growth remained at the level of -50%. Migration influx in Serbia has not been observed for several years.
Interestingly, about 180 children appear in the country per day. In this case, mortality is up to 270 people. The resulting daily population decline is at around 90.