Serbia

Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: Република Србија / Republika Srbija, pronounced [rɛpǔblika sř̩bija]), is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans, lying between the homonymous mountain range and Carpathian mountains in the east, Dinaric Alps in the west, and the Great Morava valley - an intersection of land routes which lead southwards, towards Salonica, and eastwards, towards Asia minor. Relative to its history, culture, and relatively small territory, this diverse country is distinguished by its transitional character. Serbia is landlocked and borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro to the west; also, it borders Albania through the disputed region of Kosovo. The capital of Serbia, Belgrade, is among the largest cities in East-Central Europe. Following their settlement in the Balkans, Serbs established several states in early Middle Ages. The Serbian Kingdom obtained recognition by Rome and Constantinople in 1217; country status was raised to Serbian Empire, in 1346. By the mid-16th century, the entire territory of modern-day Serbia was annexed by the Ottoman Empire, at times interrupted by the Habsburgs. In the early 19th century the Serbian revolution established the nation-state as the region's first constitutional monarchy, which subsequently expanded its territory and pioneered the abolition of feudalism in the Balkans. The former Habsburg crownland of Vojvodina united with the Kingdom of Serbia in 1918. Following World War I, the Serbs and other South Slavic peoples were united into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. This new state was later renamed Yugoslavia. After numerous changes in the Yugoslav government and territory, Serbia again became independent in 2006. In February 2008 the parliament of UNMIK-administered Kosovo declared independence as the Republic of Kosovo, with mixed responses from international governments but exercises de facto independence, apart from the Serb dominated north, which is governed by institutions funded by Serbia. Serbia is a member of the UN, Council of Europe, OSCE, PfP, BSEC and CEFTA. It is also an official candidate for membership in the European Union and a neutral country.