Serbia

Country Information

Serbia is a landlocked nation about the size of Maine; its terrain is varied with plains for farming in the north to mountainous ranges in the southeast. Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and is the largest city in the country, with a population of 1.1 million. Its name translates to "white city" and is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe.

Lifestyle and Family

Family is highly valued and the average family has two children. People spend a lot of time visiting and entertaining. In both rural and urban areas, many children are cared for by relatives or child-care facilities. They are then responsible to care for their parents when they grow old. Serbs are openly emotional and rarely private. They value family, country and honesty.

Teen Life and Sports

Many teens play video games, go to their kafana (local restaurant) to meet friends, and go to the cinema. Soccer is very popular, along with basketball, volleyball, swimming and skiing. Young people begin dating around age 16 or 17.

Diet

Staples of the Serbian diet are bread, meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Breakfast generally consists of eggs, meat, and bread, with a dairy spread called kajmak. Lunch is the main meal of the day and dinner is light.

Food preparation is a strong part of the Serbian family tradition. The national dish, called cevapcici, is a type of kebab, highly spiced and prepared on a grill.

Language and Religion

Eighty-five percent of the population is Serbian Orthodox Christians. Roman Catholics, Muslims, Protestants and other faiths make up the rest of the religions. Eighty-eight percent of the people speak Serbian, the official language, and Hungarian, Bosnian and Romany are also spoken.