Serbia

Serbia is a landlocked country located in the Balkans and the Pannonian Plain, at the crossroads of Southeastern and Central Europe. Inhabited continuously since the Paleolithic Age, the territory of present-day Serbia was subjected to Slavic migrations in the 6th century. In the early Middle Ages, several regional states were established, which were at times recognized as tributaries of the Byzantine, Frankish, and Hungarian kingdoms. During the 12th century, the Serbian state experienced a period of significant growth and consolidation under the rule of the Nemanjić dynasty. The medieval Serbian Kingdom reached its peak in the 14th century, with the reign of Stefan Dušan, who proclaimed himself Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks in 1346. The Ottoman Empire's expansion into the Balkans led to the decline of the Serbian state in the 15th century, and Serbia became a province of the Ottoman Empire. This period of Ottoman rule lasted for nearly four centuries, during which time the Serbian population was subjected to various forms of oppression, including forced conversions to Islam and restrictions on their cultural and religious practices. The Serbian Revolution of 1804, led by Đorđe Petrović Karadjordje, marked the beginning of a long and complex process of national liberation and the struggle for independence from Ottoman rule. Today, Serbia is a country with a rich variety of ecosystems and species. Covering an area of 4,947 square kilometers, or 6.4% of the country, there are 380 protected areas in Serbia. These include 5 national parks, 15 nature parks, 15 "outstanding landscapes", 61 nature reserves and 281 natural monuments.