Ultimate Serbia Quiz: From Belgrade to Novak Djokovic

The Serbian Orthodox Church was formally established in 1219 when Saint Sava, the youngest son of the Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja, became the first Archbishop of an independent Serbian Church. This move was crucial in shaping Serbia’s national identity, as the Church played not only a religious role but also preserved culture, literacy, and traditions during centuries of Ottoman rule. Today, the Serbian Orthodox Church remains the dominant religious institution in Serbia, with deep cultural influence on festivals, family customs, and art.

Midžor (2,169 meters / 7,116 ft) is Serbia’s highest peak, located in the Balkan Mountains, which stretch from eastern Serbia into Bulgaria. The region is known for its scenic beauty, hiking trails, and biodiversity. Unlike the more rugged Dinaric Alps in western Serbia, the Balkan Mountains provide gentler slopes and are historically significant as natural borders. They have also been referenced in Serbian folklore and epic poetry.

After the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Serbia remained in a union with Montenegro under the name Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–2003), later renamed the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. On 21 May 2006, Montenegro held a referendum where the majority voted for independence. On 5 June 2006, Serbia declared itself a fully independent nation and the legal successor of the state union. This marked the final step in the dissolution of the Yugoslav federation, leaving Serbia as a sovereign country with Belgrade as its capital.

Air Serbia is the national flag carrier and the largest airline in the country. Originally established in 1927 as Aeroput, it was renamed JAT Airways in 1947 and later rebranded as Air Serbia in 2013. The airline is based in Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport and connects Serbia with destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

Novak Djokovic, born in Belgrade in 1987, is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He has won over 20 Grand Slam titles and has spent more weeks ranked World No. 1 than any other male player in history. Djokovic is celebrated for his incredible mental strength, flexibility, and consistent dominance against rivals like Federer and Nadal. Beyond sports, he is a national hero in Serbia and runs charitable foundations supporting children’s education and sports.

Serbia officially submitted its application for EU membership on 22 December 2009. It was granted candidate status in 2012, and accession negotiations formally began in 2014. However, progress has been slow due to political, economic, and regional challenges, especially regarding its relationship with Kosovo. Despite this, EU integration remains one of Serbia’s main foreign policy goals, as the EU is its largest trade partner and investor.

The Danube River flows 588 km through Serbia, making it the longest river in the country. It enters Serbia from Hungary and exits into Romania, forming part of Serbia’s natural eastern border. Other important rivers in Serbia include the Sava, Morava, and Drina. The Danube’s importance cannot be overstated: it provides water supply, transportation routes, fishing, tourism, and even hydroelectric energy. Serbia is one of the key countries in the Danube River Basin.

The Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade is one of the city’s most visited attractions, housing over 160,000 original documents, photographs, and personal items related to Tesla’s life and work. Born in Smiljan (in present-day Croatia), Tesla spent much of his professional life in the United States, where he became famous for his work on alternating current (AC), wireless communication, and many other innovations. Serbia honors him as a national hero, and his ashes are kept in a glowing sphere inside the museum.

Serbia borders eight territories: Hungary (north), Romania (east), Bulgaria (southeast), North Macedonia (south), Croatia (west), Bosnia and Herzegovina (west), Montenegro (southwest), and Kosovo (disputed territory to the south). Italy is across the Adriatic Sea from the Balkans and shares no land border with Serbia. This makes Serbia a crucial land corridor between Central Europe and the Mediterranean.

Agriculture has traditionally been a cornerstone of Serbia’s economy, thanks to its fertile plains, especially in Vojvodina. Serbia is a major producer of fruits (raspberries, plums, apples), vegetables, corn, and wheat. In fact, Serbia is one of the largest exporters of raspberries worldwide. While industry and services are growing, agriculture remains a vital sector, employing a significant portion of the rural population.

Serbia is located in the central and southeastern part of Europe, within the Balkan Peninsula and part of Central Europe. Being landlocked means Serbia has no access to the sea, but it enjoys a strategic position at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, making it a historic meeting point of Eastern and Western cultures. Its location has shaped its history, from Roman rule to Ottoman influence, and later as part of Yugoslavia.

The Serbian flag has three horizontal stripes: red at the top, blue in the middle, and white at the bottom, following the Pan-Slavic color tradition. The current version also includes the Serbian coat of arms, featuring a double-headed eagle and a cross with four stylized fire steels, a traditional Serbian symbol. The red stands for blood shed in the fight for freedom, blue for justice, and white for purity and peace.

Niš, one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, is famous as the birthplace of Emperor Constantine the Great (born in 272 AD). Constantine is remembered for issuing the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, granting religious freedom to Christians in the Roman Empire. Niš has been a major cultural, military, and trading center since Roman times and is still one of Serbia’s most important cities.

Around 80–85% of Serbia’s population are Eastern Orthodox Christians, mainly affiliated with the Serbian Orthodox Church. The faith strongly influences Serbian culture, holidays, and family traditions. Important religious celebrations include Slava, a unique Serbian Orthodox custom where each family honors a patron saint. Other religious minorities in Serbia include Roman Catholics, Muslims, and Protestants, especially in Vojvodina, a highly diverse region.

The Studenica Monastery, founded in the late 12th century by Stefan Nemanja (founder of the medieval Serbian state), is one of the most important Serbian Orthodox monasteries. It is famous for its Romanesque and Byzantine architecture and 13th- and 14th-century fresco paintings, which represent masterpieces of medieval art. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, it remains a spiritual and cultural landmark of Serbia. Other Serbian UNESCO sites include Gamzigrad-Romuliana (Roman complex) and several medieval monasteries in Kosovo (under UNESCO protection but considered Serbian heritage).

Although Serbia has success in basketball, water polo, and football, it is especially recognized globally for producing world-class tennis players. Serbia became internationally famous thanks to athletes like Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanović, and Jelena Janković. The success of these players has put Serbia on the global sporting map, and tennis has grown significantly in popularity within the country.

Belgrade is the capital and the largest city of Serbia, with a population of around 1.4 million in the city proper. It is strategically located at the meeting point of the Sava and Danube rivers, making it an important trade and transport hub since ancient times. Historically, Belgrade has been destroyed and rebuilt more than 40 times due to its strategic position. Today, it is Serbia’s cultural, political, and economic center, hosting important institutions like the National Assembly and the University of Belgrade (founded in 1808).

The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe after the Volga, stretching about 2,850 km across 10 countries. In Belgrade, the Danube meets the Sava River, creating one of Europe’s most iconic riverfronts. This confluence has made Belgrade a natural fortress site since Roman times. The Danube also serves as a major European transport corridor and is vital for Serbia’s agriculture, energy, and tourism.

Novi Sad, often called the “Serbian Athens,” is the second-largest city after Belgrade, located on the banks of the Danube. It is the administrative center of the Vojvodina province and is renowned for its cultural diversity, as multiple ethnic groups live there. Novi Sad is home to Petrovaradin Fortress and the famous EXIT music festival, one of Europe’s biggest summer events. In 2021, Novi Sad was named the European Capital of Culture.

Serbia is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic. This means that the President serves as the head of state, while the Prime Minister leads the government. The Serbian Parliament (National Assembly) is the legislative body. Although Serbia has a democratic framework, international observers sometimes point to challenges with media freedom and political competition.

The Serbian Dinar (RSD) is the official currency of Serbia. Its symbol is "din" and its ISO code is RSD. Historically, the dinar has been used in Serbia since the 13th century under the reign of King Stefan Nemanjić. While many Balkan countries like Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro have adopted the Euro, Serbia still uses its national currency, reflecting its current status as an EU candidate but not yet a member.

Serbian is the official language of Serbia, and it is unique because it is written in two alphabets: Cyrillic (official script by law) and Latin (commonly used in daily life). Serbian belongs to the South Slavic group of languages and is mutually intelligible with Croatian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin. In regions with large minority populations, languages such as Hungarian, Bosnian, Albanian, and Slovak also have official status locally.

Serbia was one of the founding republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which existed from 1945 to 1992. After the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Serbia remained united with Montenegro in a federation until 2006, when Montenegro voted for independence, leaving Serbia as a separate sovereign state. The legacy of Yugoslavia still strongly influences Serbian culture, sports, and politics today.

Ćevapi (or ćevapčići) are small grilled sausages made of a mixture of ground beef, lamb, or pork, seasoned with spices, and traditionally served with flatbread (lepinja) and chopped onions. This dish is popular throughout the Balkans, but Serbia has its own variations depending on the region. Ćevapi are considered a national food and are often enjoyed at family gatherings, restaurants, and festivals. Their origin traces back to Ottoman influences in the Balkans.

The EXIT festival began in 2000 as a student movement for democracy and freedom during the political unrest of the Milošević era. Today, it is held annually at the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. EXIT has won multiple international awards for being one of the best music festivals in Europe, combining music with activism and cultural exchange.