Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and Montenegro. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, first settled in the 3rd century BC by the Celts before becoming the Roman settlement of Singidunum. The name Beograd (Belgrade) was first mentioned in 878 AD. It has been the capital of Serbia since 1404, and was the capital of Yugoslavia from 1918 until 2003.
Belgrade lies at the confluence of the Sava and Danube in north central Serbia, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. The official population of the Belgrade region is 1,576,124. Unofficially (taking into account the large number of Serbian refugees and displaced persons from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the province of Kosovo-Metohia), the population probably surpasses 2 million. It is the largest city on the territory of the fo
rmer Yugoslavia, and by population ranks fourth in the Balkans behind Istanbul, Athens and Bucharest.
Belgrade has the status of a separate territorial unit in Serbia, with its own autonomous city government. Its territory is divided into 17 municipalities, each of which has its own local council. Belgrade spreads over 3.6% of the territory of Serbia, and 21% of the Serbian population ( excluding the Kosovo-Metohia province) lives in the city. It is the central economic hub of Serbia: about a third of all employed workers in Serbia work in Belgrade. Belgrade is also the capital of Serbian culture, education and science.
Belgrade is situated in South-Eastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. It lies at the point where the river Sava merges into the Danube, on the slope between two alluvial planes. The river waters surround it from three sides, and that is why since ancient times it has been the guardian of river passages. Because of its position it was properly called "the gate" of the Balkans, and "the door" to Central Europe.
Belgrade main traffic artery stretches from Kalemegdan, along Knez Mihailova Street, and through Terazije to Slavija.
Belgrade is at the intersection of roads that lead between Eastern and Western Europe. which leads from the Morava-Vardar valley and the Nisava-Marica valley, to the shores of the Aegean Sea, Asia Minor and to the Middle East.
Belgrade lies on the Danube river, the sailing route, which connects the Western and Central European countries with the countries of South-Eastern and Eastern Europe. After the construction of the artificial lake and the Šerdap power station, Belgrade became a river and sea port. Ships from the Black Sea sail to its docks, and with the opening of the Rhine-Main-Danube canal, Belgrade came to the center of the most important sailing route in Europe: The North Sea - Atlantic - Black Sea route.
Belgrade has a moderate continental climate, with four seasons. Autumn is longer than spring, with longer sunny and warm periods - the so-called Indian summer. Winter is not so severe, with an average of 21 days of sub-zero temperature. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 0.4 °C. Spring is short and rainy. Summer arrives abruptly.
Belgrade is also the most important tourism destination in Serbia. International tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy. From 2002 to 2004, revenue generated from international visitors increased from $70 million to $220 million. In 2005 it further rose to $350 million, and by 2008 it is projected to reach $1 billion.
Belgrade is full of restaurants, bars, clubs, museums and situated at the confluence of two major rivers. It is also well served by air, rail and road links, with reasonable driving distances to many European cities.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (renamed 2006) is an International Airport and it is located 12 km outside the city. It is connected with the city by the Belgrade-Zagreb highway. It provides connections with many cities in Europe, Asia and Africa. Eighteen established international airlines maintain offices at the airport. The number of airlines using the Belgrade airport is set to increase on January 1, 2007 when the Open skies international agreement goes into effect in Serbia, liftng protectionist restrictions the national airline or the government placed on international airline traffic landing rights. A major expansion of the airport in Belgrade has been detailed with a development deal signed with DynaCorp. Inc. to build a regional air cargo hub. Belgrade airport also plans to build a third passanger terminal and another runway, however this may not be plausible in the immediate future.
The main railway station is situated near the downtown district, and connects Belgrade with many major European cities, such as Istanbul, Athens, Bucharest, Sofia, Vienna and Kiev.
Belgrade University was founded in 1808 as a Great Academy. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the country (the oldest higher-education facility dates back to 1689 and is located in Subotica- Teacher's college). Belgrade educational system is under the control of the Serbian Ministry of Education and Sport, while a minor part is controlled by the Sectretariat of Education. Belgrade has two state universities, and private institutions for higher education are being established as well.
Belgrade offers a rather sophisticated night life. The general atmosphere within the city centre matches the feeling generated in Northern Europe more so than a near-Mediterranean based city. Many clubs and discotheques can be found throughout the city that are open until dawn. The most recognizable nightlife feature of Belgrade are the barges (called "splavs") that are spread along the banks of the Sava and Danube rivers. This article is licensed under the [GNU Free Documentation License]. It uses material from Wikipedia
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Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and Montenegro. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, first settled in the 3rd century BC by the Celts before becoming the Roman settlement of Singidunum. The name Beograd (Belgrade) was first mentioned in 878 AD. It has been the capital of Serbia since 1404, and was the capital of Yugoslavia from 1918 until 2003.