Districts of Serbia

An ''okrug'' is one of the first-level administrative divisions of Serbia, corresponding to a " district" in many other countries (Serbia also has two autonomous provinces at a higher level than districts). The term ''okrug'' (pl. ''okruzi)'' literally means "encircling" and corresponds to in German language. It can be translated as "county", though it is generally rendered by the Serbian government as "district".

The Serbian local government reforms of 1992, going into effect the following year, created 29 districts, with the City of Belgrade holding similar authority. Following the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, the districts created by the UNMIK-Administration were adopted by Kosovo. The Serbian government does not recognize these districts.

The districts of Serbia are generally named after historical and geographical regions, though some, such as the Pčinja District and the Nišava District, are named after local rivers. Their areas and populations vary, ranging from the relatively-small Podunavlje District to the much larger Zlatibor District.

As regional centers of state authority, the districts have little room for self-government and do not have local flags. Still, they are each run by a commissioner as well as cooperating municipal leaders. The districts can be further divided into cities and municipalities.

Definition

The territorial organisation of Serbia is regulated by the ''Law on Territorial Organization'', adopted by the National Assembly on 29 December 2007. According to the Law, the territorial organization of the republic comprises municipalities and cities, the City of Belgrade with special status, and autonomous provinces. Districts are not mentioned in this law but are defined by the Government of Serbia's ''Enactment'' of 29 January 1992. They are defined as the districts as "regional centers of state authority", enacting affairs run by the relevant Ministries.

Serbia is divided into 29 districts (8 in Šumadija and Western Serbia, 9 in Southern and Eastern Serbia, 7 in Vojvodina and 5 in Kosovo and Metohija), plus the City of Belgrade. The City of Belgrade is not part of any district, but has a special status very similar to that of a district.

List of districts

Šumadija and Western Serbia

Southern and Eastern Serbia

Vojvodina

Kosovo

Serbian laws treat Kosovo as integral part of Serbia ('' Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija''). The ''Enactment'' defines five districts on the territory of Kosovo. But, from 1999, following the Kosovo War, Kosovo was governed under the United Nations' administration of UNMIK. In 2000, the UNMIK administration changed the territorial organisation on the territory of Kosovo. All five districts were abolished, and seven ''new'' districts were created, which were later adopted by Kosovo after the 2008 declaration of Independence. The Serbian government does not recognize this move, and claims the pre-2000 five districts as following:

See also

*Administrative divisions of Serbia
* Municipalities and cities of Serbia
* Cities and towns of Serbia
* Cities, towns and villages of Vojvodina
* Populated places of Serbia
*Districts of Kosovo
* ISO 3166-2:RS

Notes and references

Notes

References

Sources

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External links

{{Authority control

Subdivisions of Serbia
Serbia 1
Serbia 1
Districts, Serbia
Serbia geography-related lists