|RNature and climate:|N In the north the southern part of the fertile Hungarian puszta and in the south the Balkan Mountains with peaks up to 2000 m.a.s.l.
Average temperature in January 0°C in the north and -5°C in the mountains, and in July +20°C in the north and +16°C in the mountains.
Percipitation between 600 and 1000 mm.
|RPeople:|N Serbs 80%, Albanians 16% and small minorities of Montenegrins, Hungarians and Muslims.
|REconomy:|N 22% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture and 70% in industry and trade.
The farms are fairly small and the most important crops are corn, grain, tobacco and sugar beets.
Yugoslavia have many minerals, such as oil, natural gas, antimony, bauxite, lead, mercury, coal, iron, copper, chrome, zinc and salt.
Manufacturing have been developed in many fields after World War II. The most important industries are metals, textiles, clothing, food, forestry and chemical industries. Tourism was very important before the civil wars started in 1991.
In joint ventures with foreign companies a big mechanical industry has been built, but much of this has been devastated in the last years war.
|RHistory:|N Todays Yugoslavia consists of the old countries Serbia and Montenegro.
Serbia was inhabited by Illyrians during the antiquity. It was conquered by Rome and made a part of the Roman Empire. In the 7th century AD Slavic Serbs invaded and a number of small independent areas arose. In the 12th century these were united and had a time of prosperity in the 14th century when it contained Serbia, Montenegro, Albany and the northwestern part of Greece.
In 1389 Serbia was conquered by the Turks. In 1817 it became a principality under Turkish sovereignty. It became an independent country in 1878 and a kingdom in 1882. Serbia gained vast areas in the Balkan Wars 1912 to 1913 and became a part of the kingdom Yugoslavia that was created in 1918.
Montenegro, in Slavic Crna Gora, in ancient times belonged to Serbia. When the Turks conquered Serbia in 1389 they never succeeded to conquer Montenegro that continued as an independent country, ruled by bishops. In 1910 it became a kingdom and in 1918 a part of Yugoslavia.
There was great tension in Yugoslavia especially between Croats and Serbs from the very beginning. Yugoslavia was allied to france, but a new regency in 1935 changed policy and in 1941 Yugoslavia joined the Axis powers Germany and Italy. After a coupe the new government declared Yugoslavia neutral but Germany and Italy attacked and after 11 days Yugoslavia had to surrender.
Two different liberation armies fought against the occupations forces. One royalist and communist group. In 1944 the communist group succeeded to liberate Yugoslavia with the help of Sovjet forces. After the war the federal republic Yugoslavia was created of the republics Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In 1948 Yugoslavia broke the relations with the Sovjet Union in 1948 and started trade relations with the western countries. But the communist party was still the only party allowed.
From 1980 the leadership rotated between members from all republics.
In 1990 the communist party renounced its constitutionally guaranteed leading role, and asked the parliament to create a multiparty system.
Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and there were several clashes between Croats, Bosnians and Serbs, supported by the Yugoslavian regular army.
The UN imposed trade sanctions against Yugoslavia in an attempt to stop the Yugoslavian help to the Serbs in Croatia and Bosnia, but the war continues and hundreds of thousands have died in the fightings.
In 1992 Serbia and Montenegro proclaimed the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
