Economy of Serbia

Economy of Serbia is the 87th or 82nd largest in the world at $43.866 billion or $95.492 billion by nominal gross domestic product or purchasing power parity respectively. Its economy is mostly based on various services (54.9% of GDP), industry (36.9% of GDP) and agriculture (8.2% of GDP). In the late 1980s, at the beginning of the process of economic transition from a planned economy to a market economy, Serbia's economy had a favorable position, but it was gravely impacted by economic sanctions from 1992 to 1995.

After the ousting of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević in October 2000, the country went through an economic liberalization process, and experienced fast economic growth. GDP per capita (nominal) went from $1,241 in 2000 to $6,123 in 2014. Furthermore, it became a candidate for the European Union in March 2012. The European Union is Serbia's most important trading partner. After years of economy decline due to world financial crisis, in 2011, the economy GDP growth was 2%. Serbia entered a second recession in 2012, causing GDP to decline 1.5% for that year. In 2013, Serbia was among the top ten of European countries in regard to GDP growth, which amounted to 2.6% year on year. As of 2014 estimations, the unemployment rate was at 26.1%. Estimated GDP (nominal) for 2014 calendar year is $43.866 billion, which is $6,123 per capita, while the estimated GDP (PPP) is $95.492 billion, which is $13,329 per capita. Since the 1990s, Serbia has experienced a serious "brain drain", especially during the wars at that time; each year, more than 32,000 people emigrate. Despite the loss, the Serbian diaspora's transfers account between 10% and 15% of Serbia's GDP and significantly increase living standards in some parts of the country.

Serbia

Coordinates: 44°N 21°E / 44°N 21°E / 44; 21

Serbia (ⁱ/ˈsɜːrbiə/, Serbian: Србија / Srbija, IPA: [sř̩bija]), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: Република Србија / Republika Srbija), is a sovereign state situated at the crossroads between Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central Balkans. Serbia is landlocked and borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro to the west; it also claims a border with Albania through the disputed territory of Kosovo. The capital of Serbia, Belgrade, is one of the largest cities in Southeast Europe. Serbia numbers around 7 million residents.

Following the Slavic migrations to the Balkans from the 6th century onwards, Serbs established several states in the early Middle Ages. The Serbian Kingdom obtained recognition by Rome and Constantinople in 1217; it reached its peak in 1346 as a relatively short-lived Serbian Empire. By the mid-16th century, the entire territory of modern-day Serbia was annexed by the Ottoman Empire, at times interrupted by the Habsburgs. In the early 19th century, the Serbian Revolution established the nation-state as the region's first constitutional monarchy, which subsequently expanded its territory. Following disastrous casualties in World War I, and subsequent unification of Habsburg crownland of Vojvodina with Serbia, the country co-founded Yugoslavia with other South Slavic peoples, which would exist in various political formations until the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, which had devastating effects for the region. As a result, Serbia formed a union with Montenegro in 1992, which broke apart in 2006, when Serbia again became an independent country. In 2008 the parliament of Kosovo, Serbia's southern province with an Albanian ethnic majority, declared independence, with mixed responses from the international community.

Airbus A320 family

The Airbus A320 family consists of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger twin-engine jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, as well as the ACJ business jet. The A320s are also named A320ceo (current engine option) after the introduction of the A320neo. Final assembly of the family takes place in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany; a plant in Tianjin, China, has also been producing aircraft for Chinese airlines since 2009. Construction of a new production facility in Mobile, Alabama began in 2013. The aircraft family can accommodate up to 220 passengers and has a range of 3,100 to 12,000 km (1,700 to 6,500 nmi), depending on model.

The first member of the A320 family—the A320—was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was first delivered in March 1988. The family was soon extended to include the A321 (first delivered 1994), the A319 (1996), and the A318 (2003). The A320 family pioneered the use of digital fly-by-wire flight control systems, as well as side-stick controls, in commercial aircraft. There has been a continuous improvement process since introduction.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera (Arabic: الجزيرة‎ al-ǧazīrah IPA: [æl dʒæˈziːrɐ], literally "The Peninsula", referring to the Arabian Peninsula), also known as JSC (Jazeera Satellite Channel), is a Doha-based state-funded broadcaster owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network, which is partly funded by the House of Thani, the ruling family of Qatar. Initially launched as an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV channel, Al Jazeera has since expanded into a network with several outlets, including the Internet and specialty TV channels in multiple languages.

Al Jazeera is among the largest news organizations with 80 bureaus around the world. Al Jazeera is owned by the government of Qatar. While Al Jazeera officials have stated that they are editorially independent from the government of Qatar, this assertion has been disputed.

The original Al Jazeera channel's willingness to broadcast dissenting views, for example on call-in shows, created controversies in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. The station gained worldwide attention following the outbreak of war in Afghanistan, when it was the only channel to cover the war live, from its office there.

Air Serbia

Air Serbia (stylized as AirSERBIA) is the flag carrier and largest airline of Serbia. The airline was formerly known as Jat Airways until it was renamed in 2013. Air Serbia commenced operations under its new name on 26 October 2013 (2013-10-26). The airline has its hub at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport.

History

Air Serbia draws its heritage, including the airline code JU, from flag carriers of former Yugoslavia: Aeroput was established in Belgrade in 1927, and was replaced by Jugoslovenski Aerotransport (JAT) in 1948 as the national airline of the Socialist Yugoslavia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1990s, JAT became a flag carrier of Serbia and Montenegro (FR Yugoslavia) and was renamed Jat Airways in 2003. However, the aging fleet and lack of investments caused the company to record financial losses year after year, and several Serbian governments were looking after a strategic partner for the company.

On 1 August 2013, Jat Airways and Etihad Airways entered into an agreement of strategic partnership. Under the agreement, Etihad acquired a 49% stake in Jat Airways and management rights for a period of five years. The Republic of Serbia would retain the remaining 51% and hold five of nine monitoring committee seats in the company. Jat Airways was reorganized and renamed Air Serbia in October 2013 and launched its inaugural flight under its new name on 26 October 2013, from Belgrade to Abu Dhabi.