Serbia covers 88,361 km², which is one-third of the former Yugoslavia, and consists of three large regions:
the Vojvodina plains with 21,506 km2,
the central flatland-hill-mountain area with 55,968 km3, and
the hill-mountain-valley area of Kosovo and Metohija with 10,887km2.
In terms of the geographic position, Serbia is:
A Danube River Basin state - the middle Danube River flows through its territory,
A Balkan state - it is located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, and
A southern European state in the immediate vicinity of the Mediterranean sea, although without a direct outlet to the sea, rather through the republic of Montenegro to the Adriatic and through the Morava-Vardar river valleys to the Aegean Sea.
Serbia's central position on the Balkan Peninsula and in the middle Danube River Basin enables more intensive links and inclusion in the international division of labor. In terms of spatial-functional, and particularly developmental potential, the Danube-Sava and Morava axis constitutes an intersection concentration development polarization. This is of crucial importance in understanding and establishing the key premises and factors that influence Serbia's spatial utilization system.
Based on its advantageous geographic-communications position, the intensification of links with the countries of Central and Western Europe and the countries of Southern and Eastern Europe and promoting and developing transit and mediator functions between Europe and Asia, Serbia has the possibility of rationally and efficiently developing its spatial-functional position. The centripetal and convergent characteristics of the middle Danube River Basin geographic area, in particular the Novi Sad-Belgrade-Pancevo-Smederevo corridor where Serbia's largest urban agglomeration is located with metropolitan forms and activities have a polarizing effect on Serbia's overall space. The drawing power of this area is demonstrated by the concentration of production, services and other activities, and through the agglomeration of the population on a relatively confined area, which has an important impact on the utilization of space.
The advantageous geographic-communications position of Vojvodina and its southern edge, where there is a strong tendency to concentrate along the Novi Sad-Belgrade-Pancevo-Smederevo corridor, is not sufficiently used within the frame-work of the international division of labor. Serbia's central part is complex spatial unit, going from north to south from flat-lands to a rugged hill and mountain area. The Morava development axis extends through its middle, with the transversal connection of the Zapadna Morava axis with considerable development and spatial-functional potentials. This transversal axis of development, through Nis as a macroregional center, is continued with a somewhat weaker axis along the Nisava river valley towards the Bulgarian border. the region of Kosovo and Metohija has the most complex geographic structure. The Kosovo valley has relatively good communication links with Serbia, while the Metohija valley is insufficiently integrated into the rest of Serbia.
An analysis of the data indicates numerous important differences between the large regions and the same time points out their specific features, particularly in terms of spatial utilization. Settlements in Vojvodina are large both in area and population, but with the least density. unlike Vojvodina, Kosovo and Metohija settlements are primarily small, but with almost double the population density. Central Serbia has disparate settlement size, but with lower population density.

(Source: 1991 Census, Federal Office of Statistics, Belgrade, 1993)