Yugoslavia

10 Pages 2432 Words

e, Podgorica, Niš, and Novi Sad. People
The Yugoslavs (i.e., South Slavs) consist of five ethnic groups—Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Macedonians, and Montenegrins—and the Bosnian Muslims. Closely related linguistically, they are separated by historical and cultural factors that ultimately led to the disintegration of Yugoslavia. Serbs dominate the present Republic of Yugoslavia, but ethnic Albanians form a large minority (in Kosovo) and there are smaller groups of Montenegrins and of Hungarians (in Vojvodina). The official language is Serbo-Croatian, which is written with the Cyrillic alphabet. The vast majority of Yugoslavs belong to the Orthodox Eastern Church; there is a significant Muslim population in Kosovo and the Sanjak region and some Catholics, particularly among the Hungarian population. There are universities in Belgrade, Niš, and Novi Sad.
Economy
Prior to World War II, Yugoslavia had an economy based primarily on agriculture. After the war, the Communist party imposed the Stalinist model of agricultural collectivization and rapid industrial development. The leadership soon relinquished orthodox Stalinism in favor of a less centralized “self-management” system and a return of much of the land to private ownership. The fertile Danubian plains of Vojvodina, in Serbia, are the most productive agricultural areas. Wheat, corn, hemp, sugar beets, and flax are the chief crops. Serbia proper has extensive vineyards and is a major fruit-growing region; plums are an important crop. Sheep and goat raising are important occupations in Montenegro.
Mining and manufacturing are the largest contributors to the economy; manufacturing is largely concentrated in Serbia proper, which is the most industrially developed region of Yugoslavia. Manufactures include iron, transport vehicles, and plastics. There are significant deposits of iron, bauxite, and petroleum in Montenegro and large coal reserves in Kosovo. The per capita gross nat...