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Yugoslavia Facts & Worksheets

Yugoslavia, a former country in Southeast and Central Europe, was founded in 1918 and ceased existing in 1992. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia comprised three countries: Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia.

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Yugoslavia, a former country in Southeast and Central Europe, was founded in 1918 and ceased existing in 1992. Known as the “Land of the South Slavs,” the Kingdom of Yugoslavia comprised three countries: Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. When it became the Socialist Federal Republic in 1963, its territory expanded to include the republics of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia.

See the fact file below for more information about Yugoslavia, or you can download our 30-page Yugoslavia worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

OVERVIEW

  • Yugoslavia, or “Land of the South Slavs,” was a former country in Europe that went through three different forms from 1918 to 2006.
  • When it was the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, it was home to 22 national parks and 495 natural monuments.
  • Prior to the independence of Slovenia and Croatia in 199, Yugoslavia had a population of approximately 23.5 million inhabitants. 
  • Yugoslavia’s official languages were Serbo-Croatian, Slovene and Macedonian.
  • The official currency of Yugoslavia was the dinar, which was adopted from Serbia until 1918.
  • It then became the Yugoslav Krone for Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.
  • Today, the Euro is the official currency of Serbia and Montenegro. 
  • Belgrade was the capital of Yugoslavia and remains the Capital of Serbia today.
  • In Serbian, Belgrade or Belgard directly translates to “white city.”

TOPONYMY

  •  The name Yugoslavia comes from the combination of two Slavic terms: jug (which means “south”) and Slaveni/Sloveni (which refers to Slavs).
  • It stopped being called that name in 2003 when the country was reformed as the state union of Serbia and Montenegro.

GEOGRAPHY

  • Yugoslavia was the 9th largest country in Europe, with 255,400 square kilometers in land area.
  • Clockwise from the north, it was bordered by Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania.
  • Yugoslavia’s terrain could not be defined by only one characteristic. For instance, the country had fertile plains in the northern regions and ancient hills and mountains to the southeast.

HISTORY

  • In 1918, after World War I, Yugoslavia came into existence.
  • Yugoslavia was formerly known as the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes from 1918 to 1928.
  • It was then known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1928 to World War II. 
  • When World War II was over, it was renamed again and was known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
  • The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia comprised six individual Socialist Republics.
  • These six were SR Croatia, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Macedonia, SR Montenegro, SR Serbia, and SR Slovenia.
  • During the 1970s to 1980s, the Yugoslav Republics began to turn against each other.
  • Josip Broz Tito, the president of the Socialist Federal Republic during that time, played a pivotal role in keeping the peace among all Yugoslavian nations.
  • Josip Tito served from 1953 until his death in 1980.
  • The death of Josip Tito resulted in socialist republic leaders’ nationalist stances growing within the republics of Yugoslavia, thus triggering the breakup of Yugoslavia’s republics.
  • Slovenia was the first to declare sovereignty from Yugoslavia in 1990, then Croatia declared independence in 1991.
  • In the following year (1992), North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina also declared independence. 
  • These declarations of independence caused the end of Yugoslavia.
  • Serbia and Montenegro, the remaining two republics in the Socialist Yugoslavia, at that time formed a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
  • In 2006, Serbia and Montenegro became independent states, formally ending the remaining parts of Yugoslavia.
  • Today, the former Yugoslavia is broken down into seven countries that formerly comprised it. 
  • These countries are Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.
  • Among these seven (7), Kosovo is the only part not recognized by the United Nations as a country.

FLAG OF YUGOSLAVIA

  • The flag of Yugoslavia was a horizontal tricolor of blue, white, and red bands, symbolizing the unity of all Southern Slavs.
  • Blue symbolized the blue sky, white symbolizes freedom, and red represented the blood spilled in World War II during the war for national liberation.
  • The star was added in the center to represent the victory of Yugoslav Partisans in World War II.
  • This was removed during the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

CAPITAL OF YUGOSLAVIA

  • Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia, is one of the most ancient European cities.
  • It was bombed two times during World War II, first by the Axis Powers in 1941 and then by the Allied Forces in 1944.
  • After its liberation in October 1944, it became a major industrial center and is now the capital and biggest city of Serbia.

FORMER YUGOSLAVIA COUNTRIES

MONTENEGRO

  • After World War I, the Kingdom of Montenegro became part of Yugoslavia.
  • After the split of Yugoslavia, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro jointly proclaimed a federation.
  • Montenegro gained independence from the federation in June 2006.
  • Today, it is the seventh country in the world with the biggest number of UNESCO-protected areas and heritage sites, including the deepest canyon in Europe, the Tara River Canyon.

SERBIA

  • During World War I, Serbia formed Yugoslavia with other Balkan countries.
  • The then-capital of Yugoslavia, Belgrade, is now Serbia’s capital city.
  • This country is known for its one-of-a-kind cuisine, medieval fortresses and monasteries and fortresses, and fruit exports.
  • Serbia was home to the Vinča culture, an ancient civilization where the oldest form of writing came from.

NORTH MACEDONIA

  • North Macedonia is a landlocked country rich in lakes, valleys, and mountains.
  • It used to be known as the Socialist Republic of Macedonia when it was still part of Yugoslavia.
  • The Cyrillic alphabet, which included letters to symbolize and represent Slavic sounds not found in the Greek alphabet, originated from Macedonia.

SLOVENIA

  • When it was a part of Yugoslavia, the industrial production of Slovenia was four times greater than Serbia’s and 22 times greater than North Macedonia’s.
  • In June 1991, Slovenia declared its independence.
  • Slovenia is famous for its breathtaking scenery, intricate caves, crystal-clear lakes, and breathtaking ski resorts.
  • It is said to be one of the most advanced countries formerly part of Yugoslavia.

CROATIA

  • Next to Slovenia, Croatia was the second former Yugoslavian republic to join the European Union on July 1, 2013.
  • Croatia’s tourism has been becoming more popular since its independence.
  • The only known aquatic cave vertebrate called the olm is found in Croatia.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina was a significant Balkan province during the Ottoman Empire.
  • It gained independence after the 1990s Bosnian War.
  • Its famous capital, Sarajevo, is where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, which ignited World War I.
  • After it declared independence from Yugoslavia, its diverse population mostly comprised Serbs, Croats, and Bosnian Muslims.

Yugoslavia Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Yugoslavia across 30 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia, a former country in Southeast and Central Europe, was founded in 1918 and ceased existing in 1992. Known as the “Land of the South Slavs,” the Kingdom of Yugoslavia comprised three countries: Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Yugoslavia Facts
  2. Missing Info
  3. Correct the Mistakes
  4. Fill in the Blanks
  5. What Happened Next? 
  6. Map of Yugoslavia
  7. Capital City Crossword
  8. Famous Leader
  9. What’s in a Name?
  10. More About Montenegro
  11. Something About Serbia

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Yugoslavia?

Yugoslavia was a country located in Southeastern Europe. It existed in various forms from 1918 to 2003 and was initially known as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. After World War II, it became the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a socialist federation of multiple republics.

How did Yugoslavia come into existence?

Yugoslavia was created after World War I when several South Slavic regions, including Serbia, Montenegro, and parts of Croatia and Slovenia, unified under the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in 1918. The goal was to unite South Slavs into a single nation.

What were the main ethnic groups in Yugoslavia?

Yugoslavia was home to several major ethnic groups, including Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Bosniaks, Montenegrins, and Macedonians. These diverse ethnicities often led to complex political and social dynamics within the country.

Why did Yugoslavia break apart?

Yugoslavia experienced a series of political and economic challenges in the late 20th century. Ethnic tensions, economic struggles, and the rise of nationalism in some republics contributed to its breakup. The Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001) marked a violent dissolution of the country into several independent nations, including Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia.

What is the legacy of Yugoslavia today?

The breakup of Yugoslavia left a lasting legacy on the Balkan region. It resulted in ongoing political and ethnic tensions, as well as the establishment of new countries. Each of the successor states has its own unique history and challenges, and the memory of Yugoslavia continues to shape political discourse and international relations in the region.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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