Užice
Encyclopedia
Užice is a city and municipality
in western Serbia
, located at the banks of the Đetinja river. It is the administrative center of the Zlatibor District
. The municipality has a total population of 78,018, while the city itself has a population of 52,199, while including the suburban settlements of Buar
and Sevojno
, brings the population to 102,463 inhabitants (2002 census
).
, specifically the Parthini and Autariatae
tribes. Their tombs are found throughout the region. In the 3rd century BC, Scordisci
were formed here after the Gallic invasion of the Balkans
. The region was conquered by the Roman Empire
in 168 BC, being organized into the Illyricum province
in 32-27 BC, and after 10 AD, the province of Dalmatia
. The town municipium Capedunum existed here during Roman times, its name point at Celtic origin, (dun, fortress), similarly to Singidunum
, the founding of Belgrade
.
's rule (527–565), up to 100,000 Slavs raided Thessalonica. The region (Drina župania) was part of the Vlastimirović dynasty when they established the Serbian Principality, the first Serb state. Across the Drina
, the army of Časlav fought the invading Magyars in ca 950-960. The region was annexed by the Byzantine Empire
after 969, becoming part of the katepanate of Ras
, then the Theme of Sirmium.
The region may have been returned to Serbian hands in the 1040s, during the revolt against the Byzantines led by Stefan Vojislav, progenitor of the Vojislavljević dynasty. In 1083, Vukan and Marko are appointed vassal princes in Rascia
. In 1091, Vukan becomes independent, while Duklja
(up until this, the most powerful Serbian principality) slowly crumbles, eventually coming under the rule of "Rascia" - The Serbian Grand Principality
stays in the hands of the Vukanović dynasty until another line of the same dynasty is put to rule by Manuel I Komnenos
(r. 1143-1180). Zavida
, thought to be a brother of Uroš II and Desa, fled after trying to acquire an appanage or the throne itself for himself. Zavida's four sons divided the rule, each holding česti (parts): Stracimir
ruled West Morava (of which Užice is part of), Miroslav
ruled Zahumlje
and Travunia
, and Stefan Nemanja
was given Toplica, Ibar
, Rasina and Reke. Stefan Nemanja eventually wrestled the rule when defeating Tihomir in 1171, Stracimir continued ruling in Nemanja's name. The Nemanjić dynasty is named after Nemanja, who began the prospering of Serbia in the Middle Ages.
When King Dragutin abdicated in favor of his brother Milutin, he retained control of Užice region and was given the Mačva
region by the Hungarian
king, of which he formed the Kingdom of Srem
. When King Dragutin died, his lands were annexed to Serbia. The old Fortress, on the hill
, was founded in the mid 14th century. After the death of Emperor
Dušan the Mighty, in the period known as the "fall of the Serbian Empire
", Užice came under the control of Vojislav Vojinović
, a nobleman in the service of Emperor Uroš the Weak. When Vojislav died, his nephew Nikola Altomanović
controls the region. When child-less Uroš died, the former Imperial provincial lords begin fighting eachother. Serbian Autokrator Lazar Hrebeljanović
and Tvrtko I of Bosnia
defeated Nikola Altomanović, and divided his lands between themselves. Nikola was blinded in the fortress on the orders of Stefan Musić. Užice came under the control of Lazar, then the Serbian Despotate
under his son Stefan Lazarević
.
in 1463, and was part of the Sanjak of Smederevo
until 1807, when it was liberated by the Serbian revolution
aries, during the First Serbian Uprising
. It was the administrative seat of the region and district, with many merchants and craftsmen. Only at the end of the 19th century, it has started developing as an industrial town. So, a small factory making blankets and homespun felt started operating in Užice in 1868, and a leather factory was founded in 1880. Nevertheless, Užice was the first town in Serbia with a hydroelectric power plant
based on Nikola Tesla
's principles. It was built on the Đetinja River in 1900.
, who chose it as the capital of the Republic of Užice
. This republic was a short-lived military mini-state that existed in the autumn of 1941 in the western part of Nazi-occupied Serbia.
The Republic of Užice comprised almost the whole of western Serbia, with a population of more than 300,000 people. It was located between the Skrapež
river in the north, the river Drina
in the west, the river Zapadna Morava in the east, and the Uvac
river in the south.
At that time, the factories and workshops in Užice mainly produced items for military use; trains and roads were functioning, books and newspapers were published, while war was engulfing both Yugoslavia and the world in general.
In November 1941, the German army
re-occupied this territory, while the majority of Partisan forces escaped to Bosnia
, Sandžak
and Montenegro
.
.
In 1999 the city was bombed multiple times during the Operation Allied Force
. The largest scale of bombing occurred on May 6, 1999 when NATO forces bombed a large number of roads and highways, the airport, civilian buildings and government buildings. After the largest bombing operation in Užice occurred, thousands of people turned out at the city's main square to protest the bombings and destruction of the city and killings of civilians.
The most significant economic enterprises are: in non-ferrous metallurgy field Valjaonica bakra and Valjaonica aluminijuma (Copper rolling mill and Aluminium rolling mill), in metalworking field "Metaloprerada", "Alfaplast", "Tvrdi metal", "Woksal", "Sinter", "Autoventil", "FASAU", in textile industry "Frotex", "Kadinjača", "Desa Petronijević". The other bigger companies are: Factory producing chemical products "Kotroman" in Mokra Gora
, factory for leather and fur processing "Partizanka", The utilities for fruits-brandy production in "Agroindustrija" and Inex "Klekovača". There is a number of smaller industrial companies, too.
Apart from industry, some other economic and non-economic activities have also been developed, like: building construction and civil engineering
, agriculture
, traffic, trade, catering, banking, health service, educational system, cultural-artistic activities, etc.
to Europe and the United States.
The city has a developed textile
, leather
, machine
and metal
industry. Most companies have decided to build their factories on the outskirts of the city due to good communication connections, notably the close proximity of the main highway, railroad and airport.
There is also a large ammunition
s factory within Užice. Prvi Partizan
was established in 1928, in Užice. At first the company carried the name 'FOMU'. Today, Prvi Partizan makes over 350 types of ammunition, and is an important partner of Zastava Arms
. The company has a unique location, as it is partially located in a hill that is overlooking the city.
Užice-Ponikve Airport
is currently under reconstruction, and as a result cargo airlines will mostly use it for transporting goods. The airport management confirmed interest in low cost, scheduled and chartered airlines.
Uzice had always been a relatively well developed city in the former Yugoslavia. In 1981 Uzice's GDP per capita was 157% of the Yugoslav average.
The Gymnasium of Užice
is one of the oldest high school institutions in Serbia. Beside the gymnasium, there are also several other primary and secondary schools and faculties located in Užice.
Milutin Uskoković, writer from Užice, was admitted the author of the first modern novel in Serbia.
Municipalities of Serbia
Serbia is divided into 150 municipalities and 24 cities , which are the basic units of local self-government. The city may and may not be divided into city municipalities . Five cities, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac and Požarevac comprise several city municipalities, divided into "urban" ...
in western Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, located at the banks of the Đetinja river. It is the administrative center of the Zlatibor District
Zlatibor District
Zlatibor District is a district in the western, mountainous part of the Republic of Serbia. The district was named after the mountain region of Zlatibor. According to the 2011 Census Data, the Zlatibor District has a population of 284,729 people...
. The municipality has a total population of 78,018, while the city itself has a population of 52,199, while including the suburban settlements of Buar
Buar
Buar is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 1415....
and Sevojno
Sevojno
Sevojno is a local community in western Serbia, situated in Užice city, in Zlatibor District. The population of the town is 7,445 people . Sevojno is also an industrial center of the region with the Aluminum and Copper Factory . The town is also home to the football club FK Sevojno....
, brings the population to 102,463 inhabitants (2002 census
Demographics of Serbia
The demographics of Serbia have been shaped by its unique geographic location. Situated in the middle of the Balkans, many different ethnic groups are citizens of Serbia. Serbs are overwhelmingly the largest ethnic group in the country. Furthermore, Albanians have represented the largest minority...
).
Ancient era
The region surrounding Užice was first settled by IllyriansIllyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
, specifically the Parthini and Autariatae
Autariatae
The Autariatae or Autariates were an ancient people that eventually became the most powerful Illyrian tribe. Their territory was called...
tribes. Their tombs are found throughout the region. In the 3rd century BC, Scordisci
Scordisci
The Scordisci were an Iron Age tribe centered in the territory of present-day Serbia, at the confluence of the Savus , Dravus and Danube rivers. They were historically notable from the beginning of the third century BC until the turn of the common era...
were formed here after the Gallic invasion of the Balkans
Gallic invasion of the Balkans
Gallic groups, originating from the various La Tène chiefdoms, began a south-eastern movement into the Balkan peninsula from the 4th century BC. Although Celtic settlements were concentrated in the western half of the Carpathian basin, there were notable incursions, and settlements, within the...
. The region was conquered by the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
in 168 BC, being organized into the Illyricum province
Illyricum (Roman province)
The Roman province of Illyricum or Illyris Romana or Illyris Barbara or Illyria Barbara replaced most of the region of Illyria. It stretched from the Drilon river in modern north Albania to Istria in the west and to the Sava river in the north. Salona functioned as its capital...
in 32-27 BC, and after 10 AD, the province of Dalmatia
Dalmatia (Roman province)
Dalmatia was an ancient Roman province. Its name is probably derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Dalmatae which lived in the area of the eastern Adriatic coast in Classical antiquity....
. The town municipium Capedunum existed here during Roman times, its name point at Celtic origin, (dun, fortress), similarly to Singidunum
Singidunum
Singidunum is the name for the ancient city in Serbia which became Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was recorded that a Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the area in the 3rd century BC following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 75 BC and later garrisoned...
, the founding of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.
Middle Ages
Slavs are mentioned in the region since the 520s, when tribes pillaged the Eastern Roman Empire; during Justinian IJustinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
's rule (527–565), up to 100,000 Slavs raided Thessalonica. The region (Drina župania) was part of the Vlastimirović dynasty when they established the Serbian Principality, the first Serb state. Across the Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
, the army of Časlav fought the invading Magyars in ca 950-960. The region was annexed by the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
after 969, becoming part of the katepanate of Ras
Catepanate of Serbia
Catepanate of Ras or Serbia was a Byzantine province established between 971–976, during the rule of John Tzimiskes...
, then the Theme of Sirmium.
Rascia
Rascia was a medieval region that served as the principal province of the Serbian realm. It was an administrative division under the direct rule of the monarch and sometimes as an appanage. The term has been used to refer to various Serbian states throughout the Middle Ages...
. In 1091, Vukan becomes independent, while Duklja
Duklja
Doclea or Duklja was a medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro, from Kotor on the west to the river Bojana on the east and to the sources of Zeta and Morača rivers on the north....
(up until this, the most powerful Serbian principality) slowly crumbles, eventually coming under the rule of "Rascia" - The Serbian Grand Principality
Serbian Grand Principality
The Serbian Grand Principality or Rascia was a medieval state that was founded in 1090, and ended with the elevation to Kingdom in 1217. During the reign of Constantine Bodin, the King of Duklja, Vukan was appointed to rule Rascia as a vassal, and when Bodin was captured by the Byzantines, Vukan...
stays in the hands of the Vukanović dynasty until another line of the same dynasty is put to rule by Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos was a Byzantine Emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history of Byzantium and the Mediterranean....
(r. 1143-1180). Zavida
Zavida
Zavida or Beli Uroš was a 12th-century Serbian royal member who briefly ruled as Župan of Zahumlje and later held the title "Lord of Ribnica"....
, thought to be a brother of Uroš II and Desa, fled after trying to acquire an appanage or the throne itself for himself. Zavida's four sons divided the rule, each holding česti (parts): Stracimir
Stracimir Zavidović
Stracimir Zavidović was a 12th-century Serbian Prince of West Morava in 1163-1166, an administrative division of the Medieval Serbian Principality....
ruled West Morava (of which Užice is part of), Miroslav
Miroslav of Hum
Miroslav Zavidović or Miroslav of Hum was a 12th-century Great Prince of Zachlumia from 1162 to 1190, an administrative division of the medieval Serbian Principality covering Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia....
ruled Zahumlje
Zahumlje
Zachlumia or Zahumlje was a medieval principality located in modern-day regions of Herzegovina and southern Dalmatia...
and Travunia
Travunia
Travunia was a medieval region, administrative unit and principality, which was part of Medieval Serbia , and in its last years, the Bosnian Kingdom . The county became hereditary in a number of noble houses, often kin to the ruling dynasty. The region came under Ottoman rule in 1482...
, and Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from 1166 to 1196, a heir of the Vukanović dynasty that marked the beginning of a greater Serbian realm .He is remembered for his contributions to Serbian culture and...
was given Toplica, Ibar
Ibar
-Places:* Ibar , in Montenegro and Serbia* Ibar Reserve in Rila, Bulgaria* Ibar Rocks, a rock formation in Antarctica* Ibar highway, in Serbia-People:* Ibar of Beggerin , Irish saint* Íbar of Killibar Beg, Irish saint...
, Rasina and Reke. Stefan Nemanja eventually wrestled the rule when defeating Tihomir in 1171, Stracimir continued ruling in Nemanja's name. The Nemanjić dynasty is named after Nemanja, who began the prospering of Serbia in the Middle Ages.
When King Dragutin abdicated in favor of his brother Milutin, he retained control of Užice region and was given the Mačva
Macva
Mačva is a geographical region in Serbia, mostly situated in the northwest of Central Serbia. It is located in a fertile plain between the Sava and Drina rivers. The chief town of this region is Šabac. The modern Mačva District of Serbia is named after the region, although the region of Mačva...
region by the Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
king, of which he formed the Kingdom of Srem
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
. When King Dragutin died, his lands were annexed to Serbia. The old Fortress, on the hill
Stari Grad, Užice
Stari Grad ; is the remains of a fortress near the town of Užice, in central Serbia. It is an example of typical medieval Serbian architecture. Historians believe it was built between the 12th and 13th centuries to control movement along nearby roads, and the town of Užice...
, was founded in the mid 14th century. After the death of Emperor
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
Dušan the Mighty, in the period known as the "fall of the Serbian Empire
Fall of the Serbian Empire
Following the death of child-less Uroš the Weak, the Serbian Empire was left without an heir and the military commanders obtained the rule of the past provinces and districts , continuing their offices with titles such as gospodin and despot etc., given to them during the Empire...
", Užice came under the control of Vojislav Vojinović
Vojislav Vojinović
Vojislav Vojinović was a 14th-century Serbian nobleman that held the title "Duke of Gacko" from 1349 to 1363. He was a members of the Serbian noble House of Vojinović. Emperor Dušan the Mighty installed him as a "Duke of Hum" in 1358....
, a nobleman in the service of Emperor Uroš the Weak. When Vojislav died, his nephew Nikola Altomanović
Nikola Altomanovic
Nikola Altomanović was Serbian župan from 14th century. He ruled vast areas from Rudnik, over Polimlje, Podrinje, east Herzegovina with Trebinje, till Konavle and Dračevica, neighboring the Republic of Dubrovnik...
controls the region. When child-less Uroš died, the former Imperial provincial lords begin fighting eachother. Serbian Autokrator Lazar Hrebeljanović
Lazar of Serbia
Lazar Hrebeljanović , was a medieval nobleman that emerged as the most powerful Serbian ruler after the death of the previous, childless, Emperor Uroš the Weak, which resulted in years of instability in the Serbian realm. As Stefan Lazar, he was Prince of Serbia from 1371 to 1389, ruling what is...
and Tvrtko I of Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
defeated Nikola Altomanović, and divided his lands between themselves. Nikola was blinded in the fortress on the orders of Stefan Musić. Užice came under the control of Lazar, then the Serbian Despotate
Serbian Despotate
The Serbian Despotate was a Serbian state, the last to be conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is generally considered the end of the medieval Serbian state, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravian Serbia survived for 70 more years,...
under his son Stefan Lazarević
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
.
Ottoman occupation
Užice fell to the Ottoman TurksOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1463, and was part of the Sanjak of Smederevo
Sanjak of Smederevo
The Sanjak of Smederevo , also known as the Pashaluk of Belgrade , was an Ottoman administrative unit , that existed between the 15th and the outset of the 19th centuries...
until 1807, when it was liberated by the Serbian revolution
Serbian revolution
Serbian revolution or Revolutionary Serbia refers to the national and social revolution of the Serbian people taking place between 1804 and 1835, during which this territory evolved from an Ottoman province into a constitutional monarchy and a modern nation-state...
aries, during the First Serbian Uprising
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
. It was the administrative seat of the region and district, with many merchants and craftsmen. Only at the end of the 19th century, it has started developing as an industrial town. So, a small factory making blankets and homespun felt started operating in Užice in 1868, and a leather factory was founded in 1880. Nevertheless, Užice was the first town in Serbia with a hydroelectric power plant
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
based on Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
's principles. It was built on the Đetinja River in 1900.
World War II
In 1941, Užice was liberated by the PartizansPartisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
, who chose it as the capital of the Republic of Užice
Republic of Užice
The Republic of Užice was a short-lived liberated Yugoslav territory and the first liberated territory in World War II Europe, organized as a military mini-state that existed in the autumn of 1941 in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia, more specifically the western part of Serbia...
. This republic was a short-lived military mini-state that existed in the autumn of 1941 in the western part of Nazi-occupied Serbia.
The Republic of Užice comprised almost the whole of western Serbia, with a population of more than 300,000 people. It was located between the Skrapež
Skrapež
Skrapež is a village in the municipality of Vlasotince, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 215 people....
river in the north, the river Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
in the west, the river Zapadna Morava in the east, and the Uvac
Uvac
The Uvac is the river in southwestern Serbia and Republika Srpska, 119 km long right and major tributary of the Lim, loosely making the northern border of the Sandžak/Raška region...
river in the south.
At that time, the factories and workshops in Užice mainly produced items for military use; trains and roads were functioning, books and newspapers were published, while war was engulfing both Yugoslavia and the world in general.
In November 1941, the German army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
re-occupied this territory, while the majority of Partisan forces escaped to Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Sandžak
Sandžak
Sandžak also known as Raška is a historical region lying along the border between Serbia and Montenegro...
and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
.
Yugoslav era
Within the former Yugoslavia (established after the Second world War), Užice was renamed "Titovo Užice" (Титово Ужице). From 1992, following the collapse of the pro-communist administration, "Titovo" (meaning Tito's) was removed, leaving the original city name Užice. It was one of eight towns renamed Tito's town in Yugoslavia. Due to being "Titovo" and central-planning communist system, Užice received significant amounts of investments in infrastructure and local factories, which made the city one of the most highy developed for its size in former Yugoslavia. Following the break-up of the region, all the towns dropped the "Titovo" title.1990s
During the 1990s Užice's economy shrinked rapidly due to war and instability in the regionYugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
.
In 1999 the city was bombed multiple times during the Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
. The largest scale of bombing occurred on May 6, 1999 when NATO forces bombed a large number of roads and highways, the airport, civilian buildings and government buildings. After the largest bombing operation in Užice occurred, thousands of people turned out at the city's main square to protest the bombings and destruction of the city and killings of civilians.
Modern Užice
Today, industry is the heart of the Užice municipality economic development. The most developed industrial branches are non-ferrous metallurgy, metal working and textile industries. Užice municipality has a 30% share of the total industrial production of the region, and the major volume of industrial products made in Užice municipality is exported.The most significant economic enterprises are: in non-ferrous metallurgy field Valjaonica bakra and Valjaonica aluminijuma (Copper rolling mill and Aluminium rolling mill), in metalworking field "Metaloprerada", "Alfaplast", "Tvrdi metal", "Woksal", "Sinter", "Autoventil", "FASAU", in textile industry "Frotex", "Kadinjača", "Desa Petronijević". The other bigger companies are: Factory producing chemical products "Kotroman" in Mokra Gora
Mokra Gora
Mokra Gora , meaning the Wet Mountain in English, is a village in Serbia on the northern slopes of mountain Zlatibor. Emphasis on historical reconstruction has made it into a popular tourist center with unique attractions....
, factory for leather and fur processing "Partizanka", The utilities for fruits-brandy production in "Agroindustrija" and Inex "Klekovača". There is a number of smaller industrial companies, too.
Apart from industry, some other economic and non-economic activities have also been developed, like: building construction and civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, traffic, trade, catering, banking, health service, educational system, cultural-artistic activities, etc.
Municipality
The municipality of Užice includes the following settlements:
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Zbojštica Zbojštica is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 172.... Zlakusa Zlakusa is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 694.... Kamenica (Užice) Kamenica is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 272.... Karan (Užice) Karan is a village in western Serbia. It is located in the municipality of Užice, in the Zlatibor District.According to the 2002 census, its population numbered 582.... Kacer Kačer is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 507.... Keserovina Keserovina is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 589 people.... Kotroman (Užice) Kotroman is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 182.... Krvavci Krvavci is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 311.... Kremna Kremna is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, Kremna had a population of 722 people. Kremna is well known for world famous prophets Miloš Tarabić and his nephew Mitar Tarabić... Kršanje Kršanje is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 167.... Lelici Lelići is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village numbered 381 people.... Ljubanje Ljubanje is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 708.... Mokra Gora Mokra Gora , meaning the Wet Mountain in English, is a village in Serbia on the northern slopes of mountain Zlatibor. Emphasis on historical reconstruction has made it into a popular tourist center with unique attractions.... Nikojevici Nikojevići is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 416.... |
Panjak Panjak is a village in the Trstenik municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 109.... Pear (Užice) Pear is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 537.... Ponikovica Ponikovica is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia.... Potocanje Potočanje is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 564.... Potpece Potpeće is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 512.... Ravni (Užice) Ravni is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 558.... Raduša (Užice) Raduša is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 524.... Ribaševina Ribaševina is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia.... Sevojno Sevojno is a local community in western Serbia, situated in Užice city, in Zlatibor District. The population of the town is 7,445 people . Sevojno is also an industrial center of the region with the Aluminum and Copper Factory . The town is also home to the football club FK Sevojno.... Skržuti Skržuti is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 817.... Stapari Stapari is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 974.Remnants of material culture from the early Stone Age were found in Stapari... Strmac (Užice) Strmac is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia. In the 2002 census, the village had a population of 296 people.... Trnava (Užice) Trnava is a village located in the Užice municipality of Serbia.... |
Economy
Užice exports fresh food and vegetablesFood industry
The food production is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that together supply much of the food energy consumed by the world population...
to Europe and the United States.
The city has a developed textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, machine
Machine
A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
and metal
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
industry. Most companies have decided to build their factories on the outskirts of the city due to good communication connections, notably the close proximity of the main highway, railroad and airport.
There is also a large ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
s factory within Užice. Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan is an ammunition manufacturer, located in Užice, Serbia. Founded in 1928 as FOMU - Fabrika Oružje Municija Užice. The company produces ammunition for civilian and military consumers in a variety of calibers in various loadings. Their products are available worldwide...
was established in 1928, in Užice. At first the company carried the name 'FOMU'. Today, Prvi Partizan makes over 350 types of ammunition, and is an important partner of Zastava Arms
Zastava Arms
Zastava Arms is a Serbian manufacturer of firearms and artillery. It was founded in 1853 when it cast its first cannons. It is currently the leading producer of firearms in Serbia and is a large contributor to the local defence industry...
. The company has a unique location, as it is partially located in a hill that is overlooking the city.
Užice-Ponikve Airport
Užice-Ponikve Airport
Užice-Ponikve Airport also known as Lepa Glava is an airport in the western part of Serbia...
is currently under reconstruction, and as a result cargo airlines will mostly use it for transporting goods. The airport management confirmed interest in low cost, scheduled and chartered airlines.
Uzice had always been a relatively well developed city in the former Yugoslavia. In 1981 Uzice's GDP per capita was 157% of the Yugoslav average.
Culture
The library and theater are located in the main square in the city center. Also located in the area are newspaper agencies, radio and television stations and publishing companies. The city gallery is located in the low lands of Pašinovac, in the oldest area of the city. The national museum opens the doors of the cultural and historical treasures of the city, and with its exhibitions, shows the centuries of rich Užice history. It is located on the Eastern side of the main city street.The Gymnasium of Užice
Gymnasium of Užice
Gymnasium of Užice is a secondary school in Užice, Serbia.-Early history:Construction of the school began in 1838, there being a serious interest among Uzice craftsmen and traders for the development of education in the city. The school opened in 1839 and the only professor was Milan Mijatovic...
is one of the oldest high school institutions in Serbia. Beside the gymnasium, there are also several other primary and secondary schools and faculties located in Užice.
Milutin Uskoković, writer from Užice, was admitted the author of the first modern novel in Serbia.
Architecture
Some distinctive buildings in Užice are:- Old Town-fortressStari Grad, UžiceStari Grad ; is the remains of a fortress near the town of Užice, in central Serbia. It is an example of typical medieval Serbian architecture. Historians believe it was built between the 12th and 13th centuries to control movement along nearby roads, and the town of Užice...
, 14th-century fortress - St. George's Cathedral
- Building of the Municipality of Užice
- Užička gimnazija (The Užican Gymnasium)
- Jokanovića kućaJokanovica kucaJokanovića kuća , is one of the oldest buildings in Užice. Jokanovića kuća was the property of one of the richest merchant families of Uzice in the second half of 19th century - the Jokanovic family. It is also known under the name "peccara"...
(The House of Jokanovićs, one of the oldest buildings in Užice)
Media
Užice is turning into the regional media center of western Serbia.- TV stations: TV5 UžiceTV5 UžiceTV5 Užice is a Serbian television network aired locally to the city of Užice in Western Serbia. It is privately owned and the most watched local network in Užice.-History:TV5 first aired in July 1994. At the time, the Yugoslavia civil war was ranging...
, TV Alfa, TV Lav, TV SOS - Radio stations: Radio Užice, Radio 31, Radio LunaRadio LunaRadio Luna is a radio station in Montenegro. Its headquarters are in Plav. It is part of RTV Luna....
, Radio Delfin, Radio Lav, Radio SOS - Newspapers: VestiVestiRussia 24 is a VGTRK-owned international and national Russian-language news channel from Russia. It covers major national and international events with a Russian perspective and a focus on domestic issues....
, Užička nedelja
Demographics (2002 census)
| Municipality Ethnic Composition (2002 census) | |||||||||
| Ethnic group | Population | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 81,375 | ||||||||
| Montenegrins | 278 | ||||||||
| Yugoslavs | 149 | ||||||||
| Others | 1,220 | ||||||||
| TOTAL | 83,022 | ||||||||
Politics
Percentage of votes won for the municipality parliament in the 2008 local elections:| Party | % of vote | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electoral coalition For a European Serbia | 41.5 | |||
| Serbian Radical Party Serbian Radical Party The Serbian Radical Party is a far-right Serbian nationalist political party in Serbia, founded in 1991. Currently the second-largest party in the Serbian National Assembly, it has branches in three of the nations that currently border Serbia – all former federal republics of Yugoslavia... |
19.4 | |||
| For Užice to win - Democratic Party of Serbia Democratic Party of Serbia The Democratic Party of Serbia is a political party in Serbia.-Foundation:The Democratic Party of Serbia was founded when a faction of the Democratic Party that supported its involvement in the Democratic Movement of Serbia split from the party and formed their own in 1992.Soon after the March... , New Serbia New Serbia New Serbia is a political party in Serbia. It was created in 1997 by a number of dissidents from the Serbian Renewal Movement.... , Pensioners party and League for Užice coalition |
24.6 | |||
| Liberal Democratic Party | 5.7 | |||
| Socialist Party of Serbia Socialist Party of Serbia The Socialist Party of Serbia is officially a democratic socialist political party in Serbia. It is also widely recognized as a de facto Serbian nationalist party, though the party itself does not officially acknowledge this... |
8.8 | |||
| Source: Local Elections in Serbia 2008 | ||||