Serbia possesses important sources of energy, raw materials and production capacities, particularly electric energy which for many years has been one of its chief exports. Hydroelectric power plants on the Danube, Drina, Vlasina and Lim rivers and the thermal power plants in Obrenovac, Kostolac and Obilic, produce 32,463 million kWh. Mining in Serbia was developed in the Middle Ages, when sizable quantities of silver, gold and lead were extracted. Today, The Republic is a major producer of lead, copper and zinc, and of intermediate and finished products of these and other metals.

According to all the indices, present-day Serbia is a medium-developed industrial country with extensive capacities for food, textile and metal-processing industries. Other large industries include the manufacturing of cars, agricultural machinery and tractors, household appliances, mineral fertilizers, the petro-chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Serbia has an active regional development policy that encourages the development in Kosovo and Metohija and other insufficiently developed regions. Kosovo and Metohija has made significant progress in economic development, mainly due to the assistance from the Republic and the Federation.