Statistical Release
Environment - Physical environmental accounts
05.12.2025
Final data Periodicity: annual Next publication date: 04.12.2026

Material flow indicators, 2024

In 2024, domestic material consumption amounted to 151 453 thousand tons, which is by 6.9% less if compared to 2023.

In 2024, domestic extraction amounted to 145 713 thousand tonnes; compared to the previous year it decreased by 4.5%. Observed by categories, the largest share in domestic extraction was noted for the categories of metal ores (46 082 thousand tons) and non-metalic minerals (35 387 thousand tons).

In 2024, the total imports amounted to 22 641 thousand tonnes, which is by 6.2% less when related to 2023. Categories with the largest share in imports were fossil energy materials (44.0%) and metal ores (18.6%).

In 2024, the total exports noted the value of 16 901 thousand tonnes, which is by 19.7% more than in 2023. Biomass had the largest share in the total exports (47.0%), followed by metal ores (19.3%).

In 2024, domestic material consumption amounted to 151 453 thousand tons, which is by 6.9% less if compared to 2023.The greatest consumption related to the category of metal ores (47 020 thousand tons) and fossil energy materials (40 952 thousand tons). In 2024, domestic material consumption per capita amounted to 23.0 ton, i.e. it decreased by 1.6 ton when compared to the previous year.

Resource productivity is the ratio between Gross domestic product (GDP) and domestic material consumption and in 2024, it amounted to 48.1 RSD per kilogram, which is by 11.6% more than in 2023, meaning that increase of material consumption was smaller than GDP increase, when related to the previous year.


1. Material flow indicators

Republic of Serbia                                                                                                                                                                            thous. tonnes
  Year Domestic extraction resources Imports Exports Domestic material consumption Physical trade balance
1 2 3 4 = 1 + 2 - 3 5 = 2 - 3
Total2023152611241281411516262410013
202414571322641169011514535740
Biomass2023377093210602934890-2819
2024319023599793827563-4339
Metal ores (gross ores)20234214442493242431511007
2024460824200326247020938
Non-metalic minerals20233976332352234407641001
20243538736552639364031016
Fossil energy materials/carriers2023329961221312254398410988
20243234299601350409528610
Other products2023-12211386-165-165
2024-12261712-486-486

2. Resource efficiency indicators

Republic of Serbia
  2023 2024
8.4.2 (12.2.2) Domestic Material Consumption per capita (t)24.623.0
Resource productivity (RSD/kg)43.148.1 p)

p) Preliminary data.

 


Methodological explanations

Material flows include material flows between a national economy and the natural environment, and these consist of the extraction of raw materials and other primary materials from and the discharge into the natural environment, as well as material flows between a national economy and the rest of the world (imports and exports).

The classification of materials used in the Material flow account classifies domestic extracted resources into four categories: biomass (from agriculture, forestry and fishing), metal ores, non-metals (stone, clay, etc.) and fossil energy materials (coal, oil, gas). 

Classification of materials used in the Material flow account:

The basic principles and methods for creating accounts of material flows for the level of total economy, as well as the results for the Republic of Serbia were presented in the publication “Material flow indicators of the Republic of Serbia, 2001–2011“ and can be found at SORS website.

Data series of material flow indicators are available at SORS website, in the database with methodological explanation.

Starting from 1999 the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has not at disposal and may not provide available data relative to AP Kosovo and Metohija and therefore these data are not included in the coverage for the Republic of Serbia (total).