Srb

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Srb is a small village in the Gračac municipality, Zadar County, Croatia. It lies in the Una River valley in the Lika region, on the road from Donji Lapac to Knin, east of Gračac. The village covers about 17.7 square kilometers and sits at about 434 meters above sea level. In 2021, Srb had 301 residents.

Name and origins
The name Srb likely comes from a river-related term connected to the Una river spring. Some theories link it to a Serbian tribe mentioned in old records, but these notes are scarce and debated.

History in brief
- Medieval times: Srb was the center of a small župa (county) within a larger Croat duchy. It was ruled by noble families such as the Šubić and Nelipić. By 1345 it is mentioned as a royal fortress-citadel, with remains still visible today on a hill above the Sredice stream.
- 16th–17th centuries: The Ottoman conquest in 1520 brought significant population changes, including Vlach settlers. In the 17th century it was a crossroads linking Lapac, Bihać, and Udbina, and a Muslim settlement formed there.
- Croatian Military Frontier: After 1791, the area became part of the Croatian Military Frontier, with Muslim populations moving to Bosnia and Orthodox Serbs repopulating the land.
- World War II: Srb was part of the Independent State of Croatia. In 1941, an uprising began in Srb, organized by local Serbs, which led to reprisals.
- Late 20th century: In 1990, a large assembly of Croatian Serbs gathered in Srb and established a Serbian Assembly, with the Serbian National Council as its executive body. A referendum was planned for August. During the Croatian War of Independence, Srb was occupied by the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina until 1995, when many Serbs fled after Operation Storm.

Population changes
- 2011 census: 472 inhabitants
- 2021 census: 301 inhabitants

Srb today is a small village with a long, complex history shaped by regional conflicts and population shifts.