Nis is located in Southern Serbia in the long Nishava river valley, on 48 15' latitude and 21 52' longitude.It is one of the oldest cities in the Balkan's known as the "Gateway" between East and West because of its geographical position as the crossroad of Balkan and European traffic lines which connect Europe with Near east an Greece.Inner part of the city is at an altitude of 194 meters above sea level.The city covers an area of 596,74 km.

The town is cultural,industrial,political center of region and the 2nd big city in Serbia & Montenegro. According to the results of 1991 census, Nis had a population of 247.898 inhabitanants (today more than 300.000)

Almost all Serbs are orthodox. You can find also Catholic churches, Muslim mosques, Jewish churches of a minor religion groups like Baptists, Lutherans...

HISTORY
The city has, a long, reach history (from 3rd century B.C.).
In the pre-Roman period, Illyrians, Thracians, Celts and some other nations populated Nis and the surrounding area. Celts defeated the Illyrians in the 3rd century B.C. occupied this area and gave Nis its permanent name NAISSUS meaning "The city of nymphs" according to the ancient pagan belief that nymphs appear out of the river Nisava. In the 2nd centuries A.D. the Romans made Nis a military town. In the period of the late Roman Empire (306 A.D.) Flavius Valerius Constantine was declared an emperor. He made Nis capital of the empire, and built a luxurious place Mediana.
In 441 A.D. there was massive invasion of Huns on the Balkans, and many towns including Nis were destroyed.
The sixth century marked the beginning colonization of the Balkans, Nis and surrounding area by Slavs.
From the 7 th century Nis developed as a Byzantine city, but with Slavic population.
In 1183 Serbian head of the tribal state Stevan Nemanja occupied Nis.
In 1386 the Turks occupied Nis and December 29, 1877 Nis was finally liberated from Turks.
In 1878 the first city high school was established, 1881 1st bank, 1884 railway between Belgrade & Nis, 1886 Royal Serbian Academy, 1894 national library etc.
In 1914 Nis became center of the Serbian  government and parliament. Nis was the town were telegram from Vienna declaring war on Serbia, arrived (beginning of the 1st Word War).
During 1915-18 Nis was under German-Bulgarian occupation.This was a period of great sufferings.The Bulgarian occupations executed Serbian patriots at the "Death Gate" of the Nis fortress.
In 1918 after winning in the 1st Word war, in Nis became Kingdom of Yugoslavia
In 1941 German fascist set up a concentration camp, called the death camp, because over 12000 prisoners were executed on Bubanj hill near Nis.
Nis was liberated on October 14,1944
In 1965 Nis became a University town.