Belgrade is not only the geographical capital of Serbia; it is also the country's cultural, educational, scientific, and business hub. It also has a special administrative status in the country, being the seat of the central government and ministries. Belgrade, as a business center, hosts the majority of Serbian and several international businesses. Media and scientific institutions have also found their base in the region. Microsoft, ComTrade, Schneider Electric, Grid Dynamics, Philip Morris, and a range of other renowned names call Belgrad one of their home office hubs. The transport network ensures the possibility to reach numerous destinations by road, rail, air, and water transport means. The city's geographical position is fatally strategic; that's why it has been batted 115 times throughout history. 38 times, it rose from ashes. Nowadays, Belgrade, as a business center, is a place with excellent economic performance, as far as over 31% of all employed people of the country work in its capital city. On top of that, the area hosts a free trade zone that is situated in the broader region of Belgrade, Smederevo, and Pančevo, on the banks of the Danube river. This zone occupies 2000 square kilometres.
