The municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi is located in the central basin of the river Mlava, between the Homolje mountains and the Gornjačka gorge in the south and the Stig plain in the north, Eastern Serbia. It covers an area of ​​655 square kilometers, with 41,220 inhabitants and 10,300 households in 34 settlements. It is estimated that about 10,000 people are temporarily working abroad.

In terms of area in the Branicevo district to which it belongs, out of 8 municipalities, it is in third place (behind Zagubica and Kucevo) and in terms of population it is in second place, just behind the town of Pozarevac.

The territory of the municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi is an area with extraordinary and diverse natural characteristics that are best illustrated by numerous springs, streams, rivers, forests, gentle northwestern slope of the Homolje mountains, fertile plain Stig and rich valley of Mlava with beautiful landscape and fertile land.

The municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi is one of the most important areas of the Branicevo district and is located on important roads that connect this area.

The largest place, administrative and cultural center is the town of Petrovac na Mlavi. It is the only urban settlement in the municipality that represents industrial, commercial, health and cultural center. It has a population of 8 772 inhabitants.

The city is located 114 kilometers from Belgrade, 80 kilometers from the free customs zone and the port of Smederevo, and its roads provide transit passages for the whole of Eastern Serbia.

Mlava (150 km) is the largest river after which this whole area was named. It flows through the municipality of Petrovac na Mlavi in ​​the length of 43 kilometers.

The first data on this settlement date from 1820, during the reign of Prince Milos Obrenovic. According to the „Tevter Arack" from that period, the Pozarevac nahija then had seven principalities in its composition: Moravian, Mlav, Golubac, Homolje, Zvizd, Pek and Ram. The village of Svine, in whose land area the village of Petrovac will later become, belonged to the principality of Mlava. The village of Svine then had 89 houses. Petrovac was first mentioned in 1859. The settlement sprang up on the right bank of the Mlava, opposite the village of Svine, as a need of the administration of the principality of Serbia, to create an administrative center of power for the whole area around the river Mlava.

Petrovac was named after the state councilor Petrovic, a friend of Prince Milos Obrenovic.

Today, the town of Petrovac na Mlavi is the most important center of central Branicevo in economic, cultural, educational, health and social life.