Slavonski Brod is the sixth largest city in Croatia, with a population of 64,612 in 2001. The city was known as Marsonia in the Roman Empire, and as Brod na Savi 1244–1934. Located in the region of Slavonia, it is the center of the Brod-Posavina county, and a river port on the Sava river, 197 km southeast of Zagreb; with elevation of 96 m abowe sea level.

The economy is based on farming, viticulture, fruit growing, metal-processing (locomotives, wagons, bridge structures), timber and (furniture wood, parquetry), textiles (ready-made), leather, foodstuffs (brewery), building material, (lime), printing industries.

The city developed at the strategically important crossing over the Sava river towards Bosanski Brod in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is an important intersection of the Posavina part of the highway and a railway junction, since located on the highway (E70, A3) Zagreb–Lipovac –Belgrade and the railroad Zagreb–Vinkovci–Belgrade.

It lies on the bank of the Sava river and has important cultural heritage: a fortress, a military and spiritual centre (the Franciscan monastery with a rich library). The most important annual cultural event in the town is the children's festival "In the World of the Fairy Tales of writer Ivana Brlic Mazuranic " (in April and May). It consists of performances for children, theatre performances, etc. The Brod Round Dance, an annual show of original folklore, is held in mid-June, while the Festival of Patriotic Folk Songs takes place in May. The artistic "Sava" colony cherishes the tradition of watercolour painting.

The city also hosts the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Osijek University.

In the immediate surroundings of the town there are interesting hunting grounds (Migalovci ), fishponds (Jelas Polje ), a lake (Petnja ). There are pleasant orchards and vineyards, Dilj ,(Gora), mountain, swimming opportunities. Tourists and visitors are offered a number of sports grounds within the city as well its surroundings.

Slavonski Brod is and was a birth or living town of a few well known poets and writers:

• Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić
• Dragutin Tadijanović
• Krunoslav Kern
• Zdravko Ćosić
• Predrag Goll
• Josip Majić
• Vilim Buk
• Branka Kijuk
• Stjepan Dujmović