In the narrow sense, the term is applied only to the Great Morava Valley (Serbian: Велико Поморавље / Veliko Pomoravlje).

It is generally bounded by the mountains of Tara, Zlatibor, Jelica, Goč, Suvobor, Maljen, Kotlenik and Gledić, that is, by the large geographical regions of Šumadija and Stari Vlah.

Being a large floodplain, frequently flooded by the West Morava due to the extreme fluctuation of its discharge, The West Morava Valley was always an agricultural area, but in the second half of 20th century industry also developed in all major towns along the river.

Čačak area is known for the plum growing, Požega is known for the apples ("budimka" brand) and Župa region around Aleksandrovac is famous for white grapes and wine production.

The entire river valley is a natural route for both roads and railways connecting eastern, central and western Serbia, so traffic is also important for the economy of the region.

Tourism is almost entirely based on mineral spas, as the West Morava Valley is dubbed "First spa region of Serbia".

Additional interests are the Goč mountain and medieval Serbian Orthodox monasteries of Žiča, Kalenić, Lazarica, Ljubostinja, Naupara, etc.

One of top mountain resorts of Serbia, Tara and Zlatibor, are marking the eastern border of the region.

In the narrower sense, as a valley of the South Morava, it occupies an area of 4,800 km2, of which 1,660 km2 on Kosovo and the rest in Central Serbia.

Sub-regions which partially make up the South Morava Valley include: The South Morava Valley had a population of 680,176 inhabitants by the official 2018 estimate by the State Statistical Office, with an average population density of 217 inhabitants per square kilometer, but the area's density is in general smaller, average density being enlarged by the large centers like the city of Niš (430 per km2) and Leskovac.

The South Morava Valley has been known for rural depopulation and stagnation almost for the last five decades while the cities grew larger.

The population of the Morava Valley by the official censuses of population and latest estimates (including the valley in narrower sense: municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac, Vladičin Han, Vlasotince, Doljevac, Merošina, Gadžin Han, Aleksinac and Ražanj, and cities of Vranje, Leskovac and Niš):[4][5][6] The largest settlements of the South Morava Valley (2011 census; * denotes 2002 data): The South Morava Valley is fertile and thus is the major fruit and vegetable growing area in Serbia, especially the areas of Vranje, which is specialized in the production of peppers, and Leskovac, important tomato producing region, but other early vegetables as well.

In the later section, the Morava Valley gets much wider, with only smaller hills bounding it and opens widely to the Danube and Banat region, across the river.

Regions, which partially or completely make the Great Morava Valley, include Jasenica, Lepenica, Resava and Temnić.

The population of the Morava Valley by the official censuses of population: In the 1980s plans were made to join towns of Jagodina, Paraćin and Ćuprija into the first planned conurbation in Yugoslavia, including inter-city tramway lines, etc., but the idea was dropped later.

Hilly areas surrounding the valley are producing fruits, grapes (Smederevo), fodder plants and livestock.

In the past centuries the Great Morava Valley was famous for its vast forest, but today it is almost entirely turned into an arable land.

Major industrial centers are Jagodina, Smederevo, Smederevska Palanka and Ćuprija, followed by Paraćin, Požarevac and Velika Plana.

Today, it makes a section of the European route E75 (Belgrade-Niš highway) which continues into the South Morava Valley.