Map of Kosovo | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century Albanians replaced the Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over Kosovo from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.) with status almost equivalent to that of a republic under the 1974 S.F.R.Y. constitution. Despite legislative concessions Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. At the same time Serb nationalist leaders such as Slobodan MILOSEVIC exploited Kosovo Serb claims of maltreatment to secure votes from supporters many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland. Under MILOSEVIC's leadership Serbia instituted a new constitution in 1989 that revoked Kosovo's status as an autonomous province of Serbia. Kosovo's Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum that declared Kosovo independent. Under MILOSEVIC Serbia carried out repressive measures against the Kosovar Albanians in the early 1990s as the unofficial Kosovo government led by Ibrahim RUGOVA used passive resistance in an attempt to try to gain international assistance and recognition of an independent Kosovo. Albanians dissatisfied with RUGOVA's passive strategy in the 1990s created the Kosovo Liberation Army and launched an insurgency. Starting in 1998 Serbian military police and paramilitary forces under MILOSEVIC conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians. Approximately 800,000 ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo during this time. International attempts to mediate the conflict failed and MILOSEVIC's rejection of a proposed settlement led to a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 that forced Serbia to agree to withdraw its military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The negotiations ran in stages between 2006 and 2007 but ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. On 17 February 2008 the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then over 100 countries have recognized Kosovo and it has joined the International Monetary Fund World Bank European Bank for Reconstruction and Development the Council of Europe Development Bank and signed a framework agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB). In October 2008 Serbia sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law UN Security Council Resolution 1244 or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence but the two countries reached an agreement to normalize their relations in April 2013 through EU-facilitated talks and are currently engaged in the implementation process.


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Location: Southeast Europe between Serbia and Macedonia

Geographic coordinates: 42 35 N 21 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 169
Land: 10,887 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Delaware

Land boundaries
Border countries: (4) Albania 112 km; Macedonia 159 km; Montenegro 79 km; Serbia 352 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December

Terrain: flat fluvial basin with an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2000 to 2,500 m

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m

Natural resources: nickel lead zinc magnesium lignite kaolin chrome bauxite

Land use

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 1,859,203 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 151
Below poverty line: 30% (2013 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Kosovar (Albanian) Kosovski (Serbian)

Ethnic groups: Albanians 92% other (Serb Bosniak Gorani Roma Turk Ashkali Egyptian) 8% (2008)

Languages: Albanian (official) Serbian (official) Bosnian Turkish Roma

Religions: Muslim Serbian Orthodox Roman Catholic

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 18.1% (male 176,738/female 159,455)
25-54 years: 41.5% (male 407,347/female 365,029)
55-64 years: 7.2% (male 65,762/female 67,243)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 54,059/female 74,884) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Male: 27.4 years
Female: 28.2 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 98

Literacy
Total population: 91.9%
Male: 96.6%
Female: 87.5% (2007 Census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Kosovo
Local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)
Local short form: Kosova (Kosovo)

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 42 40 N 21 10 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 37 municipalities (komunat singular - komuna (Albanian); opstine singular - opstina (Serbian)); Decan (Decani) Dragash (Dragas) Ferizaj (Urosevac) Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje) Gjakove (Dakovica) Gjilan (Gnjilane) Gllogovc (Glogovac) Gracanice (Gracanica) Hani i Elezit (Deneral Jankovic) Istog (Istok) Junik Kacanik Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica) Kline (Klina) Kllokot (Klokot) Leposaviq (Leposavic) Lipjan (Lipljan) Malisheve (Malisevo) Mamushe (Mamusa) Mitrovice (Mitrovica) Novoberde (Novo Brdo) Obiliq (Obilic) Partesh (Partes) Peje (Pec) Podujeve (Podujevo) Prishtine (Pristina) Prizren Rahovec (Orahovac) Ranillug (Ranilug) Shterpce (Strpce) Shtime (Stimlje) Skenderaj (Srbica) Suhareke (Suva Reka) Viti (Vitina) Vushtrri (Vucitrn) Zubin Potok Zvecan; note - a 38th municipality (Mitrovica e Veriut/Severna Mitrovica (Mitrovica North)) may have been created; when/if approved by the US Board on Geographic Names it will be added to the above listing

Dependent areas

Independence: 17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

National holiday: Independence Day 17 February (2008)

Constitution: previous 1974 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008 signed 7 April 2008 ratified 8 April 2008 entered into force 15 June 2008; amended 2013 (2013)

Legal system: evolving legal system; mixture of applicable Kosovo law UNMIK laws and regulations and applicable laws of the Former Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia that were in effect in Kosovo as of 22 March 1989

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January 2008)
Cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly
Elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; election last held on 7 April 2011; note - the prime minister elected by the Kosovo Assembly
Election results: Atifete JAHJAGA elected president in one round; Atifete JAHJAGA 80 votes Suzana NOVOBERDALIU 10 votes; Hashim THACI reelected prime minister by the Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral national Assembly (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected 10 seats guaranteed for ethnic Serbs 10 seats guaranteed for other ethnic minorities; members to serve three-year terms)
Elections: last held on 8 June 2014 (next expected to be held in June 2017)
Election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - PDK/PD/LB/PSHDK/PK 30.7% LDK 25.6% VV 13.5% AAK 9.6% NISMA 5.2% AKR 4.7% SLKM 4.2% 1.0% other 55%; seats by party/coalition - NA (results are preliminary)

Judicial branch: note - Kosovo initiated a new judicial system in January 2013
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council an independent body staffed by judges and lay members and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court members nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4 departments: General Serious Crime Commercial Matters) and Administrative Matters; Basic Court (located in 9 municipalities each with several branches)

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: IBRD IDA IFC IMF ITUC (NGOs) MIGA

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 1101 30th Street NW Suites 330/340 Washington DC 20,007
In the us telephone: 202-380-3,581
In the us FAX: 202-380-3,628
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us embassy: Arberia/Dragodan Nazim Hikmet 30 Pristina Kosovo
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [381] 38 59 59 3,000
From the us FAX: [381] 38 549 890

Flag description: centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white five-pointed stars arrayed in a slight arc; each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians Serbs Turks Gorani Roma and Bosniaks

National symbols

National anthem
Lyrics and music: none/Mendi MENGJIQI

National heritage


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Economy overview: Kosovo's economy has shown significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with a per capita GDP (PPP) of $7,600 in 2013. An unemployment rate of 45% encourages emigration and fuels a significant informal unreported economy. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany Switzerland and the Nordic countries - are estimated to account for about 15% of GDP and donor-financed activities and aid for approximately 10%. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital Pristina. Inefficient near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots limited mechanization and lack of technical expertise. With international assistance Kosovo has been able to privatize a majority of its state-owned-enterprises. Minerals and metals - including lignite lead zinc nickel chrome aluminum magnesium and a wide variety of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry but output has declined because of ageing equipment and insufficient investment. A limited and unreliable electricity supply due to technical and financial problems is a major impediment to economic development but Kosovo has received technical assistance to help improve accounting and controls and in 2012 privatized its distribution network. The US Government is cooperating with the Ministry for Energy and Mines and the World Bank to prepare commercial tenders for the construction of a new power plant rehabilitation of an old plant and the development of a coal mine that could supply both. In July 2008 Kosovo received pledges of $1.9 billion from 37 countries in support of its reform priorities but the global financial crisis has limited this assistance and also negatively affected remittance inflows. In June 2009 Kosovo joined the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and Kosovo began servicing its share of the former Yugoslavia's debt. In order to help integrate Kosovo into regional economic structures UNMIK signed (on behalf of Kosovo) its accession to the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006. Serbia and Bosnia previously had refused to recognize Kosovo's customs stamp or extend reduced tariff privileges for Kosovo products under CEFTA but both countries resumed trade with Kosovo in 2011. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro but the Serbian dinar is also used illegally in Serb enclaves. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Kosovo maintained a budget surplus until 2011 when government expenditures climbed sharply. In 2013 Kosovo signed a Free Trade Agreement with Turkey and is negotiating liberalization of trade with EU as part of a Stabilization and Association Agreement.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 146

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 132

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 136

Gross national saving:
Rank: 121

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 16%
Investment in fixed capital: 28.2%
Investment in inventories: 3%
Exports of goods and services: 18.8%
Imports of goods and services: -53.9%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 22.6%
Services: 64.5% (2009 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat corn berries potatoes peppers fruit; dairy livestock; fish

Industries: mineral mining construction materials base metals leather machinery appliances foodstuffs and beverages textiles

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: 800,000
Rank: 149
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA% (2010)

Unemployment rate: 45% (1)
Rank: 185

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 30% (2013 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 30 (FY05/06)
Rank: 121

Budget
Expenditures: $2.048 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 80

Taxes and other revenues: 26.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 112

Public debt: 8.4% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 150

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 61

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 13.7% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 52

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money: $2.637 billion
Rank: 145

Stock of domestic credit: $2.445 billion
Rank: 129

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$1.083 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 118

Exports: $382.8 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 178
Commodities: mining and processed metal products scrap metals leather products machinery appliances prepared foodstuffs beverages and tobacco vegetable products textile and textile articles
Partners: Italy 25.8% Albania 14.6% Macedonia 9.6% China 5.5% Gernamy 5.4% Switzerland 5.4% Turkey 4.1% (2012 est.)

Imports: $3.477 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 141
Commodities: foodstuffs livestock wood petroleum chemicals machinery minerals textiles stone ceramic and glass products electrical equipment
Partners: Germany 11.9% Macedonia 11.5% Serbia 11.1% Italy 8.5% Turkey 9% China 6.4% Albania 4.4% (2012 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $N/A

Debt external: $466 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 175

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $25.8 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 71

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 5.847 billion kWh (2012)
Production rank: 113
Consumption: 5.467 billion kWh (2012)
Consumption rank: 112
Exports: 371.3 million kWh
Exports rank: 68
Imports: 625.1 million kWh
Imports rank: 73
Installed generating capacity: 1.526 million kW
Installed generating capacity rank: 115

Coal

Petroleum
Crude oil proven reserves: NA bbl

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2007)
Products production rank: 160
Products consumption: NA bbl/day (2011 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007)
Production rank: 150
Consumption: 0 m³ (2007)
Consumption rank: 162
Proven reserves: NA m³

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 106,300 (2006)
Main lines in use rank: 144
Mobile cellular: 562,000 (2007)
Mobile cellular rank: 164

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 6 (2013)
Rank: 173
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways: 3 (2013)

Heliports: 2 (2013)

Pipelines

Railways
Rank: 114
Standard gauge: 430 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)

Roadways
Rank: 146
Paved: 1843 km (includes 38 km of expessways)
Unpaved: 5,112 km (2012)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of its status as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs