Map of Kosovo | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Ottoman Empire took control of Kosovo in 1389 after defeating Serbian forces. Large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to the region, and by the end of the 19th century, Albanians had replaced Serbs as the majority ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control of Kosovo during the First Balkan War of 1912, and after World War II, Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). Increasing Albanian nationalism in the 1980s led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence, but in 1989, Belgrade -- which has in turn served as the capital of Serbia and Yugoslavia -- revoked Kosovo's autonomous status. When the SFRY broke up in 1991, Kosovo Albanian leaders organized an independence referendum, and Belgrade's repressive response led to an insurgency. Kosovo remained part of Serbia, which joined with Montenegro to declare a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1992. In 1998, Belgrade launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign, with some 800,000 ethnic Albanians expelled from their homes in Kosovo. After international mediation failed, a NATO military operation began in March 1999 and forced Belgrade to withdraw its forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under the temporary control of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Negotiations in 2006-07 ended without agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, though the UN issued a comprehensive report that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries began EU-facilitated discussions in 2013 to normalize relations, which resulted in several agreements. Additional agreements were reached in 2015 and 2023, but implementation remains incomplete. In 2022, Kosovo formally applied for membership in the EU, which is contingent on fulfillment of accession criteria, and the Council of Europe. Kosovo is also seeking UN and NATO memberships.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

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

Land boundaries
Total: 714 km
Border countries (4): (4) Albania 112 km; North Macedonia 160 km; Montenegro 76 km; Serbia 366 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 at an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 m

Elevation
Highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m
Lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim (located on the border with Albania) 297 m
Mean elevation: 450 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 52.8% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 27.4% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)
Forest: 41.7% (2018 est.)
Other: 5.5% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note the 41-km (25-mi) Nerodimka River divides into two branches, each of which flows into a different sea: the northern branch flows into the Sitnica River, which via the Ibar, Morava, and Danube Rivers ultimately flows into the Black Sea; the southern branch flows via the Lepenac and Vardar Rivers into the Aegean Sea


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Population
Total: 1,977,093 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,017,992
Female: 959,101
Distribution: population clusters exist throughout the country, with the largest in the east in and around the capital of Pristina
Growth rate: 0.68% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
Major-language sample(s): Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian); Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and other ethnic minority languages because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo

Religions: Muslim 95.6%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Orthodox 1.5%, other 0.1%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)
Note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and some other ethnic minorities because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 233,010/female 216,304)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 712,403/female 649,932)
65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 72,579/female 92,865)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 45.1 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 33 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 8.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 32 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.7 years
Female: 32.4 years

Population growth rate: 0.68% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 14.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: population clusters exist throughout the country, with the largest in the east in and around the capital of Pristina

Urbanization

Major urban areas
Population: 218,782 PRISTINA (capital) (2020)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 71 years
Female: 75.5 years

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2024 est.)

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

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)
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
Etymology: the town takes its name from the river; the origin of the river's name is unclear but could come from a pre-Slavic language

Administrative divisions: 38 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 (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Kllokot (Klokot), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mamushe (Mamusa), Mitrovice e Jugut (Juzna Mitrovica) [South Mitrovica], Mitrovice e Veriut (Severna Mitrovica) [North 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

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: civil law system

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

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (since 4 April 2021)
Head of government: Acting Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 15 April 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Assembly
Election/appointment process: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; if a candidate does not reach this threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected; prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly
Most recent election date: 3-4 April 2021
2021: Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (Guxo!) 71 votes; Albin KURTI (LVV) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 67 for, 30 against
2017: Ramush HARADINAJ (AAK) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 61 for, 1 abstention, 0 against (opposition boycott)
2016: Hashim THACI elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71 votes
Expected date of next election: 2026
Note: Prime Minister Albin KURTI resigned on 15 April 2025; a replacement has not yet been selected

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Assembly (Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 120 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 2/14/2021
Parties elected and seats per party: Self-Determination Movement (LVV) (58), Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) (19), Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) (15), Serb List (10), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) (8), other (10)
Percentage of women in chamber: 34%
Expected date of next election: 2025
Note: 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities -- 10 for Serbs and 10 for other minorities

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: a dark blue field with a gold-colored silhouette of Kosovo in the center, with six five-pointed white stars in a slight arc over it

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Europe'
Lyrics/music: no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI
History: adopted 2008; Kosovo chose not to include lyrics in its anthem to avoid offending the country's minority ethnic groups

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.4% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 4.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.4% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 4.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 84.3% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 12.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 33.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 41.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -72.3% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.9% (2024 est.)
Industry: 26.2% (2024 est.)
Services: 45.7% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 500,300 (2017 est.)
Note: includes those estimated to be employed in the gray economy

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.951 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $2.547 billion (2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $4.156 billion (2023 est.); $3.579 billion (2022 est.); $3.138 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: mattress materials, iron alloys, metal piping, scrap iron, building plastics (2021); top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $7.362 billion (2023 est.); $6.661 billion (2022 est.); $6.128 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, iron rods, electricity, cigars, packaged medicines (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 1.555 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 6.571 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 2.442 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 3.449 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 789.167 million kWh (2023 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 87.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 6.924 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 6.931 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 20,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.564 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.444 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 5.005 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.439 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 52.085 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 383,763 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,777,859 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 89% (2018 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1% of GDP (2020 est.)

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: 2 (2025)

Heliports: 11 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 437 km (2020)

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs