Jump to content

Kosovo

Coordinates:42°35′N21°00′E/ 42.583°N 21.000°E/42.583; 21.000
Page extended-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Republic of Kosovo
  • Republika e Kosovës(Albanian)
  • Република Косово/Republika Kosovo(Serbian)
Anthem:Himni i Republikës së Kosovës
"Anthem of the Republic of Kosovo"
Location of Kosovo (green)
Location of Kosovo (green)
Status
Capital
and largest city
Pristinaa
42°40′N21°10′E/ 42.667°N 21.167°E/42.667; 21.167
Official languagesAlbanian
Serbian[2]
Regional languages
Ethnic groups
(2019)[4]
Religion
(2020)[5]
Demonym(s)
  • Kosovar, Kosovan
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic
Vjosa Osmani
Albin Kurti
Glauk Konjufca
LegislatureAssembly
Establishment
1455
1877
1913
31 January 1946
2 July 1990
9 June 1999
10 June 1999
17 February 2008
10 September 2012
19 April 2013
Area
• Total
10,887[6]km2(4,203 sq mi)
• Water (%)
1.0[7]
Population
• 2024 census
Neutral decrease1,586,659[8]
• Density
146/km2(378.1/sq mi)
GDP(PPP)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase$29.719 billion[9](148th)
• Per capita
Increase$16,775[9](100th)
GDP(nominal)2024 estimate
• Total
Increase$11.318 billion[9](155th)
• Per capita
Increase$6,389[9](104th)
Gini(2017)Negative increase29.0[10]
low inequality
HDI(2021)Increase0.762[11]
high
CurrencyEuro()b(EUR)
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+2(CEST)
Date formatdd.mm.yyyy
Drives onright
Calling code+383
ISO 3166 codeXK
Internet TLD.xkc(proposed)
  1. Pristinais the capital of Kosovo and itsseat of government.[12][13]A separate law recognisesPrizrenas thehistoric capitalof Kosovo.[13]
  2. The Euro is the official currency in Kosovo even though Kosovo is not a formal member of theeurozone.[14][15][16]
  3. XK is a "user assigned" ISO 3166 code not designated by the standard, but used by theEuropean Commission,Switzerland, theDeutsche Bundesbankand other organisations. However,ISO 3166-2:RS-KMremains in use.

Kosovo,[a]officially theRepublic of Kosovo,[b]is alandlocked countryinSoutheast Europewithpartial diplomatic recognition.It is bordered byAlbaniato the southwest,Montenegroto the west,Serbiato the north and east andNorth Macedoniato the southeast. It covers an area of 10,887 km2(4,203 sq mi) and a population of approximately 1.6 million. Kosovo has a varied terrain, with high plains along with rolling hills andmountains,some of which reach an altitude of over 2,500 m (8,200 ft). Its climate is mainlycontinentalwith someMediterraneanandalpineinfluences.[17]Kosovo's capital and themost populous cityisPristina;other major cities andurban areasincludePrizren,Ferizaj,GjilanandPeja.[18]

TheDardanitribe emerged in Kosovo and established theKingdom of Dardaniain the 4th century BC. It was later annexed by theRoman Empirein the 1st century BC. The territory remained in theByzantine Empire,facing Slavic migrations from the 6th-7th century AD. Control shifted between the Byzantines and theFirst Bulgarian Empire.In the 13th century, Kosovo became integral to theSerbian medieval stateand the seat of theSerbian Orthodox Church.Ottoman expansionin the Balkans in the late 14th and 15th century led to the decline andfall of the Serbian Empire;theBattle of Kosovoof 1389 is considered to be one of the defining moments, where a Serbian-led coalition consisting of various ethnicities fought against the Ottoman Empire.

Various dynasties, mainly theBranković,would govern Kosovo for a significant portion of the period following the battle. TheOttoman Empirefully conquered Kosovo after theSecond Battle of Kosovo,ruling for nearly five centuries until 1912. Kosovo was the center of theAlbanian Renaissanceand experienced theAlbanian revolts of 1910and1912.After theBalkan Wars(1912–1913), it was ceded to theKingdom of Serbiaand following World War II, it became anAutonomous ProvincewithinYugoslavia.Tensions between Kosovo's Albanian andSerbcommunities simmered through the 20th century and occasionally erupted into major violence, culminating in theKosovo Warof 1998 and 1999, which resulted in the withdrawal of the Yugoslav army and the establishment of theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.

Kosovounilaterallydeclared its independencefromSerbiaon 17 February 2008,[19]and has since gained diplomatic recognition as asovereign stateby104 member statesof theUnited Nations.Although Serbia does not officially recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state and continues to claim it as its constituentAutonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija,it accepts the governing authority of the Kosovo institutions as a part of the2013 Brussels Agreement.[20]

Kosovo is a developing country, with anupper-middle-income economy.It has experienced solideconomic growthover the last decade as measured by international financial institutions since the onset of thefinancial crisis of 2007–2008.Kosovo is a member of theInternational Monetary Fund,World Bank,EBRD,Venice Commission,theInternational Olympic Committee,and has applied for membership in theCouncil of Europe,UNESCO,Interpol,and for observer status in theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation.In December 2022, Kosovo fileda formal applicationto become a member of theEuropean Union.[21]

Etymology

The nameKosovois of South Slavic origin.Kosovo(Serbian Cyrillic:Косово) is the Serbian neuter possessive adjective ofkos(кос), 'blackbird',[22][23]anellipsisforKosovo Polje,'Blackbird Field', the name ofa karst fieldsituated in the eastern half of today's Kosovo and the site of the 1389Battle of Kosovo Field.[24]The name of the karst field was for the first time applied to a wider area when theOttoman Vilayet of Kosovowas created in 1877.

The entire territory that corresponds to today's country is commonly referred to in English simply asKosovoand inAlbanianasKosova(definite form) orKosovë(indefinite form,pronounced[kɔˈsɔvə]). In Serbia, a formal distinction is made between the eastern and western areas of the country; the termKosovo(Косово) is used for the eastern part of Kosovo centred on the historicalKosovo Field,while the western part of the territory of Kosovo is calledMetohija(Albanian:Dukagjin). Thus, in Serbian the entire area of Kosovo is referred to asKosovo and Metohija.[25]

Dukagjini or Dukagjini plateau (Albanian: 'Rrafshi i Dukagjinit') is an alternative name for Western Kosovo, having been in use since the 15th-16th century as part of theSanjakofDukakinwith its capitalPeja,and is named after the medieval AlbanianDukagjini family.[26]

Modern usage

Some Albanians also prefer to refer to Kosovo asDardania,the name of an ancient kingdom and laterRoman province,which covered the territory of modern-day Kosovo. The name is derived from the ancient tribe of theDardani,which is considered be related to the Proto-Albanian termdardā,which means "pear" (Modern Albanian:dardhë).[24][27]The former Kosovo PresidentIbrahim Rugovahad been an enthusiastic backer of a "Dardanian" identity, and the Kosovar presidential flag and seal refer to this national identity. However, the name "Kosova" remains more widely used among the Albanian population. The flag of Dardania remains in use as the officialPresidential seal and standardand is heavily featured in the institution of the presidency of the country.

The official conventional long name, as defined by theconstitution,isRepublic of Kosovo.[28]Additionally, as a result of anarrangement agreed between Pristina and Belgradein talks mediated by the European Union, Kosovo has participated in some international forums and organisations under the title "Kosovo*" with a footnote stating, "This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence". This arrangement, which has been dubbed the "asterisk agreement", was agreed in an 11-point arrangement on 24 February 2012.[29]

History

Ancient history

The strategic position including the abundant natural resources were favorable for the development of human settlements in Kosovo, as is highlighted by the hundreds of archaeological sites identified throughout its territory.[30]

NeolithicGoddess on the Throneis one of the most significant archaeological artifacts of Kosovo and has been adopted as the symbol ofPristina.

Since 2000, the increase in archaeological expeditions has revealed many, previously unknown sites. The earliest documented traces in Kosovo are associated to theStone Age;namely, indications that cave dwellings might have existed, such as Radivojce Cave near the source of theDrin River,Grnčar Cave inViti municipalityand the Dema and Karamakaz Caves in themunicipality of Peja.

The earliest archaeological evidence of organised settlement, which have been found in Kosovo, belong to theNeolithicStarčevoandVinčacultures.[31]VlashnjëandRunikare important sites of theNeolithic erawith the rock art paintings at Mrrizi i Kobajës nearVlashnjëbeing the first find of prehistoric art in Kosovo.[32]Amongst the finds of excavations in Neolithic Runik is a baked-clayocarina,which is the first musical instrument recorded in Kosovo.[31]

Kingdom of Dardaniain the 3rd century BCE.

The first archaeological expedition in Kosovo was organised by the Austro-Hungarian army during theWorld War Iin theIllyriantumuliburial grounds of Nepërbishti within thedistrict of Prizren.[30]

The beginning of theBronze Agecoincides with the presence oftumuliburial grounds in western Kosovo, like the site ofRomajë.[30]

TheDardaniwere the most importantPaleo-Balkantribe in the region of Kosovo. A wide area which consists of Kosovo, parts of Northern Macedonia and eastern Serbia was namedDardaniaafter them in classical antiquity, reaching to theThraco-Illyriancontact zone in the east. In archaeological research, Illyrian names are predominant in western Dardania, while Thracian names are mostly found in eastern Dardania.

Thracian names are absent in western Dardania, while some Illyrian names appear in the eastern parts. Thus, their identification as either anIllyrianorThraciantribe has been a subject of debate, the ethnolinguistic relationship between the two groups being largely uncertain and debated itself as well. The correspondence of Illyrian names, including those of the ruling elite, in Dardania with those of the southern Illyrians suggests a thracianization of parts of Dardania.[33]The Dardani retained an individuality and continued to maintain social independence after Roman conquest, playing an important role in the formation of new groupings in the Roman era.[34]

Roman period

During Roman rule, Kosovo was part of two provinces, with its western part being part ofPraevalitana,and the vast majority of its modern territory belonging toDardania.Praevalitana and the rest of Illyria was conquered by theRoman Republicin 168 BC. On the other hand, Dardania maintained its independence until the year 28 BC, when the Romans, underAugustus,annexed it into their Republic.[35][36]Dardania eventually became a part of theMoesiaprovince.[37]During the reign ofDiocletian,Dardania became a fullRoman provinceand the entirety of Kosovo's modern territory became a part of theDiocese of Moesia,and then during the second half of the 4th century, it became part of thePraetorian prefecture of Illyricum.[38]: 548 

Ruins of AncientUlpianasituated southeast ofPristina.The city, built byTrajan,was an important political, cultural, and economic center of the Roman province of Dardania.

During Roman rule, a series of settlements developed in the area, mainly close to mines and to the major roads. The most important of the settlements wasUlpiana,[39]which is located near modern-dayGračanica.It was established in the 1st century AD, possibly developing from a concentratedDardanianoppidum,and then was upgraded to the status of aRomanmunicipiumat the beginning of the 2nd century during the rule ofTrajan.[40][41]Ulpiana became especially important during the rule ofJustinian I,after the Emperor rebuilt the city after it had been destroyed by an earthquake and renamed it toIustinianna Secunda.[42][43]

Other important towns that developed in the area during Roman rule wereVendenis,located in modern-dayPodujevë;Viciano,possibly nearVushtrri;andMunicipium Dardanorum,an important mining town inLeposavić.Other archeological sites includeÇifllakin Western Kosovo,DresnikinKlina,Pestovain Vushtrri,VërbaninKlokot,PoslishtebetweenVërmicaandPrizren,PaldenicanearHani i Elezit,as well asNerodimë e PoshtmeandNikadinnearFerizaj.The one thing all the settlements have in common is that they are located either near roads, such as ViaLissus-Naissus,or near the mines ofNorth Kosovoand eastern Kosovo. Most of the settlements are archaeological sites that have been discovered recently and are being excavated.

It is also known that the region was Christianised during Roman rule, though little is known regarding Christianity in the Balkans in the three first centuries AD.[44]The first clear mention of Christians in literature is the case of Bishop Dacus of Macedonia, from Dardania, who was present at theFirst Council of Nicaea(325).[45]It is also known that Dardania had aDiocesein the 4th century, and its seat was placed in Ulpiana, which remained theepiscopalcenter of Dardania until the establishment ofJustiniana Primain 535 AD.[46][41]The first known bishop of Ulpiana is Machedonius, who was a member of the council ofSerdika.Other known bishops were Paulus (synodofConstantinoplein 553 AD), and Gregentius, who was sent byJustin ItoEthiopiaandYemento ease problems among different Christian groups there.[46]

Middle Ages

In the next centuries, Kosovo was a frontier province of theRoman,and later of theByzantine Empire,and as a result it changed hands frequently. The region was exposed to an increasing number of raids from the 4th century CE onward, culminating with theSlavic migrationsof the 6th and 7th centuries. Toponymic evidence suggests thatAlbanianwas probably spoken in Kosovo prior to the Slavic settlement of the region.[47][48]The overwhelming presence of towns and municipalities in Kosovo with Slavic in their toponymy suggests that the Slavic migrations either assimilated or drove out population groups already living in Kosovo.[49]

There is one intriguing line of argument to suggest that the Slav presence in Kosovo and southernmost part of the Morava valley may have been quite weak in the first one or two centuries of Slav settlement. Only in the ninth century can the expansion of a strong Slav (or quasi-Slav) power into this region be observed. Under a series of ambitious rulers, the Bulgarians pushed westwards across modern Macedonia and eastern Serbia, until by the 850's they had taken over Kosovo and were pressing on the border ofSerbian Principality.[50]

TheFirst Bulgarian Empireacquired Kosovo by the mid-9th century, but Byzantine control wasrestoredby the late 10th century. In 1072, the leaders of the BulgarianUprising of Georgi Voitehtraveled from their center inSkopjeto Prizren and held a meeting in which they invitedMihailo VojislavljevićofDukljato send them assistance. Mihailo sent his son,Constantine Bodinwith 300 of his soldiers. After they met, the Bulgarian magnates proclaimed him "Emperor of the Bulgarians".[51]Demetrios Chomatenosis the last Byzantine archbishop ofOhridto include Prizren in his jurisdiction until 1219.[52]Stefan Nemanjahad seized the area along theWhite Drinin 1185 to 1195 and the ecclesiastical split of Prizren from the Patriarchate in 1219 was the final act of establishingNemanjićrule.Konstantin Jirečekconcluded, from the correspondence of archbishop Demetrios of Ohrid from 1216 to 1236, that Dardania was increasingly populated by Albanians and the expansion started fromGjakovaandPrizrenarea, prior to the Slavic expansion.[53]

Gračanica Monastery,aUNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visoki Dečani Monastery,aUNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, Kosovo was a political, cultural and religious centre of theSerbian Kingdom.[54]In the late 13th century, the seat of theSerbian Archbishopricwas moved toPeja,and rulers centred themselves betweenPrizrenandSkopje,[55]during which time thousands of Christian monasteries and feudal-style forts and castles were erected,[56]withStefan DušanusingPrizren Fortressas one of his temporary courts for a time. When the Serbian Empire fragmented into a conglomeration of principalities in 1371, Kosovo became the hereditary land of theHouse of Branković.[54][57]During the late 14th and early 15th centuries, parts of Kosovo, the easternmost area located near Pristina, were part of thePrincipality of Dukagjini,which was later incorporated into an anti-Ottoman federation of all Albanian principalities, theLeague of Lezhë.[58]

Medieval Monuments in Kosovois a combinedUNESCO World Heritage Siteconsisting of fourSerbian Orthodoxchurches andmonasteriesinDeçan,Peja,PrizrenandGračanica.The constructions were founded by members of theNemanjić dynasty,a prominent dynasty ofmediaeval Serbia.[59]

Ottoman rule

TheImperial Mosque of Pristinabuilt bySultan Mehmed the Conqueror,1461

In 1389, as theOttoman Empireexpanded northwards through the Balkans, Ottoman forces under SultanMurad Imet with a Christian coalition led byMoravian SerbiaunderPrince Lazarin theBattle of Kosovo.Both sides suffered heavy losses and the battle was a stalemate and it was even reported as a Christian victory at first, but Serbian manpower was depleted andde factoSerbian rulers could not raise another equal force to the Ottoman army.[60][61][62][63]

Different parts of Kosovo were ruled directly or indirectly by the Ottomans in this early period. The medieval town ofNovo Brdowas under Lazar's son,Stefanwho became a loyal Ottoman vassal and instigated the downfall ofVuk Brankovićwho eventually joined the Hungarian anti-Ottoman coalition and was defeated in 1395–96. A small part of Vuk's land with the villages of Pristina and Vushtrri was given to his sons to hold as Ottoman vassals for a brief period.[64]

By 1455–57, the Ottoman Empire assumed direct control of all of Kosovo and the region remained part of the empire until 1912. During this period,Islamwas introduced to the region. As Ottoman rule spread, ChristianSerbsfled Kosovo to leave westwards and northwards causing the population of Kosovo to fall dramatically.[65]The continuous emigration from Kosovo reached its peak at theGreat Migrations of the Serbs,which included some Christian Albanians.[66]To compensate for the population loss, the Turks encouraged settlement of non-Slav Muslim Albanians in the wider region of Kosovo.[67][68][69][70][71]By the end of the 18th century, Kosovo would attain an Albanian majority - with Peja, Prizren, Prishtina becoming especially important towns for the local Muslim population.[69][72][73][74]

Although initially stout opponents of the advancing Turks, Albanian chiefs ultimately came to accept the Ottomans as sovereigns. The resulting alliance facilitated the mass conversion of Albanians to Islam. Given that the Ottoman Empire's subjects were divided along religious (rather than ethnic) lines, the spread of Islam greatly elevated the status of Albanian chiefs. Centuries earlier, Albanians of Kosovo were predominantly Christian and Albanians and Serbs for the most part co-existed peacefully. The Ottomans appeared to have a more deliberate approach to converting the Roman Catholic population who were mostly Albanians in comparison with the mostly Serbian adherents of Eastern Orthodoxy, as they viewed the former less favorably due to its allegiance to Rome, a competing regional power.[71]

Rise of nationalism

The city ofPrizrenwas the cultural and intellectual centre of Kosovo during the Ottoman period in the Middle Ages and is now the historic capital of Kosovo.

In the 19th century, there was anawakeningofethnic nationalismthroughout the Balkans. The underlying ethnic tensions became part of a broader struggle of Christian Serbs against Muslim Albanians.[61]The ethnicAlbanian nationalismmovement was centred in Kosovo. In 1878 theLeague of Prizren(Lidhja e Prizrenit) was formed, a political organisation that sought to unify all the Albanians of the Ottoman Empire in a common struggle for autonomy and greater cultural rights,[75]although they generally desired the continuation of the Ottoman Empire.[76]The League was dis-established in 1881 but enabled the awakening of anational identityamong Albanians,[77]whose ambitions competed with those of the Serbs, theKingdom of Serbiawishing to incorporate this land that had formerly been within its empire.

The modern Albanian-Serbian conflict has its roots in theexpulsion of the Albanians in 1877–1878from areas that became incorporated into thePrincipality of Serbia.[78][79]During and after theSerbian–Ottoman War of 1876–78,between 30,000 and 70,000 Muslims, mostly Albanians, were expelled by theSerb armyfrom theSanjak of Nišand fled to theKosovo Vilayet.[80][81][82][83][84][85]According to Austrian data, by the 1890s Kosovo was 70% Muslim (nearly entirely of Albanian descent) and less than 30% non-Muslim (primarily Serbs).[71]In May 1901, Albanians pillaged and partially burned the cities ofNovi Pazar,Sjenicaand Pristina, andkilled many Serbsnear Pristina and in Kolašin (now North Kosovo).[86][87]

Division ofKosovo vilayetbetween theKingdom of Serbia(yellow) and theKingdom of Montenegro(green) following theBalkan Wars1913.

In the spring of 1912, Albanians under the lead ofHasan Prishtinarevoltedagainst the Ottoman Empire. The rebels were joined by a wave of Albanians in theOttoman armyranks, who deserted the army, refusing to fight their own kin. The rebels defeated the Ottomans and the latter were forced to accept all fourteen demands of the rebels, which foresaw an effective autonomy for the Albanians living in the Empire.[88]However, this autonomy never materialised, and the revolt created serious weaknesses in the Ottoman ranks, luringMontenegro,Serbia,Bulgaria,andGreeceinto declaring war on the Ottoman Empire and starting theFirst Balkan War.

After the Ottomans' defeat in theFirst Balkan War,the1913 Treaty of Londonwas signed with Metohija ceded to theKingdom of Montenegroand eastern Kosovo ceded to theKingdom of Serbia.[89]During theBalkan Wars,over 100,000 Albanians left Kosovo and about 50,000 were killed in themassacresthat accompanied the war.[90][91]Soon, there were concertedSerbian colonisation effortsin Kosovo during various periods between Serbia's 1912 takeover of the province andWorld War II,causing the population of Serbs in Kosovo to grow by about 58,000 in this period.[92][93]

Serbian authorities promoted creating new Serb settlements in Kosovo as well as the assimilation of Albanians into Serbian society, causing a mass exodus of Albanians from Kosovo.[94]The figures of Albanians forcefully expelled from Kosovo range between 60,000 and 239,807, while Malcolm mentions 100,000–120,000. In combination with the politics of extermination and expulsion, there was also a process of assimilation through religious conversion of Albanian Muslims and Albanian Catholics into the Serbian Orthodox religion which took place as early as 1912. These politics seem to have been inspired by the nationalist ideologies ofIlija GarašaninandJovan Cvijić.[95]

In the winter of 1915–16, duringWorld War I,Kosovo saw the retreat of the Serbian army as Kosovo was occupied byBulgariaandAustria-Hungary.In 1918, theAllied Powerspushed theCentral Powersout of Kosovo.

German soldiers set fire to a Serbian village nearMitrovica,circa 1941.

A new administration system since 26 April 1922 split Kosovo among three districts (oblast) of the Kingdom: Kosovo, Raška and Zeta. In 1929, the country was transformed into theKingdom of Yugoslaviaand the territories of Kosovo were reorganised among theBanate of Zeta,theBanate of Moravaand theBanate of Vardar.In order to change theethnic composition of Kosovo,between 1912 and 1941 alarge-scale Serbian colonisation of Kosovowas undertaken by the Belgrade government. Kosovar Albanians' right to receive education in their own languagewas deniedalongside other non-Slavic or unrecognised Slavic nations of Yugoslavia, as the kingdom only recognised the Slavic Croat, Serb, and Slovene nations as constituent nations of Yugoslavia. Other Slavs had to identify as one of the three official Slavic nations and non-Slav nations deemed as minorities.[94]

Albanians and otherMuslimswere forced to emigrate, mainly with the land reform which struck Albanian landowners in 1919, but also with direct violent measures.[96][97]In 1935 and 1938, two agreements between the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Turkey were signed on the expatriation of 240,000 Albanians to Turkey, but the expatriation did not occur due to the outbreak ofWorld War II.[98]

After theAxis invasion of Yugoslaviain 1941, most of Kosovo was assigned to Italian-controlled Albania, and the rest was controlled by Germany and Bulgaria. A three-dimensional conflict ensued, involving inter-ethnic, ideological, and international affiliations.[99]Albanian collaborators persecuted Serb and Montenegrin settlers.[100]Estimates differ, but most authors estimate that between 3,000 and 10,000 Serbs and Montenegrinsdied in Kosovo during the Second World War.Another 30,000 to 40,000, or as high as 100,000, Serbs and Montenegrins, mainly settlers, were deported to Serbia in order toAlbanianiseKosovo.[99][101]A decree from Yugoslav leaderJosip Broz Tito,followed by a new law in August 1945 disallowed the return of colonists who had taken land from Albanian peasants.[102]During the war years, some Serbs and Montenegrins were sent to concentration camps in Pristina and Mitrovica.[101]Nonetheless, these conflicts were relatively low-level compared with other areas of Yugoslavia during the war years. Two Serb historians also estimate that 12,000 Albanians died.[99]An official investigation conducted by the Yugoslav government in 1964 recorded nearly 8,000 war-related fatalities in Kosovo between 1941 and 1945, 5,489 of them Serb or Montenegrin and 2,177 Albanian.[103]Some sources note that up to 72,000 individuals were encouraged to settle or resettle into Kosovo from Albania by the short-lived Italian administration.[104][101]As the regime collapsed, this was never materialised with historians and contemporary references emphasising that a large-scale migration of Albanians from Albania to Kosovo is not recorded in Axis documents.[105]

Communist Yugoslavia

The flag of the Albanian minority of Kosovo in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The existing province took shape in 1945 as theAutonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija,with a final demarcation in 1959.[106][107]Until 1945, the only entity bearing the name of Kosovo in the late modern period had been the Vilayet of Kosovo, a political unit created by the Ottoman Empire in 1877. However, those borders were different.[108]

Tensions between ethnic Albanians and the Yugoslav government were significant, not only due to ethnic tensions but also due to political ideological concerns, especially regarding relations with neighbouring Albania.[109]Harsh repressive measures were imposed on Kosovo Albanians due to suspicions that there were sympathisers of theStalinistregime ofEnver Hoxhaof Albania.[109]In 1956, a show trial in Pristina was held in which multiple Albanian Communists of Kosovo were convicted of being infiltrators from Albania and given long prison sentences.[109]High-ranking Serbian communist officialAleksandar Rankovićsought to secure the position of the Serbs in Kosovo and gave them dominance in Kosovo'snomenklatura.[110]

Fadil Hoxha,the vice-president ofSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,from 1978 to 1979.

Islamin Kosovo at this time was repressed and both Albanians and Muslim Slavs were encouraged to declare themselves to be Turkish and emigrate to Turkey.[109]At the same time Serbs and Montenegrins dominated the government, security forces, and industrial employment in Kosovo.[109]Albanians resented these conditions and protested against them in the late 1960s, calling the actions taken by authorities in Kosovo colonialist, and demanding that Kosovo be made a republic, or declaring support for Albania.[109]

After the ouster of Ranković in 1966, the agenda of pro-decentralisation reformers in Yugoslavia succeeded in the late 1960s in attaining substantial decentralisation of powers, creating substantial autonomy in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and recognising a Muslim Yugoslav nationality.[111]As a result of these reforms, there was a massive overhaul of Kosovo's nomenklatura and police, that shifted from being Serb-dominated to ethnic Albanian-dominated through firing Serbs in large scale.[111]Further concessions were made to the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo in response to unrest, including the creation of theUniversity of Pristinaas anAlbanian languageinstitution.[111]These changes created widespread fear among Serbs that they were being madesecond-class citizensin Yugoslavia.[112]By the 1974 Constitution of Yugoslavia, Kosovo was granted major autonomy, allowing it to have its own administration, assembly, and judiciary; as well as having a membership in the collective presidency and the Yugoslav parliament, in which it held veto power.[113]

Republics and provinces of the SFR Yugoslavia.

In the aftermath of the 1974 constitution, concerns over the rise of Albanian nationalism in Kosovo rose with the widespread celebrations in 1978 of the 100th anniversary of the founding of theLeague of Prizren.[109]Albanians felt that their status as a "minority" in Yugoslavia had made them second-class citizens in comparison with the "nations" of Yugoslavia and demanded that Kosovo be aconstituent republic,alongside the other republics of Yugoslavia.[114]Protests by Albanians in 1981 over the status of Kosovoresulted in Yugoslav territorial defence units being brought into Kosovo and a state of emergency being declared resulting in violence and the protests being crushed.[114]In the aftermath of the 1981 protests, purges took place in the Communist Party, and rights that had been recently granted to Albanians were rescinded – including ending the provision of Albanian professors and Albanian language textbooks in the education system.[114]

While Albanians in the region had the highest birth rates in Europe, other areas of Yugoslavia including Serbia had low birth rates. Increased urbanisation and economic development led to higher settlements of Albanian workers into Serb-majority areas, as Serbs departed in response to the economic climate for more favorable real estate conditions in Serbia.[115]While there was tension, charges of "genocide" and planned harassment have been discredited as a pretext to revoke Kosovo's autonomy. For example, in 1986 the Serbian Orthodox Church published an official claim that Kosovo Serbs were being subjected to an Albanian program of 'genocide'.[116]

Even though they were disproved by police statistics,[116][page needed]they received wide attention in the Serbian press and that led to further ethnic problems and eventual removal of Kosovo's status. Beginning in March 1981, Kosovar Albanian students of the University of Pristina organised protests seeking that Kosovo become a republic within Yugoslavia and demanding their human rights.[117]The protests were brutally suppressed by the police and army, with many protesters arrested.[118]During the 1980s, ethnic tensions continued with frequent violent outbreaks against Yugoslav state authorities, resulting in a further increase in emigration of Kosovo Serbs and other ethnic groups.[119][120]The Yugoslav leadership tried to suppress protests of Kosovo Serbs seeking protection from ethnic discrimination and violence.[121]

Kosovo War

Ibrahim Rugovaplayed a significant role in advocating for the rights of Kosovar Albanians and their aspirations for self-determination.

Inter-ethnic tensions continued to worsen in Kosovo throughout the 1980s. In 1989, Serbian PresidentSlobodan Milošević,employing a mix of intimidation and political maneuvering, drastically reduced Kosovo's special autonomous status within Serbia and started cultural oppression of the ethnic Albanian population.[122]Kosovar Albanians responded with anon-violentseparatist movement, employing widespreadcivil disobedienceand creation of parallel structures ineducation, medicalcare, and taxation, with the ultimate goal of achieving theindependence of Kosovo.[123]

In July 1990, the Kosovo Albanians proclaimed the existence of theRepublic of Kosova,and declared it a sovereign and independent state in September 1992.[124]In May 1992,Ibrahim Rugovawas elected its president.[125]During its lifetime, the Republic of Kosova was only officiallyrecognisedby Albania. By the mid-1990s, the Kosovo Albanian population was growing restless, as the status of Kosovo was not resolved as part of theDayton Agreementof November 1995, which ended theBosnian War.By 1996, theKosovo Liberation Army(KLA), an ethnic Albanian guerrillaparamilitary groupthat sought the separation of Kosovo and the eventual creation of aGreater Albania,[126]had prevailed over the Rugova's non-violent resistance movement and launched attacks against the Yugoslav Army and Serbian police in Kosovo, resulting in theKosovo War.[122][127]

By 1998, international pressure compelled Yugoslavia to sign a ceasefire and partially withdraw its security forces. Events were to be monitored byOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe(OSCE) observers according to an agreement negotiated byRichard Holbrooke.The ceasefire did not hold and fighting resumed in December 1998, culminating in theRačak massacre,which attracted further international attention to the conflict.[122]Within weeks, a multilateral international conference was convened and by March had prepared a draft agreement known as theRambouillet Accords,calling for the restoration of Kosovo's autonomy and the deployment ofNATOpeacekeepingforces. The Yugoslav delegation found the terms unacceptable and refused to sign the draft. Between 24 March and 10 June 1999,NATO intervenedby bombing Yugoslavia, aiming to force Milošević to withdraw his forces from Kosovo,[128]though NATO could not appeal to any particular motion of theSecurity Council of the United Nationsto help legitimise its intervention. Combined with continued skirmishes between Albanian guerrillas and Yugoslav forces the conflict resulted in a further massive displacement of population in Kosovo.[129]

Kosovar Albaniansoldiers holding pictures in memory of the men who were killed or went missing in theKrusha massacres
Photograph of Kosovo Albanian refugees during the Kosovo War, presented as evidence at the trial of Slobodan Milošević, the president of Serbia at the time.

During the conflict, between 848,000 and 863,000 ethnic Albanians fled or were forcefully driven from Kosovo and an additional 590,000 were internally displaced.[130][131]Some sources claim that thisethnic cleansingof native Albanians was part of a plan known asOperation Horseshoe,described as "Milosevic's final solution to the Kosovo problem."[132][133][134][135]Although the existence and implementation of this operation have not been proven,[136][137]it closely describes the situation with of the Albanian victims and refugees in neighboring countries.

In 1999 more than 11,000 deaths were reported to the office of theInternational Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaprosecutorCarla Del Ponte.[138]As of 2010,some 3,000 people were still missing, including 2,500 Albanians, 400 Serbs and 100Roma.[139]By June, Milošević agreed to a foreign military presence in Kosovo and the withdrawal of his troops. During theKosovo War,over 90,000 Serbian and other non-Albanian refugees fled the province. In the days after the Yugoslav Army withdrew, over 80,000 Serb and other non-Albanian civilians (almost half of 200,000 estimated to live in Kosovo) were expelled from Kosovo, and many of the remaining civilians were victims of abuse.[140][141][142][143][144]After the Kosovo and otherYugoslav Wars,Serbia became home to the highest number of refugees andIDPs(including Kosovo Serbs) in Europe.[145][146][147]

Serbian and other children refugees, Cernica, Gjilan.

In some villages under Albanian control in 1998, militants drove ethnic Serbs from their homes.[citation needed]Some of those who remained are unaccounted for and are presumed to have been abducted by the KLA and killed. The KLA detained an estimated 85 Serbs during its 19 July 1998attack on Rahovec.35 of these were subsequently released but the others remained. On 22 July 1998, the KLA briefly took control of the Belaćevac mine near the town of Obiliq. Nine Serb mineworkers were captured that day and they remain on theInternational Committee of the Red Cross's list of the missing and are presumed to have been killed.[148]In August 1998, 22 Serbian civilians were reportedly killed in the village of Klečka, where the police claimed to have discovered human remains and a kiln used to cremate the bodies.[148][149]In September 1998, Serbian police collected 34 bodies of people believed to have been seized and murdered by the KLA, among them some ethnic Albanians, at Lake Radonjić near Glođane (Gllogjan) in what became known as theLake Radonjić massacre.[148]Human Rights Watch have raised questions about the validity of at least some of these allegations made by Serbian authorities.[150]

"Heroinat"(Heroines) monument inPristina.It is dedicated to women victims of sexual violence perpetrated by Serbian forces, during the Kosovo War, of which the vast majority were Albanian women[151]

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) prosecuted crimes committed during the Kosovo War. Nine senior Yugoslav officials, including Milošević, were indicted forcrimes against humanityandwar crimescommitted between January and June 1999. Six of the defendants were convicted, one was acquitted, one died before his trial could commence, and one (Milošević) died before his trial could conclude.[152]Six KLA members were charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes by the ICTY following the war, and one was convicted.[153][154][155][156]

In total around 10,317 civilians were killed during the war, of whom 8,676 were Albanians, 1,196 Serbs and 445 Roma and others in addition to 3,218 killed members of armed formations.[157]

Postwar

US PresidentBill Clintonwith Albanian children during his visit to Kosovo, June 1999.

On 10 June 1999, the UN Security Council passedUN Security Council Resolution 1244,which placed Kosovo under transitional UN administration (UNMIK) and authorisedKosovo Force(KFOR), a NATO-led peacekeeping force. Resolution 1244 provided that Kosovo would have autonomy within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and affirmed theterritorial integrityof Yugoslavia, which has been legally succeeded by the Republic of Serbia.[158]

Estimates of the number of Serbs who left when Serbian forces left Kosovo vary from 65,000[159]to 250,000.[160]Within post-conflict Kosovo Albanian society, calls for retaliation for previous violence done by Serb forces during the war circulated through public culture.[161]Widespread attacks against Serbian cultural sites commenced following the conflict and the return of hundreds of thousands of Kosovo Albanian refugees to their homes.[162]In 2004, prolonged negotiations over Kosovo's future status, sociopolitical problems and nationalist sentiments resulted in theKosovo unrest.[163][164]11 Albanians and 16 Serbs were killed, 900 people (including peacekeepers) were injured, and several houses, public buildings and churches were damaged or destroyed.

International negotiations began in 2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo, as envisaged underUN Security Council Resolution 1244.The UN-backed talks, led by UNSpecial EnvoyMartti Ahtisaari,began in February 2006. Whilst progress was made on technical matters, both parties remained diametrically opposed on the question of status itself.[165]

In February 2007, Ahtisaari delivered a draft status settlement proposal to leaders in Belgrade and Pristina, the basis for a draftUN Security Council Resolutionwhich proposed 'supervised independence' for the province. A draft resolution, backed by theUnited States,theUnited Kingdomand other European members of theSecurity Council,was presented and rewritten four times to try to accommodate Russian concerns that such a resolution would undermine the principle of state sovereignty.[166]

Camp Bondsteelis the main base of theUnited States Armyunder KFOR command in south-eastern part of Kosovo near the city ofFerizaj.

Russia, which holds a veto in the Security Council as one of five permanent members, had stated that it would not support any resolution which was not acceptable to both Belgrade and Kosovo Albanians.[167]Whilst most observers had, at the beginning of the talks, anticipated independence as the most likely outcome, others have suggested that a rapid resolution might not be preferable.[168]

After many weeks of discussions at the UN, the United States, United Kingdom and other European members of the Security Council formally 'discarded' a draft resolution backing Ahtisaari's proposal on 20 July 2007, having failed to secure Russian backing. Beginning in August, a "Troika"consisting of negotiators from the European Union (Wolfgang Ischinger), the United States (Frank G. Wisner) and Russia (Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko) launched a new effort to reach a status outcome acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina. Despite Russian disapproval, the U.S., the United Kingdom, and France appeared likely to recognise Kosovar independence.[169]A declaration of independence by Kosovar Albanian leaders was postponed until the end of theSerbian presidential elections(4 February 2008). A significant portion of politicians in both the EU and the US had feared that a premature declaration could boost support in Serbia for the nationalist candidate,Tomislav Nikolić.[170]

In November 2001, theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europesupervised thefirst electionsfor theAssembly of Kosovo.[171]After that election, Kosovo's political parties formed an all-party unity coalition and electedIbrahim Rugovaas president andBajram Rexhepi(PDK) as Prime Minister.[172]After Kosovo-wide elections in October 2004, the LDK and AAK formed a new governing coalition that did not include PDK and Ora. This coalition agreement resulted inRamush Haradinaj(AAK) becoming Prime Minister, while Ibrahim Rugova retained the position of President. PDK and Ora were critical of the coalition agreement and have since frequently accused that government of corruption.[173]

Parliamentary electionswere held on 17 November 2007. After early results,Hashim Thaçiwho was on course to gain 35 per cent of the vote, claimed victory for PDK, theDemocratic Party of Kosovo,and stated his intention to declare independence. Thaçi formed a coalition with presidentFatmir Sejdiu'sDemocratic Leaguewhich was in second place with 22 percent of the vote.[174]The turnout at the election was particularly low. Most members of the Serb minority refused to vote.[175]

Declaration of independence

TheNewborn monumentunveiled at the celebration of the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence proclaimed earlier that day, 17 February 2008,Pristina.

Kosovo declared independence fromSerbiaon 17 February 2008.[176]As of 4 September 2020,114 UN statesrecognised its independence, including all of its immediate neighbours, with the exception of Serbia;[177]10 states have subsequently withdrawn that recognition.[178][179]Of the UN Security Council members, while the US, UK and France do recognise Kosovo's independence, Russia and China do not.[180]Since declaring independence, it has become a member of international institutions such as theInternational Monetary FundandWorld Bank,[181][182]though not of the United Nations.

The Serb minority of Kosovo, which largely opposes the declaration of independence, has formed theCommunity Assembly of Kosovo and Metohijain response. The creation of the assembly was condemned by Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu, while UNMIK has said the assembly is not a serious issue because it will not have an operative role.[183] On 8 October 2008, the UN General Assembly resolved, on a proposal by Serbia, to ask theInternational Court of Justiceto render an advisory opinion on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The advisory opinion, which is not binding over decisions by states to recognise or not recognise Kosovo, was rendered on 22 July 2010, holding that Kosovo's declaration of independence was not in violation either of general principles ofinternational law,which do not prohibit unilateral declarations of independence, nor of specific international law – in particular UNSCR 1244 – which did not define the final status process nor reserve the outcome to a decision of the Security Council.[184]

Some rapprochement between the two governments took place on 19 April 2013 as both parties reached theBrussels Agreement,an agreement brokered by the EU that allowed the Serb minority in Kosovo to have its own police force and court of appeals.[185]The agreement is yet to be ratified by either parliament.[186]Presidents of Serbia and Kosovo organised two meetings, inBrusselson 27 February 2023 andOhridon 18 March 2023, to create and agree upon an 11-point agreement on implementing a European Union-backed deal to normalise ties between the two countries, which includes recognising "each other's documents such as passports and license plates".[187]

A number of protests and demonstrations took place in Kosovo between2021and2023,some of which involved weapons and resulted in deaths on both sides. Amongst the injured were 30 NATO peacekeepers. The main reason behind the 2022–23 demonstrations ended on 1 January 2024 when each country recognised each other's vehicle registration plates.

Governance

Vjosa Osmani
President
Albin Kurti
Prime Minister

Kosovo is amulti-partyparliamentaryrepresentative democraticrepublic.It is governed bylegislative,executiveandjudicialinstitutions, which derive from theconstitution,although, until theBrussels Agreement,North Kosovo was in practice largely controlled by institutions of Serbia or parallel institutions funded by Serbia. Legislative functions are vested in both theParliamentand the ministers within their competencies. TheGovernmentexercises the executive power and is composed of thePrime Ministeras thehead of government,the Deputy Prime Ministers and the Ministers of the various ministries.

The judiciary is composed of the Supreme Court and subordinate courts, aConstitutional Court,and independent prosecutorial institutions. There also exist multiple independent institutions defined by the constitution and law, as well as local governments. All citizens are equal before the law andgender equalityis ensured by the constitution.[188][189]The Constitutional Framework guarantees a minimum of ten seats in the 120-member Assembly for Serbs, and ten for other minorities, and also guarantees Serbs and other minorities places in the Government.

Thepresidentserves as thehead of stateand represents the unity of the people, elected every five years, indirectly by the parliament through asecret ballotby a two-thirds majority of all deputies. The head of state is invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. The president has the power to return draft legislation to the parliament for reconsideration and has a role in foreign affairs and certain official appointments.[190]ThePrime Ministerserves as thehead of governmentelected by the parliament. Ministers are nominated by the Prime Minister, and then confirmed by the parliament. The head of government exercises executive power of the territory.

Corruption is a major problem and an obstacle to the development of democracy in the country. Those in the judiciary appointed by the government to fight corruption are often government associates. Moreover, prominent politicians and party operatives who commit offences are not prosecuted due to the lack of laws and political will. Organised crime also poses a threat to the economy due to the practices of bribery, extortion and racketeering.[191]

Foreign relations

Theforeign relations of Kosovoare conducted through theMinistry of Foreign AffairsinPristina.As of 2023,104 out of 193United Nationsmember statesrecognisethe Republic of Kosovo. Within theEuropean Union,it is recognised by 22 of 27 members and is apotential candidatefor thefuture enlargement of the European Union.[192][193]On 15 December 2022 Kosovo filed a formal application to become a member of the European Union.[21]

Kosovo is a member of several international organisations including theInternational Monetary Fund,World Bank,International Road and Transport Union,Regional Cooperation Council,Council of Europe Development Bank,Venice CommissionandEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development.[194]In 2015, Kosovo's bid to become a member ofUNESCOfell three votes short of the two-thirds majority required to join.[195]23 countries maintainembassiesin Kosovo.[196]Kosovo maintains 24diplomatic missionsand 28 consular missions abroad.[197][198]

Therelations with Albaniaare in a special case considering that both countries share the same language and culture. TheAlbanian languageis one of theofficial languagesof Kosovo.Albaniahas an embassy in the capitalPristinaand Kosovo an embassy inTirana.In 1992, Albania was the only country whose parliament voted to recognise theRepublic of Kosova.Albaniawas also one of the first countries to officially announce its recognition of the Republic of Kosovo in February 2008.

From 1 January 2024 Kosovo nationals became exempt from visa requirements within theSchengen Areafor periods of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.[199]

Law

TheKosovo Policeis the main law enforcement agency in Kosovo.

Thejudicial system of Kosovofollows acivil lawframework and comprises regular civil and criminal courts, alongside administrative courts. Administered by thejudicial councilin Pristina, the system includes the supreme court as the highest judicial authority, aconstitutional courtand an independent prosecutorial institution. Following the independence of Kosovo in 2008, theKosovo Policeassumed the primary law enforcement responsibilities within the country.

Covering a broad range of issues related to the status of Kosovo, theAhtisaari Planintroduced two forms of international supervision for Kosovo following its independence, including theInternational Civilian Office(ICO) and theEuropean Union Rule of Law Mission to Kosovo(EULEX).[200]The ICO monitored plan implementation and possessed veto powers, while EULEX focused on developing judicial systems and had arrest and prosecution authority. These bodies were granted powers under Kosovo's declaration of independence and constitution.

The legal status of the ICO depended upon the de facto situation and Kosovo legislation, with oversight provided by theInternational Steering Group(ISG) comprising states that recognied Kosovo. Serbia and non-recognising states did not acknowledge the ICO. Despite initial opposition, EULEX gained acceptance from Serbia and the UN Security Council in 2008. It operated under the UNMIK mandate with operational independence. The ICO concluded operations in 2012 after fulfilling obligations, while EULEX continues to operate within Kosovo and international law. Its role has been extended, primarily focusing on monitoring with reduced responsibilities.[201]

According to the Global Safety Report byGallup,which assesses personal security worldwide through the Law and Order Index Scores for 2023, Kosovo has distinguished itself by ranking among the top ten countries globally in terms of perceived safety and law enforcement effectiveness.[202]

Military

TheKosovo Security Forceis the military of Kosovo.

TheKosovo Security Force(KSF) is the national security force of Kosovo commissioned with the task of preserving and safeguarding the country's territorial integrity, national sovereignty and the security interests of its population.[203]Functioning under the president of Kosovo as thecommander-in-chief,the security force adheres to the principle of non-discrimination, guaranteeing equal protection for its personnel regardless of gender or ethnicity.[203][204]Kosovo's notable challenges are identified in the realms of persistent conflicts and societal safety and security, both of which are intertwined with the country's diplomatic ties to neighboring countries and its domestic social and political stability.[205]

TheKosovo Force(KFOR) is aNATO-led internationalpeacekeeping forcein Kosovo.[206]Its operations are gradually reducing untilKosovo's Security Force,established in 2009, becomes self-sufficient.[207]KFOR entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999,[208]one day after theUnited Nations Security Counciladopted theUNSC Resolution 1244.Camp Bondsteelis the operation headquarters of theKosovo Force(KFOR) in Kosovo. It is located nearFerizaj[209]in southeastern Kosovo. It is the Regional Command-East headed by theUnited States Army(U.S. Army) and it is supported by troops fromGreece,Italy,Finland,Hungary,Poland,Slovenia,SwitzerlandandTurkey.

In 2008, under the leadership of NATO, the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and theKosovo Protection Corps(KPC) undertook preparations for the formation of the Kosovo Security Force. A significant milestone occurred in 2014 when the government officially announced its decision to establish a Ministry of Defence by 2019, with the aim of transforming the existing Kosovo Security Force into the Kosovo Armed Forces. This transformation would entail aligning the armed forces with the high standards expected of NATO members, reflecting Kosovo's aspiration to join the alliance in the future.[210]Subsequently, in December 2018, the government enacted legislation to redefine the mandate of the Kosovo Security Force, effecting its transformation into an army. Concurrently, the establishment of a Ministry of Defence was set in motion, further solidifying these developments and ensuring the necessary infrastructure and oversight for the newly formed armed forces.[211]

In 2023, the Kosovo Security Force had over 5,000 active members, using vehicles and weapons acquired from a number of NATO countries. KFOR continues to operate in Kosovo under its UN mandate.[212]

Administrative divisions

Kosovo is divided into sevendistricts(Albanian:rajon;Serbian:okrug), according to the Law of Kosovo and the Brussels Agreement of 2013, which stipulated the formation of new municipalities with Serb majority populations. The districts are further subdivided into 38municipalities(komunë;opština). The largest and most populous district of Kosovo is theDistrict of Pristinawith the capital inPristina,having a surface area of 2,470 km2(953.67 sq mi) and a population of 477,312.

Districts Seat Area (km2) Population
District of Peja Peja 1,365 174,235
District of Mitrovica Mitrovica 2,077 272,247
District of Pristina Pristina 2,470 477,312
District of Gjilan Gjilan 1,206 180,783
District of Gjakova Gjakova 1,129 194,672
District of Prizren Prizren 1,397 331,670
District of Ferizaj Ferizaj 1,030 185,806

Geography

Landscape inRugovawithin theBjeshkët e Nemuna National ParkborderingAlbania.

Defined in a total area of 10,887 square kilometres (4,203 square miles), Kosovo islandlockedand located in the center of theBalkan PeninsulainSoutheastern Europe.It lies between latitudes42°and43° N,and longitudes20°and22° E.[213]The northernmost point is Bellobërda at 43° 14' 06 "northern latitude; the southernmost isRestelicëat 41° 56' 40 "northern latitude; the westernmost point isBogëat 20° 3' 23 "eastern longitude; and the easternmost point isDesivojcaat 21° 44' 21 "eastern longitude. The highest point of Kosovo isGjeravicaat 2,656 metres (8,714 ft)above sea level,[214][215][216]and the lowest is theWhite Drinat 297 metres (974 ft).

Most of the borders of Kosovo are dominated by mountainous and high terrain. The most noticeabletopographicalfeatures are theAccursed Mountainsand theŠar Mountains.The Accursed Mountains are a geological continuation of theDinaric Alps.The mountains run laterally through the west along the border withAlbaniaandMontenegro.The southeast is predominantly the Šar Mountains, which constitute the border withNorth Macedonia.Besides the mountain ranges, Kosovo's territory consists mostly of two major plains, theKosovo Plainin the east and theMetohija Plainin the west.

Additionally, Kosovo consists of multiple geographic and ethnographic regions, such asDrenica,Dushkaja,Gollak,Has,Highlands of Gjakova,Llap,LlapushaandRugova.

Kosovo's hydrological resources are relatively small; there are fewlakesin Kosovo, the largest of which areLake Batllava,Badovc Lake,Lake Gazivoda,Lake Radoniq.[217][218]In addition to these, Kosovo also does havekarst springs,thermaland mineral water springs.[219]The longest rivers of Kosovo include theWhite Drin,theSouth Moravaand theIbar.Sitnica,a tributary of Ibar, is the largest river lying completely within Kosovo's territory.Nerodime riverrepresents Europe's only instance of a river bifurcation flowing into theBlack SeaandAegean Sea.

Climate

Alpine climateinPashalloraas seen fromBrezovica.

Most of Kosovo experiences predominantly aContinental climatewithMediterraneanandAlpineinfluences,[220]strongly influenced by Kosovo's proximity to theAdriatic Seain the west, theAegean Seain the south as well as the European continental landmass in the north.[221]

The coldest areas are situated in the mountainous region to the west and southeast, where an Alpine climate is prevalent. The warmest areas are mostly in the extreme southern areas close to the border with Albania, where a Mediterranean climate is the norm. Mean monthly temperature ranges between 0°C(32°F) (in January) and 22 °C (72 °F) (in July). Mean annual precipitation ranges from 600 to 1,300 mm (24 to 51 in) per year, and is well distributed year-round.

To the northeast, theKosovo PlainandIbar Valleyare drier with total precipitation of about 600 millimetres (24 inches) per year and more influenced by continental air masses, with colder winters and very hot summers. In the southwest, climatic area ofMetohijareceives more mediterranean influences with warmer summers, somewhat higher precipitation (700 mm (28 in)) and heavy snowfalls in the winter. The mountainous areas of theAccursed Mountainsin the west,Šar Mountainson the south andKopaonikin the north experiences alpine climate, with high precipitation (900 to 1,300 mm (35 to 51 in) per year), short and fresh summers, and cold winters.[222]The average annual temperature of Kosovo is 9.5 °C (49.1 °F). The warmest month is July with average temperature of 19.2 °C (66.6 °F), and the coldest is January with −1.3 °C (29.7 °F). ExceptPrizrenandIstog,all other meteorological stations in January recorded average temperatures under 0 °C (32 °F).[223]

Biodiversity

Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Parkis home to a wide range of flora and fauna species.

Located inSoutheastern Europe,Kosovo receives floral and faunal species from Europe andEurasia.Forests are widespread in Kosovo and cover at least 39% of the region.Phytogeographically,it straddles theIllyrianprovince of theCircumboreal Regionwithin theBoreal Kingdom.In addition, it falls within three terrestrial ecoregions:Balkan mixed forests,Dinaric Mountains mixed forests,andPindus Mountains mixed forests.[224]Kosovo's biodiversity is conserved in twonational parks,elevennature reservesand one hundred three other protected areas.[225]TheBjeshkët e Nemuna National ParkandSharr Mountains National Parkare the most important regions of vegetation and biodiversity in Kosovo.[226]Kosovo had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 5.19/10, ranking it 107th globally out of 172 countries.[227]

Floraencompasses more than 1,800 species ofvascular plantspecies, but the actual number is estimated to be higher than 2,500 species.[228][229]The diversity is the result of the complex interaction of geology and hydrology creating a wide variety of habitat conditions for flora growth. Although, Kosovo represents only 2.3% of the entire surface area of theBalkans,in terms of vegetation it has 25% of the Balkan flora and about 18% of the European flora.[228]The fauna is composed of a wide range of species.[226]: 14 The mountainous west and southeast provide a great habitat for severalrareorendangered speciesincludingbrown bears,lynxes,wild cats,wolves,foxes,wild goats,roebucksanddeers.[230]A total of 255 species ofbirdshave been recorded, with raptors such as thegolden eagle,eastern imperial eagleandlesser kestrelliving principally in the mountains of Kosovo.

Environmental issues

Environmental issues in Kosovo include a wide range of challenges pertaining toairandwater pollution,climate change,waste management,biodiversity lossandnature conservation.[231]The vulnerability of the country to climate change is influenced by various factors, such as increased temperatures, geological and hydrologicalhazards,including droughts, flooding, fires and rains.[231]Kosovo is not a signatory to theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC), theKyoto Protocolor theParis Agreement.[232]Consequently, the country is not mandated to submit aNationally Determined Contribution(NDC) that are voluntary commitments outlining a nation's actions and strategies for mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts.[232]However, since 2021, Kosovo is actively engaged in the process of formulating a voluntary NDC, with assistance provided from Japan.[232][233]In 2023, the country has established a goal of reducinggreenhouse gas emissionsby approximately 16.3% as part of its broader objective to achievecarbon neutralityby the year 2050.[233]

Demographics

The population of Kosovo from 1921 to 2015.

TheAgency of Statisticsestimated Kosovo's population in 2021 to be approximately 1,774,000.[234]In 2023, the overalllife expectancyat birth is 79.68 years; 77.38 years for males and 81.87 years for females.[235]The estimatedtotal fertility ratein 2023 is 1.88 children born per woman.[236]The country is the11th most populous countryin theSoutheastern Europe(Balkans) and ranks as the148th most populous countryin the world. The country's population rose steadily over the 20th century and peaked at an estimated 2.2 million in 1998. TheKosovo Warand subsequent migration have decreased the population of Kosovo over time.

Distribution of ethnic groups within Kosovo, as of the 2011 census.[237]

In 2019,Albaniansconstituted 92% of the population of Kosovo, followed by ethnicSerbs(4%),Bosniaks(2%),Turks(1%),Romani(1%), and theGorani(<1%).[238]Albanians constitute the majority of the population in most of Kosovo. Ethnic Serbs are concentrated inthe northof the country, as well as inother municipalitiesin the east of the country, such asGračanicaandŠtrpce.Turks form a local majority in the municipality ofMamusha,just north of Prizren, while the Bosniaks are mainly located within Prizren itself. The Gorani are concentrated in the southernmost tip of the country, inDragash.The Romani are spread across the entire country.

Theofficial languagesof Kosovo areAlbanianandSerbian[2]and the institutions are committed to ensure the equal use of those two official languages of Kosovo.[239]Municipal civil servants are only required to speak one of the two languages in a professional setting and, according to Language Commissioner of Kosovo Slaviša Mladenović, no government organisation has all of its documents available in both languages.[240]The Law on the Use of Languages givesTurkishthe status of an official language in the municipality ofPrizren,irrespective of the size of theTurkish communityliving there.[241]Otherwise,Turkish,BosnianandRomahold the status of official languages at municipal level if the linguistic community represents at least 5% of the total population of municipality.[242][241]Albanian is spoken as afirst languageby all Albanians, as well as some of the Romani people, such as theAshkali and Balkan Egyptians.Serbian, Bosnian, and Turkish are spoken as first languages by their respective communities.

According to theWorld Happiness Report2024, which evaluates the happiness levels of citizens in various countries, Kosovo is currently ranked 29th among a total of 143 nations assessed.[243]

Largestmunicipalitiesby population (2024)[244]

Rank Municipality Population Rank Municipality Population
1 Pristina 227,154 11 Lipjan 54,974
2 Prizren 147,428 12 Drenas 48,054
3 Ferizaj 109,345 13 Suharekë 45,713
4 Gjilan 82,901 14 Malisheva 43,871
5 Peja 82,661 15 Rahovec 41,777
6 Gjakova 78,824 16 Skenderaj 40,632
7 Podujevë 71,018 17 Viti 35,549
8 Mitrovica 64,680 18 Istog 33,066
9 Kosovo Polje 64,078 19 Klina 30,574
10 Vushtrri 61,493 20 Dragash 28,908

Minorities

The relations betweenKosovar AlbaniansandKosovar Serbshave been hostile since the rise of nationalism in the Balkans during the 19th century.[245]During Communism in Yugoslavia, the ethnic Albanians and Serbs were strongly irreconcilable, with sociological studies during the Tito-era indicating that ethnic Albanians and Serbs rarely accepted each other as neighbors or friends and few held inter-ethnic marriages.[246]Ethnic prejudices, stereotypes and mutual distrust between ethnic Albanians and Serbs have remained common for decades.[246]The level of intolerance and separation between both communities during the Tito-period was reported by sociologists to be worse than that of Croat and Serb communities in Yugoslavia, which also had tensions but held some closer relations between each other.[246]

Despite their planned integration into the Kosovar society and their recognition in the Kosovar constitution, theRomani,Ashkali, and Egyptian communities continue to face many difficulties, such as segregation and discrimination, in housing, education, health, employment and social welfare.[247]Many camps around Kosovo continue to house thousands ofinternally displaced people,all of whom are from minority groups and communities.[248]Because many of the Roma are believed to have sided with the Serbs during the conflict, taking part in the widespread looting and destruction of Albanian property,Minority Rights Group Internationalreport that Romani people encounter hostility by Albanians outside their local areas.[249]A 2020 research report funded by the EU shows that there is a limited scale of trust and overall contact between the major ethnic groups in Kosovo.[250]

Religion

Religion in Kosovo[251]
Muslim[252]
95.6%
Christian
3.7%
Roman Catholic
2.2%
Eastern Orthodox
1.5%
Non-religious
0.1%
Other
0.1%
Unspecified
0.1%

Kosovo is asecular statewith nostate religion;freedom of belief,conscienceandreligionis explicitly guaranteed in theConstitution of Kosovo.[253][188][189]Kosovar society is stronglysecularisedand is ranked first inSouthern Europeand ninth in the world as free and equal for tolerance towardsreligionandatheism.[254][255]

In the 2011 census, 95.6% of the population of Kosovo was counted asMuslimand 3.7% asChristianincluding 2.2% asRoman Catholicand 1.5% asEastern Orthodox.[251]The remaining 0.3% of the population reported having no religion, or another religion, or did not provide an adequate answer. Protestants, although recognised as a religious group in Kosovo by the government, were not represented in the census. The census was largely boycotted by theKosovo Serbs,who predominantly identify asSerbian OrthodoxChristians, especially inNorth Kosovo,[256]leaving the Serb population underrepresented.[257]

Islamis the most widely practiced religion in Kosovo and was introduced in theMiddle Agesby theOttomans.Today, Kosovo has the second-highest number of Muslims as a percentage of its population in Europe after Turkey.[258]The majority of the Muslim population of Kosovo are ethnicAlbanians,Turks,and Slavs such asGoraniandBosniaks.[259]

Followers of theRoman Catholic Churchare predominantly Albanians while ethnic Serbs follow theEastern Orthodox Church.In 2008, Protestant pastor Artur Krasniqi, primate of the Kosovo Protestant Evangelical Church, claimed that "as many as 15,000" Kosovar Albanians had converted to Protestantism since 1985.[260]

Relations between the Albanian Muslim and Albanian Catholic communities in Kosovo are good; however, both communities have few or no relations with theSerbian Orthodoxcommunity. In general, the Albanians define theirethnicityby language and not by religion, while religion reflects a distinguishing identity feature among the Slavs of Kosovo and elsewhere.[261]

Economy

Kosovo has the fifth-largestlignitereserves in the world.

Theeconomy of Kosovois a transitional economy. It suffered from the combined results of political upheaval, the Serbian dismissal of Kosovo employees and the followingYugoslav Wars.Despite declining foreign assistance, the GDP has mostly grown since its declaration of independence. This was despite thefinancial crisis of 2007–2008and the subsequentEuropean debt crisis.Additionally, theinflation ratehas been low. Most economic development has taken place in the trade, retail and construction sectors. Kosovo is highly dependent on remittances from thediaspora,foreign direct investment,and other capital inflows.[262]In 2018, theInternational Monetary Fundreported that approximately one-sixth of the population lived below the poverty line and one-third of the working age population was unemployed, the highest rate in Europe.[263]

Kosovo's largest trading partners are Albania, Italy, Switzerland, China, Germany and Turkey. TheEurois its official currency.[264]TheGovernment of Kosovohas signed free-trade agreements withAlbania,Croatia,Bosnia and HerzegovinaandNorth Macedonia.[265][266][267][268]Kosovo is a member ofCEFTA,agreed withUNMIK,and enjoys free trade with most nearby non-European Unioncountries.[269]

Kosovo is dominated by the services sector, accounting for 54% of GDP and employing approximately 56.6% of the population.[270]The industry accounted for 37.3% ofGDPand employs roughly 24.8% of the labour force.[270]There are several reasons for the stagnation, ranging from consecutive occupations, political turmoil and theWar in Kosovoin 1999.[271]While agriculture accounts for only 6.6% of GDP, albeit an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 2019, it forms 18.7% of Kosovo's workforce, the highest proportion of agricultural employment in the region afterAlbania.[270]

Since 2019, thePort of Durrësin Albania on theAdriatic Seais facilitating customs processes for cargo heading to Kosovo.[272][273]A dedicated customs office for Kosovo also operates within the port facilities.[274]

Kosovo has large reserves oflead,zinc,silver,nickel,cobalt,copper,ironandbauxite.[275]The nation has the fifth-largestlignitereserves in the world and the third in Europe.[276]The Directorate for Mines and Minerals and theWorld Bankestimated that Kosovo had €13.5 billion worth of minerals in 2005.[277]The primary sector is based on small to medium-sized family-owned dispersed units.[278]53% of the nation's area is agricultural land, 41% forest and forestry land, and 6% for others.[279]

Winehas historically been produced in Kosovo. The main heartland of Kosovo's wine industry is inRahovec.The main cultivars includePinot noir,Merlot,andChardonnay.Kosovo exports wines to Germany and the United States.[280]The four state-owned wine production facilities were not as much "wineries" as they were "wine factories". Only the Rahovec facility that held approximately 36% of the total vineyard area had the capacity of around 50 million litres annually. The major share of the wine production was intended for exports. At its peak in 1989, the exports from theRahovecfacility amounted to 40 million litres and were mainly distributed to the German market.[281]

Energy

Bajgora Wind Farm,the largest wind farm in Kosovo

Theelectricity sector in Kosovois considered one of the sectors with the greatest potential of development.[282]Kosovo's electricity sector is highly dependent on coal-fired power plants, which use the abundant lignite, so efforts are being made to diversify electricity generation with more renewables sources, such aswind farms in Bajgora and Kitka.[283][284]

A joint energy bloc between Kosovo and Albania, is in work after an agreement which was signed in December 2019.[285]With that agreement Albania and Kosovo will now be able to exchange energy reserves, which is expected to result in €4 million in savings per year for Kosovo.[286]

Tourism

Brezovica ski resortis one of the best destinations for winter tourism in Kosovo.

The natural values of Kosovo represent quality tourism resources. The description of Kosovo's potential in tourism is closely related to its geographical location, in the center of theBalkan PeninsulainSoutheastern Europe.It represents a crossroads which historically dates back toantiquity.Kosovo serves as a link in the connection betweenCentralandSouthern Europeand theAdriatic SeaandBlack Sea.Kosovo is generally rich in various topographical features, including highmountains,lakes,canyons,steeprock formationsandrivers.[287]The mountainous west and southeast of Kosovo has great potential for winter tourism. Skiing takes place at theBrezovica ski resortwithin theŠar Mountains,[287]with the close proximity to thePristina Airport(60 km) andSkopje International Airport(70 km) which is a popular destination for international tourists.

Kosovo also has lakes likeLake Batllavathat serves as a popular destination for watersports, camping, and swimming.[288]Other lakes include Ujmani Lake,Liqenati Lake,Zemra Lake.[288]

Other major attractions include the capital,Pristina,the historical cities ofPrizren,PejaandGjakovabut alsoFerizajandGjilan.

The New York Timesincluded Kosovo on the list of 41 places to visit in 2011.[289][290]

Transport

ThePristina International Airport(PRN) handles more than 2.9 million passengers per year.

Road transportation of passengers and freight is the most common form of transportation in Kosovo. There are two main motorways in Kosovo: theR7connecting Kosovo withAlbaniaand theR6connectingPristinato the Macedonian border atHani i Elezit.The construction of theR7.1 Motorwaybegan in 2017.

TheR7 Motorway(part ofAlbania-Kosovo Highway) links Kosovo toAlbania'sAdriaticcoast inDurrës.Once the remainingEuropean route (E80)fromPristinatoMerdaresection project will be completed, the motorway will link Kosovo through the presentEuropean route (E80)highway with thePan-European corridor X(E75) nearNišin Serbia. TheR6 Motorway,forming part of theE65,is the second motorway constructed in the region. It links the capitalPristinawith the border with North Macedonia atHani i Elezit,which is about 20 km (12 mi) fromSkopje.Construction of the motorway started in 2014 and finished in 2019.[291]

Trainkosoperates daily passenger trains on two routes:PristinaFushë KosovëPejë,as well asPristinaFushë KosovëFerizajSkopje,North Macedonia(the latter in cooperation withMacedonian Railways).[292]Also, freight trains run throughout the country.

The nation hosts two airports,Pristina International AirportandGjakova Airport.Pristina International Airport is located southwest ofPristina.It is Kosovo's only international airport and the only port of entry for air travelers to Kosovo. Gjakova Airport was built by theKosovo Force(KFOR) following theKosovo War,next to an existing airfield used for agricultural purposes, and was used mainly for military and humanitarian flights. The local and national government plans to offerGjakova Airportfor operation under a public-private partnership with the aim of turning it into a civilian and commercial airport.[293]

Infrastructure

Health

In the past, Kosovo's capabilities to develop a modernhealth caresystem were limited.[294]LowGDPduring 1990 worsened the situation even more. However, the establishment of Faculty of Medicine in theUniversity of Pristinamarked a significant development in health care. This was also followed by launching different health clinics which enabled better conditions for professional development.[294]

Nowadays the situation has changed, and the health care system in Kosovo is organised into three sectors:primary,secondary and tertiary health care.[295]Primary health care inPristinais organised into thirteen family medicine centres[296]and fifteen ambulatory care units.[296]Secondary health care is decentralised in seven regional hospitals. Pristina does not have any regional hospital and instead uses University Clinical Center of Kosovo for health care services.University Clinical Center of Kosovoprovides its health care services in twelve clinics,[297]where 642 doctors are employed.[298]At a lower level, home services are provided for several vulnerable groups which are not able to reach health care premises.[299]Kosovo health care services are now focused on patient safety, quality control and assisted health.[300]

Education

TheNational Library of Kosovo

Education for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is predominantly public and supported by the state, run by theMinistry of Education.Education takes place in two main stages: primary and secondary education, and higher education.

The primary and secondary education is subdivided into four stages: preschool education, primary and low secondary education, high secondary education and special education. Preschool education is for children from the ages of one to five. Primary and secondary education is obligatory for everyone. It is provided by gymnasiums and vocational schools and also available in languages of recognised minorities in Kosovo, where classes are held inAlbanian,Serbian,Bosnian,TurkishandCroatian.The first phase (primary education) includes grades one to five, and the second phase (low secondary education) grades six to nine. The third phase (high secondary education) consists of general education but also professional education, which is focused on different fields. It lasts four years. However, pupils are offered possibilities of applying for higher or university studies. According to theMinistry of Education,children who are not able to get a general education are able to get a special education (fifth phase).[301] Higher education can be received in universities and other higher-education institutes. These educational institutions offer studies forBachelor,MasterandPhDdegrees. The students may choose full-time or part-time studies.

Media

Kosovo ranks 56th out of 180 countries in the 2023Press Freedom Indexreport compiled by theReporters Without Borders.[302]TheMediaconsists of different kinds of communicative media such as radio, television, newspapers, and internet web sites. Most of the media survive from advertising and subscriptions. As according to IREX there are 92 radio stations and 22 television stations.[303]

Culture

Cuisine

Fliis one of the most favored dishes of the traditionalAlbanian cuisinein Kosovo.

Kosovar cuisineis distinguished by multifaceted culinary influences derived fromBalkan,Mediterranean,andOttomantraditions.[304]This combination reflects Kosovo's diverse historical and cultural contexts while highlighting itsAlbanian heritage.[304][305]A paramount aspect of this tradition is the principle of hospitality, as articulated in theKanun,which guides various aspects of social interactions and practices.[306]Particularly, the notion "the house of an Albanian belongs to God and to the guest" underscores the high regard on treating guests with respect and generosity.[306]Flistands out for its unique preparation, which involves layering batter and cream in a special pan called a saç, baked slowly over several hours.[307]Pite, a savory pie filled with a mixture of meat, cheese, or spinach, is often enjoyed as a hearty meal throughout Kosovo. Another popular dish isByrek,a flaky pastry that can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including meat, spinach, or cheese, and is often prepared in circular pans.[307]Qebapaare hand-rolled sausages, traditionally made from a blend of minced beef and other meats, are seasoned with a mix of spices such as garlic and black pepper.[304]They are commonly served alongside freshly baked bread, raw onions andajvar,a popular savory red pepper, eggplant and garlic spread that complements the dish.[304]Petulla, or fried dough balls also known as Llokuma, are often drizzled with honey or sprinkled with sugar. Reçel, a type of fruit preserve, is made from various fruits and often used as a spread on bread or served alongside petulla.

Bakllavëis a traditional dessert in Southern Europe, comprising layers of phyllo pastry filled with nuts and drizzled with honey that is often served for festive occasions.[307]Another notable dessert isTrileçe,a sponge cake soaked in a blend of three types of milk and covered with caramel.[307]The coffee culture of Kosovo represents a vibrant and essential aspect of daily life, functioning as a cornerstone for social interactions and communal gatherings.[307]In Kosovo, coffee symbolises hospitality and community, inviting both locals and visitors to connect.[307]Often accompanied by traditional sweets and pastries, the preparation of coffee typically involves a cezve, a traditional pot for brewing finely ground coffee. This method emphasises the ceremonial nature of coffee preparation. Hosts take pride in serving their guests the finest brew, highlighting the importance of hospitality. The act of sharing coffee fosters meaningful conversations among individuals, with people recounting stories and engaging in discussions about life.[307]

Sports

Pristinawas announced as the host city of the2030 Mediterranean Games.

Since its declaration of independence in 2008, Kosovo has made substantial advancements in international sports. The nation's inaugural participation in theOlympic Gamesoccurred at the2016 games,where it achieved a milestone by securing its first medals, totalingfive medalsto date.[308]Kosovo's involvement in theEuropean Gamesbegan in2015,during which the nation amassedfour medals.Additionally, Kosovo commenced participation in theMediterranean Gamesin2018,achieving success with a total often medals.[309][310]Forthcoming, Kosovo is scheduled to host the2030 games,marking a significant opportunity for the nation in the realm of international sports.[311][312]Notable athletes such asLaura Fazliu,Akil Gjakova,Nora Gjakova,Majlinda Kelmendi,Loriana Kuka,andDistria Krasniqihave played vital roles in Kosovo's sporting achievements, with Majlinda Kelmendi being particularly recognised for winning the nation's first Olympic gold medal.[313]Judo has become a cornerstone of Kosovo's success in international competitions, accounting for the majority of the nation's medals across various events.[314][315]Prior to Kosovo's independence, notable athletes such asAziz Salihu,Vladimir Durković,Fahrudin Jusufi,andMilutin Šoškićrepresented Yugoslavia, thereby contributing to the diverse athletic heritage of Kosovo.[316]

Kosovo achievedfull membership statusin both theUnion of European Football Associations(UEFA) andFédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) in 2016, facilitating the nation's participation in international football competitions.[317][318]As a result, thenational football teamof Kosovo became eligible to compete in qualification rounds for major tournaments such as theUEFA Nations League,theEuropean Championshipand theFIFA World Cup.[317][318]The team's paramount achievement occurred during the2018–19 editionof the UEFA Nations League, wherein they concluded the tournament atop theirLeague Dgroup, maintaining an unbeaten record of four victories and two draws, thus securing promotion to a higher competitive tier.[319]Several Kosovo-Albanian players have opted to represent various European nations, highlighting figures examples, includingLorik CanaforAlbaniaandAdnan JanuzajforBelgium.Furthermore, key contributions have come from players such asValon Behrami,Xherdan Shaqiri,andGranit Xhaka,all of whom have made pivotal contributions to theSwiss team.[319]

Arts

TheNational Museum of Kosovo
TheGreat Hamam of Pristinawas built in the 15th century and was part of theImperial MosqueinPristina.

The architecture of Kosovo dates back to theNeolithic,BronzeandMiddle Ages.It has been influenced by the presence of different civilisations and religions as evidenced by the structures which have survived to this day.

Kosovo is home to manymonasteriesand churches from the 13th and 14th centuries that represent theSerbian Orthodoxlegacy. Architectural heritage from theOttoman Periodincludes mosques andhamamsfrom the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Other historical architectural structures of interest includekullasfrom the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as a number of bridges, urban centers and fortresses. While somevernacular buildingsare not considered important in their own right, taken together they are of considerable interest. During the1999 conflict in Kosovo,many buildings that represent this heritage were destroyed or damaged.[320][321]In the Dukagjini region, at least 500 kullas were attacked, and most of them destroyed or otherwise damaged.[322]

In 2004,UNESCOrecognised theVisoki Dečani monasteryasWorld Heritage Sitefor its outstanding universal value. Two years later, the site of patrimony was extended as a serial nomination, to include three other religious monuments:Patriarchate of Peja,Our Lady of LjevišandGračanica monasteryunder the name ofMedieval Monuments in Kosovo.[323]It consists of fourSerbian Orthodoxchurches andmonasteries,which represent the fusion of the eastern OrthodoxByzantineand the westernRomanesqueecclesiastical architecture to form the Palaiologan Renaissance style.

These monuments have come under attack, especially during the2004 ethnic violence.In 2006, the property was inscribed on theList of World Heritage in Dangerdue to difficulties in its management and conservation stemming from the region's political instability.[324]

Kosovar art was unknown to the international public for a very long time, because of the regime, many artists were unable to display their art in art galleries, and so were always on the lookout for alternatives, and even resorted to taking matters into their own hands. Until 1990, artists from Kosovo presented their art in many prestigious worldwide renowned centers. They were affirmed and evaluated highly because of their unique approach to the arts considering the circumstances in which they were created, making them distinguished and original.[325][326]

In February 1979, theKosova National Art Gallerywas founded. It became the highest institution of visual arts in Kosovo. It was named after one of the most prominent artists of KosovoMuslim Mulliqi.Engjëll Berisha,Masar Caka,Tahir Emra,Abdullah Gërguri,Hysni Krasniqi,Nimon Lokaj,Aziz Nimani,Ramadan Ramadani,Esat Vallaand Lendita Zeqiraj are some of fewAlbanian paintersborn in Kosovo.

Music

Although the music in Kosovo is diverse, authenticAlbanianandSerbian musicstill exist.Albanian musicis characterised by the use of theÇifteli.Classical musicis well known in Kosovo and has been taught at severalmusic schoolsand universities. In 2014, Kosovo submitted their first film for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film,withThree Windows and a Hangingdirected byIsa Qosja.[327]

A baked-clayocarinawas found in the village ofRunikwhich is considered to be the oldest musical instrument found in Kosovo and one of the oldest ocarinas ever found in Europe.[328]Runik ocarinais thought to be at least 8,000 years old.[329]

The NeolithicRunik ocarinais the oldest musical instrument found in Kosovo to date and one of the oldest in Europe.[329]

In the past, epic poetry in Kosovo andNorthern Albaniawas sung on a lahuta and then a more tuneful çiftelia was used which has two strings-one for the melody and one for drone. Kosovar music is influenced by Turkish music due to the almost 500-year span of Ottoman rule in Kosovo though Kosovar folklore has preserved its originality and exemplary.[330]Archaeological research tells how old this tradition is and how it was developed in parallel with other traditional music in the Balkans. Roots dating to the 5th century BC have been found in paintings on stones of singers with instruments. (There is a famous portrait of "Pani" holding an instrument similar to a flute).[331]

The contemporary music artistsRita Ora,Dua LipaandEra Istrefi,are all ofAlbanian originand have achieved international recognition for their music.[332]One widely recognised musician fromPrizrenis guitaristPetrit Çeku,winner of several international prizes.[333]

Serbian music from Kosovo presents a mixture of traditional music, which is part of the wider Balkan tradition, with its own distinctive sound, and various Western and Turkish influences.[330]Serb songs from Kosovo were an inspiration for 12th song wreath by composerStevan Mokranjac.Most of Serbian music from Kosovo was dominated by church music, with its own share of sung epic poetry.[330]Serbian national instrumentGusleis also used in Kosovo.[334]

Viktorijais the only artist fromKosovowho representedYugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contestas part ofAskain1982.SingerRona Nishliufinished 5th in the2012Eurovision Song Contest, whileLinditarepresented Albania in2017.Several Serbian singers from Kosovo have also participated in the Serbian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest.Nevena BožovićrepresentedSerbia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contestand twice in the Eurovision Song Contest, firstly as a member ofMoje 3in2013and as a solo act in2019.

Cinema

Bekim Fehmiuwas the first Eastern European actor to star inHollywoodduring the Cold War.

The film industry of Kosovo dates from the 1970s. In 1969, the parliament of Kosovo establishedKosovafilm,a state institution for the production, distribution and showing of films. Its initial director was the actor Abdurrahman Shala, followed by writer and noted poetAzem Shkreli,under whose direction the most successful films were produced. Subsequent directors of Kosovafilm were Xhevar Qorraj, Ekrem Kryeziu and Gani Mehmetaj. After producing seventeen feature films, numerous short films and documentaries, the institution was taken over by the Serbian authorities in 1990 and dissolved. Kosovafilm was reestablished afterYugoslavwithdrawal from the region in June 1999 and has since been endeavoring to revive the film industry in Kosovo.

DokufestinPrizren.

The InternationalDocumentary and Short Film Festivalis the largest film event in Kosovo. The Festival is organised in August inPrizren,which attracts numerous international and regional artists. In this annually organised festival, films are screened twice a day in three open-air cinemas as well as in two regular cinemas. Except for its films, the festival is also well known for lively nights after the screening. Various events happen within the scope of the festival: workshops, DokuPhoto exhibitions, festival camping, concerts, which altogether turn the city into a charming place to be. In 2010, Dokufest was voted as one of the 25 best international documentary festivals.[335]

International actors ofAlbanian originfrom Kosovo includeArta Dobroshi,James Biberi,Faruk BegolliandBekim Fehmiu.ThePrishtina International Film Festivalis the largest film festival, held annually in Pristina, in Kosovo that screens prominent international cinema productions in the Balkan region and beyond, and draws attention to the Kosovar film industry.

The movieShokwas nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Live Action Short Filmat the88th Academy Awards.[336]The movie was written and directed by Oscar nominated directorJamie Donoughue,based on true events during theKosovo war.Shok's distributor is Ouat Media, and the social media campaign is led byTeam Albanians.

See also

Notes

  1. ^/ˈkɒsəv/KOSS-ə-voh;Albanian:Kosova[kɔˈsɔva];Serbian Cyrillic:Косово[kôsovo]
  2. ^Albanian:Republika e Kosovës;Serbian:Република Косово,romanized:Republika Kosovo

References

  1. ^"Israel's ties with Kosovo: What new opportunities await?".The Jerusalem Post.1 February 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 7 February 2021.Retrieved8 February2021.
  2. ^ab"LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN KOSOVO".Archivedfrom the original on 19 December 2023.Retrieved19 December2023.
  3. ^"Municipal language compliance in Kosovo".OSCE Minsk Group.Archivedfrom the original on 5 March 2021.Retrieved17 February2021.Turkish language is currently official in Prizren and Mamuşa/Mamushë/Mamuša municipalities. In 2007 and 2008, the municipalities of Gjilan/Gnjilane, southern Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Prishtinë/Priština and Vushtrri/Vučitrn also recognized Turkish as a language in official use.
  4. ^"Kosovo Population 2019".World Population Review.Archived fromthe originalon 28 July 2019.Retrieved8 August2019.
  5. ^"2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Kosovo".U.S. Department of State.Archivedfrom the original on 27 October 2023.Retrieved15 October2023.
  6. ^"Kosovo profile".BBC.28 June 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2023.Retrieved12 September2023.
  7. ^"Water percentage in Kosovo (Facts about Kosovo; 2011 Agriculture Statistics)".Kosovo Agency of Statistics, KAS.Archivedfrom the original on 29 August 2017.
  8. ^"Regjistrimi i popullsisë, ekonomive familjare dhe banesave në Kosovë - Rezultatet paraprake korrik 2024"[The census of population, families, and dwellings in Kosovo - Preliminary results July 2024](PDF)(in Albanian). Kosovo Statistics Agency.Retrieved12 July2024.
  9. ^abcd"World Economic Outlook Database, April 2024 Edition. (Kosovo)".imf.org.International Monetary Fund.16 April 2024.Archivedfrom the original on 17 April 2024.Retrieved17 April2024.
  10. ^"GINI index (World Bank estimate)–Kosovo".World Bank.Archivedfrom the original on 24 January 2019.Retrieved24 September2020.
  11. ^"Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab".hdi.globaldatalab.org.Archivedfrom the original on 29 November 2022.
  12. ^Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo(PDF)(13).Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo.9 April 2008.
  13. ^ab"Ligji Nr. 06/L-012 për Kryeqytetin e Republikës së Kosovës, Prishtinën"(in Albanian). Gazeta Zyrtare e Republikës së Kosovës. 6 June 2018. Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2020.Retrieved24 September2020.
  14. ^"The euro outside the euro area".Economy and Finance.European Commission. Archived fromthe originalon 28 January 2024.Retrieved28 January2024.
  15. ^Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo(PDF)(11).Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo.9 April 2008.
  16. ^"Përfundon periudha transitore: Nga sot, euro valuta e vetme për transaksione në Kosovë"[The transitory period is over: from today euro is the only currency for transactions in Kosovo].Telegrafi(in Albanian). Prishtina:Telegrafi.12 May 2024.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2024.Retrieved13 May2024.
  17. ^"Kosovo Guidebook"(PDF).eca.state.gov.Retrieved20 September2024.
  18. ^"Population and housing census in Kosovo preliminary results - July 2024"(PDF).Retrieved21 July2024.
  19. ^"Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in Respect of Kosovo"(PDF).International Court of Justice(ICJ). 22 July 2010. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 24 September 2020.Retrieved24 September2020.
  20. ^Gvosdev, Nikolas K. (24 April 2013)."Kosovo and Serbia Make a Deal".Foreign Affairs.Archivedfrom the original on 5 March 2016.
  21. ^ab"Kosovo formally applies for EU membership".Deutsche Welle.Archivedfrom the original on 16 December 2022.Retrieved15 December2022.
  22. ^Judah, Tim (2008).Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Know.Oxford University Press. p. 31.ISBN9780195373455.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2023.Retrieved15 August2023.
  23. ^Manić, Emilija; Nikitović, Vladimir; Djurović, Predrag, eds. (2021).The Geography of Serbia: Nature, People, Economy.Springer. p. 47.ISBN9783030747015.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2023.Retrieved15 August2023.
  24. ^abJ. Everett-Heath (1 August 2000).Place Names of the World - Europe: Historical Context, Meanings and Changes.Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 373–.ISBN978-0-230-28673-3.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved13 August2023.
  25. ^"Constitution of the Republic of Serbia".Parlament.gov.rs. Archived fromthe originalon 27 November 2010.Retrieved2 January2011.
  26. ^Drançolli, Jahja."Illyrian-Albanian Continuity the Areal of Kosova".academia.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 20 November 2023.Retrieved11 February2024.
  27. ^Albanian Etymological Dictionary, V.Orel, Koninklijke Brill, Leiden Boston Köln 1998, p. 56
  28. ^"Kosovo's Constitution of 2008 (with Amendments through 2016)"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 November 2019.Retrieved2 November2019– via constituteproject.org.
  29. ^"Agreement on regional representation of Kosovo".B92. 25 February 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 11 November 2014.Retrieved11 November2014.
  30. ^abcSchermer, Shirley; Shukriu, Edi; Deskaj, Sylvia (2011). Marquez-Grant, Nicholas; Fibiger, Linda (eds.).The Routledge Handbook of Archaeological Human Remains and Legislation: An International Guide to Laws and Practice in the Excavation and Treatment of Archaeological Human Remains.Taylor & Francis. p. 235.ISBN978-1136879562.Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2022.Retrieved20 September2020.
  31. ^abBerisha, Milot (2012)."Archaeological Guide of Kosovo"(PDF).Ministry of Culture of Kosovo. pp. 17–18.Archived(PDF)from the original on 17 April 2019.Retrieved20 September2020.
  32. ^Shukriu, Edi(2006)."Spirals of the prehistoric open rock painting from Kosova".Proceedings of the XV World Congress of the International Union for Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences.35:59.Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2021.Retrieved20 September2020.
  33. ^Wilkes, John (1996) [1992].The Illyrians.Wiley. p. 85.ISBN978-0-631-19807-9.Archivedfrom the original on 2 May 2020.Retrieved20 September2020.
  34. ^Papazoglu, Fanula(1978).The Central Balkan Tribes in pre-Roman Times: Triballi, Autariatae, Dardanians, Scordisci and Moesians.Amsterdam: Hakkert. p. 131.ISBN9789025607937.Archivedfrom the original on 11 April 2021.Retrieved27 September2020.
  35. ^Errington, Robert Malcolm(1990).A History of Macedonia.Translated by Catherine Errington. Berkeley: University of California Press. p.185.ISBN978-0-520-06319-8.
  36. ^Hammond, N.G.L. (1988).A History of Macedonia: 336-167 B.C.Clarendon Press. p. 253.ISBN0-19-814815-1.
  37. ^Starinar.Vol. 45–47. Arheološki institut. 1995. p. 33.
  38. ^Roisman, Joseph (2010)."Classical Macedonia to Perdiccas III".In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.).A Companion to Ancient Macedonia.Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 145–165.ISBN978-1-4051-7936-2.
  39. ^Teichner 2015,p. 81.
  40. ^Gassmann, Guntram; Körlin, Gabriele; Klein, Sabine (2011)."Römischer Erzbergbau im Umfeld der antiken Stadt Ulpiana bei Pristina (Kosovo)"(PDF).Der Anschnitt.63:157–167.Archived(PDF)from the original on 14 February 2024.Retrieved18 August2023.
  41. ^abHoxhaj, Enver (1999). "Die frühchristliche dardanische Stadt Ulpiana und ihr Verhältnis zu Rom".Dardanica.8:21–33.
  42. ^Berisha, Milot."Archaeological Guide of Kosovo".Academia.edu.Archivedfrom the original on 27 April 2023.Retrieved5 December2021.
  43. ^Teichner 2015,p. 83.
  44. ^Harnack, Adolf (1998).The Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries.Vol. 1–2. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 371.ISBN978-1-57910-002-5.
  45. ^Harnack 1998,p. 80.
  46. ^abÇetinkaya, Halûk (2016). Zakharova, Anna; Maltseva, Svetlana; Stanyukovich-Denisova, Ekaterina (eds.)."To Excavate or not? Case of Discovery of an Early Christian Baptistery and Church at Ulpiana, Kosovo"(PDF).Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art.6.Saint Petersburg: NP-Print Publ.: 111–118.doi:10.18688/aa166-2-11.ISSN2312-2129.Archived(PDF)from the original on 10 March 2024.Retrieved18 August2023.
  47. ^Curtis, Matthew Cowan (2012).Slavic-Albanian Language Contact, Convergence, and Coexistence(Thesis). The Ohio State University. p. 42.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved15 December2022.
  48. ^Prendergast, Eric (2017).The Origin and Spread of Locative Determiner Omission in the Balkan Linguistic Area(Thesis). UC Berkeley. p. 80.Archivedfrom the original on 12 May 2022.Retrieved7 June2022.
  49. ^Kingsley, Thomas (2019).Albanian Onomastics Using Toponymic Correspondences to Understand the History of Albanian Settlement.6th Annual Linguistics Conference at the University of Georgia. United States. pp. 110–151.Archivedfrom the original on 27 January 2023.Retrieved23 January2023.
  50. ^Malcolm, Noel (2002).Kosovo: A Short History.ISBN9780330412247.Archivedfrom the original on 11 January 2021.Retrieved9 January2021.
  51. ^McGeer, Eric (2019).Byzantium in the Time of Troubles: The Continuation of the Chronicle of John Skylitzes (1057–1079).BRILL. p. 149.ISBN978-9004419407.Archivedfrom the original on 26 April 2021.Retrieved19 September2020.
  52. ^Prinzing, Günter (2008). "Demetrios Chomatenos, Zu seinem Leben und Wirken".Demetrii Chomateni Ponemata diaphora: [Das Aktencorpus des Ohrider Erzbischofs Demetrios. Einleitung, kritischer Text und Indices].Walter de Gruyter. p. 30.ISBN978-3110204506.Archivedfrom the original on 5 August 2021.Retrieved19 September2020.
  53. ^Ducellier, Alain (21 October 1999).The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 5, c.1198-c.1300.Cambridge University Press. p. 780.ISBN978-0-521-36289-4.Archivedfrom the original on 3 January 2014.Retrieved21 November2012.
  54. ^abSharpe, M. E. (2003).Ethnic Groups and Population Changes in Twentieth-Century Central-Eastern Europe.M.E. Sharpe. p. 364.ISBN9780765618337.Archivedfrom the original on 3 August 2017.
  55. ^Denis P Hupchik. The Balkans. From Constantinople to Communism. p. 93 "Dusan.. established his new state primate's seat at Peć (Ipek), in Kosovo"
  56. ^Bieber, p. 12
  57. ^RFE/RL Research Report: Weekly Analyses from the RFE/RL Research Institute, Том 3.Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  58. ^Sellers, Mortimer (2010).The Rule of Law in Comparative Perspective.Springer. p. 207.ISBN978-90-481-3748-0.Archivedfrom the original on 11 May 2011.Retrieved2 February2011.
  59. ^"Medieval Monuments in Kosovo".UNESCO.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2015.Retrieved7 September2016.
  60. ^Barbara Jelavich (1983).History of the Balkans.Cambridge University Press. pp.31–.ISBN978-0-521-27458-6.
  61. ^ab"Essays: 'The battle of Kosovo' by Noel Malcolm, Prospect Magazine May 1998 issue 30".Prospect-magazine.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 31 May 2012.Retrieved20 July2009.
  62. ^Humphreys 2013,p. 46: "Both armies – and this is a fact that is ignored by the hagiographic telling – contained soldiers of various origins; Bosnians, Albanians, Hungarians, Greeks, Bulgars, perhaps even Catalans (on the Ottoman side)."
  63. ^Somel, S.A. (2010).The A to Z of the Ottoman Empire.The A to Z Guide Series. Scarecrow Press. p. 36.ISBN978-1-4617-3176-4.Archivedfrom the original on 28 November 2023.Retrieved10 May2024.The coalition consisted of Serbians, Bosnians, Croatians, Hungarians, Wallachians, Bulgarians, and Albanians.
  64. ^Fine 1994,pp. 409–415
  65. ^Casiday, Augustine (2012),The Orthodox Christian World(PDF),Routledge, p. 135,archived(PDF)from the original on 21 January 2022,retrieved16 September2023
  66. ^Shinasi A. Rama (2019).Nation Failure, Ethnic Elites, and Balance of Power: The International Administration of Kosova.Springer. p. 64.
  67. ^J. Everett-Heath (1 August 2000).Place Names of the World - Europe: Historical Context, Meanings and Changes.Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 365.ISBN978-0-230-28673-3.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved13 August2023.
  68. ^Geniş, Şerife, and Kelly Lynne Maynard (2009).Formation of a diasporic community: The history of migration and resettlement of Muslim Albanians in the Black Sea Region of Turkey."Middle Eastern Studies.45.(4): 556–557.
  69. ^abLampe, John R.; Lampe, Professor John R. (2000).Yugoslavia as History: Twice There Was a Country.Cambridge University Press. p. 26.ISBN978-0-521-77401-7.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved3 April2020.The first Ottoman encouragement of Albanian migration did follow the Serb exodus of 1690
  70. ^Anscombe, Frederick F 2006 -http://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/577/1/Binder2.pdfArchived14 May 2011 at theWayback Machine
  71. ^abcCohen, Paul A. (2014).History and Popular Memory: The Power of Story in Moments of Crisis.Columbia University Press. pp. 8–9.ISBN978-0-23153-729-2.Archivedfrom the original on 30 November 2021.Retrieved19 September2020.
  72. ^Malcolm, Noel (10 July 2020).Noel Malcolm 2020 p. 135.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-259922-3.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved16 September2023.
  73. ^Rebels, Believers, Survivors: Studies in the history of the Albanians - Malcolm 2020 p. 132-133/p
  74. ^Rebels, Believers, Survivors: Studies in the history of the Albanians - Malcolm 2020 p. 143/p
  75. ^Kosovo: What Everyone Needs to Knowby Tim Judah, PublisherOxford University Press,US, 2008ISBN0-19-537673-0,978-0-19-537673-9p. 36
  76. ^Cirkovic. p. 244.
  77. ^George Gawlrych,The Crescent and the Eagle,(Palgrave/Macmillan, London, 2006),ISBN1-84511-287-3
  78. ^Frantz, Eva Anne (2009). "Violence and its Impact on Loyalty and Identity Formation in Late Ottoman Kosovo: Muslims and Christians in a Period of Reform and Transformation".Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs.29(4): 460–461.doi:10.1080/13602000903411366.S2CID143499467.
  79. ^Müller, Dietmar (2009). "Orientalism and Nation: Jews and Muslims as Alterity in Southeastern Europe in the Age of Nation-States, 1878–1941".East Central Europe.36(1): 70.doi:10.1163/187633009x411485.
  80. ^Pllana, Emin (1985). "Les raisons de la manière de l'exode des refugies albanais du territoire du sandjak de Nish a Kosove (1878–1878) [The reasons for the manner of the exodus of Albanian refugees from the territory of the Sanjak of Niš to Kosovo (1878–1878)]".Studia Albanica.1:189–190.
  81. ^Rizaj, Skënder (1981). "Nënte Dokumente angleze mbi Lidhjen Shqiptare të Prizrenit (1878–1880) [Nine English documents about the League of Prizren (1878–1880)]".Gjurmine Albanologjike (Seria e Shkencave Historike).10:198.
  82. ^Şimşir, Bilal N, (1968).Rumeli'den Türk göçleri. Emigrations turques des Balkans [Turkish emigrations from the Balkans].Vol I. Belgeler-Documents. p. 737.
  83. ^Bataković, Dušan (1992).The Kosovo Chronicles.Plato.Archivedfrom the original on 26 December 2016.
  84. ^Elsie, Robert (2010).Historical Dictionary of Kosovo.Scarecrow Press. p. xxxii.ISBN9780333666128.
  85. ^Stefanović, Djordje (2005). "Seeing the Albanians through Serbian eyes: The Inventors of the Tradition of Intolerance and their Critics, 1804–1939."European History Quarterly.35.(3): 470.
  86. ^Iain King; Whit Mason (2006).Peace at Any Price: How the World Failed Kosovo.Cornell University Press. p. 30.ISBN978-0-8014-4539-2.Archivedfrom the original on 9 January 2020.Retrieved7 October2018.
  87. ^Skendi, Stavro (2015).The Albanian National Awakening.Cornell University Press. p. 201.ISBN978-1-4008-4776-1.Archivedfrom the original on 28 July 2021.Retrieved28 July2021.
  88. ^Malcolm 1998,p. 246-248.
  89. ^"Treaty of London, 1913".Mtholyoke.edu. Archived fromthe originalon 1 May 1997.Retrieved6 November2011.
  90. ^Malcolm, Noel (1999)."Kosovo – A Short History".Verfassung in Recht und Übersee.32(3): 422–423.doi:10.5771/0506-7286-1999-3-422.ISSN0506-7286.
  91. ^Aggression Against Yugoslavia Correspondence.Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade. 2000. p. 42.ISBN978-86-80763-91-0.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved29 April2020.
  92. ^Malcolm 1998,p. 279.
  93. ^Pavlović, Aleksandar (2008)."Prostorni raspored Srba i Crnogoraca kolonizovanih na Kosovo i Metohiju u periodu između 1918. i 1941. godine"(PDF).Baština.24:235. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 26 August 2011.
  94. ^abSchabnel, Albrecht; Thakur, Ramesh (eds). Kosovo and the Challenge of Humanitarian Intervention: Selective Indignation,Collective action,and International Citizenship. New York: The United Nations University, 2001. p. 20.
  95. ^I. Mehmeti, Leandrit; Radeljic, Branislav (24 March 2017).Kosovo and Serbia: Contested Options and Shared Consequences.Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 63–64.ISBN978-0822944690.Archivedfrom the original on 7 March 2022.Retrieved8 December2021.
  96. ^Daskalovski, Židas. Claims to Kosovo: Nationalism andSelf-determination.In: Florian Bieber & Zidas Daskalovski (eds.),Understanding the War in Kosovo.L.: Frank Cass, 2003.ISBN0-7146-5391-8.pp. 13–30.
  97. ^Malcolm 1998.
  98. ^Ramet, Sabrina P. The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Ends: Kosovo in Serbian Perception. In Mary Buckley & Sally N. Cummings (eds.),Kosovo: Perceptions of War and Its Aftermath.L. – N.Y.: Continuum Press, 2002.ISBN0-8264-5670-7.pp. 30–46.
  99. ^abcMalcolm 1998,p. 312.
  100. ^Bieber, Florian; Daskalovski, Zidas (2004).Understanding the War in Kosovo.Routledge. p. 58.ISBN978-1-13576-155-4.Archivedfrom the original on 19 November 2021.Retrieved19 November2021.
  101. ^abcRamet, Sabrina P. (2006).The Three Yugoslavias: State-building and Legitimation, 1918-2005.Indiana University Press. pp. 114, 141.ISBN978-0-25334-656-8.Archivedfrom the original on 19 November 2021.Retrieved19 November2021.
  102. ^Malcolm 1998,p. 317-318.
  103. ^Frank, Chaim (2010). Petersen, Hans-Christian; Salzborn, Samuel (eds.).Antisemitism in Eastern Europe: History and Present in Comparison.Bern:Peter Lang. pp. 97–98.ISBN978-3-631-59828-3.Archivedfrom the original on 16 October 2015.
  104. ^Vickers, Miranda (1998),Between Serb and Albanian: a history of Kosovo,New York: Columbia University Press,ISBN9781850652786,archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2016,The Italian occupation force encouraged an extensive settlement programme involving up to 72,000 Albanians from Albania in Kosovo
  105. ^Malcolm 1998,pp. 312–313.
  106. ^Flere, Sergej; Klanjšek, Rudi (2019).The Rise and Fall of Socialist Yugoslavia: Elite Nationalism and the Collapse of a Federation.United Kingdom: Le xing ton Books. p. 29.ISBN978-1-4985-4197-8.
  107. ^Pavlowitch, Stevan K.(2002).Serbia: The History behind the Name.London: Hurst & Company. p. 159.ISBN9781850654773.
  108. ^Fowkes, Ben (2002).Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflict in the Post-Communist World.United States of America: Palgrave. p. 10.ISBN978-1-349-41937-1.
  109. ^abcdefgIndependent International Commission on Kosovo.The Kosovo report: conflict, international response, lessons learned.New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. p. 35.
  110. ^Melissa Katherine Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine, Carol S. Lilly. State-society relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992. Scranton, Pennsylvania: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997. p. 295.
  111. ^abcMelissa Katherine Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine, Carol S. Lilly. State-society relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992. Scranton, Pennsylvania: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997. p. 296.
  112. ^Melissa Katherine Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine, Carol S. Lilly. State-society relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992. Scranton, Pennsylvania: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997. p. 301.
  113. ^Independent International Commission on Kosovo.The Kosovo report: conflict, international response, lessons learned.New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. pp. 35–36.
  114. ^abcIndependent International Commission on Kosovo.The Kosovo report: conflict, international response, lessons learned.New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. p. 36.
  115. ^Qirezi, Arben (2017)."Settling the Self Determination Dispute in Kosovo".In Mehmeti, Leandrit I.; Radeljić, Branislav (eds.).Kosovo and Serbia: Contested Options and Shared Consequences.University of Pittsburgh Press. pp. 53–57.ISBN978-0-8229-8157-2.Archivedfrom the original on 4 July 2023.Retrieved4 July2023.
  116. ^abPrentiss, Craig R, ed. (2003).Religion and the Creation of Race and Ethnicity: An Introduction.New York University Press.ISBN978-0-8147-6701-6.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2021.Retrieved20 July2009.
  117. ^New York Times 1981-04-19, "One Storm has Passed but Others are Gathering in Yugoslavia"
  118. ^Elsie, Robert.Historical Dictionary of Kosova.Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004.ISBN0-8108-5309-4.
  119. ^Reuters 1986-05-27, "Kosovo Province Revives Yugoslavia's Ethnic Nightmare"
  120. ^Christian Science Monitor 1986-07-28, "Tensions among ethnic groups in Yugoslavia begin to boil over"
  121. ^New York Times 1987-06-27, "Belgrade Battles Kosovo Serbs"
  122. ^abcRogel, Carole (2003)."Kosovo: Where It All Began".International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society.17(1): 167–182.doi:10.1023/A:1025397128633.S2CID141051220.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2021.Retrieved20 June2021.
  123. ^Clark, Howard.Civil Resistance in Kosovo.London:Pluto Press,2000.ISBN0-7453-1569-0.
  124. ^Malcolm 1998,pp. 346–347.
  125. ^Babuna, Aydın.Albanian national identity and Islam in the post-Communist era.Perceptions8(3), September–November 2003: 43–69.
  126. ^See:
  127. ^Rama, Shinasi A.The Serb-Albanian War, and the International Community's MiscalculationsArchived29 April 2009 at theWayback Machine.The International Journal of Albanian Studies,1 (1998), pp. 15–19.
  128. ^"Operation Allied Force".NATO.Archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2016.
  129. ^Larry Minear; Ted van Baarda; Marc Sommers (2000)."NATO and Humanitarian Action in the Kosovo Crisis"(PDF).Brown University.Archived(PDF)from the original on 26 February 2008.Retrieved23 February2008.
  130. ^"The Kosovo Report"(PDF).law.umich.edu.United Nations. 2000. p. 43.
  131. ^Jenne, Erin K. (2010)."Barriers to Reintegration after Ethnic Civil Wars: Lessons from Minority Returns and Restitution in the Balkans".Civil Wars.12(4): 382.doi:10.1080/13698249.2010.534622.
  132. ^Lambeth, Benjamin S. (2001).NATO's Air War for Kosovo: A Strategic and Operational Assessment(PDF).RAND Corporation. p. 9.ISBN0-8330-3050-7.
  133. ^"KOSOVO: THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN".Parliament of the United Kingdom.7 June 2000.Retrieved14 June2024.
  134. ^Freedman, Lawrence (2000)."Victims and victors: reflections on the Kosovo War"(PDF).Review of International Studies.26(3): 351.doi:10.1017/S0260210500003351.
  135. ^Beaumont, Peter; Wintour, Patrick; Hooper, John; Beaumont, By Peter; Bird, Patrick Wintour with reporting by Chris (17 July 1999)."Milosevic and Operation Horseshoe".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved3 August2024.
  136. ^Wolfgram, Mark (June 2008)."Democracy and Propaganda: NATO's War in Kosovo".European Journal of Communication.23(2): 153–171.doi:10.1177/0267323108089220.S2CID143132309.Retrieved28 November2021.
  137. ^Greenhill, Kelly M. (2011).Weapons of Mass Migration: Forced Displacement, Coercion, and Foreign Policy.Cornell University Press. pp. 132–133.ISBN9780801457425.
  138. ^"World: Europe UN gives figure for Kosovo dead".BBC News.10 November 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2010.Retrieved5 January2010.
  139. ^KiM Info-Service (7 June 2000)."3,000 missing in Kosovo".BBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2010.Retrieved5 January2010.
  140. ^"Abuses against Serbs and Roma in the new Kosovo".Human Rights Watch.August 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 15 October 2012.
  141. ^Hudson, Robert; Bowman, Glenn (2012).After Yugoslavia: Identities and Politics Within the Successor States.Palgrave Macmillan. p. 30.ISBN9780230201316.Archivedfrom the original on 1 January 2016.
  142. ^"Kosovo Crisis Update".UNHCR.4 August 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 16 October 2015.
  143. ^"Forced Expulsion of Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians from OSCE Participated state to Kosovo".OSCE.6 October 2006.Archivedfrom the original on 26 November 2015.
  144. ^Siobhán Wills (2009).Protecting Civilians: The Obligations of Peacekeepers.Oxford University Press. p. 219.ISBN978-0-19-953387-9.Archivedfrom the original on 6 June 2013.Retrieved24 February2013.
  145. ^"Serbia home to highest number of refugees and IDPs in Europe".B92.20 June 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 26 March 2017.
  146. ^"Serbia: Europe's largest proctracted refugee situation".OSCE.2008.Archivedfrom the original on 26 March 2017.
  147. ^Cross, Sharyl; Kentera, Savo; Nation, R. Craig; Vukadinović, Radovan, eds. (2013).Shaping South East Europe's Security Community for the Twenty-First Century: Trust, Partnership, Integration.Springer.p. 169.ISBN9781137010209.Archivedfrom the original on 26 March 2017.Retrieved31 January2017.
  148. ^abc"Abuses against Serbs and Roma in the new Kosovo".Human Rights Watch.August 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 15 October 2012.
  149. ^"Kosovo, drugs and the West".The Guardian.14 April 1999. Archived fromthe originalon 11 September 2007.Retrieved27 June2017.
  150. ^"UNDER ORDERS: War Crimes in Kosovo – 2. Background".hrw.org.Archivedfrom the original on 7 April 2019.Retrieved28 May2019.
  151. ^""Wounds that burn our souls": Compensation for Kosovo's wartime rape survivors, but still no justice ".Amnesty International.13 December 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 25 July 2023.Retrieved25 July2023.
  152. ^"ICTY – TPIY: Judgement List".icty.org.Archivedfrom the original on 1 March 2014.Retrieved3 March2014.
  153. ^"ICTY.org"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 27 August 2010.Retrieved28 April2010.
  154. ^"ICTY.org"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 March 2011.Retrieved28 April2010.
  155. ^"Second Amended Indictment – Limaj et al"(PDF).Icty.org.Archived(PDF)from the original on 26 July 2011.Retrieved20 July2009.
  156. ^"Kosovo ex-PM Ramush Haradinaj cleared of war crimes".BBC News.29 November 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 29 November 2012.Retrieved29 November2012.
  157. ^"Kosovo Memory Book Database Presentation and Expert Evaluation"(PDF).Kosovo Memory Book 1998-2000.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 11 January 2019.Retrieved28 May2019.
  158. ^"Resolution 1244 (1999)".BBC News.17 June 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 7 April 2008.Retrieved19 February2008.
  159. ^European Stability Initiative (ESI):The Lausanne Principle: Multiethnicity, Territory and the Future of Kosovo's Serbs (.pdf)Archived24 March 2009 at theWayback Machine,7 June 2004.
  160. ^Coordinating Centre of Serbia for Kosovo-Metohija:Principles of the program for return of internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija.
  161. ^Herscher 2010,p. 14.
  162. ^András Riedlmayer."Introduction in Destruction of Islamic Heritage in the Kosovo War, 1998–1999"(PDF).p. 11. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 12 July 2019.Retrieved29 September2018.
  163. ^Rausch & Banar 2006,p. 246.
  164. ^Egleder 2013,p. 79.
  165. ^"UN frustrated by Kosovo deadlockArchived7 March 2016 at theWayback Machine",BBC News,9 October 2006.
  166. ^Southeast European Times (29 June 2007)."Russia reportedly rejects fourth draft resolution on Kosovo status".Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2007.Retrieved24 July2009.
  167. ^Southeast European Times (10 July 2007)."UN Security Council remains divided on Kosovo".Archived fromthe originalon 12 October 2007.Retrieved24 July2009.
  168. ^James Dancer (30 March 2007)."A long reconciliation process is required".Financial Times.Archivedfrom the original on 8 February 2008.
  169. ^Simon Tisdall (13 November 2007)."Bosnian nightmare returns to haunt EU".The Guardian.UK.Archivedfrom the original on 7 March 2022.Retrieved15 December2016.
  170. ^"Europe, Q&A: Kosovo's future".BBC News.11 July 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 23 January 2009.Retrieved20 July2009.
  171. ^"OSCE Mission in Kosovo – ElectionsArchived9 May 2008 at theWayback Machine",Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
  172. ^"Power-sharing deal reached in KosovoArchived25 August 2016 at theWayback Machine",BBC News,21 February 2002.
  173. ^"Publicinternationallaw.org"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 21 November 2008.Retrieved28 April2010.
  174. ^"Kosovo gets pro-independence PMArchived8 April 2008 at theWayback Machine",BBC News, 9 January 2008.
  175. ^EuroNews: Ex-guerilla chief claims victory in Kosovo electionArchived6 February 2008 at theWayback Machine.Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  176. ^"Kosovo MPs proclaim independenceArchived15 February 2009 at theWayback Machine",BBC News Online,17 February 2008.
  177. ^BBC NewsArchived3 February 2016 at theWayback Machine.Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  178. ^"Nauru withdraws recognition of Kosovo's independence, Pristina denies".N1. 22 November 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2020.Retrieved18 April2020.
  179. ^"Serbia claims Sierra Leone has withdrawn Kosovo recognition".Prishtina Insight. 3 March 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 22 April 2020.Retrieved18 April2020.
  180. ^Kostreci, Keida (5 September 2020)."US-Brokered Serbia-Kosovo Deal a 'Step Forward' But Challenges Remain".Voice of America.Archivedfrom the original on 7 September 2020.Retrieved7 September2020.
  181. ^"Republic of Kosovo – IMF Staff Visit, Concluding Statement".Imf.org. 24 June 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 29 June 2009.Retrieved20 July2009.
  182. ^"World Bank Cauntries".Archivedfrom the original on 16 July 2006.
  183. ^"Kosovo Serbs convene parliament; Pristina, international authorities object".SETimes. 30 June 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 13 January 2009.Retrieved20 July2009.
  184. ^"Advisory Proceedings | International Court of Justice".icj-cij.org. Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2014.Retrieved3 March2014.
  185. ^"Serbia and Kosovo reach EU-brokered landmark accord".BBC News.19 April 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 8 October 2014.Retrieved6 October2014.
  186. ^"Belgrade, Pristina initial draft agreement".Serbian government website.Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2014.Retrieved6 October2014.
  187. ^"Serbia, Kosovo agree on implementation of EU-backed agreement to normalize ties".Anadolu Agency.19 March 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 19 March 2023.Retrieved19 March2023.
  188. ^abPerritt, Henry H. Jr. (2009).The Road to Independence for Kosovo: A Chronicle of the Ahtisaari Plan.Cambridge University Press.ISBN9781139479431.Archivedfrom the original on 16 February 2018 – via Google Books.
  189. ^abNaamat, Talia; Porat, Dina; Osin, Nina (2012).Legislating for Equality: A Multinational Collection of Non-Discrimination Norms. Volume I: Europe.Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.ISBN978-9004226128.Archivedfrom the original on 7 March 2022.Retrieved1 November2020– via Google Books.
  190. ^"Kosovo's Constitution of 2008 (with Amendments through 2016), chapter V"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 November 2019.Retrieved2 November2019– via constituteproject.org.
  191. ^Phillips, David L. (2012).Liberating Kosovo: Coercive Diplomacy and U. S. Intervention.MIT Press. p. 211.ISBN978-0-26230-512-9.Archivedfrom the original on 3 August 2020.Retrieved20 September2020.
  192. ^EU 5 "less likely than ever" to recognize KosovoArchived17 September 2014 at theWayback Machine"B92 – News", Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  193. ^KosovoArchived28 August 2012 at theWayback Machine.ec.europa.eu.
  194. ^"Will the EBRD do the right thing for Kosovo, its newest member?".neurope.eu. 10 February 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2013.Retrieved11 February2013.
  195. ^"Kosovo fails in UNESCO membership bid".Guardian.9 November 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2017.
  196. ^"Foreign Missions in Kosovo".Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo.Archivedfrom the original on 6 May 2016.Retrieved28 April2016.
  197. ^"Embassies of the Republic of Kosovo".Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2016.Retrieved28 April2016.
  198. ^"Consular Missions of the Republic of Kosovo".Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2016.Retrieved28 April2016.
  199. ^"European Parliament Votes to Scrap Visa Regime for Kosovo Citizens".18 April 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 19 July 2023.Retrieved19 July2023.
  200. ^Letter dated 26 March 2007 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council(PDF),United Nations Security Council(UNSC), 26 March 2007, Annex, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 14 December 2007
  201. ^"EULEX Kosovo: new role for the EU rule of law mission".European Council. 8 June 2018.Archivedfrom the original on 3 December 2020.Retrieved12 February2021.
  202. ^"The Global Safety Report 2024"(PDF).Gallup.p. 17.Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 October 2024.Retrieved2 October2024.
  203. ^ab"Constitution of Kosovo"(PDF).Prime Minister of Kosovo.p. 47. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 June 2009.Retrieved8 July2023.
  204. ^Law on Service in the Kosovo Security Force(PDF)(Law No. 03/L-082, Article 3, Section 3(a)). 13 June 2008. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 May 2016.Retrieved7 July2016.
  205. ^Global Peace Index 2020: Measuring Peace in a Complex World.Sydney:Institute for Economics and Peace(IEP). 2020. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 19 March 2017.Retrieved8 July2023.
  206. ^Khakee, Anna; Florquin, Nicolas (1 June 2003)."Kosovo: Difficult Past, Unclear Future"(PDF).Kosovo and the Gun: A Baseline Assessment of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Kosovo.10.Pristina,United Nations Interim Administration Mission in KosovoandGeneva,Switzerland:Small Arms Survey:4–6.JSTORresrep10739.9.Archived(PDF)from the original on 30 June 2022.Retrieved3 March2023.Kosovo—while still formally part of the so-calledState Union of Serbia and Montenegrodominated bySerbia—has, since the war, been a United Nations protectorate under theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo(UNMIK). [...] However, members of theKosovo Serbminority of the territory (circa 6–7 per cent in 2000) have, for the most part, not been able to return to their homes. For security reasons, the remainingKosovo Serb enclavesare, in part, isolated from the rest of Kosovo and protected by the multinationalNATO-ledKosovo Force(KFOR).
  207. ^"NATO's role in Kosovo".nato.int.29 November 2018.Retrieved6 December2018.
  208. ^"NATO's role in Kosovo".nato.int.Retrieved12 June2024.
  209. ^Philips, John (2004).Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans.I.B.Tauris. p. 171.ISBN978-1-86064-841-0.
  210. ^"Kosovo to create national army of 5,000 soldiers".Reuters.4 March 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 9 March 2014.Retrieved28 May2014.
  211. ^Shehu, Bekim (14 December 2018)."Kosova bëhet me ushtri".Deutsche Welle(in Albanian).Archivedfrom the original on 7 March 2022.Retrieved13 September2020.
  212. ^"The Federal Armed Forces to continue their participation in the Kosovo peace mission in Kosovo".3 May 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2023.Retrieved9 September2023.
  213. ^"Europe: Kosovo–The World Factbook".The World Factbook.Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2021.Retrieved24 September2020.
  214. ^Warrander, Gail; Knaus, Verena (2007).Kosovo.Bradt Travel Guides.ISBN978-1-84162-199-9.
  215. ^Elsie, Robert (15 November 2010).Historical Dictionary of Kosovo.Scarecrow Press.ISBN978-0-8108-7483-1.Archivedfrom the original on 17 January 2023.Retrieved16 December2023.
  216. ^"Highest peaks of 4 countries".Balkans Hiking | Peaks of the balkans and more.Archivedfrom the original on 16 December 2023.Retrieved16 December2023.
  217. ^"VISIT KOSOVO".Archivedfrom the original on 30 June 2023.Retrieved30 June2023.
  218. ^"Istitue of Statistics, Albania".Archivedfrom the original on 10 February 2019.Retrieved7 March2022.
  219. ^[1]Archived2015-04-03 at theWayback MachineIndependent Commission for Mines and Minerals of Kosovo
  220. ^"Kosovo Environment and Climate Analysis"(PDF).University of Gothenburg.11 March 2008. p. 3. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 28 October 2018.Retrieved24 September2020.
  221. ^"Overview: Climate Change in Albania and Kosovo"(PDF).Sustainicum Collection. p. 1.Archived(PDF)from the original on 24 September 2020.Retrieved24 September2020.
  222. ^"Climatic Conditions".Independent Commission for Mines and Minerals of Kosovo. Archived fromthe originalon 16 May 2007.Retrieved27 September2020.
  223. ^Çavolli, Riza (1993).Gjeografia e Kosovës.p. 23.
  224. ^Dinerstein, Eric; et al. (2017)."An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm".BioScience.67(6): 534–545.doi:10.1093/biosci/bix014.ISSN0006-3568.PMC5451287.PMID28608869.
  225. ^Veselaj, Zeqir; Mustafa, Behxhet (28 December 2015)."Overview of Nature Protection Progress in Kosovo"(PDF).p. 6. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 21 July 2018.Retrieved27 September2020.
  226. ^abMaxhuni, Qenan."Biodiversiteti i Kosovës"(PDF)(in Albanian).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 August 2020.Retrieved27 September2020.
  227. ^Grantham, H. S.; et al. (2020)."Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material".Nature Communications.11(1): 5978.Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.5978G.doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3.ISSN2041-1723.PMC7723057.PMID33293507.S2CID228082162.
  228. ^ab"Kosovo Biodiversity Assessment"(PDF).pdf.usaid.gov.pp. 15–16.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 March 2017.
  229. ^"Biodiversity conservation status in the Republic of Kosovo with focus on biodiversity centres"(PDF).jeb.co.in.p. 1.Archived(PDF)from the original on 20 October 2017.
  230. ^"Kosovo Biodiversity Assessment"(PDF).pdf.usaid.gov(in Albanian). p. 17.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 March 2017.
  231. ^ab"Climate Change Strategy 2019 – 2028 | Action Plan on Climate Change 2019 – 2021"(PDF).Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure of Kosovo(MESP).Archived(PDF)from the original on 26 June 2023.Retrieved26 June2023.
  232. ^abc"Climate Promise: Kosovo".United Nations Development Programme(UNDP).Archivedfrom the original on 26 June 2023.Retrieved26 June2023.
  233. ^ab"Republic of Kosovo: Request for Stand-By Arrangement and an Arrangement Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Republic of Kosovo".International Monetary Fund(IMF). 7 June 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 26 June 2023.Retrieved26 June2023.
  234. ^Kosovo Agency of Statistics."Estimation of Kosovo population 2021"(PDF).Pristina. Archived fromthe originalon 17 November 2022.Retrieved18 November2022.
  235. ^"Life Expectancy of Kosovo (under UNSC res. 1244) 1950-2023 & Future Projections".database.earth.Retrieved18 June2023.[permanent dead link]
  236. ^"Kosovo".The World Factbook(2024 ed.).Central Intelligence Agency.Retrieved15 August2023.
  237. ^"Ethnic composition of Kosovo 2011".pop-stat.mashke.org.Retrieved20 November2023.
  238. ^"Kosovo Population 2019".World Population Review.Archived fromthe originalon 28 July 2019.Retrieved8 August2019.
  239. ^"The Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo".Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo.Archivedfrom the original on 6 August 2017.Retrieved9 June2022.
  240. ^"Kosovo Language Commissioner lauds trainings".European Centre for Minority Issues.Archived fromthe originalon 24 September 2015.Retrieved29 June2015.
  241. ^ab"Municipal language compliance in Kosovo, June 2014"(PDF).Council of Europe.Archivedfrom the original on 3 July 2015.Retrieved29 June2015.
  242. ^"Kosovo's Constitution of 2008 (with Amendments through 2016), article 5"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 November 2019.Retrieved2 November2019– via constituteproject.org.
  243. ^"World Happiness Report 2024: Happiness of the younger, the older, and those in between".World Happiness Report(WHR). 20 March 2024.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2024.Retrieved11 September2024.
  244. ^"Population and housing census in Kosovo - Preliminary results - July 2024"(PDF).Kosovo Agency of Statistics.Retrieved3 August2024.
  245. ^Schabnel, Albrecht; Thakur (ed), Ramesh (ed).Kosovo and the Challenge of Humanitarian Intervention: Selective Indignation, Collective Action, and International Citizenship,New York: The United Nations University, 2001. p. 20.
  246. ^abcSchabnel, Albrecht; Thakur (ed), Ramesh (ed), 2001. p. 24.
  247. ^"The Roma and" Humanitarian "Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo".Dissidentvoice.org. Archived fromthe originalon 21 May 2010.Retrieved19 June2010.
  248. ^Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) – Norwegian Refugee Council."IDMC, Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) in Kosovo".Internal-displacement.org. Archived fromthe originalon 21 May 2010.Retrieved19 June2010.
  249. ^Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) – Norwegian Refugee Council."IDMC: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, Countries, Kosovo, Roma, Ashkaelia and Egyptians in Kosovo (2006)".Internal-displacement.org. Archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2011.Retrieved19 June2010.
  250. ^"Index of ethnic stereotypes in Kosovo"(PDF).kcs-ks.org.2020.Archived(PDF)from the original on 20 July 2020.Retrieved20 July2020.
  251. ^ab"World Factbook–Kosovo".The World Factbook.19 June 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2021.Retrieved30 January2014.
  252. ^Ghaffar, Mughal Abdul (30 December 2015)."Muslims in Kosovo: A Socio-economic and Demographic Profile: Is the Muslim Population Exploding?".Balkan Social Science Review.6:155–201.Archivedfrom the original on 20 December 2021.Retrieved20 December2021.
  253. ^"Kosovo's Constitution of 2008 (with Amendments through 2016), article 8"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2 November 2019.Retrieved2 November2019– via constituteproject.org.
  254. ^Olivier Roy, Arolda Elbasani (2015).The Revival of Islam in the Balkans: From Identity to Religiosity.Springer. p. 67.ISBN9781137517845.Archivedfrom the original on 7 March 2022.Retrieved1 November2020.
  255. ^"Freedom of Thought 2014 report (map)".Freedom of Thought. Archived fromthe originalon 10 October 2017.Retrieved8 September2015.
  256. ^Petrit Collaku (29 March 2011)."Kosovo Census to Start Without the North".Balkan Insight.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2020.Retrieved17 December2017.
  257. ^Perparim Isufi (14 September 2017)."Kosovo Police Stop 'Illegal' Serb Census Attempts".Balkan Insight.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2020.Retrieved17 December2017.
  258. ^Mughal Abdul Ghaffar."Muslims in Kosovo: A Socio-economic and Demographic Profile: Is the Muslim Population Exploding?"(PDF).js.ugd.edu.mk.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2018.Retrieved24 November2018.
  259. ^"Muslims in Europe: Country guide".BBC News.23 December 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 26 January 2009.
  260. ^"Conversion rate".The Economist.30 December 2008.ISSN0013-0613.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2017.Retrieved25 December2018.
  261. ^"Religion in Kosovo".crisisgroup.org.International Crisis Group. 31 July 2001.Archivedfrom the original on 14 February 2024.Retrieved14 February2024.
  262. ^"Republic of Kosovo: Request for Stand-By Arrangement—Staff Report; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion"(PDF).imf.org.International Monetary Fund. April 2012. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 24 September 2015.Unemployment, around 40% of the population, is a significant problem that encourages outward migration and black market activity.
  263. ^Republic of Kosovo: Selected Issues.International Monetary Fund. 2018. p. 22.ISBN978-1-48434-056-1.Archivedfrom the original on 28 May 2021.Retrieved20 September2020.
  264. ^"Invest in Kosovo – EU Pillar top priorities: privatisation process and focus on priority economic reforms".Euinkosovo.org. Archived fromthe originalon 28 January 2012.Retrieved26 March2013.
  265. ^Croatia, Kosovo sign Interim Free Trade Agreement,B92,2 October 2006Archived6 October 2014 at theWayback Machine
  266. ^""UNMIK and Bosnia and Herzegovina Initial Free Trade Agreement". UNMIK Press Release, 17 February 2006 "(PDF).euinkosovo.org.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 5 March 2016.
  267. ^"Oda Eknomike e Kosovės/Kosova Chambre of Commerce – Vision".10 October 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 10 October 2007.
  268. ^"Doing business in Kosovo".buyusa.gov. Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2009.
  269. ^"Trade Agreements".Kosovo Chamber of Commerce. Archived fromthe originalon 23 April 2014.Retrieved23 May2014.
  270. ^abc"Home".oecd-ilibrary.org.Archivedfrom the original on 6 June 2023.Retrieved6 June2023.
  271. ^Asllan, Pushka. "Gjeografia 12". Libri Shkollor (2005). p. 77.
  272. ^"Çelet Zyra Doganore e Kosovës në Portin e Durrësit"(in Albanian).Kryeministria Shqipëtare.15 January 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2023.Retrieved11 September2023.
  273. ^Hammond, Joseph (12 November 2022)."Landlocked Kosovo Opens Customs Port In Albania".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2023.Retrieved11 September2023.
  274. ^"The Customs Office of Kosovo Inauguration at the Port of Durres".Dogana.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2023.Retrieved11 September2023.
  275. ^"Kosovo: Natural resources key to the future, say experts".adnkronos.Archivedfrom the original on 7 July 2011.Retrieved17 March2011.
  276. ^"Lignite Mining Development Strategy"(PDF).esiweb.org.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 June 2010.Retrieved14 April2017.
  277. ^"World Bank survey puts Kosovo's mineral resources at 13.5bn euros".BBC Monitoring European.KosovaLive. 28 January 2005.ProQuest459422903.Archivedfrom the original on 8 October 2022.Retrieved31 August2022– via ProQuest.
  278. ^"Kosovo – Bilateral relations in agriculture"(PDF).European Commission.November 2014. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 1 October 2019.
  279. ^"5. Agriculture".henrin.grida.no.Archivedfrom the original on 10 October 2017.
  280. ^"Kosovo's wines flowing again".BBC News.29 October 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 29 October 2011.Retrieved29 October2011.
  281. ^"Investing in Kosovo – Vineyards".Archived fromthe originalon 4 April 2013.Retrieved15 January2017.
  282. ^"Projekti Energjetik i Kosovës"(PDF).World Bank.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 March 2014.Retrieved2 March2014.
  283. ^Balkan Green Energy News (25 October 2021)."Kosovo's 102.6 MW wind farm Bajgora goes on stream".Balkan Green Energy News.Archivedfrom the original on 18 November 2022.Retrieved18 November2022.
  284. ^Todorović, Igor (14 September 2020)."Kitka wind farm in Kosovo* to be expanded by 20 MW".Balkan Green Energy News.Archivedfrom the original on 18 November 2022.Retrieved18 November2022.
  285. ^"Kostt gains independence from Serbia".Prishtinainsight.21 April 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 22 April 2020.Retrieved21 April2020.
  286. ^"Kosovos electricity transmission system becomes independent from serbia".Exit.al.21 April 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 3 August 2020.Retrieved21 April2020.
  287. ^ab"Investing in Kosovo"(PDF).p. 15. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 November 2013.Retrieved27 February2014.
  288. ^ab"Top 6 Best Lakes to Visit in Kosovo".toplist.info.Archivedfrom the original on 5 June 2023.Retrieved5 June2023.
  289. ^"The 41 Places to Go in 2011".The New York Times.7 January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 11 January 2012.Retrieved20 March2017.
  290. ^"Picturesque Kosovo".Diplomat.2 August 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 4 August 2012.Retrieved16 December2011.
  291. ^""Arbën Xhaferi" e gatshme për qarkullim "(in Albanian).Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure of Kosovo.29 May 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 5 September 2022.Retrieved5 September2022.
  292. ^"Transporti i udhëtarëve"(in Albanian).Trainkos.Archivedfrom the original on 16 May 2021.Retrieved28 May2021.
  293. ^"Aktivitetet e Ministrisë së Tregtisë dhe Industrisë: Themelohet Ndërmarrja Publike 'Aeroporti i Gjakovës'".Ministria e Tregtisë dhe Industrisë. Archived fromthe originalon 27 February 2015.
  294. ^ab"Strategjia Sektoriale e Shendetesise"(PDF).Ministry of Health – Republic of Kosovo.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 September 2015.Retrieved2 March2014.
  295. ^"Strategjia Sektoriale e Shendetesise"(PDF).Ministry of Health.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 September 2015.Retrieved2 March2014.
  296. ^abQKMF. (2010–2014). Njesite me Adresa dhe Nr.Telefonit. Available:[2].Last accessed 23 February 2014.
  297. ^"Stafi i QKUK-se".QKUK. Archived fromthe originalon 6 March 2014.Retrieved23 February2014.
  298. ^"Statistikat e Shëndetësisë 2012".Kosovo Agency of Statistics. Archived fromthe originalon 2 March 2014.Retrieved1 March2014.
  299. ^"Informatë – 13 shkurt 2012".Municipality of Prishtina – Republic of Kosovo. Archived fromthe originalon 6 July 2015.Retrieved2 March2014.
  300. ^"Strategjia e permiresimit te cilesise se sherbimeve shendetesore 2012–2016"(PDF).Ministry of Health – Republic of Kosovo. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 March 2014.Retrieved2 March2014.
  301. ^"Elementary and secondary education".rks-gov.net.Archived fromthe originalon 18 August 2016.Retrieved14 April2017.
  302. ^"Kosovo | RSF".rsf.org.21 December 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 28 May 2023.Retrieved28 May2023.
  303. ^"Kosovo"(PDF).Media Sustainability Index 2012 (Report). 2012. pp. 74–85. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 May 2014.
  304. ^abcdThe Complete Travel Guide for Kosovo.YouGuide International BV. pp. 73–84.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2024.Retrieved19 September2024.
  305. ^Bogueva, Diana; Gostin, Alina-Ioana; Kakurinov, Vladimir, eds. (21 May 2021).Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans.Elsevier Science. pp. 128–136.ISBN978-0-128-20786-4.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2024.Retrieved19 September2024.
  306. ^abElsie, Robert(2001).A Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology and Folk Culture.C. Hurst. pp. 116–118.ISBN978-1-850-65570-1.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2024.Retrieved19 September2024.
  307. ^abcdefgJones, William. "9–10".Discovering Kosovo A Travel Guide.Mamba Press.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2024.Retrieved19 September2024.
  308. ^"A nation for just 14 years: already three Olympic golds".International Olympic Committee(IOC). 4 May 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  309. ^"2018 Tarragona, Spain–70 Years Mediterranean Games".International Committee of Mediterranean Games(CIJM).Archivedfrom the original on 2 March 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  310. ^"Mediterranean Games: Medal Table 1951–2022".International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM).Archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  311. ^"Future hosts of Mediterranean Games and Mediterranean Beach Games confirmed".European Olympic Committees(EOC). 12 September 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  312. ^"The speech of Prime Minister Kurti at the General Assembly of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games, where our country's candidacy for the organization of the 2030 Mediterranean Games is being considered".Prime Minister Office (Kosovo).8 September 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  313. ^"Only Olympic medal: Majlinda Kelmendi gives Kosovo a reason to dream".International Olympic Committee (IOC). 5 May 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  314. ^"How a small gym made Kosovo a judo powerhouse".European Correspondent.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  315. ^Poggi, Alessandro (30 March 2023)."Judo legend Majlinda Kelmendi exclusive: Rise of female coaches is very inspiring".International Olympic Committee (IOC).Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  316. ^Ott, Raoul (2023). "7.1.2 Die Albaner Jugoslawiens zwischen Integration und Exklusion".Hegemoniebildung und Elitentransformation im Kosovo von der spätosmanischen Herrschaft bis zur Republik.Logos Verlag Berlin. p. 363.ISBN978-3-832-55720-1.Archived fromthe originalon 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  317. ^ab"Football Federation of Kosovo joins UEFA".Union of European Football Associations(UEFA). 3 May 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  318. ^ab"66th Fifa Congress, Mexico City 2016".Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA). 13 May 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  319. ^abWood, Mike Meehall (21 November 2018)."Are Kosovo The 2018 UEFA Nations League's Biggest Success Story?".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2024.Retrieved20 September2024.
  320. ^"Prioritized Intervention List".Regional Programme for Cultural and Natural Heritage in South-east Europe:8. 23 January 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 2 March 2014.Retrieved2 March2014.
  321. ^"Cultural Heritage in South-East: Kosovo".United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization:5.Archivedfrom the original on 22 March 2014.Retrieved2 March2014.
  322. ^"7 Years of Kosovo Howard Smith of Geelong".Archived fromthe originalon 13 April 2015.Retrieved13 April2015.
  323. ^"Medieval Monuments in Kosovo".UNESCO.2006.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2015.
  324. ^World Heritage Committee puts Medieval Monuments in Kosovo on Danger List and extends site in Andorra, ending this year's inscriptionsArchived2 October 2015 at theWayback Machine,UNESCO World Heritage Centre,13 July 2006. Accessed 31 January 2017.
  325. ^"Photography academic invited by President to attend ceremony for popstar Rita Ora".dmu.ac.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2018.Retrieved9 May2018.
  326. ^Library of Congress (2010).Library of Congress Subject Headings.Library of Congress. pp. 4303–.Archivedfrom the original on 4 August 2020.Retrieved9 May2018.
  327. ^"Oscars: Kosovo Selects 'Three Windows and a Hanging' for Foreign-Language Category".Hollywood Reporter.23 September 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 26 September 2014.Retrieved23 September2014.
  328. ^Cacciafoco, Francesco Perono (1 December 2019)."A Prehistoric 'Little Goose': A New Etymology for the Word 'Ocarina'".Annals of the University of Craiova: Series Philology, Linguistics.
  329. ^abKayode (24 September 2022)."History Of The Ocarina".Phamox Music.Archivedfrom the original on 10 December 2023.Retrieved10 December2023.
  330. ^abcWarrander, Gail; Knaus, Verena (2011).Kosovo.Bradt Guides. p. 41.ISBN9781841623313.Archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2017.
  331. ^Kruta, Beniamin (1990).Vendi i polifonise shqiptare ne polifonike ballkanike.Kultura Popullore. pp. 13–14.
  332. ^"Rita Ora".The Hollywood Reporter.24 February 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 1 May 2012.
  333. ^"Petrit Ceku".naxos.Archivedfrom the original on 14 February 2024.Retrieved14 February2024.
  334. ^Biddle, Ian (2013).Music National Identity and the Politics of Location: Between the Global and the Local.Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.ISBN9781409493778.Archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2017.
  335. ^"Home – DOKUFEST 2013".dokufest.Archived fromthe originalon 20 August 2016.
  336. ^Johnson, Zach (14 January 2016)."Oscars 2016 Nominations: Complete List of Nominees".E! Online.Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2016.Retrieved14 January2016.

Sources

Wikimedia Atlas of Kosovo

42°35′N21°00′E/ 42.583°N 21.000°E/42.583; 21.000