Kosovo

Kosovo (Albanian: Kosova, Kosovë; Serbian: Косово or Косово и Метохија, Kosovo or Kosovo i Metohija[6]) is a disputed region in the Balkans. Its majority is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo (Albanian: Republika e Kosovës), which has de facto control over the territory; the exceptions are some Serb enclaves. Serbia does not recognise the secession of Kosovo and considers it a United Nations-governed entity within its sovereign territory, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (Serbian: Аутономна Покрајина Косово и Метохија, Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo i Metohija), according to the Constitution of Serbia (2006).[7]
Kosovo is landlocked and is bordered by Macedonia to the south, Albania to the west, the region of Central Serbia to the north and east, and Montenegro to the Northwest. The largest city and the capital of Kosovo is Pristina (alternatively spelled Prishtina or Priština), while other cities include Peć (Peja), Prizren, Đakovica (Gjakova) and Mitrovica.
Historically, the territory of Kosovo has been part of the lands of Thraco-Illyrian tribes, and of the Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Ottoman empires. During the late 19th century, it was in the centre of the Albanian national awakening. In 1912, the Ottoman province was divided between Montenegro and Serbia, both of which became part of Yugoslavia in 1918. After the Kosovo War and 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia[8] the territory came under the interim administration of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), most of whose roles were assumed by the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) in December 2008.[9] In February 2008, the Assembly of Kosovo declared Kosovo's independence as the Republic of Kosovo. Its independence is recognised by 60 UN member states and the Republic of China (Taiwan). On 8 October 2008, upon request of Serbia, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution asking the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the issue of Kosovo's declaration of independence.[10] Kosovo's two major ethnic groups, Albanians and Serbs, have historically held and continue to hold strong hostility toward each other over the two groups' territorial claims on Kosovo.

Capital
Pristina (Prishtina or Priština)42°40′N 21°10′E / 42.667°N 21.167°E / 42.667; 21.167
Ethnic groups (2007)
92% Albanians 5.3% Serbs 2.7% others[1]
Area
-
Total
10,908 km2 4,212 sq mi
-
Water (%)
n/a
Population
-
2007 estimate
2,100,000[2]
-
1991 census
1,956,1961
-
Density
220/km2 500/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2007 estimate
-
Total
$5 billion[3] (n/a)
-
Per capita
$2,300[3] (151st)
GDP (nominal)
2008 estimate
-
Total
€3.804 billion[4] (n/a)
-
Per capita
€1.759[4] (n/a)
Currency
Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone
CET (UTC+1)
-
Summer (DST)
CEST (UTC+2)
Drives on the
right
Internet TLD
None assigned
Calling code
+3812

1 Name
2 History
2.1 Early history (before 1455)
2.2 Ottoman Kosovo (1455 to 1912)
2.3 20th century
2.3.1 Balkan Wars
2.3.2 First World War and birth of Kingdom of Yugoslavia
2.3.3 Second World War
2.3.4 Kosovo in Communist Yugoslavia
2.3.5 Disintegration of Yugoslavia
2.3.6 Kosovo War
2.4 UN administration period
2.4.1 Declaration of independence
3 Geography
4 Constitutional status
4.1 Administration by the United Nations
4.2 EULEX
5 Government and politics
5.1 Parties
5.2 Provisional Institutions of Self-Government
5.3 Republic of Kosovo
5.3.1 Foreign relations
5.3.2 Military
5.4 Rule of law
6 Economy
6.1 Trade and investment
7 Administrative regions
7.1 Districts
7.2 Municipalities and cities
8 Demographics
8.1 Languages
8.2 Religion
9 Society
9.1 Relations between Albanian and Serb communities
9.2 Cinema and media
9.3 Sports
10 See also
11 References
11.1 Notes
11.2 Further reading
12 External links