Kosovo
in
Europe

National active POI
Bordering countries
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Euro - EUR
Spoken languages:
Albanian, Serbian
Local electricity:
230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
XK
Internet top level domain:
.ks
Country phone prefix:
+381
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Kosovo in

Safety Score: 3,6 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning please reconsider your need to travel to .

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Kosovo. Last Update: 2024-03-27 07:25:38

Explore Kosovo

Kosovo with its capital Pristina is located in Europe (Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia). It covers some 10,888 square kilometers (slightly larger than Delaware) with 1,895,250 citizens. Albanian and Serbian are the common languages used in Kosovo. Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are bordering countries.

Kosovo is a disputed territory in South Eastern Europe with no clear status at all. The climate is continental, with very warm summers and cold and snowy winters.

Popular Destinations in Kosovo

Administrative regions of Kosovo

About the country

The topography is flat fluvial basin at an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 m. The average density of population is about 174 per km². The climate in Kosovo can be described as influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumnsMediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation, maximum rainfall between October and December.

To reach someone Kosovo dial +381 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ks". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F). The sign for the locally used currency Euro is EUR.

Centered on a dark blue field is a gold-colored silhouette of Kosovo surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars arrayed in a slight arc; each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks.

Flag of Kosovo

The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites, including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over the region from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II, Kosovo's present-day boundaries were established when Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.). Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. The Serbs - many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland - instituted a new constitution in 1989 revoking Kosovo's autonomous status. Kosovo's Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum declaring Kosovo independent. Serbia undertook repressive measures against the Kosovar Albanians in the 1990s, provoking a Kosovar Albanian insurgency. Beginning in 1998, Serbia conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians (some 800,000 ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo). After international attempts to mediate the conflict failed, a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 forced the Serbs to agree to withdraw their military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The 2006-07 negotiations ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, though the UN issued a comprehensive report on Kosovo's final status that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over 110 countries have recognized Kosovo, and it has joined numerous international organizations. In October 2008, Serbia sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances. Demonstrating Kosovo’s development into a sovereign, multi-ethnic, democratic country the international community ended the period of Supervised Independence in 2012. Elections were held throughout Kosovo in 2013 and 2014, at the municipal and national level respectively. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries reached an agreement to normalize their relations in April 2013 through EU-facilitated talks and are currently engaged in the implementation process. Kosovo seeks full integration into the international community, and has pursued bilateral recognitions and eventual membership in international organizations, such as the UN, EU, and NATO.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 168) 10,887sq km
Land (World Rank: 163) 10,887sq km
Forest (World Rank: 77) 23.50%
Comparative slightly larger than Delaware
Landborder
714
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 14) 297m
Highest point (World Rank: 92) 2,656m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 64) 52.80%
Arable (World Rank: 35) 27.40%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 97) 1.90%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 77) 23.50%
Map reference
Europe
Location
Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia
Climate
influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December
Terrain
flat fluvial basin at an elevation of 400-700 m above sea level surrounded by several high mountain ranges with elevations of 2,000 to 2,500 m

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 150) 1,895,250
Median age
Male (World Rank: 122) 28.80
Female (World Rank: 119) 29.50
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 149) 246,281
0 14 female (World Rank: 149) 227,718
15 24 male (World Rank: 148) 170,515
15 24 female (World Rank: 148) 155,840
25 54 male (World Rank: 146) 425,815
25 54 female (World Rank: 147) 381,037
55 64 male (World Rank: 145) 75,964
55 64 female (World Rank: 144) 74,170
65 x male (World Rank: 143) 57,965
65 x female (World Rank: 141) 79,945

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 115) 5,759,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 121) 4,890,000,000kWh
Export (World Rank: 64) 553,000,000kWh
Import (World Rank: 73) 684,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 45) 97.10%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 134) 2.90%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 154) 12,000bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 124) 38bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 137) 11,430bbl / day
Carbon footprint
7576000

Nation

Budget
Military (World Rank: 131) 1% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 117) -3% of GDP
National symbol
white stars
National colours
white
Adjective
Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian)
Noun
Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian)
Background
The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites, including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over the region from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II, Kosovo's present-day boundaries were established when Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.). Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. The Serbs - many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland - instituted a new constitution in 1989 revoking Kosovo's autonomous status. Kosovo's Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum declaring Kosovo independent. Serbia undertook repressive measures against the Kosovar Albanians in the 1990s, provoking a Kosovar Albanian insurgency. Beginning in 1998, Serbia conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians (some 800,000 ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo). After international attempts to mediate the conflict failed, a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 forced the Serbs to agree to withdraw their military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The 2006-07 negotiations ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, though the UN issued a comprehensive report on Kosovo's final status that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over 110 countries have recognized Kosovo, and it has joined numerous international organizations. In October 2008, Serbia sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances. Demonstrating Kosovo’s development into a sovereign, multi-ethnic, democratic country the international community ended the period of Supervised Independence in 2012. Elections were held throughout Kosovo in 2013 and 2014, at the municipal and national level respectively. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries reached an agreement to normalize their relations in April 2013 through EU-facilitated talks and are currently engaged in the implementation process. Kosovo seeks full integration into the international community, and has pursued bilateral recognitions and eventual membership in international organizations, such as the UN, EU, and NATO.
Flag description
centered on a dark blue field is a gold-colored silhouette of Kosovo surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars arrayed in a slight arc; each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 150) 18,410,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 79) 3.40%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 135) 10,000USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 76) 12.90%
Source industry (World Rank: 128) 22.60%
Source service (World Rank: 93) 64.50%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 155) 483,200
In poverty (World Rank: 62) 30.00%
Products
Industries
  • - appliances
  • - base metals
  • - beverages
  • - construction materials
  • - foodstuffs
  • - leather
  • - machinery
  • - mineral mining
  • - textiles
Agriculture
  • - berries
  • - corn
  • - dairy
  • - fish
  • - fruit
  • - livestock
  • - peppers
  • - potatoes
  • - wheat
Exports
  • - apparel
  • - appliances
  • - beverages
  • - leather products
  • - machinery
  • - mining
  • - prepared foodstuffs
  • - processed metal products
  • - scrap metals
  • - textiles
  • - tobacco
  • - vegetable products
Imports
  • - ceramic
  • - chemicals
  • - electrical equipment
  • - foodstuffs
  • - glass products
  • - livestock
  • - machinery
  • - minerals
  • - petroleum
  • - stone
  • - textiles
  • - wood

Communication

Phone
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 28) 45.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 210) 31.00

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 163) 3.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 161) 3.00
Heliports (World Rank: 66) 2.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 121) 333
Road
Total length (World Rank: 175) 2,003
Paved length (World Rank: 128) 1,883
Unpaved length (World Rank: 144) 120.00