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Kosovo: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As Kosovo i Metohija • Kosmet • Kosova
Head Of Government Prime Minister: Albin Kurti
Capital Pristina
Population (2026 est.) 1,574,000
Head Of State President: Vjosa Osmani
Form Of Government/Political Status multiparty transitional republic2 with one legislative house (Assembly of Kosovo [1203])
Official Languages Albanian; Serbian
Official Religion none
Official Name Republika e Kosovës (Albanian); Republika Kosovo (Serbian) (Republic of Kosovo)1
Total Area (Sq Km) 10,905
Total Area (Sq Mi) 4,210
Monetary Unit euro (€)
Population Rank (2026) 155
Population Projection 2030 1,801,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 373.9
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 144.3
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2011) 38.2% • Rural: (2011) 61.8%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: years • Female: years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2024) 11,021
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2024) 6,910
International Authority UN Interim Administrator4
1Alternate short-form names in Albanian include Kosova and Kosovë.2Independence was declared February 17, 2008, and the new constitution became effective on June 15. Serbia continued to claim Kosovo as an integral part despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice in July 2010 supporting Kosovo’s independence.3Twenty seats are reserved for minority communities.4Assisted by the EU special envoy from February 2008. A 2,000-member EU mission to Kosovo (headed by the special envoy) is expected to eventually replace the UN as international administrative authority.
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 10 And Over Literate Male: (2024) 99.4% • Female: (2024) 98.3%

Photos

Kosovo
Map of Kosovo and its surrounding region, showing international boundaries with neighboring countries Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia. Major cities and towns in Kosovo, including Pristina, Mitrovice, Peje, Prizren, Gjakove, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Vushtrri, Podujeve, and Fushe Kosove, are marked. An inset map in the upper right shows Kosovo's location within Europe.
Map highlighting Kosovo in southeastern Europe, with its capital Pristina marked. Surrounding countries include Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, and Turkey, with the Mediterranean Sea to the south.
Map of Kosovo highlighting its physical features, including the Kopaonik and Sharr mountain ranges, major rivers such as the Ibar and White Drin, and the highest point, Mount Gjeravica at 2,656 meters. Surrounding countries-Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia-are labeled, with Kosovo shaded in light green. An inset shows Kosovo's location within Europe.
Map of Kosovo and surrounding countries showing the ethnic composition by area as of 2008. Most of Kosovo is shaded in orange and red tones, indicating regions where over 60%, 80%, or 90% of the population is Albanian. Blue areas mark mostly Serbian populations, concentrated in the north and a few enclaves in the south. Areas outside Kosovo with significant Albanian populations are also highlighted. Major cities such as Pristina, Mitrovice, Peje, and Prizren are labeled.
Pristina
Prizren
Gračanica Monastery
Pristina: Kosovo Museum
Epiphanius of Constantia, Saint
National anthem of Kosovo
See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in 2018, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and red patterned tie, with a blue background and part of a flag visible behind him.
Hashim Thaçi
president of Kosovo
Dayton Accords
Slobodan Milošević
president of Yugoslavia
Holbrooke, Richard; Joulwan, George; and Solana, Javier
Javier Solana
Spanish politician

Related Places

Map showing the countries of Europe with national capitals and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea.
Europe
continent
Map of Balkan states, with dark purple for countries usually included: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Romania, and Bulgaria. Light purple marks countries sometimes included: Moldova, Greece, and Turkey.
Balkans
region, Europe
Pristina
Pristina
national capital, Kosovo
Pejë Patriarchal Monastery
Pejë
Kosovo
Prizren, Kosovo
Prizren
Kosovo
Yugoslavia, 1919–92
Yugoslavia
former federated nation [1929–2003]
Šar (Sharr) Mountains
Šar Mountains
mountains, North Macedonia-Kosovo
Ibar River
Ibar River
river, Balkans

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