2017 Edition

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.

Area

10,887 sq km 10,887 sq km 0 sq km

land

10,887 sq km

total

10,887 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Delaware

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

450 m lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim 297 m (located on the border with Albania) highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m

elevation extremes

lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim 297 m (located on the border with Albania)

highest point

Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m

mean elevation

450 m

Geographic coordinates

42 35 N, 21 00 E

Geography - note

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

the 41-km long Nerodimka River divides into two branches each of which flows into a different sea

the northern branch flows into the Sitnica River, which via the Ibar, Morava, and Danube Rivers ultimately flows into the Black Sea; the southern branch flows via the Lepenac and Vardar Rivers into the Aegean Sea

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

714 km Albania 112 km, Macedonia 160 km, Montenegro 76 km, Serbia 366 km

border countries (4)

Albania 112 km, Macedonia 160 km, Montenegro 76 km, Serbia 366 km

total

714 km

Land use

52.8% arable land 27.4%; permanent crops 1.9%; permanent pasture 23.5% 41.7% 5.5% (2001 est.)

agricultural land

52.8%

forest

41.7%

other

5.5% (2001 est.)

Location

Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite

Population - distribution

population clusters exist throughout the country, the largest being in the east in and around the capital of Pristina

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

Age structure

25.01% (male 246,281/female 227,718) 17.22% (male 170,515/female 155,840) 42.57% (male 425,815/female 381,037) 7.92% (male 75,964/female 74,170) 7.28% (male 57,965/female 79,945) (2017 est.)

0-14 years

25.01% (male 246,281/female 227,718)

15-24 years

17.22% (male 170,515/female 155,840)

25-54 years

42.57% (male 425,815/female 381,037)

55-64 years

7.92% (male 75,964/female 74,170)

65 years and over

7.28% (male 57,965/female 79,945) (2017 est.)

Ethnic groups

Albanians 92.9%, Bosniaks 1.6%, Serbs 1.5%, Turk 1.1%, Ashkali 0.9%, Egyptian 0.7%, Gorani 0.6%, Romani 0.5%, other/unspecified 0.2% these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and some other ethnic minorities because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo (2011 est.)

note

these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and some other ethnic minorities because they are based on the 2011 Kosovo national census, which excluded northern Kosovo (a largely Serb-inhabited region) and was partially boycotted by Serb and Romani communities in southern Kosovo (2011 est.)

Languages

Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1% in municipalities where a community's mother tongue is not one of Kosovo's official languages, the language of that community may be given official status according to the 2006 Law on the Use of Languages (2011 est.)

note

in municipalities where a community's mother tongue is not one of Kosovo's official languages, the language of that community may be given official status according to the 2006 Law on the Use of Languages (2011 est.)

Major urban areas - population

PRISTINA (capital) 207,062 (2014)

Median age

29.1 years 28.8 years 29.5 years (2017 est.)

female

29.5 years (2017 est.)

male

28.8 years

total

29.1 years

Nationality

Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian) Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian) Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective

adjective

Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian)

note

Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective

noun

Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian)

Population

1,895,250 (July 2017 est.)

Population distribution

population clusters exist throughout the country, the largest being in the east in and around the capital of Pristina

Religions

Muslim 95.6%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Orthodox 1.5%, other 0.07%, none 0.07%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)

Sex ratio

1.08 male(s)/female 1.08 male(s)/female 1.1 male(s)/female 1.12 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female 0.72 male(s)/female 1.06 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

0-14 years

1.08 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.1 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.12 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.72 male(s)/female

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

57.7% 54.2% 67.2% (2015 est.)

female

67.2% (2015 est.)

male

54.2%

total

57.7%

Administrative divisions

38 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna (Albanian); opstine, singular - opstina (Serbian)); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc (Glogovac), Gracanice (Gracanica), Hani i Elezit (Deneral Jankovic), Istog (Istok), Junik, Kacanik, Kamenice (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Kllokot (Klokot), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mamushe (Mamusa), Mitrovice e Jug (Juzna Mitrovica) [South Mitrovica], Mitrovice e Veriut (Severna Mitrovica) [North Mitrovica], Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Partesh (Partes), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Ranillug (Ranilug), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan

Capital

Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina) 42 40 N, 21 10 E UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

42 40 N, 21 10 E

name

Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

no at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo yes 5 years

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; note - amendment 24, passed by the Assembly in August 2015, established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Institution, a court established to try war crimes allegedly committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army in the late 1990s proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one-fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)

amendments

proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one-fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)

history

previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; note - amendment 24, passed by the Assembly in August 2015, established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Institution, a court established to try war crimes allegedly committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army in the late 1990s

Country name

Republic of Kosovo Kosovo Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo) Kosova (Kosovo) name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird," an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds"

conventional long form

Republic of Kosovo

conventional short form

Kosovo

etymology

name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird," an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds"

local long form

Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)

local short form

Kosova (Kosovo)

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Gregory T. DELAWIE (since 21 August 2015) Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo use embassy street address [381] 38 59 59 3000 [381] 38 549 890

chief of mission

Ambassador Gregory T. DELAWIE (since 21 August 2015)

embassy

Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo

FAX

[381] 38 549 890

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[381] 38 59 59 3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Vlora CITAKU (since 17 September 2015) 2175 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037 202-450-2130 202-735-0609 New York Des Moines (IA)

chancery

2175 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador Vlora CITAKU (since 17 September 2015)

consulate(s)

Des Moines (IA)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

202-735-0609

telephone

202-450-2130

Executive branch

President Hashim THACI (since 7 April 2016) Prime Minister Ramush HARADINAJ (since 9 September 2017); note - Prime Minister Isa MUSTAFA lost no-confidence vote on 10 May 2017 Cabinet elected by the Assembly president indirectly elected by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly for a 5-year term; if a candidate does not attain a two-thirds threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 February 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly Hashim THACI elected president in the third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71, Rafet RAMA (PDK) 0, invalid 10; Isa MUSTAFA (LDK) selected prime minister by the president in consultation with the LDK/PDK/PD/LB/PSHDK/PK coalition

cabinet

Cabinet elected by the Assembly

chief of state

President Hashim THACI (since 7 April 2016)

election results

Hashim THACI elected president in the third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71, Rafet RAMA (PDK) 0, invalid 10; Isa MUSTAFA (LDK) selected prime minister by the president in consultation with the LDK/PDK/PD/LB/PSHDK/PK coalition

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly for a 5-year term; if a candidate does not attain a two-thirds threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 February 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Ramush HARADINAJ (since 9 September 2017); note - Prime Minister Isa MUSTAFA lost no-confidence vote on 10 May 2017

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 one of only two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Cyprus is the other

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

note

one of only two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Cyprus is the other

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (consists of the court president and NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 7 judges) Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council, a 13-member independent body staffed by judges and lay members, and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single, 9-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4 departments: General, Serious Crime, Commercial Matters, and Administrative Matters; Basic Court (located in 7 municipalities, each with several branches) in August 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that establishes the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in late 2016 and tries crimes by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the late 1990s

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the court president and NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council, a 13-member independent body staffed by judges and lay members, and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single, 9-year terms

note

in August 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that establishes the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in late 2016 and tries crimes by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the late 1990s

subordinate courts

subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4 departments: General, Serious Crime, Commercial Matters, and Administrative Matters; Basic Court (located in 7 municipalities, each with several branches)

Legal system

civil law system; note - the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) retains limited executive powers related to the investigation of such issues as war crimes

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova (120 seats; 100 members directly elected by proportional representation vote with 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities - 10 for Serbs and 10 for other ethnic minorities; members serve 4-year terms) last held on 11 June 2017 (next to be held in 2021); note - early elections were held after a no-confidence vote on 10 May 2017 led to the dismissal of Prime Minister Isa MUSTAFA percent of vote by party/coalition - PAN Coalition 43.2%, LDK 24.7%, Self-Determination 12.7%, New Kosovo Coalition 7.3%, Independent Liberal Party 2.1%, other 11.9%; seats by party/coalition - PAN Coalition 46, LDK 27, Self-Determination 14, New Kosovo Coalition 8, Independent Liberal Party 8, other 17

description

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova (120 seats; 100 members directly elected by proportional representation vote with 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities - 10 for Serbs and 10 for other ethnic minorities; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - PAN Coalition 43.2%, LDK 24.7%, Self-Determination 12.7%, New Kosovo Coalition 7.3%, Independent Liberal Party 2.1%, other 11.9%; seats by party/coalition - PAN Coalition 46, LDK 27, Self-Determination 14, New Kosovo Coalition 8, Independent Liberal Party 8, other 17

elections

last held on 11 June 2017 (next to be held in 2021); note - early elections were held after a no-confidence vote on 10 May 2017 led to the dismissal of Prime Minister Isa MUSTAFA

National anthem

"Europe" no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI adopted 2008; Kosovo chose to exclude lyrics in its anthem so as not to offend the country's minority ethnic groups

lyrics/music

no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI

name

"Europe"

note

adopted 2008; Kosovo chose to exclude lyrics in its anthem so as not to offend the country's minority ethnic groups

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

National symbol(s)

six, five-pointed, white stars; national colors: blue, gold, white

six, five-pointed, white stars; national colors

blue, gold, white

Political parties and leaders

Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSHDK [Uke BERISHA] Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ] Conservative Party of Kosovo or PK [Munir BASHA] Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Isa MUSTAFA] Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Kadri VESELI] Independent Liberal Party or SLS [Siobodan PETROVIC] Initiative for Kosovo or NISMA [Fatmir LIMAJ] Justice Party of Kosovo or PD [Ferid AGANI] LAA Coalition [Isa MUSTAFA] (includes LDK, AKR, The Alternative) Movement for Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) or VV [Visar YMERI] Movement for Unification or LB [Valon MURATI] New Kosovo Alliance or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI] New Kosovo Coalition PAN Coalition [Kadri VESELI] (includes PDK, AAK, NISMA) Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) (Visar YMERI) Serb List [Slavko SIMIC] The Alternative [Mimoza KUSATI-LILA] Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR] Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Rasim DEMIRI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

CiviKos Platform [Valdete IDRIZI] Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom or CDHRF [Behxhet SHALA] Group for Political and Legal Studies or GLPS [Fisnik KORENICA] KLA War Veterans Organization [Muharrem XHEMAJLI] Kosova Women's Network or KWN [Igballe ROGOVA] Kosovar Civil Society Foundation or KCFS [Venera HAJRULLAHU] Kosovo Democratic Institute or KDI [Ismet KRYEZIU] Organization for Democracy, Anti-Corruption and Dignity Rise! or COHU [Arton DEMHASAJ] Serb National Council (SNV) Speak Up or FOL [Petrit ZOGAJ] (think tank)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers, fruit; dairy, livestock; fish

Budget

$1.396 billion $1.61 billion (2014 est.)

expenditures

$1.61 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$1.396 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.8% (30 June 2013 est.) 13.7% (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance

$-651 million (2016 est.) $-548 million (2015 est.)

Debt - external

$1.4 billion (2016 est.) $1.3 billion (2015 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30 (FY05/06)

Economy - overview

Kosovo's economy has shown progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and the Nordic countries - are estimated to account for about 17% of GDP and international donor assistance accounts for approximately 10% of GDP. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize a majority of its state-owned enterprises. Kosovo's citizens are the second poorest in Europe, after Moldova, with a per capita GDP (PPP) of $9,600 in 2016. An unemployment rate of 33%, and a youth unemployment rate near 60%, in a country where the average age is 26, encourages emigration and fuels a significant informal, unreported economy. Emigration remains challenging, however, because Kosovo lacks visa-free travel to the EU. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and a lack of technical expertise. Kosovo enjoys lower labor costs than the rest of the region. However, high levels of corruption, little contract enforcement, and unreliable electricity supply have discouraged potential investors. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used illegally in Serb majority communities. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Minerals and metals production - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once the backbone of industry, has declined because of aging equipment and insufficient investment, problems exacerbated by competing and unresolved ownership claims of Kosovo’s largest mines. A limited and unreliable electricity supply is a major impediment to economic development, but Kosovo has received technical assistance to help improve the sector’s performance. In 2012, Kosovo privatized its electricity supply and distribution network. The US Government is cooperating with the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) and the World Bank to conclude a commercial tender for the construction of Kosovo C, a new lignite-fired power plant that would leverage Kosovo’s large lignite reserves. MED also has plans for the rehabilitation of an older coal power plant, Kosovo B, and the development of a coal mine that could supply both plants. In June 2009, Kosovo joined the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and began servicing its share of the former Yugoslavia's debt. In order to help integrate Kosovo into regional economic structures, UNMIK signed (on behalf of Kosovo) its accession to the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006. Kosovo joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2012 and the Council of Europe Development Bank in 2013. In 2016, Kosovo implemented the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) negotiations with the EU, focused on trade liberalization. Under the SAA, Kosovo — which gets approximately 58% of government revenue from tariffs on imports — is required to phase out tariffs on EU goods over the next seven years. In 2014, nearly 60% of customs duty-eligible imports into Kosovo were EU goods. In 2015, Kosovo negotiated a $185 million Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF following the conclusion of its previous SBA in 2014. The IMF requested an extension of the current SBA to August 2017 to facilitate policy continuity and allow sufficient time for ongoing structural reforms to progress. In August 2015, as part of its EU-facilitated normalization process with Serbia, Kosovo signed agreements on telecommunications and energy distribution, but disagreements over who owns economic assets, such as the Trepca mining conglomerate, within Kosovo continue. Kosovo experienced its first federal budget deficit in 2012, when government expenditures climbed sharply. In May 2014, the government introduced a 25% salary increase for public sector employees and an equal increase in certain social benefits. Central revenues could not sustain these increases, and the government was forced to reduce its planned capital investments. The government, led by Prime Minister MUSTAFA - a trained economist - recently made several changes to its fiscal policy, expanding the list of duty-free imports, decreasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) for basic food items and public utilities, and increasing the VAT for all other goods. While Kosovo’s economy continued to make progress, it needs further reform and investment to enable the level of growth required to reduce unemployment and raise living standards in a meaningful way.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.9214 (2016 est.) 0.885 (2015 est.) 0.885 (2014 est.) 0.7634 (2013 est.) 0.7752 (2012 est.)

Exports

$349 million (2014 est.) $408 million (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products, machinery, appliances, prepared foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco, vegetable products, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners

Albania 24.2%, Macedonia, The Former Yugo Rep of 17.3%, Germany 8.8%, Switzerland 7.7%, Bulgaria 7.5%, Netherlands 6.9%, Turkey 4.6%, Austria 4.4% (2016)

GDP - composition, by end use

90.5% 16% 28.2% 3% 5.8% -43.5% (2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

5.8%

government consumption

16%

household consumption

90.5%

imports of goods and services

-43.5% (2014 est.)

investment in fixed capital

28.2%

investment in inventories

3%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

12.9% 22.6% 64.5% (2009 est.)

agriculture

12.9%

industry

22.6%

services

64.5% (2009 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,000 (2016 est.) $9,700 (2015 est.) $9,300 (2014 est.) data are in 2016 US dollars

note

data are in 2016 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.4% (2016 est.) 4.1% (2015 est.) 1.2% (2014 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.624 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$18.41 billion (2016 est.) $17.57 billion (2015 est.) $16.7 billion (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

Gross national saving

12.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 12.7% of GDP (2015 est.) 12.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Imports

$2.687 billion (2014 est.) $3.398 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, livestock, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery, minerals, textiles, stone, ceramic and glass products, electrical equipment

Imports - partners

Macedonia, The Former Yugo Rep of 34.1%, Turkey 12%, Germany 9.4%, Albania 7.4%, Slovenia 6.9%, Italy 4.6% (2016)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.3% (2016 est.) -0.5% (2015 est.)

Labor force

483,200 includes those estimated to be employed in the grey economy (2013 est.)

note

includes those estimated to be employed in the grey economy (2013 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

5.9% 16.8% 77.3% (2013)

agriculture

5.9%

industry

16.8%

services

77.3% (2013)

Population below poverty line

30% (2013 est.)

Public debt

20.6% of GDP (2016 est.) 18.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA

Stock of broad money

$2.511 billion (2014 est.) $2.773 billion (2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$21.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $36.67 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.02 billion (2014 est.) $2.505 billion (2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

34.8% (2016 est.) 34.6% (2015 est.) Kosovo has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data

note

Kosovo has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

7.576 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

NA bbl (1 January 2017 es)

Electricity - consumption

4.89 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - exports

553 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

97.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

2.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

684 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.565 million kW (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

5.759 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity access

100% (2016)

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2016)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2016)

Natural gas - proved reserves

NA cu m

Refined petroleum products - consumption

12,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

38.36 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

11,430 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

831,470 45 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

45 (July 2016 est.)

total

831,470

Telephones - mobile cellular

562,000 31 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

31 (July 2016 est.)

total

562,000

Airports

6 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

total

3

under 914 m

1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

3 (2013)

total

3

under 914 m

3 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Z6 (2016)

Heliports

2 (2013)

Railways

333 km 333 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

333 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

333 km

Roadways

2,003 km 1,883 km (includes 38 km of expressways) 120 km (2014)

paved

1,883 km (includes 38 km of expressways)

total

2,003 km

unpaved

120 km (2014)

Military branches

Kosovo does not have a military force; the Kosovo Security Force was established in 2009 and maintains a non-military mandate in four core competencies: search-and-rescue, firefighting, demining, and hazardous material response (2015)

Kosovo does not have a military force; the Kosovo Security Force was established in 2009 and maintains a non-military mandate in four core competencies

search-and-rescue, firefighting, demining, and hazardous material response (2015)

Military expenditures

0.78% of GDP (2015) 0.73% of GDP (2014) 0.69% of GDP (2013) 0.67% of GDP (2012) 0.76% of GDP (2011)

Disputes - international

Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of its status as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers under UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons

17,000 (primarily ethnic Serbs displaced during the 1998-1999 war fearing reprisals from the majority ethnic-Albanian population; a smaller number of ethnic Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2004 as a result of violence) (2015)

IDPs

17,000 (primarily ethnic Serbs displaced during the 1998-1999 war fearing reprisals from the majority ethnic-Albanian population; a smaller number of ethnic Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2004 as a result of violence) (2015)