2020 Edition

Background

The Ottoman Empire took control of Kosovo in 1389 after defeating Serbian forces. Large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to the region, and by the end of the 19th century, Albanians had replaced Serbs as the majority ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control of Kosovo during the First Balkan War of 1912, and after World War II, Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). Increasing Albanian nationalism in the 1980s led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence, but in 1989, Belgrade -- which has in turn served as the capital of Serbia and Yugoslavia -- revoked Kosovo's autonomous status. When the SFRY broke up in 1991, Kosovo Albanian leaders organized an independence referendum, and Belgrade's repressive response led to an insurgency. Kosovo remained part of Serbia, which joined with Montenegro to declare a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1992. In 1998, Belgrade launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign, with some 800,000 ethnic Albanians expelled from their homes in Kosovo. After international mediation failed, a NATO military operation began in March 1999 and forced Belgrade to withdraw its forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under the temporary control of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Negotiations in 2006-07 ended without agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, though the UN issued a comprehensive report that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent.  Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries began EU-facilitated discussions in 2013 to normalize relations, which resulted in several agreements. Additional agreements were reached in 2015 and 2023, but implementation remains incomplete. In 2022, Kosovo formally applied for membership in the EU, which is contingent on fulfillment of accession criteria, and the Council of Europe. Kosovo is also seeking UN and NATO memberships.

Area

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

highest point

Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m

lowest point

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

mean elevation

450 m

Geographic coordinates

42 35 N, 21 00 E

Geography - note

the 41-km (25-mi) 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

border countries

Albania 112 km; North Macedonia 160 km; Montenegro 76 km; Serbia 366 km

total

714 km

Land use

agricultural land

52.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 27.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)

forest

41.7% (2018 est.)

other

5.5% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

(Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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, with the largest 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

0-14 years

22.7% (male 233,010/female 216,304)

15-64 years

68.9% (male 712,403/female 649,932)

65 years and over

8.4% (2024 est.) (male 72,579/female 92,865)

Birth rate

14.16 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

61.6% (2020 est.)

Death rate

6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12.1 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

8.2 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.1 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

33 (2024 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% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.89 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

21.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

24.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

21 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian) Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.5 years

male

71 years

total population

73.1 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

218,782 PRISTINA (capital) (2020)

Median age

female

32.4 years

male

31.7 years

total

32.3 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Kosovan

noun

Kosovan

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Physician density

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

female

959,101

male

1,017,992

total

1,977,093 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

0.73% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 95.6%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Orthodox 1.5%, other 0.1%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.08 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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 Jugut (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

daylight saving time

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

etymology

the town takes its name from the river; the origin of the river's name is unclear but could come from a pre-Slavic language

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

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

amendment process

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

history

previous 1974, 1990; latest (post-independence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Kosovo

conventional short form

Kosovo

etymology

name may derive from the Serbian word kos, meaning "blackbird," or from a personal name

local long form

Republika e Kosoves (Albanian)/ Republika Kosovo (Serbian)

local short form

Kosove (Albanian)/ Kosovo (Serbian)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Anu PRATTIPATI (since January 2025)

email address and website

PristinaACS@state.gov https://xk.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Arberia/Dragodan, Rr. 4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina

FAX

[383] 38-604-890

mailing address

9520 Pristina Place, Washington DC 20521-9520

telephone

[383] 38-59-59-3000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3612 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Ilir DUGOLLI (since 13 January 2022)

consulate(s)

Des Moines (IA)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

embassy.usa@rks-gov.net U.S. Embassies of the Republic of Kosovo (ambasadat.net)

FAX

[1] (202) 735-0609

telephone

[1] (202) 450-2130

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet elected by the Assembly

chief of state

President Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (since 4 April 2021)

election results

2021:  Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (Guxo!) 71 votes; Albin KURTI (LVV) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 67 for, 30 against 2017: Ramush HARADINAJ (AAK) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 61 for, 1 abstention, 0 against (opposition boycott) 2016: Hashim THACI elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71 votes

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; if a candidate does not reach this threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected; prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly

expected date of next election

2026

head of government

Acting Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 15 April 2025)

most recent election date

3-4 April 2021

Flag

description: a dark blue field with a gold-colored silhouette of Kosovo in the center, with six five-pointed white stars in a slight arc over it meaning: each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks

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

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges and organized into Appeals Panel of the Kosovo Property Agency and Special Chamber); 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

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

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

2025

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Assembly (Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova)

most recent election date

2/14/2021

number of seats

120 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Self-Determination Movement (LVV) (58), Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) (19), Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) (15), Serb List (10), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) (8), other (10)

percentage of women in chamber

34%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 2008; Kosovo chose not to include lyrics in its anthem to avoid offending the country's minority ethnic groups

lyrics/music

no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI

title

"Europe"

National coat of arms

uses the national colors of blue, gold, and white, and is featured on the country’s flag; the golden map symbolizes a rich and peaceful Kosovo, with a blue background that represents the country’s aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration; the six white stars stand for the major ethnic groups in Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Roma (including Ashkali and Egyptians), and Gorani

National color(s)

blue, gold, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Medieval Monuments in Kosovo

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

National symbol(s)

six five-pointed white stars

Political parties

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK Ashkali Party for Integration or PAI Civic Initiative for Freedom, Justice, and Survival Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK New Democratic Party or NDS  Progressive Movement of Kosovar Roma or LPRK Romani Initiative Self-Determination Movement (Lëvizja Vetevendosje or Vetevendosie) or LVV or VV Serb List or SL Social Democratic Union or SDU Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP Unique Gorani Party or JGP Vakat Coalition or VAKAT

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$2.547 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$1.951 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$818.351 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$983.283 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$785.09 million (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$785.739 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

small-but-growing European economy; non-EU member but unilateral euro user; very high unemployment, especially youth; vulnerable reliance on diaspora tourism services, curtailed by COVID-19 disruptions; unclear public loan portfolio health

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.877 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.951 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$3.138 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$3.579 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$4.156 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

mattress materials, iron alloys, metal piping, scrap iron, building plastics (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 16%, Albania 15%, North Macedonia 12%, Germany 8%, Italy 8% (2021)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

41.9% (2024 est.)

government consumption

12.3% (2024 est.)

household consumption

84.3% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-72.3% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

33.8% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.9% (2024 est.)

industry

26.2% (2024 est.)

services

45.7% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.149 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

49.4 (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

32.9% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

0.4% (2021 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$6.128 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.661 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$7.362 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, iron rods, electricity, cigars, packaged medicines (2021)

Imports - partners

Germany 13%, Turkey 13%, China 10%, Serbia 7%, Italy 6% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.6% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.9% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

500,300 (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

17.6% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

19.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$23.025 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$23.962 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$25.019 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$13,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$14,200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$16,400 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

18% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

17.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

17.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.248 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.245 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.31 billion (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

6.931 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

13,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

20,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

6.924 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1.564 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6.571 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

2.442 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

3.449 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.555 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

789.167 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

87.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

6.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

52.085 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

16,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Internet country code

.xk

Internet users

percent of population

89% (2018 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

383,763 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

35 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

593,000 (2022 est.)

Airports

2 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Z6

Heliports

11 (2025)

Railways

total

437 km (2020)

Military - note

the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) was established in 2009 as a small (1,500 personnel), lightly armed disaster response force; the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) was charged with assisting in the development of the KSF and bringing it up to standards designated by NATO; the KSF was certified as fully operational by the North Atlantic Council in 2013, indicating the then 2,200-strong KSF was entirely capable of performing the tasks assigned under its mandate, which included non-military security functions that were not appropriate for the police, plus missions such as search and rescue, explosive ordnance disposal, control and clearance of hazardous materials, firefighting, and other humanitarian assistance tasks in 2019, Kosovo approved legislation that began a process to transition the KSF by 2028 into a professional military (the Kosovo Armed Forces) led by a General Staff and comprised of a Land Force, a National Guard, a Logistics Command, and a Doctrine and Training Command; it would have a strength of up to 5,000 with about 3,000 reserves; at the same time, the KSF’s mission was expanded to include traditional military functions, such as territorial defense and international peacekeeping; the KSF’s first international mission was the deployment of a small force to Kuwait in 2021  the NATO-led KFOR has operated in the country as a peace support force since 1999; in addition to assisting in the development of the KSF, KFOR is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment and ensuring freedom of movement for all citizens; as of 2025, it had approximately 4,700 troops from more than 30 countries (2025)

Military and security forces

Kosovo Security Force (KSF; Forca e Sigurisë së Kosovës or FSK): Land Force, National Guard (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3,300 Kosovo Security Forces, including about 800 reserves (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the KSF is equipped with small arms and light vehicles and has relied on limited amounts of donated equipment from several countries, particularly Türkiye and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

any citizen of Kosovo over the age of 18 is eligible to serve in the Kosovo Security Force; upper age for enlisting is 30 for officers, 25 for other ranks, although these may be waived for recruits with key skills considered essential for the KSF (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

15,582 (2024 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

5.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.439 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

7.444 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

air pollution from power plants and lignite mines; water scarcity and pollution; land degradation

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

319,000 tons (2024 est.)