2024 Edition Primary

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 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

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, 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

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

14.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Death rate

7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

14.6

potential support ratio

6.9 (2021)

total dependency ratio

46.9

youth dependency ratio

32.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: NA

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

NA

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.)

note

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

21.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

24.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

22.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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.

note

note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and other ethnic minority languages 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

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 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Kosovan

note

note: Kosovo, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective as in Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, Kosovo minority, or Kosovo citizen

noun

Kosovan

Net migration rate

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Physician density

NA

Population

female

959,101 (2024 est.)

male

1,017,992

total

1,977,093

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.68% (2024 est.)

Religions

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

note

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: NA

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

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

1.87 children born/woman (2024 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 name may derive from a Proto-Slavic word reconstructed as "pryshchina," meaning "spring (of water)"

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

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 2020

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, referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chamber or "Specialist Court," to try war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other crimes under Kosovo law committed during and immediately after the Kosovo War (1998-2000)

Country name

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 (Albanian)/ Republika Kosovo (Serbian)

local short form

Kosove (Albanian)/ Kosovo (Serbian)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jeffrey M. HOVENIER (since 10 January 2022)

email address and website

PristinaACS@state.govhttps://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.netU.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 against2017: 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

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 3 to 4 April 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 22 March 2021)

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

note

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

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

note

note: in August 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution, also referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chambers or "Special Court"; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in late 2016 and has jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other crimes under Kosovo law that occurred in the 1998-2000 period

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) retained limited executive powers within the Kosovo judiciary for complex cases from 2008 to 2018

Legislative branch

description

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

election results

percent of vote by party - LVV 50%, PDK 16.9%, LDK 12.7%, AAK 7.1%, Serb List 5.1%, other 8.2%; seats by party - LVV 58, PDK 19, LDK 15, Serb List 10, AAK 8, other 10; composition - men 79, women 41, percentage women 34.2%

elections

last held on 14 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

note

note: 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities -- 10 for Serbs and 10 for other minorities

National anthem

lyrics/music

no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI

name

Europe

note

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

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; national colors: blue, gold, white

Political parties

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAKAshkali Party for Integration or PAICivic Initiative for Freedom, Justice, and SurvivalDemocratic League of Kosovo or LDKDemocratic Party of Kosovo or PDKNew Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDKNew Democratic Party or NDS Progressive Movement of Kosovar Roma or LPRKRomani InitiativeSelf-Determination Movement (Lëvizja Vetevendosje or Vetevendosie) or LVV or VVSerb List or SLSocial Democratic Union or SDUTurkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTPUnique Gorani Party or JGPVakat 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

-$794.765 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

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.)

note

note: Kosovo, which is neither an EU member state nor a party to a formal EU monetary agreement, uses the euro as its de facto currency

Exports

Exports 2021

$3.138 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$3.579 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$4.155 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

mattress materials, iron alloys, metal piping, scrap iron, building plastics, mineral water, seating (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

39.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

12.5% (2023 est.)

household consumption

83.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-70.5% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

31.6% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

2.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7.8% (2023 est.)

industry

26.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

46% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$10.438 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

29 (2017 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.6% (2017 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8% (2017 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$6.128 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.661 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$7.362 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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

1.56% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.35% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.58% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.94% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

500,300 (2017 est.)

note

note: includes those estimated to be employed in the gray economy

Population below poverty line

17.6% (2015 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

21.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$22.08 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$23.025 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$23.794 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

10.75% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.28% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.34% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$12,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$13,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$13,500 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

18.01% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

17.24% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

18.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$1.244 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.248 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.245 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

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

Unemployment rate 2016

27.5% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

30.5% (2017 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

57.3%

male

44.9%

total

48.8% (2020 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

6.427 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.192 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

8.619 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

8.927 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

127,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

12,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

9.074 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

1.564 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6.487 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

3.139 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

3.687 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.547 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.05 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

90.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

3.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

5.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

57.072 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

15,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.xk; note - assigned as a temporary code under UN Security Council resolution 1244/99 

note

 

Internet users

percent of population

91% (2021 est.)

total

1,756,300 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line roughly 25 per 100 and mobile-cellular 98 per 100 persons (2022)

general assessment

Kosovo has benefited from financial and regulatory assistance as part of the EU pre-accession process; the telecom sector has been liberalized, and legislation has aligned the sector with the EU’s revised regulatory framework; infrastructure development includes WiMax and other municipal wireless internet services; digitalization of TV broadcasting; network upgrades include a 5G roll-out in the coming years (2022 )

international

country code - 383

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

383,763 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

98 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1,777,859 (2022 est.)

Airports

4 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Z6

Heliports

6 (2024)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers

0 (2020)

Railways

total

437 km (2020)

Roadways

total

2,248 km (2022)

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 tasksin 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 2024, it numbered about 4,400 troops from 28 countries; Kosovo regards the US as a key ally and security guarantor, and the US has provided considerable support to the KSF, including equipment and training (2024)

Military and security forces

Kosovo Security Force (KSF; Forca e Sigurisë së Kosovës or FSK): Land Force, National Guard (2024)

note

note: the Kosovo Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3,300 KSF personnel, 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 Turkey and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

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 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 (2024)

Disputes - international

note

note: NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers deployed under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 continue to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens; in September 2023, KFOR deployed additional forces in the north of Kosovo and increased patrols along the border with Serbia after Kosovo-Serb paramilitaries attacked Kosovo police near the town of Banjska; some of Kosovo’s ethnic Serb minority, most of whom live in the northern regions, view themselves as part of Serbia, and Serbian municipalities along the northern border have challenged the final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; some protests have turned violent 

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

16,000 (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) (2022)

note

note: 9,011 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2023)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

8.94 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.54 megatons (2020 est.)

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

Environment - current issues

air pollution (pollution from power plants and nearby lignite mines take a toll on people's health); water scarcity and pollution; land degradation

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.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.31% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

319,000 tons (2015 est.)