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Ilir pz (talk | contribs)
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this is a more balanced version. Refrain from nationalistic reverts, even if you are admins! Thank you!
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{| class="infobox bordered" style="width: 250px; font-size: 95%; float: right;" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"
{{otheruses}}
{| {{prettyinfobox}}
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| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" |
<big>''' Kosovo '''<br/></big><br>
<big>'''Kosovo'''<br>'''Kosovë/Kosova'''<br>'''Косово и Метохија'''</big>
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| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | [[Image:Citys of Kosova.PNG|160px]]
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{| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0
| align=center width=148 | [[Image:Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg|125px]]
| align=center width=148 | [[Image:Kosovo_pisg_ca.png|75px]]
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| align=center width=148 | [[UNMIK|UNMIK Flag]]
| align=center width=148 | [[PISG|PISG Logo]]
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[[Image:Kosovo and part of Serbia.png|center|200px]]
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| style="text-align: center;" colspan="2" | [[Image:The position of Kosovo within Serbia.PNG]]
<small>Location in Europe.</small>
|-
| [[Official language]]s
| [[Official language]]s
| [[Albanian language|Albanian]], [[Serbian language|Serbian]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]]
| <small>[[Albanian language|Albanian]], [[Serbian language|Serbian]], [[English language|English]] </small>
|-
|-
| [[Capital]]
| [[Capital]]
| [[Priština|Prishtinë / Priština / Priştine]]
| [[Priština|Prishtinë / Priština]]
|-
|-
| [[President of Kosovo]]
| [[President of Kosovo]]
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| valign=top | [[List of ethnic groups|Ethnic groups]]<br/>([[2003]])
| valign=top | [[List of ethnic groups|Ethnic groups]]<br/>([[2003]])
| [[Albanians]]: 88%<br/>[[Serbs]]: 7%<br/>Turks: 1%<br/>Others: 4%
| [[Albanians]]: 87%<br/>[[Serbs]]: 8%<br/>Turks: 1%<br/>Others: 4%
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| [[Time zone]]
| [[Time zone]]
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| [[Currency]]
| [[Currency]]
| [[Euro]] (Official and [[Serbian dinar]] (the latter is used exclusively in Serbian-populated areas)
| [[Euro]] (Official) and [[Serbian dinar]] (the latter is used exclusively in Serbian-populated areas)
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'''Kosovo''' ([[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''Kosovë''/''Kosova'', [[Serbian language|Serbian]]: ''Косово и Метохија''/''Kosovo i Metohija'') is "an entity under interim international administration which, with its people, has unique historical, legal, cultural and linguistic attributes" [http://www.unmikonline.org/constframework.htm]. It is located in the south-eastern Europe and borders [[Albania]], [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]] and [[Montenegro]]. The mountainous province's capital and largest city is [[Priština]]. Kosovo has a population of around two million people, predominately ethnic [[Albanians]], with smaller populations of [[Serbs]] and other ethnic groups.

The province is the subject of a long-running political and territorial dispute between the Serbian (and before then, the [[Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]]) government and Kosovo's Albanian population. Although the UN Security Resolution 1244 ''[[de jure]]'' considers Kosovo a part of Former Yugoslav Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia), it has been administered by the [[United Nations]] since the end of the [[Kosovo War]] in [[1999]]. Kosovo is governed by the [[UNMIK|UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo]] (UNMIK) and the locally elected [[Provisional Institutions of Self-Government]], with security maintained by the [[NATO]]-led [[Kosovo Force]] (KFOR) and [[Kosovo Police Service]]. Negotiations began in [[2006]] to determine the final status of Kosovo.

== Geography ==
''For administrative divisions, see [[Municipalities of Kosovo]]''
[[image:UTkosovo rel small 92.jpg|thumb|left|275px|Physical map of Kosovo]]
With an area of [[1 E10 m²|10,912]] [[square kilometre]]s (4,213 [[square mile|sq.&nbsp;mi]]) and a population of over two million on the eve of the 1999 crisis, Kosovo borders [[Montenegro]] to the northwest, [[Central Serbia]] to the North and East, [[Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]] to the south and [[Albania]] to the southwest. The largest cities are [[Priština]] (''Prishtinë'', in [[Albanian language|Albanian]]) the capital, with an estimated 500,000 citizens, and [[Prizren]] in the southwest with 120,000 citizens; five other towns have populations in excess of 50,000. The climate in Kosovo is continental with warm summers and cold and snowy winters.

There are two main plains in Kosovo, located in the western part of the land (''Rrafshi i Dukagjinit'', in [[Albanian language|Albanian]], the naming [[Metohija]] is used mostly by [[Serbian people|Serbs]]) and the ''plain of Kosovo'' ([[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''Rrafshi i Kosovës, [[Serbian language|Serbian]]: ''Kosovska Dolina'').

Kosovo is mainly mountainous and hilly. [[Sar Mountain]] (in Albanian ''Mali i Sharrit'') is located in the south and south-east, bordering [[Macedonia]]. It is one of the most popular tourist and skiing resorts, with [[Brezovica]] and Prevalac (in Albanian Prevallë) as the main tourist centres. Kosovo's mountainous area, including the highest peak Deravica (in Albanian ''Gjeravica'') (2656 m above sea level), is located in the south-west, bordering [[Albania]] and [[Montenegro]]. The mountains are known by Albanians as ''Bjeshkët e Nemuna'' (translated in English ''Cursed mountains'') and sometimes as the ''Albanian Alps''. Serbs call the mountain range ''Prokletije''. The Kopaonik mountain is located in the north, bordering [[Serbia proper]]. The central region of [[Drenica]], Carraleva (in Serbian Crnoljevo) and the eastern part of Kosovo, named ''Gallap'' (Serbian: Golak), are mainly hilly areas. There are several rivers and lakes in Kosovo. The main rivers are Drin River (in Albanian: Drini i Bardhë, in Serbian: Beli Drin), into which several other waterways flow, including the Erenik, and runs towards the [[Adriatic Sea]], Sitnica, Morava in Gollak area and Ibar (Albanian Ibër) in the north. The main lakes are ''Badovc'' in north-east and ''Gazivoda'' in north-western part.

== History ==
{{History of Kosovo}}
{{main|History of Kosovo}}
:''See also: [[Demographic history of Kosovo]]''
=== Ancient ===
The region of Kosovo has been inhabited by [[Illyrians|Illyrian tribes]] since the [[Bronze Age]]. In ancient times, the area was known as [[Dardania (Europe)|Dardania]] and was settled by a tribe with the same name. The south of Kosovo was ruled by [[Macedon|Macedonia]] since [[Alexander the Great]]'s reign in the 4th century BC. The local [[Dardani]] were of [[Illyrian]] stock. Illyrians resisted rule by the [[Greeks]] and [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] for centuries but after the long periods of conflict between Illyrian tribes and invading imperial powers, the region was eventually occupied by the [[Roman Empire]] under Emperor [[Augustus]] in 28 BC and became part of the Roman province of [[Moesia]]. After [[85|AD 85]] it was part of [[Moesia]] Superior. Emperor [[Diocletian]] later c. [[284]] made Dardania into separate province with its capital at Naissus ([[Niš]]). When the Roman Empire split in [[Anno Domini|A.D.]] [[395]], the area of Kosovo came under the [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman Empire]], the [[Byzantine Empire]]. Many inhabitants of [[Dardania]] became leaders in Rome and [[Constantinopolis]], including [[Justinian the Great]].

=== Medieval ===
==== Great Migrations and Interregnums ====
[[Slavic peoples|Slavs]] came to the territories that now form modern Kosovo in the [[6th century|6th]]-[[7th century|7th centuries]], with the largest influx of migrants in the 630s. The Slavs were [[Christianization|Christianized]] in several waves between the [[7th century|7th]] and [[9th century]], with the last wave taking place between [[867]] and [[874]]. The northwestern part of Kosovo, [[Hvosno]], became a part of the Byzantine [[Serb]] vassal state the [[Principality of Rascia]], with [[Desnik|Dostinik]] as the principality's capital.

In the late 800s, the whole of Kosovo was seized by the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Czardom of the Bulgarians]]. Although [[Serbia]] restored control over [[Metohija]] throughout the 10th century, the rest of Kosovo was returned to the Byzantine Empire after the Bulgarian Empire crumbled in the late 900s. In a [[Slavic]] rebellion led [[Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria]], the whole of Kosovo came under the control of the renewed [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Czardom]] from the late 10th century, until the Byzantine restoration of 1018. In 1040-1041, Slavs staged a rebellion against the Eastern Roman Empire that temporarily encompassed Kosovo. After the rebellion was crushed, the Byzantines restored control.

Throughout the following decades, numerous foreign peoples invading the Byzantine Empire stormed Kosovo, among them the [[Cumans]].

In 1072, local Slavs under George Voiteh pushed a final attempt to restore Imperial Bulgarian power and invited the last heir of the [[House of Comitopuli]] - [[Duklja]]'s prince [[Constantine Bodin (Peter III)|Konstantin Bodin]] of the [[House of Vojislavljevic]], son of the [[List of Serbian rulers|Serbian King]] [[Mihailo Voislav]] - to assume power. The Serbs decided to conquer the entire Byzantine region of Bulgaria. King Mihailo dispatched his son with 300 elite Serb fighters led by Duke Petrilo. Constantine Bodin was crowned in [[Prizren]] as ''Petar III'' [[List of rulers of Bulgaria|Czar of the Bulgarians]] by Goerge Voiteh and the Slavic Boyars. The Empire swept across Byzantine territories in months, until the significant losses on the south had forced Czar Petar to withdraw. In 1073, the Byzantine forces chased Constantine Bodin, defeated his army at [[Pauni]] and imprisoned him.

In [[1166]], a Serbian nobleman from [[Zeta (state)|Zeta]], [[Stefan Nemanja]], the founder of the [[Nemanjić|House of Nemanja]] ascended to the Rascian Grand Princely throne and conquered most of Kosovo, in an uprising against the Byzantine Emperor [[Manuel I Comnenus]]. He defeated the previous Grand Prince of Rascia Tihomir's army at Pantino, near Pauni. Tihomir, who was Stefan's brother, was drowned in the [[Sitnica]] river. Stefan was eventually defeated and had to return some of his conquests. He pledged to the Emperor that he would not renew hostilies, but in [[1183]], Stefan Nemanja embarked on a new offensive with the [[Hungarians]] after the death of [[Manuel I Comnenus]] in [[1180]], marking the end of Byzantine domination of Kosovo.

Nemanja's son, [[Stefan Prvovenčani|Stefan II]], recorded that the border of the Serbian realm reached the river of Lab. Grand Prince Stephen II completed the inclusion of the Kosovo territories under Serb rule in 1208, by which time he had conquered Prizren and Lipljan, and moved the border of territory under his control to the Šar mountain.

=== Ottoman rule ===
{{main|Viyalet of Kosovo}}
The [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]] brought [[Islamisation]] with them, particularly in towns, and later also created the [[Viyalet of Kosovo]] as one of the Ottoman territorial entities. Kosovo was taken by the Austrian forces during the Great War of [[1683]] - [[1699]] with help of 5,000 Albanians and their leader, a [[Catholic Archibishop]] [[Pjetër Bogdani]]. The archbishop died of plague during the war, and his grave was later reopened, with his body scattered and given to the dogs by the Ottomans because of his role in the rebellion. In [[1690]], the [[Serbian Patriarch of Peć]] [[Arsenije III]], who previously escaped a certain death, led 37,000 families from Kosovo, to evade [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] wrath since Kosovo had just been retaken by the Ottomans. The people that followed him were mostly [[Serbs]] – 20,000 Serbs abandoned [[Prizren]] alone - but they were likely followed by other ethnic groups. Due to the oppression from the Ottomans, other migrations of Orthodox people from the Kosovo area continued throughout the [[18th century]]. It is also noted that some [[Serbs]] adopted [[Islam]], while some even gradually fused with other groups, predominantly Albanianians, adopting their culture and even language.

In 1766, the Ottomans abolished the [[Patriarchate of Peć]] and the position of [[Christians]] in Kosovo was greatly reduced. All previous privileges were lost, and the Christian population had to suffer the full weight of the Empire's extensive and losing wars, even having blame forced upon them for the losses.

=== Modern ===
In 1871, a massive Serbian meeting was held in Prizren. The possible retaking and reintegration of Kosovo and the rest of "Old Serbia" was discussed at the meeting, as the [[History of Serbia|Principality of Serbia]] itself had already made plans for expansions towards Ottoman territory, much easier than elsewhere.

Albanian refugees from the territories conquered in the [[1876]]-[[1877]] Serbo-Turkish war and the [[1877]]-[[1878]] Russo-Turkish are now known as '[[muhajir (Albania)|muhaxher]]' (which means 'refugee', from [[Arabic]] [[muhajir]]) and are the ancestors of many who are still known by their same surnames, ''Muhaxheri''. It is also estimated that 200,000 to 400,000 Serbs were cleansed out of the [[Vilayet of Kosovo]] between [[1876]] and [[1912]], especially during the [[Greco-Turkish War (1897)|Greek-Ottman War]] in [[1897]].

In 1878, a Peace Accord was drawn that gave the cities of [[Prishtina]] and [[Mitrovica]] under civil Serbian control, outside the Ottoman authorities, while the rest of Kosovo would be under Ottoman control. As a responce, the Albanians formed the nationalistic & conservative [[League of Prizren]] in [[Prizren]] later the same year. Over 300 Albanian leaders from Kosovo and western Macedonia gathered and discussed the urgent issues concerning protection of Albanian populated regions from division among neighbouring countries. The League was supported by the Ottoman Sultan because of its Pan-Islamic ideology and political aspirations of a [[Greater Albania|unified Albanian people]] under the Ottoman umbrella. The movement gradually became anti-Christian and spread great anxiety among Christian Albanians and especially among Christian Serbs. As a result, more and more Serbs left Kosovo northwards. Serbia complained to the World Powers that the promised territories were not being held because the Ottomans were hesitating to do that. The World Powers put pressure to the Ottomans and in 1881, the Ottoman Army started the fighting the Albanian forces. The Prizren League created a Provisional Government with a President, Prime Minister (Ymer Prizreni) and Ministries of War (Sylejman Vokshi) and Foreign Ministry (Abdyl Frashëri). After three years of war, the Albanians were defeated. Many of the leaders were executed and imprisoned. The subsequent Treaty of San Stefano in 1898 restored most Albanian lands to Ottoman control, but the Serbian forces had to retreat from Kosovo along with some Serbs that were expelled as well{{citation needed}}.

In 1908, the Sultan brought a new democratic decrete that was valid only for Turkish-speakers. As the vast majority of Kosovo spoke Albanian or Serbian, the Kosovar population was very unhappy. The Young Turk movement supported a centralist rule and opposed any sort of autonomy desired by Kosovars, and particularely the Albanians. In 1910, an [[Albanian]] uprising spread from [[Prishtina]] and lasted until the Ottoman Sultan's visit to Kosovo in June of 1911. The Aim of the League of Prizren was to unite the four Albanian Vilayets by merging the majority of Albanian inhabitants within the Ottoman Empire into one Albanian State. However at that time Serbs have consisted about ''40%'' of the whole Vilayt of Kosovo's overall population and were opposing the Albanian nationalism along with Turks and other Slavs in Kosovo, which disabled the Albanian movements to occupy Kosovo.

:''See also: [[Serbia in WWI]]''

In [[1912]] during the [[Balkan Wars]], most of Kosovo was taken by the [[History of Serbia|Kingdom of Serbia]], while the region of [[Metohija]] ([[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''Dukagjini Valley'') was taken by the [[History of Montenegro|Kingdom of Montenegro]]. An exodus of the local Albanian population occurred. This is best described by [[Leon Trotsky]], who was the reporter for the 'Pravda' newspaper at the time. The Serbian authorities planned a recolonization of Kosovo<ref> [http://www.elsie.de/pdf/B2002GatheringClouds.pdf Elsie, R. (ed.) (2002): ''Gathering Clouds. The roots of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Early twentieth-century documents''. Dukagjini Balkan Books, Peja (Kosovo, Serbia). ISBN 9951-05-016-6</ref>. Numerous colonist Serb families moved-in to Kosovo, equalizing the demographic balance between Albanians and Serbs. Many Albanians fled into the mountains and numerious Albanian and Turkish houses were raized. The reconquest of Kosovo was noted as a vengance for the 1389 [[Battle of Kossovo]]. At the Conference of Ambassadors in London in 1912 presided over by Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Secretary, the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro were acknowledged sovereignty over Kosovo.

<!-- removed unlicensed image [[Image:1Serbian_army_retreat_WW1.jpg|thumb|left|Serbian army retreat]] -->
In the winter of [[1915]]-[[1916]] during [[World War I]] Kosovo saw a large exodus of Serbian army which became known as the ''Great Serbian Retreat''. Defeated and worn out in battles against Austro-Hungarians, they had no other choice than to retreat, as Kosovo was occupied by [[Third Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarians]] and [[Austro-Hungarians]]. The Albanians joined and supported the [[Central Powers]]. As opposed to Serbian schools, numerious Albanian schools were opened during the occupation. Allied ships were awaiting for Serbian people and soldiers at the banks of the Adriatic sea and the path leading them there went across Kosovo and Albania. Tens of thousands of soldiers have died of starvation, extreme weather and Albanian reprisals as they were approaching the [[Allies]] in [[Corfu]] and [[Thessaloniki]], amassing a total of 100,000 dead retreaters.{{citation needed}} Transported away from the front lines, Serbian army managed to heal many wounded and ill soldiers and get some rest. Refreshed and regrouped, it decided to return to the battlefield. In 1918 the Serbian Army pushed the [[Central Powers]] out of Kosovo. During their liberation of Kosovo, the Serbian Army committed atrocities against the population in revenge. Serbian Kosovo was unified with Montengrin as Montenegro subsequently joined the Kingdom of Serbia. After the World War I ended, the Monarchy was then transformed into the [[Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians]] ''("Mbretëria Serbe,Kroate,Sllovene" in Albanian, " "Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca" in Serbo-Croatian)'' on '''1st december 1918''', gathering territories gained in victory.

==== Kingdom of Yugoslavia and WWII ====
The 1918-1929 period of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians witnessed a raise of the Serbian population in the region and a decline in the non-Serbian. In the Kingdom Kosovo was split onto four counties - three being a part of the entity of Serbia: Zvečan, Kosovo and southern Metohija; and one of Montenegro: northern Metohija. However, the new administration system since [[26 April]] [[1922]] split Kosovo among three Areas of the Kingdom: Kosovo, [[Rascia]] and [[Zeta]]. In 1921 the Albanian elite lodged an official protest of the government to the League of Nations, claiming that 12,000 Albanians had been killed and over 22,000 imprisoned since 1918 and seeking a [[Greater Albania|unification of Albanian-populated lands]]. The League of Nations did not respond, as the appeal was found unfounded. As a result, an armed ''Kachak'' resistance movement was formed whose main goal was to unite Albanian-populated areas of the Kingdom to Albania.

In 1929 the Kingdom was transformed into the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]] which the ''[[Yugoslavs|Yugoslav]]'' nationality unifying all Kosovan [[Slavs]]. The territories of Kosovo were split among the [[Zeta Banovina|Banate of Zeta]], the [[Morava Banovina|Banate of Morava]] and the [[Vardar Banovina|Banate of Vardar]]. The Kingdom lasted until the [[World War II]] [[Axis powers|Axis]] invastion of 1941.

The greatest part of Kosovo became a part of [[Italy|Italian]]-controlled [[Greater Albania|Fascist Albania]], and smaller bits by the [[Nazism|Nazi]]-[[Fascist]] [[Greater Bulgaria|Tsardom of Bulgaria]] and [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[Germany|German]]-occupied [[Serbia|Kingdom of Serbia]]. Since the Albanian Fascist political leadership had decided in the [[Conference of Bujan]] that Kosovo would remain a part of Albania they started an ethnic cleansing campaign of the non-Albanian population in the Kosovo. The infamous [[21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian)|SS Division Skanderbeg]] committed crimes. {{citation needed}}. Tens of thousands of Serbs lost their lives and around 75,000 Serbs fled Kosovo during the war. Hundreds of thousands more would leave in the following decades, following the shift of power in Kosovo.

Prior to the surrender of [[History of Italy|Fascist Italy]] in [[1943]], the German forces took over direct control of the region. After numerous uprisings of [[Serbs|Serbian]] [[Chetniks]] and [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] [[Partisans]], the latter being lead by [[Fadil Hoxha]], Kosovo was liberated after [[1944]] with the help of the Albanian partisans of the [[Comintern]], and became a province of [[Serbia]] within the [[Yugoslavia|Democratic Federal Yugoslavia]].

==== Kosovo in the Second Yugoslavia ====
The Province of Kosovo was formed in 1945 as an autonomous region to protect its regional [[Albanians|Albanian]] majority within the [[History of Serbia|People's Republic of Serbia]] as a member of the [[SFRJ|Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia]] under the leadership of the former Partisan leader, [[Josip Broz Tito]], but with no factual autonomy. After Yugoslavia's name change to the [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]] and Serbia's to the [[History of Serbia|Socialist Republic of Serbia]] in [[1953]], Kosovo gained inner autonomy in the 1960s. In the [[1974]] constitution, the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo's government received higher powers, including the highest governmental titles — President and Premier and a seat in the Federal Presidency which made it a ''de facto'' Socialist Republic within the Federation, but remaining as a Socialist Autonomous Region within the Socialist Republic of Serbia. [[Serbo-Croatian]] and [[Albanian language|Albanian]] were defined as official languages on the provincial level marking the two largest linguistic Kosovan groups: Serbs and Albanians. In the 1970s, an Albanian nationalist movement pursued full recognition of the Province of Kosovo as another Republic within the Federation, while the most extreme elements aimed for full-scale independence. Tito's arbitrary regime dealt with the situation swiftly, but only giving it a temporary solution. The ethnic balance of Kosovo witnessed unproportional increase as the number of [[Albanians]] tripled gradually rising from almost ''65%'' to over ''80%'', but the number of [[Serbs]] barely increased and dropped in the full share of the total population from some ''25%'' down to ''10%''.

Beginning in March [[1981]], Kosovar Albanian students organized protests seeking that Kosovo become a republic within Yugoslavia. Those protests rapidly escalated into violent riots "involving 20,000 people in six cities" <ref name="nyt19810419">New York Times 1981-04-19, "One Storm has Passed but Others are Gathering in Yugoslavia"</ref> that were harshly contained by the Yugoslav government. During the 1980s, ethnic tensions continued with frequent violent outbreaks against Serbs and Yugoslav state authorities resulting in increased emigration of Kosovo Serbs and other ethnic groups <ref name="reuters19860527">Reuters 1986-05-27, "Kosovo Province Revives Yugoslavia's Ethnic Nightmare"</ref> <ref name="csm19860728">Christian Science Monitor 1986-07-28, "Tensions among ethnic groups in Yugoslavia begin to boil over"</ref>. The Yugoslav leadership tried to suppress protests of Kosovo Serbs seeking protection from ethnic discrimination and violence<ref name="nyt19870627">New York Times 1987-06-27, "Belgrade Battles Kosovo Serbs"</ref>.

In [[1986]], the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) was working on a document which later would be known as the [[SANU Memorandum]], a warning to the Serbian President and Assembly of the existing crisis and where it would lead. An unfinished edition was filtered to the press. In the essay, SANU criticised the state of Yugoslavia and made remarks that the only member state contributing at the time to the development of Kosovo and Macedonia (by then, the poorest territories of the Federation) was Serbia. According to SANU, Yugoslavia was suffering of ethnic strives and the disintegration of the Yugoslav economy into separate economic sectors and territories, which was transforming the federal state into a loose confederation<ref>SANU (1986): [http://www.balkan-archive.org.yu/kosta/memorandum/contents.html Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Memorandum]. GIP Kultura. Belgrade.</ref>. On the other hand, some think that [[Slobodan Milošević]] used the discontent reflected in the SANU memorandum for his own political goals, during his rise to power in [[Serbia]] at the time<ref>http://www.opendemocracy.net/articles/ViewPopUpArticle.jsp?id=2&articleId=3361 Julie A Mertus: "Slobodan Milosevic: Myth and Responsibility"</ref>.

By the end of the 1980s, calls for increased federal control in the crisis-torn autonomous province were getting louder. [[Slobodan Milošević]] pushed for constitutional change amounting to suspension of autonomy for both Kosovo and [[Vojvodina]] <ref name="reuters19880730">Reuters 1988-07-30, "Yugoslav Leaders Call for Control in Kosovo, Protests Loom"</ref>.

==== Kosovo War ====
{{main|Kosovo War}}
One of the events that contributed to Milošević's rise of power was the ''Gazimestan Speech'', delivered in front of 100,000 Serb citizens at the central celebration marking the 600th anniversary of the [[Battle of Kosovo]], held at [[Gazimestan]] on 28 June, 1989. <ref>http://www.balkanpeace.org/cib/kam/kams/kams19.shtml</ref> In the speech, Milošević criticised the "dramatical national divisions" and called Yugoslavia "a multinational community [which] can survive only under the conditions of full equality for all nations that live in it."

Soon afterwards, as approved by the Assembly in 1990, the autonomy of Kosovo was reduced. After [[Slovenia]]'s secession from Yugoslavia in 1991, Milošević used the seat to attain dominance over the Federal government, outvoting his opponents.

Many Albanians organized a peaceful separatist movement. State institutions and elections were boycotted and separate Albanian schools and political institutions were established. On [[July 2]], [[1990]] an unconstitutional Kosovo parliament declared Kosovo an independent country, this was not recognized by the Government or any foreign states. In September of that year, the unofficial parliament, meeting in secrecy in the town of [[Kaçanik]], adopted the ''Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo''. Two years later, in 1992, the parliament organized an unofficial referendum which was observed by international organisations {{citation needed}} but was not recognized internationally. With an ''80%'' turnout, ''98%'' voted for Kosovo to be independent.

With the events in [[Bosnia]] and [[Croatia]] coming to an end, the Serb government started relocating Serbian refugees from Croatia and Bosnia all over Serbia, including in Kosovo. In a number of cases, Albanian families were expelled from their apartments to make room for the refugees{{citation needed}}.
[[Image:Kosovo_pisg_logo.PNG|thumb|right|200px|The Coat of Arms of the [[Provisional Institutions of Self-Government]]]]
After the [[Dayton]] Agreement in 1995, some Albanians organized into the [[Kosovo Liberation Army]] (KLA), employing guerilla-style tactics against Serbian police forces and civilians. Violence escalated in a series of KLA attacks and Serbian reprisals into the year 1999, with increasing numbers of civilian victims. In 1998 western interest increased and the Serbian authorities was forced to sign a unilateral cease-fire and partial retreat. Under an agreement led by [[Richard Holbrooke]], [[OSCE]] observers moved into Kosovo to monitor the ceasefire, while Yugoslav military forces partly pulled out of Kosovo. However, the ceasefire was systematically broken shortly thereafter by KLA forces, which again provoked harsh counterattacks by the Serbs. On 16 January 1999, the bodies of 45 Albanian civilians were found in the town of [[Racak]]. The victims had been executed by Serb forces <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1812847.stm</ref><ref>http://www.hrw.org/press/1999/jan/yugo0129.htm</ref>. The so-called Racak Massacre was instrumental in increasing the pressure on Serbia in the following conference at [[Rambouillet]]. After more than a month of negotations Yugoslavia refused to sign the prepared agreement, primarily, it has beeen argued, because of a clause giving NATO forces access rights to not only Kosovo but to all of Yugoslavia (which the Yugoslav side saw as tantamount to military occupation).

This triggered a 78-day [[NATO]] campaign in [[1999]]. At first limited to military targets in Kosovo proper, the bombing campaign was soon extended to cover targets all over Yugoslavia, including bridges, power stations, factories, broadcasting stations, post offices, and various government buildings.

During the conflict, several thousand were killed, the numbers and the ethnic distribution of the casualties are uncertain and highly disputed. An estimated 10,000-12,000 ethnic Albanians and 3,000 Serbs are believed to have been killed during the conflict, including military personnel and civilians, primarily as a result of the ground war in Kosovo between the KLA and the Yugoslav military, Serbian police and Serbian paramilitary forces. Some 3000 people are still missing,of which 2,500 are Albanian, 400 Serbs and 100 Roma<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/781310.stm</ref>. According to OSCE numbers and Kosovar Albanian sources on population size and distribution, an estimated ''45.7%'' of the Albanian population and ''59.5%'' of the Serb population had fled Kosovo during the bombings (i.e. from 23 March to 9 June 1999).

With the arrival of NATO, a large number of Serbs fled the region, estimated at 100,000 by the UNHCR. Around 120,000 remain in Kosovo. Many Serbs fear to return to their homes since they perceive not to be safe for them, even with [[UNMIK]] protection, notably the [[2004 unrest in Kosovo|unrest in 2004]], when 900 Serbian houses were burned and other property destroyed{{citation needed}} while the Serbian populace was closed into enclaves and had to concentrate to the north of Kosovo until today, causing a wave of 3,500 Serbian refugees.

Among the numerous [[UNESCO]] World Heritage sites destroyed by the Albanian para-military{{citation needed}} forces is King [[Stefan Milutin]]'s grave, [[Our Lady of Ljeviš Orthodox Cathedral]] from the 12th century in [[Prizren]]. In total, more than 30 Orthodox Serb Churches and Monasteries were destroyed during the March unrest in Kosovo. Many of the Churches and Monasteries were dating back to the 12th, 13th and 14th century. At the end of the two-day riots, 19 people were dead, 11 Albanians and 8 Serbs.

During the Kosovo War, Serbs also engaged in a deliberate campaign of cultural destruction and rampage. According to a report compiled by the Kosovo Cultural Heritage Project, Serbian forces tried to wipe out all Albanian culture and traditions. Of the 500 mosques that were in use prior to the war, 200 of them were completely destroyed or desecrated. The report concludes that most mosques were deliberately set on fire with no sign of fighting around the area. Among numerous other things, the following important objects were destroyed because they represented Albanian as well as Muslim and Catholic cultures:

Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren, the Prizren League Museum, the Hadum Mosque complex in Gjakova (Serbian: Djakovica); the historic bazaars in Gjakova and Pec (Albanian: Peja); the Roman Catholic church of St. Anthony in Gjakova; and two old Ottoman bridges, Ura e Terzive (Terzijski most) and Ura e Tabakeve (Tabacki most), near Gjakova.<ref>http://www.haverford.edu/relg/sells/kosovo/herscherriedlmayer.htm</ref>

== Politics ==
<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
{{morepolitics|country=Kosovo}}

The talks on the future status of Kosovo between the government of Serbia, which wants the territory to remain part of Serbia albeit with a high degree of autonomy, and the provisional government of Kosovo, which wants independence for the province, have started in [[Vienna]], on February 20, [[2006]]. According to the UN Envoy to the status talks the status will be resolved by the end of year [[2006]].

== Economy ==

Kosovo is one of the poorest economies in Europe, with a per capita income estimated at 964 [[Euro]] (2004).<ref>http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enlargement/serbia_montenegro/kosovo_economical_profile.htm</ref> Despite substantial development subsidies from all Yugoslav republics, Kosovo was the poorest province of Yugoslavia <ref>Christian Science Monitor 1982-01-15, "Why Turbulent Kosovo has Marble Sidewalks but Troubled Industries"</ref>. Additionally, over the course of the 1990s, poor economic policies, international sanctions, weak access to external trade and finance, and ethnic conflict severely damaged the economy.<ref>http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/KOSOVOEXTN/0,,menuPK:297775~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:297770,00.html</ref>

Kosovo's economy remains weak. After a jump in 2000 and 2001 [[GDP]] growth was negative in 2002 and 2003 and is expected to be around 3 percent 2004-2005, with domestic sources of growth unable to compensate for the declining foreign assistance. [[Inflation]] is low, while the budget posted a deficit for the first time in 2004. Kosovo has high external deficits. In 2004, the deficit of the balance of goods and services was close to 70 percent of [[GDP]]. Remittances from Kosovars living abroad accounts for an estimated 13 percent of [[GDP]], and foreign assistance for around 34 percent of [[GDP]].<ref>http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/enlargement_papers/2005/elp26en.pdf</ref>

Most economic development since 1999 has taken place in the trade, retail and the construction sectors. The private sector that has emerged since 1999 is mainly small-scale. The industrial sector remains weak and the electric power supply remains unreliable, acting as a key constraint. Unemployment remains pervasive, at around 40-50% of the labor force.<ref>http://www.eciks.org/english/lajme.php?action=total_news&main_id=386</ref><ref>http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/enlargement_papers/2005/elp26en.pdf</ref>

UNMIK introduced ''de-facto'' an external trade regime and customs administration on September 3, 1999 when it set customs border controls in Kosovo. All goods imported in Kosovo face a flat 10% customs duty fee.<ref>http://www.buyusa.gov/kosovo/en/doingbusinessinkosovo.html</ref> These taxes are collected from all Tax Collection Points installed at the borders of Kosovo, including those between Kosovo and Serbia.<ref>http://www.seerecon.org/kosovo/documents/wb_econ_report/wb-kosovo-econreport-2-2.pdf</ref>. UNMIK and Kosovo institutions have signed Free Trade Agreements with [[Bosnia and Hercegovina]]<ref>http://www.euinkosovo.org/upload_press/4.06%20-%20UNMIK%20and%20Bosnia%20and%20Herzegovina%20Initial%20Free%20Trade%20Agreement%2017.2.06.pdf</ref>, [[Albania]]<ref>http://www.kosovo-eicc.org/oek/index.php?page_id=64</ref> and [[Macedonia]]<ref>http://www.buyusa.gov/kosovo/en/doingbusinessinkosovo.html</ref>.

The [[Euro]] is the official currency of Kosovo and used by UNMIK and the government bodies<ref>http://www.euinkosovo.org/uk/invest/invest.php</ref>. The Serbian [[Dinar]] is used in the Serbian populated parts.

== Demographics ==
According to the 2000 Living Standard Measurement Survey of the Statistical Office of Kosovo<ref>http://www.sok-kosovo.org/pdf/population/Kosovo_population.pdf 2000 Living Standard Measurement Survey of the Statistical Office of Kosovo</ref>, Kosovo's total population is estimated between 1,8 and 2,0 million in the following ethnic proportions:
* ''88%'' [[Albanians]] (between 1,584,000 and 1,733,600)
* ''7%'' [[Serbs]] (between 126,000 and 140,000)
* ''1.9%'' [[Bosniaks]] (between 34,200 and 38,000)
* ''1.7%'' [[Roma people|Roma]] (between 30,600 and 34,000) (see also [[Roma in Mitrovica Camps]])
* ''1%'' [[Turkish people|Turks]] (between 18,000 and 20,000)

However, the figures are highly disputable. Some estimates are that there is an Albanian majority well above 90 percent. The population census is set to take place in the near future. Others give much higher figures for Roma and Turks <ref>http://www.salon.com/news/1999/03/31newsa.html</ref><ref>http://www.serbianunity.net/news/world_articles/Dragnich1098.html</ref>. There was also a small minority of [[Circassians]] in [[Kosovo Polje]] but they were repatriated to the [[Republic of Adygea]], in Southern [[Russia]]. The ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army is thought to have threatened the Adygs.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/143667.stm BBC News: ''Circassians flee Kosovo conflict''. Sunday, August 2, 1998 Published at 01:01 GMT 02:01 UK</ref>

== Subdivisions ==

''Main article: [[Subdivisions of Kosovo]], also see: [[Municipalities of Kosovo]].''

Kosovo is divided into 7 districts:
*[[Mitrovica District|Mitrovica/Kosovska Mitrovica District]]
*[[Prishtina District|Prishtina/Priština District]]
*[[Gjilani District|Gjilani/Gnjilane District]]
*[[Peja District|Peja/Peć District]]
*[[Gjakova District|Gjakova/Đakovica District]]
*[[Prizreni District|Prizreni/Prizren District]]
*[[Ferizaji District|Ferizaji/Uroševac District]]

== Cities ==
[[Image:Prishtina maj 2005.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Prishtina]]/[[Priština]]]]
List of largest cities in Kosovo (with population figures in 2006)<ref>http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&srt=npan&col=aohdq&geo=-244</ref>:
*[[Prishtina]]/[[Priština]] (262,686)
*[[Prizreni]]/[[Prizren]] (165,227)
*[[Ferizaji]]/[[Uroševac]] (97,741)
*[[Gjakova]]/[[Đakovica]] (97,156)
*[[Peja]]/[[Peć]] (95,190)
*[[Gjilani]]/[[Gnjilane]] (91,595)
*[[Mitrovica (Kosovo)|Mitrovica]]/[[Kosovska Mitrovica]] (86,359)
*[[Podujeva]]/[[Podujevo]] (48,526)

== Culture ==

* [[Music of Kosovo]]

== List of Presidents ==
List of the presidents of Kosovo <ref>http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Yugoslavia.html#Kosovo</ref>:
* [[Fatmir Sejdiu]], [[10 February]] [[2006]] - present
* Nexhat Daci (acting), [[21 January]] 2006 - 10 February 2006
* [[Ibrahim Rugova]], [[4 March]] [[2002]] - 21 January 2006

== List of Prime Ministers ==
* [[Bajram Rexhepi]], [[2002]]-[[2004]]
* [[Ramush Haradinaj]], [[2004]]-[[2005]]
* [[Bajram Kosumi]], [[2005]]-[[2006]]
* [[Agim Çeku]], [[2006]]-present

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Kosovo_government.jpg|The building of the [[Government of Kosovo]] in [[Prishtina]]/[[Priština]]
Image:Prizen kosovo.jpg|[[Prizreni]]/[[Prizren]]
Image:Gjakova.jpg|[[Gjakova]]/[[Đakovica]]
Image:French Peugeot P4 dsc06852.jpg|[[KFOR]]
Image:Airprishtinagren0.jpg|[[Priština International Airport|Prishtina/Priština International Airport]]
Image:Rahoveci.jpg|[[Rahovec]]/[[Orahovac]]
Image:Ne Udhetim 132.jpg|Center of [[Prishtina]]/[[Priština]], monument to [[Skenderbeg]]
Image:Decani.jpg|A 14th-century fresco in [[Visoki Dečani monastery]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[History of Kosovo]]
* [[Assembly of Kosovo]]
* [[Government of Kosovo]]
* [[Prime Minister of Kosovo]]
* [[President of Kosovo]]
* [[Albanians in Kosovo]]
* [[Kosovo war]]
* [[Serbs in Kosovo]]
* [[Post and Telecom of Kosovo]]
* [[Battle of Kosovo|Battle of Kosovo (1389)]]
* [[Subdivisions of Kosovo]]
* [[National awakening and the birth of Albania]]
* [[Demographic history of Kosovo]]
* [[Unrest in Kosovo]] (during March 2004)
* [[Sexual trafficking in Kosovo]]
* [[Metohija]]

==References==
<references/>

== External links ==
{{sisterlinks|Kosovo}}
* [http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/enlargement_papers/2005/elp26en.pdf EU Commission report on economic development in Accession countries, including Kosovo]
* [http://www.balkanforums.com Kosovo and the Balkans] - Discussion Forum
* [http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enlargement/serbia_montenegro/kosovo_economical_profile.htm European Commission information on Kosovo]
* [http://www.ks-gov.net/esk/index_english.htm Kosovo Statistical Office (SOK)]
* [http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs/search.tkl?q=kosovo&search_crit=fulltext&search=Search&date1=Anytime&date2=Anytime&type=form Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Kosovo]
* {{wikitravel}}
* [http://www.rtklive.com RTK - Kosova's public television - news in Albanian, Serbian, Turkish and Roma]
* [https://www.osce.org/documents/mik/1999/11/1620_en.pdf Human Rights in Kosovo: As Seen, As Told. Volume I, October 1998 - June 1999].
* [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/kosovo.html Kosovo maps from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection]
* [http://www.kosovakosovo.com/ KosovaKosovo] A source of information reflecting both sides’ claims in the dispute
* [http://www.nato.int/kosovo/ KFOR] [[NATO]] led peacekeeping force in Kosovo.
* [http://www.unmikonline.org/ UNMIK] [[UN]] led civilian administration in Kosovo.
* [http://www.euinkosovo.org/index.php EU] EU Pillar in Kosovo.
* [http://www.kpaonline.org/ KPA] [[Kosovo Property]] Kosovo Property Agency - KPA.
* [http://www.hpdkosovo.org/ Housing and Property Directorate] Housing and Property Directorate - HPD.
* [http://www.chmouel.com/geeklog/gallery/gallery_individual.php/mkosovo/ A collection of photos from Kosovo]
* [http://www.otvoreno.org.yu/ Otvoreno ] A place where Serbian politicians speak openly on the Kosovo issue
* [http://www.iom.ipko.org/ IOM ] International Organization for Migration
* [http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=1243&l=1 (ICG)] International Crisis Group, a source of independent analysis on Kosovo issues.
* [http://www.xhakli.com/2004/05/kosovo-search-challenge-helping-people_25.php?show_id=108543905534062634 Kosovo Blog] Search Challenge: Helping people find information from Kosovo
* [http://www.eciks.org/english/index.php ECIKS] Economic Initiative for Kosova, information on investment opportunities.

=== Pro-Albanian ===
* [http://www.savekosova.org/ Save Kosova] American Council for Kosovo, increasing the awareness of the recognition of Kosovo's independence in the American society.
* [http://BalkanUpdate.com Balkan Update]- A blog with news, analysis and the lates updates from Balkans
* [http://www.eciks.org Economic Initiative for Kosovo] - "...latest news, analysis and publications from the Kosovar economy"
* [http://www.albanian.com/main/countries/kosova Albanian.com] - general information
* [http://www.kosovaelire.com/ Kosova e lirë] (Free Kosova) -- Material about Kosovars and Albanians in Albanian language.
* [http://www.alb-shkenca.org/images/stories/Why%20Independence.pdf Why Independence for Kosovo?] A summary of the case for an independent Kosovo by two Prishtina intellectuals
* [http://www.newkosovo.org/news.htm Alliance for New Kosovo] A policy resource on Kosovo Independence
* [http://kosovareport.blogspot.com/ Kosovareport] A collection of news on Kosovo, in English, gathered from many agencies.
* [http://www.alb-net.com/index.htm Kosova Crisis Center] A collection of articles on Kosovo, in English.
* [http://www.aacl.com/indexmain.html AACL] Albanian American Civic League.
* [http://vetevendosje.org/ Vetëvendosje] (in translation Self-determination) a movement which fights for the recognition of Kosovo people's right for self-determination on the status of Kosovo.
* [http://www.kosovalive.com/?cid=2 KosovaLive] Kosovo Albanian independent news agency (this section in English).

=== Pro-Serbian ===
* [http://www.srbija.sr.gov.yu/kosovo-metohija/ Serbian Government Kosovo-Metohija site]
* [http://www.kosovo.net/ Kosovo.net] Serbian Orthodox Church's official website on Kosovo
* [http://www.rastko.org.yu/kosovo/crucified/default.htm Account of destroyed Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo and Metohija]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/ Kosovo Newsgroup archive]
* [http://www.kc.gov.yu/ Coordination Center of SCG and the Republic of Serbia for Kosovo]
* [http://www.tserkovnost.org/srbija/ Eastern Orthodox Resource Centre]
* [http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=689 Southern Serbia: The second Kosovo?]
* [http://serbo.blogspot.com Kosovo News blog]
* [http://www.b92.net/english/news/index.php?style=headlines&nav_category=19 B92] Serbian Independent news agency
* [http://www.kosovo.net/sk/history/kosovo_origins/default.htm Hugo Roth, ''Kosovo Origins'']: a historian's comprehensive overview
* [http://www.americansforkosovo.org The American Council for Kosovo]

{{Kosovo}}

[[Category:Disputed territories]]
[[Category:Kosovo]]
[[Category:UN peacekeeping missions and operations]]

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Revision as of 13:12, 30 August 2006

Kosovo
Kosovë/Kosova
Косово и Метохија

UNMIK Flag PISG Logo

Location in Europe.

Official languages Albanian, Serbian, English
Capital Prishtinë / Priština
President of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu
Prime Minister of Kosovo Agim Çeku
Area
 – Total

 – % water
 10,912 km²
 4,213 sq. mi
 n/a
Population
 – Total (2003)
 – Density
 2.1 million (est.)
 220/km² (approx)
 570/sq. mi
Ethnic groups
(2003) 		Albanians: 87%
Serbs: 8%
Turks: 1%
Others: 4%
Time zone UTC+1
Currency Euro (Official) and Serbian dinar (the latter is used exclusively in Serbian-populated areas)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kosovo&oldid=72813409"