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Revision as of 23:56, 22 April 2009
Gjakova / Ђаковица Gjakova / Gjakovë | |
|---|---|
 | |
| District | District of Gjakova |
| Municipality | Municipality of Gjakova |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Pal Lekaj |
| Elevation | 360 m (1,180 ft) |
| Population (2007)[1] | |
| • Total | 150,000 (municipality) 90,000 (city) |
| • Density | 256/km2 (660/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Area code | +381 390 |
| Website | Municipality of Gjakova |
Gjakova (Albanian: Gjakova or Gjakovë; Serbian: Ђаковица, Đakovica) is a city and municipality in western Kosovo. It is also the administrative centre of the homonymous district. The municipality's population is estimated at 150,000 (2007).[1] The city is located at 42°23′N 20°26′E / 42.39°N 20.43°E.
There are a number of theories concerning the name of the town: that it derives from the Serbian word đak (pupil) from earlier d(i)jak[2]; that it is named after one of the large land-owners of the area, Jak Vula - Jakova - Gjakova - (Serb Djakovica)[citation needed]; or that it derives from the Albanian word for "blood" (gjak).[citation needed]
Geography and population
The municipality covers an area of 521 km², including the town of Gjakova and 84 villages. As of October 2007, the population is estimated to be of approximately 150,000 people, out of which 90,000 (60%) live in the town and 60,000 (40%) reside in the surrounding villages. The Kosovo Albanians constitute ca. 95% of the population (69% citizens from Gjakova and 31% Kosovo Villagers[citation needed]), while some 7060 Bosniaks, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians making up ca. 4.7% represent the main minority communities.[1]
According to OSCE estimations, before the Kosovo War of 1999 the municipality had a population of about 145,000, of which 93 % were Kosovo Albanians and 7% non-majority communities, including some 3,000 Kosovo Serbs, who mostly lived in the main town.[3]
History
Gjakova in the Kosovo War
The town was extremely badly affected by the war, suffering great physical destruction and large-scale human losses and rights abuses.
Yugoslav units stationed in and near the town, two military barracks to be more precise since the risk of an intrusion from Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) from across the border with Albania was evident, were attacked on several occasions by NATO forces. In one incident, NATO aircraft misidentified a convoy of Albanian refugees and attacked it, killing dozens of civilians.
Actions on the ground had a devastating effect on the town. According to the ICTY, OSCE, and international human rights organisations, about 75% of the population was forcibly expelled from the town by Serbian police and paramilitaries as well as Yugoslav forces, with many civilians being killed in the process. [1][2] Large areas of the town were destroyed, chiefly through arson and looting but also in the course of localised fighting between government security forces and members of the KLA. The actions of the government forces in Gjakova formed a major part of the United Nations war crimes indictment of the then-President Slobodan Milošević. [3]
During the Kosovo war this municipality was heavily affected and many atrocities were committed against the local Albanian population. The number of missing people from this municipality is among the highest in all Kosovo, numbering over 300. In the course of the current year several dozens of corpses have been identified and returned to their families, though it still remain a relatively small number compared to the figures of those who are still missing. As a result, any reference to the return of the former Kosovo Serb population remains highly sensitive. [4]
During the NATO bombing campaign, it was the site of the NATO bombing of Albanian refugees near Gjakova.
Most of the Albanians population returned following the end of the war. Albanians and other communities such as Egyptians and Roma, were successful in building free market system and new democratic institutions. In 2001 occurred free democratic election were majority leaded LDK. There were thousands of new stores rebuild and opened. Qarshia e Madhe is a good example were hundreds of stores destroyed during the war; in 2001 were build again as there were before the war. New media were launched such as Radio Gjakova, Radio Pandora, Radio Amadeus, TV Syri. Commencement of factory was influenced by local business. IMN brick factory was one of them commenced for the emergency need of population. Business were booming, foreigner organizations were good supporter and mainly their activities are based on free market trade.
Sport
Apart from being a culture and educative center of Kosovo, Đakovica is also known as a sports center. Best example for this is the fact of having 38 clubs, which are competing in all leagues over Kosovo. Gjakova's most successful team is KF Vëllaznimi which has won 9 titles of Kosovar Superliga, and 4 Kosovo Cups. "Shani Nushi" is the city's sports hall, which has a capacity of 3500 seats, while Gjakova's City Stadium has a capacity of 6000 (2000 seats).
References
- ^ a b c OSCE Template:PDF, October 2007. Retrieved on 9 March 2008.
- ^ Mirjana Detelić: Градови у хришћанској и муслиманској епици, Belgrade, 2004 ISBN 86-7179-039-8
- ^ OSCE Template:PDF, November 2005. Retrieved on 13 November 2007.
