{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

The western Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule, during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced Serbs as the majority ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over the region during the First Balkan War of 1912, and Kosovo's present-day boundaries were established after World War II when it 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 served as the capital of Serbia and Yugoslavia in turn -- instituted a new constitution revoking Kosovo's autonomous status. When SFRY broke up in 1991, Kosovo remained part of Serbia, which later joined with Montenegro to declare a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in 1992.

In 1991, Kosovo Albanian leaders organized a referendum declaring the province independent, and Belgrade responded with repressive measures that led to an insurgency. 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 three-month NATO military operation against Yugoslavia began in March 1999 and forced Belgrade to agree to withdraw its military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under the temporary control of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of the province's future status. Negotiations in 2006-07 ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, though the UN issued a comprehensive report that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. At Serbia's request, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reviewed the declaration and released an advisory opinion in 2010 affirming that international law did not prohibit it. The international community ended the period of Supervised Independence in 2012.

Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries began EU-facilitated discussions in 2013 to normalize their 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.

" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Southeastern Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "42 35 N, 21 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Europe" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "10,887 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "10,887 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "0 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than Delaware" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "714 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Albania 112 km; North Macedonia 160 km; Montenegro 76 km; Serbia 366 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "0 km (landlocked)" }, "Maritime claims": { "text": "none (landlocked)" }, "Climate": { "text": "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" }, "Terrain": { "text": "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" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Gjeravica/Deravica 2,656 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim (located on the border with Albania) 297 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "450 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "52.8% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 27.4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "41.7% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "5.5% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "NA" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "population clusters exist throughout the country, the largest being in the east in and around the capital of Pristina" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "1,964,327 (2023 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Kosovan" }, "adjective": { "text": "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" }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "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" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1%; note - in municipalities where a community's mother tongue is not one of Kosovo's official languages, the language of that community may be given official status according to the 2006 Law on the Use of Languages

note: these estimates may under-represent Serb, Romani, and some 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 (2011 est.)" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "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." } }, "Religions": { "text": "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" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "23.1% (male 235,379/female 218,359)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "68.75% (male 706,495/female 643,982)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "8.15% (2023 est.) (male 69,676/female 90,436)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "46.9" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "32.3" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "14.6" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "6.9 (2021)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "31.7 years (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "31.3 years" }, "female": { "text": "32 years" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "0.62% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "14.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "population clusters exist throughout the country, the largest being in the east in and around the capital of Pristina" }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "218,782 PRISTINA (capital) (2020)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.08 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.08 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "1.1 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.77 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "1.06 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "24.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "26.4 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "23.4 deaths/1,000 live births" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "72.2 years (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "69.9 years" }, "female": { "text": "74.5 years" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "1.88 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "0.91 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "NA" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: NA" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: NA" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "NA" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "NA" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: NA" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: NA" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "NA" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "NA" } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution (pollution from power plants and nearby lignite mines take a toll on people's health); water scarcity and pollution; land degradation" }, "Climate": { "text": "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" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "52.8% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 27.4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 1.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 23.5% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "41.7% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "5.5% (2018 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0.31% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "8.94 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "0.54 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "319,000 tons (2015 est.)" } }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Republic of Kosovo" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Kosovo" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republika e Kosoves (Albanian)/ Republika Kosovo (Serbian)" }, "local short form": { "text": "Kosove (Albanian)/ Kosovo (Serbian)" }, "etymology": { "text": "name derives from the Serbian \"kos\" meaning \"blackbird,\" an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for \"kosove polje\" or \"field of the blackbirds\"" } }, "Government type": { "text": "parliamentary republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "42 40 N, 21 10 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "daylight saving time": { "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "etymology": { "text": "the name may derive from a Proto-Slavic word reconstructed as \"pryshchina,\" meaning \"spring (of water)\"" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "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" }, "Independence": { "text": "17 February 2008 (from Serbia)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 17 February (2008)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "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)" }, "amendments": { "text": "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" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "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" }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "yes" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (since 4 April 2021)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 22 March 2021)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet elected by the Assembly" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "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" }, "election results": { "text": "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" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "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 - 10 for Serbs and 10 for other ethnic minorities; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 14 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { "text": "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 as of December 2021 - men 79, women 41, percent of women 34.2%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "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)" }, "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" }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]
Ashkali Party for Integration or PAI [Bekim ARIFI]
Civic Initiative for Freedom, Justice, and Survival [Milan DABIC]
Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Lumir ABDIXHIKU]
Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Memli KRASNIQI]
New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Elbert KRASNIQI]
New Democratic Party or NDS [Emilja REDZEPI]
Progressive Movement of Kosovar Roma or LPRK [Erxhan GALJUSI]
Romani Initiative [Gazmend SALIJEVCI]
Self-Determination Movement (Lëvizja Vetevendosje or Vetevendosie) or LVV or VV [Albin KURTI]
Serb List or SL [Goran RAKIC]
Social Democratic Union or SDU [Duda BALJE]
Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Fikrim DAMKA]
Unique Gorani Party or JGP [Adem HODZA]
Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Bahrim SABANI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer)" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Ilir DUGOLLI (since 13 January 2022)" }, "chancery": { "text": "3612 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20007" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 450-2130" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 735-0609" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
embassy.usa@rks-gov.net

U.S. Embassies of the Republic of Kosovo (ambasadat.net)" }, "consulate(s) general": { "text": "New York" }, "consulate(s)": { "text": "Des Moines (IA)" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Jeffrey M. HOVENIER (since 10 January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Arberia/Dragodan, Rr.  4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina" }, "mailing address": { "text": "9520 Pristina Place, Washington DC  20521-9520" }, "telephone": { "text": "[383] 38-59-59-3000" }, "FAX": { "text": "[383] 38-604-890" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
PristinaACS@state.gov

https://xk.usembassy.gov/" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "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" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "six, five-pointed, white stars; national colors: blue, gold, white" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "Europe" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI" }, "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": { "total World Heritage Sites": { "text": "1 (cultural)" }, "selected World Heritage Site locales": { "text": "Medieval Monuments in Kosovo" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "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" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$21.226 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$19.166 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$20.247 billion (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "10.75% (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2020": { "text": "-5.34% (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "4.76% (2019 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$11,900 (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$10,700 (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$11,300 (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$7.926 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "3.35% (2021 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": { "text": "0.2% (2020 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "2.68% (2019 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "11.9% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "17.7% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "70.4% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "84.3% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "13.6% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "29% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "0% (2016 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "27% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-53.8% (2017 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers, fruit; dairy, livestock; fish" }, "Industries": { "text": "mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances, foodstuffs and beverages, textiles" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "7.76% (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "500,300 (2017 est.)", "note": "note: includes those estimated to be employed in the gray economy" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2017": { "text": "30.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2016": { "text": "27.5% (2016 est.)" }, "note": "note: Kosovo has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "48.8% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "44.9%" }, "female": { "text": "57.3%" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "17.6% (2015 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017": { "text": "29 (2017 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "3.8%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "22% (2015 est.)" } }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2021": { "text": "17.95% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Remittances 2020": { "text": "18.61% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Remittances 2019": { "text": "15.81% of GDP (2019 est.)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$1.951 billion (2020 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$2.547 billion (2020 est.)" } }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-2.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "21.2% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "19.4% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "29% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$818.351 million (2021 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2020": { "text": "-$541.106 million (2020 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "-$447.233 million (2019 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2021": { "text": "$3.138 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2020": { "text": "$1.687 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$2.312 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "United States 16%, Albania 15%, North Macedonia 12%, Germany 8%, Italy 8% (2021)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "mattress materials, iron alloys, metal piping, scrap iron, building plastics, mineral water, seating (2021)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2021": { "text": "$6.128 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2020": { "text": "$4.187 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$4.454 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Germany 13%, Turkey 13%, China 10%, Serbia 7%, Italy 6% (2021)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, cars, iron rods, electricity, cigars, packaged medicines (2021)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021": { "text": "$1.244 billion (31 December 2021 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": { "text": "$1.095 billion (31 December 2020 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": { "text": "$965.832 million (31 December 2019 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2019": { "text": "$2.388 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Debt - external 2018": { "text": "$2.409 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "euros (EUR) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "0.845 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "0.877 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "0.893 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "0.847 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "0.885 (2017 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" } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "1.424 million kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "4,860,740,000 kWh (2019 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "2.715 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "2.572 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "1.145 billion kWh (2019 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "95.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "1.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "8.538 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "8.549 million metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "9,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "20,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "1.564 billion metric tons (2019 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "12,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "0 barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "192 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "14,040 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "8.009 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "6.1 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "1.909 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": { "text": "51.462 million Btu/person (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "383,763 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "25 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "1,777,859 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "98 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "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 )" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line roughly 25 per 100 and mobile-cellular 98 per 100 persons (2022)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 383" } }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".xk; note - assigned as a temporary code under UN Security Council resolution 1244/99

 ", "note": " " }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "1,756,300 (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "91% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "0 (2020)" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "Z6" }, "Airports": { "text": "4 (2024)" }, "Heliports": { "text": "6 (2024)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "437 km (2020)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "2,248 km (2022)" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "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 expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { "text": "2% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "2% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "0.8% of GDP (2018 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 3,300 KSF personnel, including about 800 reserves (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "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 (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "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)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "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; it numbers about 3,700 troops from 27 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 (2023)" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { "text": "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 Appendix-T" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "

Kosovo-Albania: none identified

Kosovo-Montenegro: their 2015 demarcation agreement was ratified by Montenegro in December 2015 and by Kosovo in March 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed

Kosovo-North Macedonia: Kosovo and North Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; both countries ratified the demarcation documents on October 17, 2009, after high-level consultations resolved the disputed section of border around Debelde/Tanusevci

Kosovo-Serbia: Serbia has not recognized Kosovo's independence, and Belgrade continues to claim it as its territory; the 2013 Brussels Agreement launched a process of EU-facilitated normalization between Serbia and Kosovo process, a prerequisite for their EU accession; in February and March 2023, both the two countries accepted the Agreement on the Path to Normalization and its Implementation Annex, whose implementation remains incomplete

", "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": { "text": "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)" } } }