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Kosovo

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   Kosovo
   Косово и Метохија
   Kosovë/Kosova
   Image:The position of Kosovo within Serbia.PNG

   The location of Kosovo in Serbia and Europe.
   Official languages Albanian, Serbian, English
   Capital Prishtinë / Priština
   President of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu
   Prime Minister of Kosovo Agim Çeku
   Area
    – Total
    – % water
     10,887 km²
    4,203  sq. mi
    n/a
   Population
    – Total ( 2003)
    – Density
    2.1 million (est.)
    220/km² (approx)
    500/sq. mi
   Ethnic groups
   ( 2003) Albanians: 87%
   Serbs: 8%
   Turks: 1%
   Others: 4%
   Time zone UTC+1
   Currency Euro (Official) and Serbian Dinar (Used in Serbian enclaves
   and some areas of northern Kosovo)

   Kosovo ( Serbian: Косово и Метохија or Kosovo i Metohija, also Космет
   or Kosmet; Albanian: Kosovë or Kosova) is a province in southern Serbia
   which has been under United Nations administration since 1999. While
   Serbia's nominal sovereignty is recognised by the international
   community, in practice Serbian governance in the province is virtually
   non-existent (see also Constitutional status of Kosovo). The province
   is governed by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the
   local Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, with security
   provided by the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR).

   Kosovo borders Montenegro, Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. 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, Turks, Bosniaks and other
   ethnic groups.

   The province is the subject of a long-running political and territorial
   dispute between the Serbian (and previously, the Yugoslav) government
   and Kosovo's Albanian population. International negotiations began in
   2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo. According to the news
   media it is widely expected that the talks will lead to some form of
   independence.

Geography

   Physical map of Kosovo
   Enlarge
   Physical map of Kosovo

   With an area of 10,912 square kilometres (4,213 sq. 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, the Republic of Macedonia to the south and Albania to the
   southwest. The province's present borders were established in 1945. The
   republic of Serbia has one other autonomous province, Vojvodina,
   located in the far north of the country.

   The largest cities are Pristina, the capital, with an estimated 600,000
   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. The Metohija/Rrafshi i Dukagjinit
   basin is located in the western part of the province, and the Plain of
   Kosovo ( Albanian: Rrafshi i Kosovës, Serbian: Kosovska Dolina)
   occupies the central area.

   Much of Kosovo's terrain is rugged. The Sar Mountain (Albanian: Mali i
   Sharrit, Serbian: Šar Planina) is located in the south and south-east,
   bordering Macedonia. It is one of the region's most popular tourist and
   skiing resorts, with Brezovica and Prevalac/Prevallë as the main
   tourist centres. Kosovo's mountainous area, including the highest peak
   Deravica/Gjeravica (2656 m above sea level), is located in the
   south-west, bordering Albania and Montenegro.

   The mountain range dividing Kosovo from Albania is known in English as
   the Cursed Mountains or Albanian Alps (Albanian: Bjeshkët e Nemuna,
   Serbian: Prokletije). The Kopaonik mountain is located in the north,
   bordering Central Serbia. The central region of Drenica,
   Carraleva/Crnoljevo and the eastern part of Kosovo, known as
   Gallap/Golak, are mainly hilly areas.

   There are several notable rivers and lakes in Kosovo. The main rivers
   are the White Drin (Albanian: Drini i Bardhë, Serbian: Beli Drim)
   -several other waterways flow into it, including the Erenik, and the
   river runs towards the Adriatic Sea-, Sitnica, South Morava in the
   Goljak area and Ibar (Albanian: Ibër) in the north. The main lakes are
   Badovc in the north-east and Gazivoda in the north-western part.

History

   History of Kosovo
   Ancient Kosovo
   Dardania
   Medieval Kosovo
   First Battle of Kosovo
   Second Battle of Kosovo
   Ottoman Kosovo
   Vilayet of Kosovo
   League of Prizren
   Modern Kosovo
   Kosovo War
   Kosovo

Ancient

   The region was certainly inhabited in prehistoric times, it appears, by
   two different cultures: Bronze and Iron Age tombs have been found only
   in Metohia, and not in other parts of Kosovo. After the Indo-European
   invasion, Kosovo became inhabited by Illyrian and Thracian tribes, such
   as the Dardani and the Triballi; the territory of today's province was
   a part of Dardania. The south of Kosovo was ruled by Macedon since
   Alexander the Great's reign in the 4th century BC. The local Dardani
   were of Illyrian or Thracian stock. Illyrians resisted rule by the
   Greeks and 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, although it is not clear whether it was part of the province of
   Moesia or was divided between Dalmatia and Moesia (a view which is
   supported by some archaeological evidence). Emperor Diocletian later
   (c. 284) made Dardania into a separate province with its capital at
   Naissus ( Niš). When the Roman Empire split in A.D. 395, the area came
   under the 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

   Serbs came to the territories that form modern Kosovo in the 7th
   centuries migrations of White Serbs under the Unknown Archont, with the
   largest influx of migrants in the 630s; although the region was
   increasingly populated by Slavs since the 6th or even 5th century.
   These Slavs were Christianized in several waves between the 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 Dostinik as the
   principality's capital.

   In the late 800s, the whole of Kosovo was seized by the First Bulgarian
   Empire. Although Serbia restored control over Metohija throughout the
   10th century, the rest of Kosovo was returned to the Byzantine Empire
   in a period of Bulgarian decline. However, Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria
   reconquered the whole of Kosovo in the late 10th century until the
   Byzantines restored their control over the area as they subjugated the
   Bulgarian Empire. In 1040-1041, Slavs staged a rebellion against the
   Eastern Roman Empire that temporarily encompassed Kosovo. After the
   rebellion was crushed, the Byzantine control over the region continued.

   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 Konstantin Bodin of the House of
   Vojislavljevic, son of the 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, Tsar 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.

Incorporation into Serbia

   The full Serbian takeover was carried out under a branch of the House
   of Voislav Grand Princes of Rascia. In 1093, Prince Vukan advanced on
   Lipljan, burned it down and raided the neighbouring areas. The
   Byzantine Emperor himself came to Zvečan for negotiations. Zvečan
   served as the Byzantine line-of-defence against constant invasions from
   the neighboring Serbs. A peace agreement was made, but Vukan broke it
   and defeated the army of John Comnenus, the Emperor's nephew. Vukan's
   armies stormed Kosovo. In 1094, Byzantine Emperor Alexius attempted to
   renew peace negotiations in Ulpiana. A new peace agreement was
   concluded and Vukan handed over hostages to the Emperor, including his
   two nephews Uroš and Stefan Vukan. Prince Vukan renewed the conflict in
   1106, once again defeating John Comnenus' army. However, his death
   halted the total Serb conquest of Kosovo.

   In 1166, a Serbian nobleman from Zeta, Stefan Nemanja, the founder of
   the 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 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.

Kingdom of the Serbs

   In 1217, the Serbian Kingdom achieved recognition. In 1219, an
   autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church was created, with Hvosno, Prizren
   and Lipljan being the Orthodox Christian Episcopates on Kosovo. By the
   end of the 13th century, the centre of the Serbian Church was moved to
   Peć from Žiča.

   In the 13th century, Kosovo became the heart of the Serbian political
   and religious life, with the Šar mountain becoming the political centre
   of the Serbian rulers. The main chatteu was in Pauni. On an island was
   Svrčin, and on the coast Štimlji, and in the mountains was the Castle
   of Nerodimlje. The Complexes were used for counciling, crowning of
   rulers, negotiating, and as the rulers' living quarters. After 1291,
   the Tartars broke all the way to Peć. Serbian King Stefan Milutin
   managed to defeat them and then chase them further. He raised the
   Temple of the Mother of Christ of Ljeviška in Prizren around 1307,
   which became the seat of the Prizren Episcopric, and the magnificent
   Gračanica in 1335, the seat of the Lipljan Episcopric. In 1331,
   Juvenille King Dušan attacked his father, Serbian King Stefan of
   Dechani at his castle in Nerodimlje. King Stefan closed in his
   neighbouring fortress of Petrič, but Dušan captured him and closed him
   with his second wife Maria Palailogos and their children in Zvečan,
   where the dethroned King died on 11 November 1331.

   In 1327 and 1328, Serbian King Stefan of Dechani started forming the
   vast Dečani domain, although, Serbian King Dušan would finish it in
   1335. Stefan of Dechani issued the Dechani Charter in 1330, listing
   every single citizen in every household under the Church Land's
   demesne.

Serbian Empire and Despotate

   King Stefan Dušan founded the vast Monastery of Saint Archaengel near
   Prizren in 1342- 1352. The Kingdom was transformed into an Empire in
   1345 and officially in 1346. Stefan Dušan received John VI Cantacuzenus
   in 1342 in his Castle in Pauni to discuss a joint War against the
   Byzantine Emperor. In 1346, the Serbian Archepiscopric at Peć was
   upgraded into a Patriarchate, but it was not recognized before 1370.

   After the Empire fell into disarray prior to Dušan's death in 1355,
   feudal anarchy caught up with the country during the reign of Tsar
   Stefan Uroš V. Kosovo became a domain of the House of Mrnjavčević, but
   Prince Voislav Voinović expanded his demesne further into Kosovo. The
   armies of King Vukašin Mrnjavčević from Pristina and his allies
   defeated Voislav's forces in 1369, putting a halt to his advances.
   After the Battle of Marica on 26 September 1371, in which the
   Mrnjavčević brothers lost their lives, Đurađ I Balšić of Zeta took
   Prizren and Peć in 1372. A part of Kosovo became the demesne of the
   House of Lazarević.

   The Ottomans invaded and met the Christian coalition under Prince Lazar
   on 28 June 1389, near Pristina, at Gazi Mestan. The Serbian Army was
   assisted by various allies. The epic Battle of Kosovo followed, in
   which Prince Lazar himself lost his life. Prince Lazar amassed 70,000
   men on the battlefield and the Ottomans had 140,000. Through the
   cunning of Miloš Obilić, Sultan Murad was murdered and the new Sultan
   Beyazid had, despite winning the battle, to retreat to consolidate his
   power. The Ottoman Sultan was buried with one of his sons at Gazi
   Mestan. Both Prince Lazar and Miloš Obilić were canonised by the
   Serbian Orthodox Church for their efforts in the battle. The local
   House of Branković came to prominence as the local lords of Kosovo,
   under Vuk Branković, with the temporary fall of the Serbian Despotate
   in 1439. Another great battle occurred between the Hungarian troops
   supported by the Albanian ruler Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg on one
   side, and Ottoman troops supported by the Brankovićs in 1448.
   Skanderbeg's troops that were going to help John Hunyadi were stopped
   by the Branković's troops, who was more or less a Turkish Vassal.
   Hungarian King John Hunyadi lost the battle after a 2-day fight, but
   essentially stopped the Ottoman advance northwards. Kosovo then became
   vassalaged to the Ottoman Empire, until its direct incorporation after
   the final fall of Serbia in 1459.

   In 1455, new castles rose to prominence in Prishtina and Vučitrn,
   centres of the Ottoman vassalaged House of Branković.

Ottoman rule

   The Ottomans brought Islamisation with them, particularly in towns, and
   later also created the Vilayet of Kosovo as one of the Ottoman
   territorial entities. This brought a great shift, as the Orthodox Serb
   population began to lose its majority when large numbers of Turks and
   Albanians moved to Kosovo. During the Islamisation, many Churches and
   Holy Orthodox Christian places were destroyed or turned into Mosques.
   The big Monastery of Saint Archangel near Prizren was torn down at the
   end of the 16th century and the material used to build the Mosque of
   Sinan-pasha, an Islamized Serb, in Prizren. Although the Serbian
   Orthodox Church was officially abolished in 1532, an Islamized Serb
   from Bosnia, Vizier Mehmed-pasha Sokolović influenced the restoration
   of the Patriarchate of Peć in 1557. Special privileges were provided,
   which helped the survival of Serbs and other Christians in Kosovo.

   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 Čarnojević, who
   previously escaped a certain death, led 37,000 families from Kosovo, to
   evade 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. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians
   replaced the Serbs as the dominating nation of Kosovo.

   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 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 '
   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 Greek-Ottman War in 1897.

   In 1878, a Peace Accord was drawn that gave the cities of Prishtina and
   Kosovska 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 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.

   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.

   In 1912 during the Balkan Wars, most of Kosovo was taken by the Kingdom
   of Serbia, while the region of Metohija ( Albanian: Dukagjini Valley)
   was taken by the 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. Numerous colonist Serb
   families moved-in to Kosovo, equalizing the demographic balance between
   Albanians and Serbs. Many Albanians fled into the mountains and
   numerous Albanian and Turkish houses were razed. The reconquest of
   Kosovo was noted as a vengeance 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.

   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 Bulgarians and
   Austro-Hungarians. The Albanians joined and supported the Central
   Powers. As opposed to Serbian schools, numerous Albanian schools were
   opened during the 'occupation' (the majority Albanian population
   considered it a liberation). 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. 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 re-occupation 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 rise 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 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 Yugoslav nationality unifying all Kosovan Slavs. The
   territories of Kosovo were split among the Banate of Zeta, the Banate
   of Morava and the Banate of Vardar. The Kingdom lasted until the World
   War II Axis invastion of 1941.

   The greatest part of Kosovo became a part of Italian-controlled Fascist
   Albania, and smaller bits by the Nazi- Fascist Tsardom of Bulgaria and
   Nazi German-occupied 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 SS
   Division Skanderbeg committed crimes. . 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 Fascist Italy in 1943, the German forces took
   over direct control of the region. After numerous uprisings of Serbian
   Chetniks and 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 Democratic
   Federal Yugoslavia.

Kosovo in the Second Yugoslavia

   The Province of Kosovo was formed in 1945 as an autonomous region to
   protect its regional Albanian majority within the People's Republic of
   Serbia as a member of the 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 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 Province within the Socialist
   Republic of Serbia. Serbo-Croatian and Albanian were defined as
   official languages on the provincial level marking the two largest
   linguistic Kosovan groups: Albanians and Serbs. 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" 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. The Yugoslav
   leadership tried to suppress protests of Kosovo Serbs seeking
   protection from ethnic discrimination and violence.

   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. 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.

   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.

Kosovo War

   In 1987, Milošević was sent to Kosovo by the Serbian President Ivan
   Stambolic to "pacify restive Serbs in Kosovo" who wanted to curb the
   autonomy enjoyed by the province. "Milošević broke away from a meeting
   with ethnic Albanians to mingle with angry Serbians in a suburb of
   Pristina. The Serbs protested they were being pushed back by police
   with batons, and Milošević told them, "Niko ne sme da vas bije" ("No
   one is allowed to beat you"). "Slobo! Slobo!" the crowd chanted.”

   One of the events that contributed to Milošević's rise of power was the
   Gazimestan Speech, delivered in front of 1,000,000 Serb citizens at the
   central celebration marking the 600th anniversary of the Battle of
   Kosovo, held at Gazimestan on 28 June, 1989. In the same speech,
   Milošević also 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."
   Milošević also said in the speech, "Six centuries later, now, we are
   being again engaged in battles and are facing battles. They are not
   armed battles, although such things cannot be excluded yet." However,
   many analysts - ranging from biographer Lebor to critics of American
   foreign policy such as Jared Israel - believe that the speech has been
   exaggerated beyond all proportion. Much of the speech was aimed at
   consolidating socialism and racial harmony in an era when Communism was
   collapsing.

   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 Kosovo's seat on the Yugoslavian Presidency 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 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.
   Logo of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government
   Enlarge
   Logo 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
   the Serbian police forces. 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 were 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. The 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
   been 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, hospitals, post offices,
   and various government buildings.

   During the conflict roughly a million ethnic Albanians fled Kosovo,
   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. 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 and ethnic cleansing
   (i.e. from 23 March to 9 June 1999). Albanian refugees accused the
   Serbian forces of ethnic cleansing and only returned after NATO secured
   the area.

   With the arrival of NATO, a large number of refugees, mostly Serbs fled
   the region. The number of registered refugees is around 250,000. 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 unrest in 2004, when 900 Serbian houses were
   burned and other property destroyed 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 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 period in between the deployment of KFOR international
   forces in June 1999 and February 2000, 78 Serbian Orthodox Churches and
   Monasteries were destroyed and desecrated. Examples include The Church
   of the Holy Building in Musutiste (built in 1315), Devic Monastery near
   Srbica (built in 1434), St Uros Cathefral in Urosevac and St Nicholas
   Church in Ljubizda, near Prizren (16th Century).

   According to a report compiled by the Kosovo Cultural Heritage Project,
   Serbian forces also engaged in a "deliberate campaign of cultural
   destruction and rampage during the Kosovo War". 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. Examples include:
   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/Đakovica; and two old Ottoman bridges, Ura e Terzive
   (Terzijski most) and Ura e Tabakeve (Tabački most), near
   Gjakova/Đakovica.

Kosovo Politics and Governance

   UN Security Council Resolution 1244 placed Kosovo under transitional UN
   administration pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. This
   Resolution entrusted UNMIK with sweeping powers to govern Kosovo, but
   also directed UNMIK to establish interim institutions of
   self-governance. Resolution 1244 permits Serbia no role in governing
   Kosovo and since 1999 Serbian laws and institutions have not been valid
   in Kosovo. NATO has a separate mandate to provide for a safe and secure
   environment.

   In May 2001, UNMIK promulgated the Constitutional Framework, which
   established Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self-Government
   (PISG). Since 2001, UNMIK has been gradually transferring increased
   governing competencies to the PISG, while reserving some powers that
   are normally carried out by sovereign states (e.g., foreign affairs).
   Kosovo has also established municipal government and an
   internationally-supervised Kosovo Police Service.

   According to the Constitutional Framework, Kosovo shall have a
   120-member Kosovo Assembly. The Assembly includes twenty reserved
   seats: ten for Kosovo Serbs and ten for non-Serb minorities (e.g.,
   Bosniak, Roma, etc.). The Kosovo Assembly is responsible for electing a
   President and Prime Minister of Kosovo.

   The largest political party in Kosovo, the Democratic League of Kosovo
   (LDK), has its origins in the 1990s non-violent resistance movement to
   Milosevic's rule. The party was led by Ibrahim Rugova until his death
   in 2006. The two next largest parties have their roots in the Kosovo
   Liberation Army (KLA): the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) led by
   former KLA leader Hashim Thaci and the Alliance for the Future of
   Kosovo (AAK) led by former KLA commander Ramush Haradinaj. Kosovo
   publisher Veton Surroi formed his own political party in 2004 named
   "Ora." Kosovo Serbs formed the Serb List for Kosovo and Metohija (SLKM)
   in 2004, but have boycotted Kosovo's institutions and never taken their
   seats in the Kosovo Assembly.

   In November 2001, the OSCE supervised the first elections for the
   Kosovo Assembly. After that election, Kosovo's political parties formed
   an all-party unity coalition and elected Ibrahim Rugova as President
   and Bajram Rexhepi (PDK) as Prime Minister.

   After Kosovo-wide elections in October 2004, the LDK and AAK formed a
   new governing coalition that did not include PDK and Ora. This
   coalition agreement resulted in Ramush Haradinaj (AAK) becoming Prime
   Minister, while Ibrahim Rugova retained the position of President. PDK
   and Ora were critical of the coalition agreement and have since
   frequently accused the current government of corruption.

   Ramush Haradinaj resigned the post of Prime Minister after he was
   indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the
   former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in March 2005. He was replaced by Bajram
   Kosumi (AAK). But in a political shake-up after the death of President
   Rugova in January 2006, Kosumi himself was replaced by former Kosovo
   Protection Corps commander [Agim Ceku]. Ceku has won recognition for
   his outreach to minorities, but Serbia has been critical of his wartime
   past as military leader of the KLA and claims he is still not doing
   enough for Kosovo Serbs. The Kosovo Assembly elected Fatmir Sejdiu, a
   former LDK parliamentarian, president after Rugova's death. Slaviša
   Petkovic, Minister for Communities and Returns, is governments only
   Serbian minister and unlike other Serbians have chosen to not boycott
   the Kosovo institutions.

Kosovo Future Status Process

   A UN-led process was begun in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's future
   status. This process will determine whether Kosovo should be
   independent or remain a part of the state of Serbia. United Nations
   Security Council Resolution 1244 did not address Kosovo's status, but
   did envision an eventual political process to resolve this question. In
   October 2005, a UN-commissioned report written by Norwegian diplomat
   Kai Eide assessed that Kosovo's undefined status was a factor for
   regional instability and should be settled soon. As a result of this
   report, the UN Security Council issued a Presidential Statement in
   November 2005 to endorse Eide's conclusions and authorize the launch of
   a status process.

   Belgrade's position on Kosovo status is that Kosovo should be highly
   autonomous, but not independent. The Belgrade negotiating platform,
   often characterized by Belgrade leaders as "more than autonomy, less
   than independence," envisions granting sweeping rights of
   self-governance for Kosovo, but would deny Kosovo a role in
   international affairs, defense or representation in Serbia's central
   governing institutions. Pristina's position is that Kosovo should be
   independent, subject to robust institutional protections for Kosovo's
   minorities. Belgrade frequently cites international law provisions
   about the integrity of sovereign states to justify its claim to Kosovo.
   Pristina asserts that Kosovo's independence would be the result of the
   disintegration of the former Yugoslavia and the actions of Milosevic in
   the 1990s.

   In November 2005, the Contact Group countries released a set of
   "Guiding Principles" for the resolution of Kosovo's status. These
   principles notably included the requirement that there be no return to
   the situation prior to 1999 and that there be no change in Kosovo's
   borders (i.e., no partition of Kosovo) and no union of Kosovo with any
   neighboring state. At a January 2006 meeting of foreign ministers, the
   Contact Group further declared that a settlement "needs, inter alia, to
   be acceptable to the people of Kosovo" and that "all possible efforts
   should be made to achieve a negotiated settlement in the course of
   2006." Contact Group public statements have also emphasized the need to
   preserve Kosovo's multi-ethnic character.

   The Kosovo future status process is led by UN Special Envoy Martti
   Ahtisaari, former president of Finland; Austrian diplomat Albert Rohan
   is his deputy. Ahtisaari's office -- the UN Office of the Special Envoy
   for Kosovo (UNOSEK) is located in Vienna, Austria, and includes liaison
   staff from NATO, the EU and the United States. Ahtisaari is supported
   in his efforts by Ambassador Frank G. Wisner, the U.S. Representative
   to the Kosovo Status Talks. Ahtisaari holds regular meetings with
   representatives of the Contact Group.

   The initial status negotiations focused on technicalities important for
   Kosovo's long-term stability, particularly the rights and protection of
   Kosovo's minorities, particularly the Kosovo Serbs. Ahtisaari brought
   the parties together for the first direct dialogue in February 2006 to
   discuss decentralization of local government, which is an important
   measure to protect Kosovo Serb communities. Subsequent meetings
   addressed economic issues, property rights, protection of Serbian
   Orthodox Church heritage and institutional guarantees for the rights of
   Kosovo's minorities.

   On July 24, 2006, Ahtisaari brought the parties together in Vienna for
   the first high-level talks on the status outcome itself. Serbian
   President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica and Kosovo
   President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Çeku attended and
   presented their respective platforms for Kosovo's future status.
   Ahtisaari later told the press that the meeting resulted in no
   breakthroughs, but that the parties generally listened respectfully to
   each other's position.

   Ahtisaari briefed Contact Group foreign ministers on September 20,
   2006, in New York City at a meeting chaired by U.S. Secretary of state
   Condoleezza Rice. At that meeting, the Contact Group released a press
   statement that reaffirmed its commitment to achieve a negotiated
   settlement in the course of 2006. The statement also endorsed
   Ahtisaari's plans to develop a comprehensive proposal for a status
   settlement, which he will take to the parties.

   Most international observers believe these negotiations will lead to
   some form of independence which Serbian leaders still reject. The
   Contact Group has said in numerous public statements that regardless of
   status outcome a new international mission will be established in
   Kosovo to supervise the implementation status settlement and guarantee
   minority rights. NATO has also announced its intention to maintain KFOR
   in Kosovo after the status settlement.

   Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in September 2006 that Russia
   may veto a UN Security Council proposal on Kosovo's final status that
   applies different standards than those applied to the separatist
   Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

   On the 30th Sept, 2006, the Serbian Parliament unanimously adopted a
   new constitution which describes Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia;
   this Constitution was later adopted after a successful referendum on
   October 28-29, 2006. The UN Civilian Administrator in Kosovo, Joachim
   Rücker, has argued that this move will have no effect on the final
   political status of Kosovo. Meanwhile, before the referendum, a poll
   conducted on Aug 26 though Sept 5, 2006 in Serbia suggested that 36
   percent expected independence, 29 percent were unsure, 17 percent
   thought the territory would be split, and 12 percent though it would
   remain an autonomous region of Serbia.

Economy

   Kosovo has one of the poorest economies in Europe, with a per capita
   income estimated at 1,565 Euro (2004). Despite substantial development
   subsidies from all Yugoslav republics, Kosovo was the poorest province
   of Yugoslavia. 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.

   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.

   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.

   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. These taxes are collected from all Tax Collection Points installed
   at the borders of Kosovo, including those between Kosovo and Serbia.
   UNMIK and Kosovo institutions have signed Free Trade Agreements with
   Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Albania and Macedonia.

   Macedonia is Kosovo's largest import and export market (averaging €220
   million and €9 million respectively), followed by Serbia-Montenegro
   (€111 million and €5 million), Germany and Turkey.

   The Euro is the official currency of Kosovo and used by UNMIK and the
   government bodies. The Serbian Dinar is used in the Serbian populated
   parts.

   The economy has been seriously weakened by Kosovo's still-unresolved
   international status, which has made it difficult to attract investment
   and loans. The province's economic weakness has produced a thriving
   black economy in which smuggled petrol, cigarettes and cement are major
   commodities. The prevalence of official corruption and the pervasive
   influence of organised crime gangs has caused serious concern
   internationally. The United Nations has made the fight against
   corruption and organised crime a high priority, pledging a "zero
   tolerance" approach.

Demographics

   Ethnic composition of Kosovo in 2005 according to the OSCE
   Enlarge
   Ethnic composition of Kosovo in 2005 according to the OSCE

   According to the Kosovo in Figures 2005 Survey of the Statistical
   Office of Kosovo, Kosovo's total population is estimated between 1.9
   and 2.2 million in the following ethnic proportions:
     * 88% Albanians (between 1,972,000 and 2,100,000)
     * 7% Serbs (between 126,000 and 140,000)
     * 1.9% Bosniaks (between 34,200 and 38,000)
     * 1.7% Roma (between 30,600 and 34,000) (see also Roma in Mitrovica
       Camps)
     * 1% Turks (between 18,000 and 20,000)
     * 0,5% Gorani (approx. 10,000)

   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. 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. The majority of the
   Albanians in Kosovo are Muslims and most Serbs are Eastern Orthodox,
   even though Kosovo Albanians do not define their national identity
   through religion. Most of them are non-practising Muslims. About 5% of
   the Albanians in Kosovo are Catholics. Atheism is also common among
   both Albanians and Serbs.

Subdivisions

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

   North Kosovo maintains its own government, infrastructure and
   institutions by its dominant ethnic Serb population in the Mitrovica
   District, on the Leposavic, Zvecan and Zubin Potok municipalities and
   the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Cities

   Prishtina/Priština.
   Enlarge
   Prishtina/ Priština.

   List of largest cities in Kosovo (with population figures in 2006):
     * Prishtina/ Priština (562,686)
     * Prizreni/ Prizren (165,227)
     * Ferizaji/ Uroševac (97,741)
     * Gjakova/ Đakovica (97,156)
     * Peja/ Peć (95,190)
     * Gjilani/ Gnjilane (91,595)
     * Mitrovica/ Kosovska Mitrovica (86,359)
     * Podujeva/ Podujevo (48,526)

Culture

Music

   Music has always been part of the Albanian culture. Although in Kosovo
   music is diverse (as it got mixed with the cultures of different
   regimes dominating in Kosovo), authentic Albanian music (see World
   Music) does still exist. It is characterized by use of çiftelia (an
   authentic Albanian instrument), mandolin, mandola and percussion. In
   Kosovo, along with modern music, folk music is very popular. There are
   many folk singers and ensembles. Classical music is also well known in
   Kosovo. The modern music in Kosovo has its origin from the Western
   countries. The main modern genres include: Pop, Hip Hop, Rock and Jazz.
   The most notable rock bands are: Gjurmët, Troja, Votra, Diadema, Humus,
   Asgjë sikur Dielli, Kthjellu, Cute Babulja, Babilon, etc. Ilir Bajri is
   a notable jazz and electronic musician.

   Leonora Jakupi and Adelina Ismajli are two of the most popular
   commercial singers in Kosovo today.

   There are some notable music festivals in Kosovo:
     * Rock për Rock - contains rock and metal music
     * Polifest - contains all kinds of genres (usually hip hop, commercal
       pop, unusually rock and never metal)
     * Showfest - contains all kinds of genres (usually hip hop, commercal
       pop, unusually rock and never metal)
     * Videofest - contains all kinds of genres
     * Kush Këndon Lutet Dy Herë - contains all kinds of genres which have
       christian lyrics

   Kosovo Radiotelevisions like RTK, 21 and KTV have their musical charts.

List of Presidents

   List of the presidents of Kosovo:
     * Fatmir Sejdiu, 10 February 2006 - present
     * Ibrahim Rugova, 4 March 2002 - 21 January 2006

List of Prime Ministers

     * Bujar Bukoshi
     * Bajram Rexhepi, 2002- 2004
     * Ramush Haradinaj, 2004- 2005
     * Bajram Kosumi, 2005- 2006
     * Agim Çeku, 2006-present

Gallery

   The building of the Government of Kosovo in Prishtina/ Priština.

   Prizreni/ Prizren.

   Gjakova/ Đakovica.

   KFOR.

   Rahovec/ Orahovac.

   Centre of Prishtina/ Priština, monument to Skenderbeg.

   A 14th-century fresco in Visoki Dečani monastery.

   Gjerovica/ Đeravica.

   Juniku Mountains/ Junik Mountains.

   Kosovo Albanian ethnic costume/dance.

   Serb monastery near river Bistrica.

   National Public Library in Prishtina/ Priština.

   League of Prizren building in Prizren.

   Bridge "Ura e Fshejte" on the White Drin river.

   Sport fans of sport club Vëllaznimi, Gjakovë/ Đakovica.

   Stadium in Prishtina/ Priština.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovo"
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