42 35 N, 21 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 10,887 sq km land: 10,887 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Delaware

Land boundaries:

total: 702 km border countries: Albania 112 km, Macedonia 159 km, Montenegro 79 km, Serbia 352 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

influenced by continental air masses resulting in relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns; Mediterranean and alpine influences create regional variation; maximum rainfall between October and December

Terrain:

flat fluvial basin with 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 extremes:

lowest point: Drini i Bardhe/Beli Drim 297 m (located on the border with Albania) highest point: Gjeravica/Deravica 2,565 m

Natural resources:

nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite

People
Kosovo

Population:

2,126,708 (2007 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian) adjective: Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovski (Serbian) note: Kosovan, a neutral term, is sometimes also used as a noun or adjective

Ethnic groups:

Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk,
Ashkali, Egyptian)

Religions:

Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic

Languages:

Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish, Roma

Government
Kosovo

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo conventional short form: Kosovo local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosova) local short form: Kosova (Kosovo) former: Kosovo and Metohija Autonomous Province

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Pristina (Prishtine) geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

30 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna in Albanian; opstine,
singular - opstina in Serbian); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas),
Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica),
Gllogoc/Drenas (Glogovac), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Istog (Istok),
Kacanik, Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Leposaviq
(Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mitrovice
(Mitrovica), Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Peje (Pec),
Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec
(Orahovac), Shtime (Stimlje), Shterpce (Strpce), Skenderaj (Srbica),
Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin
Potok, Zvecan

Independence:

17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

Constitution:

ratified 9 April 2008; effective 15 June 2008

Legal system:

evolving legal system based on terms of UN Special Envoy Martti AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January 2008) cabinet: ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; election last held 9 January 2008 (next to be held by in 2013); the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly election results: Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president; first round: Fatmir SEDIU 62, Naim MALOKU 37; second round: Fatmir SEDIU 61, Naim MALOKU 37; and Hashim THACI elected to be prime minister by the Assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral Kosovo Assembly of the Provisional Government (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected, 10 seats for Serbs, 10 seats for other minorities; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 17 November 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PDK 34.3%, LDK 22.6%, AKR 12.3%, LDD 10.0%, AAK 9.6%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PDK 37, LDK 25, AKR 13, LDD 11, AAK 10, other 4

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court judges are appointed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG); district courts judges are appointed by the SRSG; municipal courts judges are appointed by the SRSG note: after the termination of UNMIK's mandate, the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) will propose to the president candidates for appointment or reappointment as judges and prosecutors; the KJC is also responsible for decisions on the promotion and transfer of judges and disciplinary proceedings against judges; at least 15% of Supreme Court and district court judges shall be from nonmajority communities

Political parties and leaders:

Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PShDK [Mark
KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush
HARADINAJ]; Alliance of Independent Social Democrats of Kososvo and
Metohija or SDSKIM [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Autonomous Liberal Party of
SLS [Slobodan PETROVIC]; Bosniak Vakat Coalition [Dzezair MURATI];
Citizens' Initiative of Gora or GIG [Murselj HALILI]; Council of
Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo or SNSDKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC];
Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI]; Democratic
League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Ashkali
of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RAHMANI]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK
[Hashim THACI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir
YAGCILAR]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet
NEZIRAJ]; New Democratic Party or ND [Branislav GRBIC]; New Kosovo
Alliance or AKR [Behxhet PACOLLI]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK
[Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Reform Party Ora; Serb National Party or SNS
[Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS
[Dragisa MIRIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi
MERXHA]; Democratic Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Serbian List
for Kosovo and Metohija [Oliver IVANOVIC]; Serbian National Council
of Northern Kosovo and Metohija or SNV [Milan IVANOVIC]; Democratic
Party of Bosniaks [Dzezair MURAIT]; Democratic Party Vatan [Sadik
IDRIZI]; Gorani Citizens Initiative [Mursel HALJILJI]; Serbian
People Party [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Democratic Party of
Kosovo and Metohija [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Serb Liberal Party [Slobodan
PETROVIC]; Independent League of Social-Democrats of Kosovo and
Metohija [Ljubisa ZIVIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights);
Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for
Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)

International organization participation: