Country Sheet : Kosovo

Information file

Last Update on July 16th 2024

KOSOVO

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In English - version of July 16th 2024

Geography

Area : 10,887 km²

Borders : 714 km: North Macedonia (160 km), Montenegro (76 km), Serbia (366 km), Albania (112km)

Capital : Pristina

Official language : Albanian

Source : The CIA World Factbook

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Population

Population : 1,964,327 (2023 est.)

Crude natural change rate : 6.2‰ (2023 est.)

Crude net migration rate: -0,7‰ (2023 est.)

Life expectancy: men 69.9 years, female 74.5 years (2023 est.)

Religions: Muslim 95.6%, Orthodox 1.5%, Catholic 2.2%, others 0.07%, without religion 0.07%

Ethnic groups: Albanians 86.3%, Bosniaks 0.0%, Serbs 5.1%, Turks 0.9%, Egyptians 0.6%, Gorani 0.6%, Rom 0.7%, Montenegrins 0.4%, Croatians 0.1%, Others 2.7% (2020)

Source : Eurostat, World Bank, The CIA World Factbook

Economy

Currency: Euro, Serb Dinar (RSD) (exchange rate for September 2023: 1€ =117.26 RSD)

GDP: $ 9.4 billion (2022)

GDP per capita (PPS): € 4,324.69 (December 2022)

GDP growth : 3.3% (2023)

Inflation: 4.9% (2023)

Public debt: 20.7% of GDP (December 2022)

Unemployment: 12.6% (December 2022)

Public deficit: -0.1% of GDP (December 2022)

Stock of foreign direct investment from the entire world: € 65.5 millions (June 2023)

Source : IMF, Kosovo Agency of Statistics, European commission, Eurostat, Trading Economics

Political system

Republic, Parliamentary Democracy

Head of State Vjosa Osmani was elected President on 4th April 2021 following the resignation of President Hashim Thaçi.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in office since 22nd March 2021. He succeeded Avdullah Hoti. The National Assembly comprises 120 deputies elected via direct universal suffrage for 4 years (100 seats reserved for direct elections, 10 reserved for Serbians, 10 seats reserved for other minorities).

Political representation

Composition of National Assembly in March 2024:

56 seats Movement for Self Determination (V)
18 seats Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK)
16 seats Democratic league for Kosovo (LDK)
9 seats Serb list
8 seats Alliance for the future of Kosovo (Coalition AKK-PSD)
2 seats Democratic turkish party of Kosovo
4 seats Multiethnic
4 seats Guxo!
4 without a parliamentary group

On 17th February 2008, the Kosovo Parliament adopted a resolution proclaiming the independence of Kosovo. On 15th June 2008, the Constitution of Kosovo entered into force. Five EU Member States have not yet recognised Kosovo (Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania). The International Court of Justice (CIJ) stated in its 22nd July 2010 opinion that Kosovo’s proclamation of independence did not breach international law. On September 2010, the UN General Assembly adopted an unprecedented resolution concerning Kosovo, together with Serbia and the EU, calling upon Belgrade and Pristina to enter into dialogue. On 10th September 2012, the International Steering Group, which has supervised Kosovo’s independence since February 2008, announced the end of its mandate allowing Kosovo to gain totally operational independence. On 27th and 28th June 2013, negotiations opened for the conclusion of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo. On 25th of July 2014, the EU and Kosovo chief negotiators initialled the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo in Brussels. On 21st March 2018, the Kosovo deputies ratified an agreement signed in 2015 regarding border demarcation with Montenegro. This ratification was one of the last conditions set by European Union to liberalize short stay visas for Kosovars. (for more information on Kosovo’s adhesion to the EU, see http:// ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/kosovo/ index_en.htm ).