Kosovo

I

Introduction

Kosovo (Albanian, Kosove), region in south-western Serbia which enjoyed autonomous status from 1946 to 1989. The province is predominantly hilly and mountainous, and has an area of approximately 10,887 sq km (4,203 sq mi). The rivers Bell, Drin, and Ibar flow through it. The Šar Planina mountain range rises to 2,640 m (8,660 ft).

II

Economy

Although Kosovo has important deposits of lead and zinc, as well as significant deposits of lignite, chromites, and magnesite, the province has long been one of the poorest regions in Europe. Major crops of Kosovo include grains (maize, wheat, and barley), potatoes, plums, grapes, and tobacco, and timber is an important product. There are also horticulture and viticulture industries. Cattle and sheep are raised in Kosovo's highlands. Principal manufactures include cement and sulphuric acid. The Deutschmark replaced the Yugoslav dinar as the province’s currency in 1999. On January 1, 2001, Kosovo adopted the Euro; as at early 2007, 0.77 Euros equalled US$1.

III

Population

Kosovo had a population of 1,956,196 in 1991. However, subsequent events have made this figure largely irrelevant. Major cities are Priština (the capital), Prizren, and Pec, the latter once serving (1557-1766) as the patriarchal seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Priština is a commercial and transport centre for the surrounding mining region. It is also home to the University of Kosovo. The majority of the population of Kosovo is ethnic Albanian. Most of the rest of the inhabitants are Serbs and Montenegrins.

IV

History

From the second millennium bc, the Illyrians (ancestors of the present-day Albanians) inhabited the Balkan Peninsula, including what is now Kosovo. The Illyrian territory of Dardania, which comprised present-day Kosovo, part of what is now the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and lands now in south-west Serbia, was eventually annexed by the Roman Empire. From the 8th to the 12th century, Kosovo was the centre of the medieval state of Raska (Rascia). Towards the end of the 12th century, the Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja annexed Kosovo and, for a time, Prizren served as the capital of Serbian princes. During this period, the Serbian population in Kosovo increased.