Kosova Fact Sheet

Geography

Location: Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia
Area: 10,908 km2
Capital: Prishtina
Terrain: flat fluvial basin surrounded by several high mountain ranges
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
Natural Resources: nickel, lead, zinc, magnesium, lignite, kaolin, chrome, bauxite

Population

         0-14 years: 27.7%
         15-64 years: 65.7%
         65 years and over: 6.6%

Ethnic Groups: Albanians 92%, Serbs 5.3%, other 7% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk, Ashkali, Egyptian)
Distribution: 42% urban, 58% rural
Languages: Albanian (official), Serbian (official), Bosnian, Turkish, Roma
Religions: Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic

Government

Government Type: Republic
Constitution: adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on 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
Executive Branch:

Elections: the president is elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; the prime minister is elected by the Kosovo Assembly

Legislative Branch: unicameral national Assembly (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected, 10 seats guaranteed for ethnic Serbs, 10 seats guaranteed for other ethnic minorities; to serve four-year terms)
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court; district courts; municipal courts
Independence: 17 February 2008 (from Serbia)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

Economy

Currency: Euro
GDP: 3,804 billion euros; GDP Growth: 4.4% in 2009
Inflation: 7.2% in 2009
Budget: 1.430 billion euros in 2009
Imports: 841 million euros in 2009
Exports: 62.7 million euros in 2009
Tax System: VAT 16%, Corporate Profit Tax 10%, Wage Tax 10%
Tariff Duties: Customs duties: 10% on imports, Excise tax on fuel, tobacco alcohol and luxury goods. No duties and taxes on exports
Financial Sector: Two-tier Banking System: Central Banking Authority of Kosovo, 7 private banks, 10 insurance companies, 2 pension schemes
Enterprises: 87,960 SME in 2008
Free Trade: CEFTA- Central European Free Trade Area, EU Autonomous Trade Preference (ATP) which enables Customs-free access to the EU market, Free Trade Agreement with US

Transportation

Media

Daily Press

•    Koha Ditore
•    Bota Sot
•    Kosova Sot
•    Zeri
•    Lajm
•    Gazeta Express
•    Epoka e Re

Television

Radio

News agencies/internet