Kosovo 🇽🇰

Kosovo sits in Southeast Europe, part of Europe. It is a partially recognised state that declared independence in 2008 and is recognised by roughly half the world's countries. The long form of the name is Republic of Kosovo. The capital is Pristina.

Some 1.8 million people call it home, placing it 153rd of 250 by population — between North Macedonia above it and Bahrain below. Measured only against its own subregion, it is 9th of 9 in size and 8th in population.

Its territory runs to 10,908 km², which ranks it 168th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Jamaica and just ahead of the Gambia. Put next to a country most people can picture, it is almost exactly the same size as Jamaica.

How Kosovo sits on the globe

Its reference point sits at 42.7° north and 21.2° east, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 4,750 km from the equator, in what geographers would call temperate latitudes.

Countries on the same parallel, far away in longitude, include Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

4 countries share a land border with it: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The largest of them by area is Serbia, which is also the most populous. Together those neighbours hold about 11.4 million people.

Kosovo is landlocked. That is true of 45 of the 250 entries here, so all seaborne trade runs through a neighbour's ports. 2 of its neighbours, North Macedonia and Serbia, are landlocked too. You can see the full picture on the landlocked countries page.

People, population and language

Density comes out at around 161 people per square kilometre, which makes it more crowded than the typical entry on this list. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.

People from Kosovo are called Kosovars.

Officially it is multilingual, listing Albanian and Serbian. Albanian, the first listed, is shared with 1 other entry worldwide.

Inside Europe it places 35th of 53 by population, and it accounts for 3.9% of everyone living in Southeast Europe.

Currency, domain and dialling code

Money there is the Euro (€, EUR). That is a shared currency: 37 other entries use it, including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and Croatia.

Pristina is the city to remember for this country.

Websites there use the .xk domain. To phone it from abroad you dial +383. Its ISO codes are xk and UNK, which is what most databases and flag files use.

Kosovo does not hold a seat at the United Nations, but it is not a dependency of another state either: it is a partially recognised state that declared independence in 2008 and is recognised by roughly half the world's countries. That is why it appears among the 250 entries on this site while the familiar count of UN member states stops at 193. Where a figure depends on that distinction, this site says which rule it used rather than quietly picking one.

Neighbouring countries

Kosovo shares borders with 4 countries:

• 🇦🇱 Albania
• 🇲🇰 North Macedonia
• 🇲🇪 Montenegro
• 🇷🇸 Serbia

Fun facts about Kosovo

• Within Southeast Europe it is the 9th largest of 9.
• It is landlocked, one of 45 entries here with no coastline of its own.
• It shares land borders with 4 countries: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
• Population density works out at roughly 161 people per square kilometre.
• In land area it is almost exactly the same size as Jamaica.
• Its capital city is Pristina.
• People from Kosovo are known as Kosovars.
• It is 153rd of 250 by population, with about 1.8 million residents.

Kosovo — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Kosovo?

The capital of Kosovo is Pristina.

What is the population of Kosovo?

Kosovo has a population of about 1.8 million, which makes it the 153rd most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. North Macedonia sits just above it and Bahrain just below.

How big is Kosovo?

Kosovo covers 10,908 km², ranking 168th of 250 by land area. That makes it almost exactly the same size as Jamaica.

What currency does Kosovo use?

Kosovo uses the Euro, written € (currency code EUR). It is shared with 37 other entries.

Is Kosovo landlocked?

Yes. Kosovo has no sea coast, which makes it one of 45 landlocked entries in this dataset. Everything it imports or exports by sea has to cross a neighbour's territory first, and that transit dependency is a well-documented drag on trade costs.

Which countries border Kosovo?

Kosovo borders 4 countries: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Serbia is the largest of them by area.

Is Kosovo a country?

It depends on the rule you use, which is why the answer is worth spelling out. Kosovo is a partially recognised state that declared independence in 2008 and is recognised by roughly half the world's countries. It is not a dependency of another state, so lists of dependent territories leave it out, and it is not a UN member, so the familiar count of 193 leaves it out too. It appears here with its own flag, capital and statistics like every other entry.

What language is spoken in Kosovo?

Kosovo lists 2 official languages: Albanian and Serbian.

Where is Kosovo located?

Kosovo is in Southeast Europe, part of Europe. Its reference coordinates are 42.7° north and 21.2° east, roughly 4,750 km from the equator in temperate latitudes.