Junik is a municipality and small town in the Đakovica district of western Kosovo

Kosovo

Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...

. It is located in the west Metohija

Metohija

Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...

 between Dečani

Decani

Decani is the side of a church choir occupied by the Dean. In English churches this is typically the choir stalls on the south side of the chancel, although there are some notable exceptions, such as Durham Cathedral and Southwell Minster...

 and Đakovica along Kosovo's mountainous border with Albania

Albania

Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...

. It is populated with ethnic Albanians

Albanians in Kosovo

Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo . According to the 1991 Serbian census, boycotted by Albanians, there were 1,596,072 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo or 81.6% of population...

. Junik is hometown to many widely known people including former heavyweight European boxing champion Luan Krasniqi

Luan Krasniqi

Luan Krasniqi is a professional German boxer of Kosovo Albanian descent.On April, 2006, he was ranked #2 by the WBO, coming before other heavyweight contenders such as Lamon Brewster, Shannon Briggs, and Ruslan Chagaev....

, artist and writer Rexhep Goci, politician and writer Haxhi Kraki and poet Din Mehmeti

Din Mehmeti

Din Mehmeti was an Albanian poet from Kosovo. He was among the best-known classical representatives of contemporary verse in Kosovo.-Career:...

 to name a few. This is set to be one of the new municipalities of Kosovo.

Settlements in the municipality

Junik is composed of the following settlements, which give a combined total of 86.2 km² (33.3 sq mi).

• Junik
• Vokša
• Slup
• Jasić-Đocaj
• Rastavica

Population

Pursuant to the statistical data from the year 1981 and some estimations by the municipalty and local registrations that followed the 1999 conflict, it is assumed that the municipality has approximately 12,500 inhabitants. Apart from one Bosniak

Bosniaks of Serbia

Bosniaks are an ethnic group living in Serbia. According to the last census from 2002, the total number of Bosniaks in Serbia was 136,087 and they comprised 1.82% of population...

 family, the municipality is mono ethnic Kosovo Albanian.

Economy

The economy of Junik is mainly based on extensive agriculture. The vast majority of inhabitants are in some way involved in agricultural activities. As in the rest of Kosovo, unemployment is a problem. However, after the 1999 conflict

Kosovo War

The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...

, there was an increase in registrations of private businesses in the territory of the municipality and currently more than 50 businesses are registered. Most of the enterprises are family run, especially trade enterprises. The municipal administration is currently the largest employer. The inhabitants see the vast forests around Junik and the natural beauty as the main asset of the municipality and the administration seeks possibilities for investing in the development of tourism.