Kosovo Serb enclaves
Encyclopedia
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...
where Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
form a majority, except for North Kosovo
North Kosovo
North or Northern Kosovo refers to a region in the northern part of Kosovo with an ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the disputed territory, which has an ethnic Albanian majority. Ibarian Kolashin , a toponym that pre-dates the political partition, is...
. While North Kosovo is connected to the rest of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and mostly functions as a part of it, the enclaves are surrounded with areas of Albanian majority.
Prior to the 1999 Kosovo War
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 were many more Serbs living in the territory of Kosovo. Many of them left in 1999, and some more left during the 2004 unrest
2004 unrest in Kosovo
Violent unrest in Kosovo, which at the time was under United Nations administration, broke out on 17 March 2004. Kosovo Albanians, numbering over 50,000, took part in widescale attacks on the Serbian people, compared by the then Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica to ethnic cleansing but not...
when some Serb villages were completely destroyed by Muslim Albanians. The current Serb enclaves are just a small part of those areas where a Serb majority had existed before 1999.
History
According to the 1991 census in Yugoslavia, there were five municipalities with Serb majority in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Those were:LeposavićLeposavic
Leposavić is a town and [Municipalities of Kosovo|municipality]] in the district of Kosovska Mitrovica of northern Kosovo. It is a part of North Kosovo, a region with at least 98%ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo...
, Zvečan
Zvecan
Zvečan is a town and municipality in the Kosovska Mitrovica district of Kosovo. It is a part of North Kosovo, a region with an ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo and Metohija. The municipality covers an area of , and...
, Zubin Potok
Zubin Potok
Zubin Potok is a town and municipality in the Kosovska Mitrovica district of northern Kosovo. It is a part of North Kosovo, a region with an ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo...
, Štrpce
Štrpce
Štrpce is a town and municipality in the District of Uroševac, Kosovo and Metohija.According to the 1991 census, the municipality of Štrpce had a population of around 12,800 people...
and Novo Brdo
Novo Brdo
Novo Brdo is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of eastern Kosovo. The population of the municipality is estimated at 6,720 people .-History:...
. The remaining municipalities had Albanian majority. Other significant ethnic minority in Kosovo were Muslims by nationality
Muslims by nationality
Muslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
(today mostly identify as Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
), and Roma who did not form majority in any of the municipalities.
In 1999, after the end of the Kosovo War
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...
, more than 250.000 Serbs and other minorities left Kosovo in less than a month. Only about 3.000 of them have returned since. 312 of 437 towns and villages in which Serbs lived were completely ethnically cleansed
Ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....
. In the ensuing violence, more than 1.000 Serbs were killed, while 841 were kidnapped and 960 wounded.
Between 2000 and 2008, the UNMIK administration created eight new municipalities on the territory of Kosovo. Three of those new municipalities have ethnic Serb majority: Gračanica
Gracanica, Kosovo
Gračanica is a town and municipality in central Kosovo, and a Serb enclave centered around the Gračanica monastery, located ten kilometers away from Pristina...
, Klokot-Vrbovac
Klokot-Vrbovac
Klokot or Kllokot , officially Klokot-Vrbovac , is a municipality in Kosovo and a Serb enclave, centered around the towns of Klokot and Vrbovac. It became municipality in 2008, previously being part of the Vitina Municipality. The seat of the municipality is in Klokot...
and Ranilug
Ranilug
Ranilug is a town and Serb enclave in Kosovo. It is set to become a municipality.In 2011, Ranilug was part of a group of 17 villages with a population of 3,785 Serbs surrounded by Albanian-populated areas...
. This move is not recognized by the Government of Serbia
Government of Serbia
Officially the Government of the Republic of Serbia is the executive branch of government in Serbia.-Current government:The current government was elected on 7 July 2008 by the majority vote in the National Assembly of Serbia and restructured on 14 March 2011...
. In 2008, the Community Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija
Community Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija
The Assembly of the Community of Municipalities of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija , is the assembly of the association of local governments created by the municipal authorities in Kosovo elected in the May 11, 2008 municipal elections called by the Government of Serbia...
was created to coordinate the efforts of the Serbian minority in Kosovo.
Enclaves
This is the list of municipalities, towns and villages in which Serbs form a majority. The municipalities listed are the municipalities recognized by Serbia, not the new municipalities of KosovoMunicipalities of Kosovo
A Municipality is the basic administrative division in Kosovo.-List of Municipalities:The first name is Serbian and the second one is Albanian:* Dečani / Deçan* Dragaš / Dragash* Đakovica / Gjakovë* Glogovac / Gllogovc * Gnjilane / Gjilan...
.
Towns and Villages
- VučitrnVucitrnVučitrn or Vushtrri is a city and municipality in north-eastern Kosovo. It is the seat of the Kosovska Mitrovica District. The name of the city means "wolf's thorn", the name of the spiny restharrow plant in Serbian....
municipality: Gojbulja, Panjetina, Prilužje (more than 3.000 Serbs), Grace - City of PristinaPristinaPristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
: Plemetina, Gračanica - Lipljan municipality: Dobrotin, LivađeLivađeLivađe is a village in the municipality of Brus, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 174 people.-References:...
, Donja Gušterica, Gornja Gušterica, Suvi DoSuvi DoSuvi Do is a neighborhood of the city of Niš, Serbia. It is located in Niš municipality of Palilula.-Location:Suvi Do is located in the south-east part of Niš. It is bordered on the north by the Car Konstadin Boulevard, and on the west by neighborhood of Trosarina.-History:Suvi Do used to be a...
, Staro Gracko, Novo NaseljeNovo NaseljeNovo Naselje means New Settlement and is a toponym in:* Novo Naselje * Novo Naselje * Novo Naselje... - Kosovo PoljeKosovo PoljeKosovo Polje or Fushë Kosova is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo, at 42.63° North, 21.12° East, or approximately eight kilometres south-west of the capital Pristina...
municipality: Batuse - GnjilaneGnjilaneGnjilane or Gjilan is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with on 25 January 1963.-Name and history:...
municipality: ŠilovoŠilovoŠilovo is a village in the municipality of Lebane, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 521 people....
, Pasjane, PartešPartešParteš is a town and one of the new municipalities in Kosovo. It is a Serb enclave. It is located south-west of Gnjilane.-Settlements in Municipality:There are only three settlements in the municipality.* Parteš* Pasjane* Budriga...
, Koretište, Donja Budriga, Stanišor, Kusce, StražaStražaStraža may refer to:* Straža, Bosnia and Herzegovina* Straža, a village in Lipkovo municipality, Republic of Macedonia* Straža, a village near Vršac, Vojvodina, Serbia* Straža, a hamlet in Kosovo, Serbia...
, Kmetovce, Poneš - PećPecPeć or Pejë is a city and municipality in north-western Kosovo and Metohija - Serbia, and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. Governor of city is Ali Berisha....
municipality: GoraždevacGoraždevacGoraždevac is a village near the city of Peć in Kosovo. It has been inhabited since at least the thirteenth century, when it was mentioned in the chrysobull of Stefan Nemanja .The village possesses the oldest log-cabin church in Serbia, constructed at the end of the sixteenth century and... - IstokIstokIstok or Istog is a town and municipality in the Peć district of north-western Kosovo. The town is the administrative capital of the municipality, which includes the town and the surrounding villages.-Name:...
municipality: Osojane, Crkolez - OrahovacOrahovacOrahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
municipality: Velika HočaVelika HocaVelika Hoča is a village in the municipality of Orahovac, in the Metohija region of Kosovo. It is one of the Serb enclaves in Kosovo.-Demographics:...
(1200 Serbs), OrahovacOrahovacOrahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
(1100 Serbs) - Srbica municipality: BanjaBanjaBanja is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is named after a significant mountain located in the woreda, Mount Banja, where Fasil crushed a revolt of the Agaw in the late 18th century. Part of the Agew Awi Zone, Banja is bordered on the south by Ankesha, on the west by...
, Suvo Grlo - Kosovska KamenicaKosovska KamenicaKosovska Kamenica or Kamenica is a town and municipality in the Gnjilane district of eastern Kosovo.-Geography and population:In 2011, Kosovska Kamenica municipality was estimated to have 35,600 citizens....
municipality: RanilugRanilugRanilug is a town and Serb enclave in Kosovo. It is set to become a municipality.In 2011, Ranilug was part of a group of 17 villages with a population of 3,785 Serbs surrounded by Albanian-populated areas...
, Ropotovo, Donje Korminjane - VitinaVitinaVitina is a town and municipality in the Gnjilane district of south-eastern Kosovo.-Geography:Towns in the Vitina municipality include Pozhoran, Kabash, Binqa, Kllokot, Drobesh, Smirë, etc.-History:...
municipality: Klokot, Vrbovac, TrpezaTrpezaTrpeza is a village in the municipality of Kuršumlija, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 53 people.-References:...
, PožaranjePožaranjePožaranje is a town in the Vitina municipality of southeast Kosovo and Metohija.-Notable people:* Sinan Hasani, politician...
, Novo SeloNovo SeloThe phrase Novo Selo means "new village" in several Slavic languages: Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, and Macedonian. Settlements in Europe known as Novo Selo include:-In Bulgaria:* Novo Selo, Kyustendil Province, Kyustendil Province...
, Žitinje - Novo BrdoNovo BrdoNovo Brdo is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of eastern Kosovo. The population of the municipality is estimated at 6,720 people .-History:...
municipality: Prekovce - KlinaKlinaKlina or Klinë is a city and municipality in the Peć district of north-western Kosovo. It is located at the confluence of the river Klina into the White Drin.-Demographics:-External links:* *...
municipality: Vidanje
In Peć
Pec
Peć or Pejë is a city and municipality in north-western Kosovo and Metohija - Serbia, and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. Governor of city is Ali Berisha....
, Serbs compose a majority in a part of Belo Polje
Belo Polje
Belo Polje , meaning "White Field", can refer to:In Serbia:* Belo Polje , an industrial settlement on the approach to Surdulic and now part of the town of Surdulica* Belo Polje , village in municipality of Obrenovac...
, and also in some parts of Orahovac
Orahovac
Orahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
and Lipljan. Smaller Serbian communities are also present in Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
, Gnjilane
Gnjilane
Gnjilane or Gjilan is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with on 25 January 1963.-Name and history:...
and Obilić
Obilic
Obilić is a town and municipality in central Kosovo, belonging to the Pristina district. The municipality includes the town of Obilić and 19 villages, with a total population of approximately 21,548....
.