Demographics of Kosovo

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Demographics of Kosovo

The Kosovo Agency of Statistics monitors various demographic features of the population of Kosovo, such as population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Censuses, normally conducted at ten-year intervals, record the demographic characteristics of the population. According to the preliminary results of the 2024 census released in April 2024, there are 1,586,659 inhabitants, of which 795,046 are men (50.1%) and 791,614 are women (49.9%).[1] The same year, US CIA World Factbook estimate put the country's population at 1,977,093.[2] According to the first census conducted after the 2008 declaration of independence in 2011, the permanent population of Kosovo was 1,739,825.[9][3]:12

Quick Facts Kosovo, Population ...
Demographics of Kosovo
Thumb
Population pyramid of Kosovo in 2022
Population1,602,515 (2024)[1]
Growth rate 0.68% (2024)[2]
Birth rate 14.4 per 1,000 pop. (2024)[2]
Death rate 7.2 per 1,000 pop. (2024)[2]
Life expectancy 76.7 years (2011)[3]:13
  male 74.1 years (2011)[3]:13
  female 79.4 years (2011)[3]:13
Fertility rate 1.87 children born/woman (2024)[2]
Infant mortality rate 24.9 per 1,000 births[2]
Net migration rate-0.4 per 1,000 pop. (2024)[2]
Age structure
0–14 years27.2%
15–64 years66.1%
65 and over6.7%
Sex ratio
Total1.08 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationalitynoun: Kosovar/Kosovan(s) adjective: Kosovar
Major ethnicAlbanians (95%) (2011 census)
Minor ethnicBosniaks (2%), Serbs (1.5%)[note 1] and others (4%) (2011 census)
Language
OfficialAlbanian
SpokenAlbanian (95%)
languages of the minorities (5%)
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The 2011 census also shows that Albanians form the majority in Kosovo, with 92.9% of the total population; significant minorities include Bosniaks (1.6%), Serbs (1.5%), Turkish (1.1%), Askhali (0.9%), Egyptian (0.7%), Gorani (0.6%), and Roma (0.5%).[2][10] However, it excluded North Kosovo — a largely Serb-inhabited region.[2] Moreover, it was partially boycotted by Romani and Serb communities in South Kosovo.[2] After Albanians, Serbs form the largest ethnic community in Kosovo (6–7.8%).[4][5][6][7][8][10]

Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. The average age is 34.8 and median age is 32, as of 2024.[1][2] In 2008, half of its population was under the age of 25 (United Nations Development Programme data) and more than 65 percent of the population was younger than 30 (government data).[11]

History

More information Year, Pop. ...
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1948732,746    
1953815,798+2.17%
1961963,715+2.10%
19711,243,811+2.58%
19811,584,440+2.45%
19911,956,196+2.13%
20111,780,021−0.47%
20241,602,515−0.80%
Source: [12][13][14]
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Population of Kosovo from 1921 to 2015

2011 census

Summarize
Perspective

The 2011 census recorded Kosovo (excluding North Kosovo) as having 1,739,825 inhabitants.[15] The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) has called "for caution when referring to the 2011 census", due to the boycott by Serb-majority municipalities in North Kosovo and the large boycott by Serbs and Roma in southern Kosovo.[16] The recorded total population was below most previous estimates. The census enjoyed considerable technical assistance from international agencies and appears to have been endorsed by Eurostat; it was, however, the first full census since 1981, and not one of an uninterrupted series. The results show that there were no people temporarily resident in hotels or refugee camps at the time of the census;[17] that out of 312,711 conventional dwellings, 99,808 (over 30%) were unoccupied;[17] and that three municipalities designed[clarification needed] under the Ahtisaari Plan to have Serb majorities – Klokot, Novo Brdo, and Štrpce – in fact had ethnic Albanian majorities (although their municipal assemblies have Serb majorities).[17]

Vital statistics

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Perspective

Source: Kosovo Agency of Statistics[18][19][20]

Population estimates in the table below may be unreliable during the 1990s period. Besides, vital statistics do not fully include data from Serb-majority territories. Since 2011, in accordance with European statistical norms, live births and deaths record figures in Kosovo only (excluding foreign countries).

More information Average population, Live births ...
Average population Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Crude migration rate (per 1000) Total fertility rate Female fertile population (15–49 years)
1950 764,000 35,222 12,991 22,231 46.1 17.0 29.1 7.70 164,096
1951 780,000 29,299 14,833 14,466 37.6 19.0 18.5 2.4 6.17 169,877
1952 793,000 35,619 13,867 21,752 44.9 17.5 27.4 -10.7 7.23 175,660
1953 813,000 34,595 16,726 17,869 42.6 20.6 22.0 3.2 6.62 181,445
1954 832,000 38,595 13,201 25,394 46.4 15.9 30.5 -7.1 7.16 185,718
1955 842,000 36,736 15,292 21,444 43.6 18.2 25.5 -13.5 6.62 189,992
1956 859,000 37,819 13,692 24,127 44.0 15.9 28.1 -7.9 6.56 194,265
1957 873,000 34,159 15,300 18,859 39.1 17.5 21.6 -5.3 5.84 192,596
1958 890,000 39,285 11,598 27,687 44.1 13.0 31.1 -11.6 6.62 195,341
1959 921,000 37,364 12,878 24,486 40.6 14.0 26.6 8.2 6.14 199,359
1960 944,000 41,631 13,365 28,266 44.1 14.2 29.9 -4.9 6.64 203,954
1961 967,353 40,561 11,759 28,802 41.9 12.2 29.8 -5.1 6.26 208,550
1962 994,676 41,336 15,024 26,312 41.6 15.1 26.5 1.7 6.23 212,149
1963 1,022,218 41,525 12,423 29,102 40.6 12.2 28.5 -0.8 6.13 217,556
1964 1,051,498 42,557 12,731 29,826 40.5 12.1 28.4 0.2 6.14 224,326
1965 1,082,170 43,569 11,767 31,802 40.3 10.9 29.4 -0.2 5.97 233,584
1966 1,118,003 42,429 10,266 32,163 38.0 9.2 28.8 4.3 5.66 240,125
1967 1,150,622 44,001 11,308 32,693 38.2 9.8 28.4 0.8 5.71 248,992
1968 1,182,952 44,627 10,781 33,846 37.7 9.1 28.6 -0.5 5.64 257,056
1969 1,189,140 46,480 10,892 35,588 39.1 9.2 29.9 -24.7 5.69 267,271
1970 1,219,996 44,496 10,829 33,667 36.5 8.9 27.6 -1.7 5.40 268,960
1971 1,253,975 47,060 10,312 36,748 37.5 8.2 29.3 -1.4 5.74 270,050
1972 1,290,965 47,943 10,270 37,673 37.1 8.0 29.2 0.3 5.57 283,885
1973 1,327,853 47,714 10,358 37,356 35.9 7.8 28.1 0.5 5.35 293,340
1974 1,365,879 49,847 10,075 39,772 36.5 7.4 29.1 -0.5 5.40 303,396
1975 1,404,977 49,310 10,018 39,292 35.1 7.1 28.0 0.6 5.19 313,611
1976 1,446,001 51,355 10,149 41,206 35.5 7.0 28.5 0.7 5.24 324,297
1977 1,486,816 49,849 9,811 40,038 33.5 6.6 26.9 1.3 4.92 334,581
1978 1,525,960 49,027 9,776 39,251 32.1 6.4 25.7 0.6 4.66 344,970
1979 1,565,995 48,125 9,575 38,550 30.7 6.1 24.6 1.6 4.51 349,520
1980 1,552,779 53,147 8,909 44,238 34.2 5.7 28.5 -38.9 4.82 354,068
1981 1,594,451 48,111 9,677 38,434 30.2 6.1 24.1 2.7 4.55 351,396
1982 1,634,893 52,865 10,479 42,386 32.3 6.4 25.9 -0.5 4.71 361,232
1983 1,676,325 49,645 11,040 38,605 29.6 6.6 23.0 2.3 4.29 372,615
1984 1,716,884 55,243 10,573 44,670 32.2 6.2 26.0 -1.8 4.58 391,155
1985 1,760,132 53,925 11,826 42,099 30.6 6.7 23.9 1.3 4.30 403,640
1986 1,803,579 54,519 10,446 44,073 30.2 5.8 24.4 0.3 4.18 415,407
1987 1,848,111 56,221 10,307 45,914 30.4 5.6 24.8 -0.1 4.12 429,439
1988 1,894,131 56,283 10,257 46,026 29.7 5.4 24.3 0.6 3.96 441,867
1989 1,938,794 53,656 10,181 43,475 27.7 5.3 22.4 1.2 3.63 454,260
1990 1,987,056 55,175 8,214 46,961 27.8 4.1 23.6 1.3 3.59 472,145
1991 1,967,675 52,263 8,526 43,737 26.6 4.3 22.2 -32.0 3.52 454,214
1992 2,007,978 44,418 8,004 36,414 22.1 4.0 18.1 2.4 2.83 478,108
1993 2,043,740 44,132 7,804 36,328 21.6 3.8 17.8 0 2.71 492,412
1994 2,079,234 43,450 7,667 35,783 20.9 3.7 17.2 0.2 2.57 506,408
1995 2,115,020 44,776 8,671 36,105 21.2 4.1 17.1 0.1 2.55 521,049
1996 2,152,545 46,041 8,392 37,649 21.4 3.9 17.5 0.2 2.56 535,873
1997 2,188,083 42,920 8,624 34,296 19.6 3.9 15.7 0.8 2.33 549,826
1998 2,127,795 41,752 8,123 33,629 19.6 3.8 15.8 43.4 2.34 543,799
1999 2,067,507 40,020 7,569 32,451 19.4 3.7 15.7 -44.0 2.28 537,773
2000 2,007,219 38,687 7,115 31,572 19.3 3.5 15.7 -44.9 2.31 531,747
2001 1,946,932 37,412 6,672 30,740 19.2 3.4 15.8 -45.8 2.26 525,719
2002 1,886,644 36,136 5,654 30,482 19.2 3.0 16.2 -47.2 2.22 519,692
2003 1,826,356 31,994 6,417 25,577 17.5 3.5 14.0 -46.0 2.00 513,664
2004 1,766,068 35,063 6,399 28,664 19.9 3.6 16.2 -49.2 2.21 507,639
2005 1,743,780 37,218 7,207 30,011 21.3 4.1 17.2 -29.8 2.38 501,613
2006[21] 1,719,536 34,187 7,479 26,708 19.9 4.3 15.5 -29.4 2.24 495,586
2007 1,733,404 33,112 6,681 26,431 19.1 3.9 15.2 -7.1 2.21 489,559
2008 1,747,383 34,399 6,852 27,547 19.7 3.9 15.8 -7.7 2.32 483,531
2009 1,761,474 34,240 7,030 27,210 19.4 4.0 15.4 -7.3 2.36 477,507
2010 1,775,680 33,751 7,234 26,517 19.0 4.1 14.9 -6.8 2.38 471,479
2011 1,786,229 27,626 7,111 20,515 15.5 4.0 11.5 -5.6 1.99 465,452
2012 1,807,126 27,743 7,317 20,426 15.4 4.0 11.3 0.4 1.95 475,454
2013 1,818,119 29,327 7,135 22,192 16.1 3.9 12.2 -6.1 2.02 486,248
2014 1,812,788 25,929 7,634 18,295 14.3 4.2 10.1 13.0 1.81 483,078
2015 1,788,274 24,594 8,202 16,392 13.8 4.6 9.2 -22.7 1.74 479,210
2016 1,777,568 23,416 8,495 14,921 13.2 4.8 8.4 -14.4 1.66 478,783
2017 1,791,019 23,402 8,721 14,681 13.1 4.9 8.2 -0.6 1.65 485,648
2018[22] 1,797,086 22,761 8,998 13,763 12.7 5.0 7.7 -4.3 1.60 486,169
2019[23][24] 1,788,891 21,798 9,430 12,368 12.2 5.3 6.9 -11.5 1.55 482,164
2020[25][26] 1,790,152 21,907 12,987 8,920 12.2 7.3 5.0 -4.3 1.56 480,779
2021[27][28] 1,786,079 22,830 13,019 9,811 12.8 7.3 5.5 -7.8 1.63 476,401
2022 1,761,864 22,632 9,845 12,787 12.8 5.6 7.3 -20.9 1.65 466,213
2023 21,654 9,622 12,023
2024 1,585,566 21,368 9,718 11,650 13.5 6.1 7.4 390,180
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Current vital statistics

[29][30][31][32]

More information Period, Live births ...
Period Live births Deaths Natural increase
January - November 2023 19,774 8,236 +11,538
January - November 2024 19,595 8,845 +10,750
Difference Decrease -179 (-0.90%) Negative increase +609 (+7.39%) Decrease -788
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Marriages and divorces

More information Average population, Marriages ...
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Administrative divisions

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Perspective

Kosovo is administratively subdivided into seven districts, and 38 municipalities. With the current estimation on population, Kosovo ranks as the 150th largest country in the world based on how populous it is.[33]

More information Rank, Name ...
Rank Name Population (2011)[note 2] Area (km2) Density (km2) Settlements
English
(most common)
Albanian Serbian
Pristina District 477,312 2,470 193.2 298
1PristinaPrishtinëPriština198,897572347.741
7PodujevoPodujevë/BesianëPodujevo88,499663133.576
11DrenasDrenasGlogovac58,531290201.837
12LipjanLipjanLipljan57,605422136.570
21Kosovo PoljeFushë KosovëKosovo Polje34,82783419.615
26ObiliqObiliq/KastriotObilić21,549105205.219
30GračanicaGraçanicëGračanica10,67513181.516
33Novo BrdoNovobërdë/ArtanëNovo Brdo6,7292043324
Prizren District 331,670 1,397 237.4 195
2PrizrenPrizrenPrizren177,78162628474
10Suva RekaSuharekë/TherandëSuva Reka59,722306178.542
14MalishevaMalishevëMališevo54,613361165.443
22DragashDragash/SharrDragaš33,99743578.235
35MamushaMamushëMamuša5,50711500.6
Ferizaj District 185,806 1,030 180.4 126
3FerizajFerizajUroševac108,69034531545
23KaçanikKaçanikKačanik33,454221151.431
25ShtimeShtimeŠtimlje27,324134203.923
31Hani i ElezitHani i ElezitĐeneral Janković/Elez Han9,38983113.111
32ŠtrpceShtërpcëŠtrpce6,94924728.116
Peja District 174,235 1,365 127.6 118
4PejaPejëPeć96,45060316014
17IstogIstogIstok39,28945486.550
19KlinaKlinëKlina38,49630812554
Gjakova District 194,672 1,129 172.4 170
5GjakovaGjakovëĐakovica94,557587161.191
13RahovecRahovecOrahovac55,053276199.532
18DeçanDeçanDečani38,984180216.637
34JunikJunikJunik6,0788670.710
Mitrovica District 272,247 2,077 131.1 267
8MitrovicaMitrovicëMitrovica71,909350205.545
9VushtrriVushtrriVučitrn69,870344203.167
15SkenderajSkënderajSrbica50,858378134.549
24North MitrovicaMitrovicë VerioreSeverna Mitrovica29,460112,678.2
27LeposavićLeposaviq/AlbanikLeposavić18,60053934.542
28ZvečanZveçanZvečan16,650122136.535
29Zubin PotokZubin PotokZubin Potok14,90033344.729
Gjilan District 180,783 1,206 149.9 287
6GjilanGjilanGnjilane90,015385233.854
16VitiVitiVitina46,959278168.939
20KamenicaKamenicë/DardanëKamenica35,60042384.258
36RanilugRanillugRanilug3,8667849.618
37KlokotKllokotKlokot2,55624106.54
38PartešParteshParteš1,7871899.33
Kosovo Kosovo 1,816,675 10,908 170 1,339
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Ethnic groups

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Perspective

The official results of the censuses in Kosovo after World War II are tabulated below. The figures for Albanians in the 1991 census were estimates only, since that census was boycotted by most Albanians. Similarly, the figures for Serbs in the 2011 census omit those in North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zubin Potok and Zvečan (North Kosovo), while the number of Serbs and Romani in the rest of Kosovo is also deemed unreliable, due to the partial boycott.[16]

More information Ethnic group, 1948 census ...
Ethnic
group
1948 census 1953 census 1961 census 1971 census 1981 census 1991 census 2011 census 2024 census
Number  % Number  % Number  % Number  % Number  % Number  % Number  % Number  %
Albanians 498,244 68.5 524,559 64.9 646,605 67.1 916,168 73.7 1,226,736 77.4 1,596,072 81.6 1,616,869 92.9 1,454,963 91.7
Serbs 171,911 23.6 189,869 23.5 227,016 23.5 228,264 18.4 209,498 13.2 194,190 9.9 25,532 1.5 36,652 2.3
Montenegrins 28,050 3.9 31,343 3.9 37,588 3.9 31,555 2.5 27,028 1.7 20,365 1.1
ethnic Muslims 9,679 1.3 6,241 0.8 8,026 0.8 26,357 2.1 58,562 3.7 66,189 3.4
Bosniaks 27,533 1.6 26,841 1.7
Gorani 10,265 0.6 9,140 0.6
Croats 5,290 0.7 6,201 0.8 7,251 0.8 8,264 0.7 8,718 0.6 8,062 0.4
Yugoslavs 5,206 0.5 920 0.1 2,676 0.2 3,457 0.2
Romani 11,230 1.5 11,904 1.5 3,202 0.3 14.593 1.2 34,126 2.2 45,760 2.3 8,824 0.5 8,730 0.5
Ashkali 15,436 0.9 16,270 1.0
Egyptians 11,524 0.6 10,581 0.6
Turks 1,315 0.2 34,583 4.3 25,764 2.7 12,244 1.0 12,513 0.8 10,445 0.5 18,738 1.1 19,419 1.2
Macedonians 526 0.1 972 0.1 1,142 0.1 1,048 0.1 1,056 0.1
Others or unspecified 1,577 0.2 2,469 0.3 2,188 0.2 4,280 0.3 3,454 0.2 11,656 0.6 3,264 0.6 2,051 0.1
Total 727,820 808,141 963,988 1,243,693 1,584,441 1,956,196 1,739,825 1,585,566
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Ethnic groups by municipality

The results of the 2011 census of ethnic groups in municipalities are tabulated below.[38]

More information Ethnic groups by municipality, 2011 Census ...
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Thumb
Ethnic composition of Kosovo in 2005 according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

The 2000 Living Standard Measurement Survey by Statistical Office of Kosovo found an ethnic composition of the population as follows:

A more comprehensive (October 2002) estimate (for the 1.9 million inhabitants) for these years:

During the Kosovo War in 1999, around 700,000 ethnic Albanians,[39] over 100,000 ethnic Serbs and more than 40,000 Bosniaks were forced out of Kosovo to neighbouring Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Serbia. After the United Nations took over administration of Kosovo following the war, the vast majority of the Albanian refugees returned.[citation needed] The largest diaspora communities of Kosovo Albanians are in Switzerland and Austria accounting for some 200,000 individuals each, or for 20% of the population resident in Kosovo.

Many non-Albanians – chiefly Serbs and Romani – fled or were expelled, mostly to the rest of Serbia at the end of the war, with further refugee outflows occurring as the result of sporadic ethnic violence. As of 2002, the number of registered refugees was around 250,000.[40][41][42] The non-Albanian population in Kosovo is now about half of its pre-war total[citation needed]. The largest concentration of Serbs in the country is in the north, but many remain in Kosovo Serb enclaves surrounded by Albanian-populated areas.

Languages

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Linguistic structure according to the 2011 census

As defined by the Constitution of Kosovo, Albanian and Serbian are official languages in Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, almost 95% of the citizens speak Albanian as their native language, followed by South Slavic languages and Turkish. Due to North Kosovo's boycott of the census, Bosnian came in as the second-largest language after Albanian. However, Serbian is in reality the second-most spoken language in Kosovo.

More information Language, Native speakers ...
LanguageNative speakers[43] %
Albanian1,644,86594.5
Bosnian28,9891.7
Serbian27,9831.6
Turkish19,5681.1
Romani5,8600.3
Other/Not specified12,5600.7
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Health

Healthcare in Kosovo Harvard Medical School and NATO published a study on the impact of the conflict on Kosovo health system in 2014.[44] The data in the table below are from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics.

More information Structure of group of diseases according to ICD-10 recorded in PHC in 2010 ...
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Religion

Summarize
Perspective

The country has no official religion. The constitution establishes Kosovo as a secular state that is neutral in matters of religious beliefs and where everyone is equal before the law and freedom to belief, conscience and religion is guaranteed.[45][46]

The 2011 Kosovo population census was largely boycotted by the Kosovo Serbs, especially in North Kosovo. That left the Serb population underrepresented.[47] The International Monitoring Operation said that questions complied with international standards: respondents can declare their ethnicity and religion but are not obliged to do so.[48] Serbs predominantly identify as Orthodox Christians.[10] The results of the 2011 census gave the following religious affiliations for the population included in it:[49]

Thumb
Religious map of Kosovo in 2011 by settlements. The Serb-dominated gray area in the north is presumably majority Orthodox.
More information Religion, Population ...
2011 Kosovo religion census
(boycotted by most Serbs)
ReligionPopulation%
Islam1,663,41295.6%
Christianity 64,275
38,438
25,837
3.7%
2.2%
1.5%
Other (specify)1,1880.1%
No religion1,2420.1%
Not stated
  • Prefer not to answer
  • Missing
9,708
7,213
2,495
0.6%
0.4%
0.1%
Total1,739,825100%
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Most Albanians in Kosovo are Muslim.[50][10] Almost all Muslims in Kosovo are Sunni. A small amount of Muslims in Kosovo practice Sufism, mainly in Western Kosovo. Most Muslims in Kosovo follow the Hanafi Madhab.

The Serb population is largely Serbian Orthodox. The Catholic Albanian communities are mostly concentrated in Gjakova, Prizren, Klina and a few villages near Peć and Vitina (see laramans). Slavic-speaking Catholics usually call themselves Janjevci or Kosovan Croats. Slavic-speaking Muslims in the south of Kosovo are known as the Gorani people.

Migration

According to a 2015 report by Geoba.se, Kosovo's current net migration rate is at −3.72, ranking Kosovo 197th,[51] due to the ongoing political and economic crisis. The same source gives −0.71 for the 2023 estimate.

Internally displaced persons

According to the US CIA, as of 2022, there were 16000 internally displaced persons, primarily Serbs displaced during the Kosovo War.[2] Also, a smaller number of Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2004 as a result of violence.[2]

See also

Notes and references

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