Pčinja District

The Pčinja District (Serbian: Пчињски округ, romanized: Pčinjski okrug, pronounced [ptʃǐɲskiː ôkruːɡ]) is one of the nine administrative districts of Southern and Eastern Serbia. It covers the southern part of Serbia, bordering Kosovo, along with Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Its administrative center is the city of Vranje.

Pčinja District
District of Serbia
Images from the Pčinja District
Location of the Pčinja District within Serbia
Coordinates: 42°33′N 21°54′E
Country	Serbia
Region	Southern and Eastern Serbia
Administrative center	Vranje
Government
• Commissioner	Srećko Pejković
Area
• Total	3,520 km2 (1,360 sq mi)
Population  (2022 census)[1]
• Total	193,802
• Density	55/km2 (140/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	RS-24
Municipalities	6 and 1 city
Settlements	363
– Cities and towns	6
– Villages	357
Website	www.pcinjski.okrug.gov.rs

As of the 2022 census, the district has a population of 193,802 inhabitants.^[1]

The Vranjska Banja spa plays a part in this region with its multi-medicinal thermal mineral waters.

Municipalities

The district encompasses the municipalities of:

• Vladičin Han
• Surdulica
• Bosilegrad
• Trgovište
• Vranje
• Vranjska Banja
• Bujanovac
• Preševo

Pčinja District

Culture and history

The ancient Paeonian tribe of the Agrianians ruled the region in antiquity.

Cultural and historical monuments date back from over five centuries ago. The earliest military fortification, Marko's Fortress, was established in the 13th century. Also famous are the ancient Turkish public baths from the 16th century and the Pasha's House from 1765, in which a grammar school was opened in 1882.

In 2001, uprisings by Albanians occurred in the Albanian-majority municipalities of Preševo and Bujanovac. In addition, reports emerged in 2006 that the municipality of Trgovište had threatened to secede itself to North Macedonia, which was noteworthy, since it had (and still has) a majority Serb population. Representatives cited economic hardship and a declining population as grievances against Serbia’s government.^[2]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1948	209,232	—
1953	220,910	+5.6%
1961	222,520	+0.7%
1971	230,373	+3.5%
1981	238,753	+3.6%
1991	243,529	+2.0%
2002	227,690	−6.5%
2011[a]	159,081	−30.1%
2021	193,802	+21.8%
Source: [3][1]

As of the 2022 census, the district has a population of 193,802 inhabitants.^[1]

Ethnic composition

Ethnic group	Population 1991	Population 2002	Population 2011[a]	Census 2022[1]
				Population	%
Serbs	-	147,046	132,601	112,011	57.8
Albanians	-	54,795	680	56,834	29.3
Romani	-	12,073	13,826	10,877	5.61
Bulgarians	-	8,491	7,287	4,970	2.56
Others	-	5,285	4,687	9,110	4.70
Total	243,529	227,690	159,081	193,802	100

Religion

Based on the census results from 2022, the Pčinja District has a Christian Orthodox majority (60.4%) and a substantial Muslim minority (31%).

Religious group	Census 2002		Census 2022[4]
	Population	%	Population	%
Orthodoxy	157,635	69.2	117,016	60.4
Islam	56,334	24.7	60,032	31.0
Other Christians	268	0.12	3,915	2.02
Others	1,430	0.63	759	0.39
Did not declare	8,352	3.67	2,594	1.34
Unknown	3,495	1.53	9,486	4.89
Total	227,690		193,802

See also

• Administrative divisions of Serbia
• Districts of Serbia

Notes

a.	^ In the municipalities of Bujanovac and Preševo (parts of Pčinja District) there was undercoverage of the census units, owing to the boycott by most of the members of the Albanian ethnic community.

References

1. "Prvi rezultati Popisa stanovništva, domaćinstava i stanova 2022". stat.gov.rs (in Serbian). 21 December 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2023. d
2. "Lost in Shuffle, Serb Town Sees Future in Macedonia." New York Times, April 25, 2006.
3. "2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia" (PDF). stat.gov.rs. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
4. "Претрага дисеминационе базе". data.stat.gov.rs. Retrieved 2023-06-21.

• Note: All official material made by the Government of Serbia is public by law. Information was taken from the official website.

External links

• Official website