The Largest Cities In Kosovo

Prizren, Kosovo's second largest city, is located on the banks of the Prizren Bistrica river. Editorial credit: mastapiece / Shutterstock.com
Prizren, Kosovo's second largest city, is located on the banks of the Prizren Bistrica river. Editorial credit: mastapiece / Shutterstock.com

Kosovo is a disputed, partially-recognized, landlocked state that is situated in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Kosovo occupies an area of about 4,203 sq miles and has a population of around 1,740,000 people. Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and the uncontested Serbian territory surround Kosovo. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. Today, only 100 UN member countries recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state.

According to the Kosovo Census 2011, Pristina, Prizren, Gjilan, Peć, and Kosovska Mitrovica are the five largest cities in Kosovo.

The Population Giants Of Kosovo

1. Pristina

Pristina, also known as Prishtina, is the largest and capital city of Kosovo. It has a population of 198,897 people. Pristina is situated in northeastern Kosovo near the Goljak where it occupies an area of about 221sq miles. Albanian (97.8%), Turkish, and Ashkali are the biggest ethnic communities in the city. Pristina experienced a population growth of 0.58% from 2011 (198,897) to 2016 (204,721). It is the second-biggest city on the planet with a predominantly Albanian-speaking population. Prishtina is also the most important transportation hub in Kosovo and houses the largest airport in the region.

2. Prizren

Prizren is a municipality and city situated in the District of Prizren, Kosovo. Prizren is the second-most-populous city in Kosovo with a population of 177,781 people. Prizren sprawls along the banks of River Prizren Bistrica and onto the slopes of Sharr Mountains in south Kosovo. It shares a boundary with North Macedonia and Albania. The city experienced a 0.6% decline in population from 1991 (200,584 individuals) to 2011 (177,781 individuals). Albanians, Bosniaks, and Turks are the major ethnic groups in the city.

3. Gjilan

Gjilan is situated in the District of Gjilan in eastern Kosovo. It is the third most populous city in the region and houses 90,178 individuals. Gjilan’s population has always been multi-ethnic. However, Albanians dominated the city during the Serbian-Yugoslav and Turkish rules. A considerable percentage of residents of Gjilan are Albanian (87,814), Turks (978), and Serbs (624).

4. Pec

Pec is situated on Pec Bistrica, a branch of River White Drim. The municipality of Pec occupies an area of about 232 sq miles, and it includes 95 villages. Pec has a population of 96,450 individuals. During medieval times, Pec was the seat of the Serbian-Orthodox Church. Between 1991 (127,796 individuals) and 2011 (96,450 individuals), the number of residents living in Pec decreased by 1.4%.

The Demography Of Kosovo

Kosovo is the 11th most populous state in the Balkan Peninsula and the 149th biggest state in the world. The average life expectancy in Kosovo is 76.7 years. Albanians and Serbs are the largest ethnic groups in the region. Egyptians, Ashkalis, Turks, Bosniaks, Roma, Gorani, and others also inhabit Kosovo. Serbian and Albanian are the official languages of the state.

The Most Populous Cities in Kosovo

RankCityMunicipal Population
1Priština198,897
2Prizren177,781
3Gnjilane90,178
4Peć96,450
5Kosovska Mitrovica84,235
Share

More in World Facts