Ethnic Composition

The total resident population was roughly estimated at about 2 million persons in mid-2000 by UNMIK Department for Local Administration. The ethnic Serb population accounted for 7 per cent while other ethnic groups together accounted for approximately 5 per cent of the total population. Other ethnic groups consist according to LSMS mainly of Muslims/Bosniaks (1.9 per cent), Romas (1.7 per cent), and Turkish (1 per cent).

Kosovo hosts a complex mixture of ethnic groups, Albanians (some Catholics, as well as Muslims), Serbs, Roma/Ashkali/Egyptians, Bosnjaks, Gorani, Turkish, Croats, and Montenegrins. The position of the various smaller groups differs considerably. The following will provide a short overview minorities in Kosovo.

Kosovo Serbs

Kosovo Serbs made up only around 10 per cent of the population before 1999. They dominated urban centres and virtually monopolized employment in state institutions and state-owned industries. By 1999 the population had further declined relative to the Albanian population, (estimated at between five and eight percent of the population). Following the flight of an estimated 200,000 Serbs and Roma after July 1999, some 100,000 Serbs, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) were thought to remain in Kosovo, a third of them living in the predominantly Serbian municipalities of Zvecan/Zvecan, Leposavic/Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, or in the towns of Štrpce/Shterpce and Mitrovica/ë north. These municipalities – with a minority Albanian population – are still largely administered by the Serbian government through parallel structures, which funds municipal and other services, including - in the divided town of Mitrovica/ë - hospitals, schools and a parallel university.

Beyond these municipalities, the largest concentration of the 65,000 Serbs living elsewhere in Kosovo remains in Gracanica/Graçanicë, with a population of around 4,000 domiciled Serbs and IDPs, as well as a significant Roma community, protected by KFOR and supported economically by Serbia. Elsewhere in Kosovo, Serbs live in mono-ethnic rural villages or under KFOR protection in majority Albanian urban areas.

Within the Serb community, political allegiances are divided between those - primarily in Mitrovica/ë and the northern municipalities - who maintain allegiance to Serbia and the Serbian government, and supporters of the Povratak (Return) Coalition. The latter, until recently, have moved towards a political accommodation with the Albanian community, with 20 members in the Kosovo Assembly, and a Ministerial post in the Provisional Institution of Self-Government (PISG).

Slavic Muslims – Bosniaks and Gorani

The Slavic Muslim community, with an estimated pre-war population of between 57,000 and 67,000, define themselves variously as Bosniaks, Bosnians, Torbesh, Muslims or Gorani.An estimated 35,000 Bosniaks remained in Kosovo the majority concentrated in Prizren town and in villages in the municipality, with other population concentrations in Pec/Peja (4,000) and in Vitomirica/e (2,100).

Gorani

The Gorani are a Slav-speaking/Islam-practicing ethnic group, clustered in the southern part of Dragash/Draga municipality, while smaller communities are scattered in Prizren, Prishtine/Pristina, Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, Obiliq/Obilic, and Lipjan/Lipljan. Overall, an estimated number of 11,000 reside in Kosovo, while the majority of the Gorani population resides abroad, in Serbia proper, FYR Macedonia and Albania. The fact that traditionally Gorani have been migrant workers makes it difficult to estimate numbers with accuracy. Additionally, due to the fact that in pre-1999 census, Gorani (together with Bosniaks and Torbesh) were generally categorized as "Muslim Slavs", it is difficult to gauge the exact size of the Gorani population and caution should be exercised as to the accuracy of any figure.

The Gorani language is similar to that spoken in the western part of FYR Macedonia and is different to other Slav dialects spoken in Kosovo, but understood by speakers of Serbian, Croatian, and Bosniak. Gorani can be most properly identified as a dialect of the Macedonian language, although it varies considerably from the standard literary Macedonian and even from village to village. The language has not been standardized and no descriptive scholarly work on the Goran idiom is available. This, together with never-ending fights between two political factions (one supporting the usage of Serbian and the other the usage of Bosniak) contributes to preventing the Gorani community from bringing forward a coherent demand over language rights.

Bosniaks

Bosniaks are seen as the successors to the old Muslim nationality group. In reality, these communities originate from a variety of regions, including modem-day Bosnia and Sandzak. Although some are dispersed within towns, most of them live in predominantly Muslim villages.

The language spoken by the Bosniaks, Bosniak, is linguistically specific to them, but is so closely related to Serbian and Croatian as to be practically indistinguishable. Bosniak is understood by all Serbian and Croatian speakers and all Bosniak speakers understand Serbian and Croatian.

Roma, Ashkali and Egyptiani

According to UNDP estimates, Roma, Ashkali and Egyptiani remaining in Kosovo, now make up some 1.8 per cent of the population. Throughout Kosovo, Roma continue to face same difficulties as other minorities, and now often live alongside Serbs in enclaves like Gracanica/Graçanicë - where they are marginalized by the Serb community. Roma also face institutional discrimination in access to basic social and economic rights, and often survive on money from family members abroad or short-term manual work, small-scale agriculture and rubbish collection.

Ashkali regard themselves as a distinct ethnic group, and since June 1999 have sought to distinguish themselves from the Roma, initially to avoid the collective retribution of ethnic Albanians against the Roma who were perceived as being "collaborators" with the Serbian authorities. Being Albanian speakers, and often living in areas populated by Albanians, many Ashkali fled or were expelled to Albania and Macedonia by Serbian police and paramilitaries during the NATO bombing campaign, while some Ashkali reportedly joined the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA/UCK).

The Egyptiani form a separate group who distinguish themselves from both the Roma and Ashkali. Mainly Albanian-speaking, the Egyptiani are nominally Muslim, sedentary and urban, with an estimated population in Kosovo of around 5,000, mainly in ÿakovica/Djakovë and Pec/Pejë often with a relatively high standard of living.

Turks

The Turkish community in Kosovo speak a local Turkish dialect. In 1999 there were sizable Turkish communities in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Prizren municipalities. Their political leaders generally retained a neutral position in Kosovo while claiming minority rights for education, employment and media.

Croats

Fewer than 3,000 ethnic Croats remained in Kosovo in early 1999; of these some 400 mainly elderly Croats – around 40 of whom returned during 2001 – still remain, primarily in Janjevo/Janjevë in Lipjan/Lipljan municipality, and in Letnica/Letnicë in Vitina/Viti municipality. Supported by relatives and the Croatian Catholic church, they face few security problems, although thefts targeting agricultural assets were reported in 2001.