Republic of Kosovo

World Factbook as of November 2014: "Kosovo's economy has shown significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with a per capita GDP (PPP) of $7,600 in 2013. An unemployment rate of 45% encourages emigration and fuels a significant informal, unreported economy. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and the Nordic countries - are estimated to account for about 15% of GDP, and donor-financed activities and aid for approximately 10%. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize a majority of its state-owned-enterprises. Minerals and metals - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry, but output has declined because of ageing equipment and insufficient investment. A limited and unreliable electricity supply due to technical and financial problems is a major impediment to economic development, but Kosovo has received technical assistance to help improve accounting and controls and, in 2012, privatized its distribution network. The US Government is cooperating with the Ministry for Energy and Mines and the World Bank to prepare commercial tenders for the construction of a new power plant, rehabilitation of an old plant, and the development of a coal mine that could supply both."

Labor force in agriculture
2010: 23.6%

Unemployment rate
2009: 45%

People

Ethnicity
2008: Albanians 92%, other (Serb, Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk, Ashkali, Egyptian) 8%

Population
July 2013 estimate: 1,847,708

Religions
Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic

Geography

Southeastern Europe. Slightly larger than Delaware, 10,887 square kilometers.

Government

President is elected for a five-year term by the Assembly. The prime minister is elected by the Assembly. The Assembyl has 120 members. One hundred of these members are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. Ten of the 120 members are ethnic Serbs and 10 others are members are of other ethnic minorities.

Capital: Pristina

Recent History

On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared its independence from Serbia.

SOURCES:
The World Factbook