A Muslim-majority state in the Balkans, twice the size of the Palestinian territories, with a population slightly smaller than Gaza's.
In the late 1990s Kosovo faced destruction at the hands of Slobodan Milosevic's regime, prompting NATO bombing of the Serbian military. Western powers created an interim administration under a provisional UN mandate—the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). It was led by Sérgio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian diplomat, and Bernard Kouchner, a former French foreign minister.
Kosovo Albanian leaders agreed to the demilitarisation of the pro-Western guerrillas. Various countries contributed to institution-building: Norway's top diplomat, Kai Eide, helped create a professional police force; America helped build modern banking and justice systems and provided troops for NATO's KFOR mission; the EU funded physical reconstruction and support for businesses; the OSCE organised free and fair elections; and KFOR provided overall security.
Kosovo became independent under a plan shepherded by Finland's then president, Martti Ahtisaari, who won the Nobel peace prize for the achievement. Tony Blair has hero status in Kosovo following his role in the NATO air campaign in 1999.
Today Kosovo is one of the safest destinations in Europe, according to Gallup.
Albin Kurti, a left-wing nationalist and former student activist, leads the Self-Determination party. He was first elected prime minister in 2021, and won a resounding re-election on December 28th 2025 with 51% of the vote. His government is widely regarded as the cleanest Kosovo has had since independence. Kosovo held its tenth parliamentary election that day.
A census in 2024 put the country's resident population at 1.6m, though 2m citizens were eligible to vote—reflecting a shrinking population as richer European countries welcome Kosovar workers. Diaspora voters lean heavily towards Mr Kurti.
Most Western countries recognise Kosovo's independence, but Serbia does not, nor do Russia or China, blocking Kosovo from joining the UN. Both Kosovo and Serbia aspire to join the EU, yet politicians from several EU member states say Serbia will never be allowed in until it recognises Kosovo. Kosovo's disputed statehood deters investment. After an incursion by armed Serbs in 2023, Mr Kurti expelled Serbian government institutions from Serbian-inhabited areas in the north and tightened policing there.
The great merit of society is to make one appreciate solitude.