Cities in Kosovo empty, cities flocked

According to official data from the Kosovo Statistics Agency in 1981, 145 inhabitants lived in 1 square mile, and last year 163 square miles [1 sq km] in Kosovo lived in 2011, with 164,92 inhabitants.

Demographical knowledge points out that population density has mostly increased in urban areas, as they believe, after the end of the war many citizens have moved from rural areas.

Demaft Rifat Blaku, in a proposal for Radio Free Europe, says Kosovo has greater density than the average of countries in the region, but also in Europe.

The growth of density especially in some regions is disrespecting a national spatial plan and overcrowding in major Kosovo centres, especially in Pristina, Mitrovica, Prizren, Gjakova, Peja and Gjilan, as the promotional areas from the rural area” says Blakuu.

Even Pristina University Geography professor Fitim Humolli, for Radio Free Europe, says the number of residents in Kosovo is equivalent to its size and territory, but there is a marked concentration of population density in some Kosovo centres, namely in the capital, in Pristina.

This causes development problems in peripheral areas, not to say rural areas, and it causes a concentration that is difficult to “exceeded” in the economic and social sense”, Humwall says.

According to Statistics Agency data, the total number of residents in Kosovo last year has been around 1.8 million, while in Pristina alone, according to official data, reportedly live over 211 thousand people.

Yes, unofficially, Pristina reportedly has over 400,000 residents, as a portion of the population has temporary settlements in other parts of Kosovo.

According to official notes published by the municipal administration, it is estimated that during the day in Pristina over 500 thousand citizens are moving.

During 2015 alone, according to official data, there were some 9,000 cases of domestic population movements, from one municipality to another.

This shift, according to experts, has happened to the will of citizens, in search of a better life.

Professor Rifat Blaku, says the lack of conditions and infrastructure in rural areas has made cities more attractive.

“The lack of infrastructure, school, ambulances, then small rural employment opportunities make the city more attractive, more attractive. As a result of an uncontrolled “ ” from the village”, Black points out.

The shift of Kosovo's population from rural to urban areas “has created problems, without their blame, in various fields” says on the other side Fitim Humolli.

The lack of real regional and local policies has led citizens to rightly target more attractive territories”.

This has caused many problems, because a large part of the population coming from periphery areas cannot adapt to new environments, which only have been seen in Kosovo” says Humolli.

By contrast, according to data from the Kosovo Statistics Agency, the percentage of the population living in rural areas in 2011 was 61, 7 percent, and in urban areas 38. 3 percent.