Demographic history of Kosovo & Metohia
Decani charter from 1330. contains the detailed census of households and villages within Metohia and north-west Albania, three out of 89 settlements are Albanian, the rest being non-Albanian population, with Serbs representing the absolute majority
The historic and archeological sources from medieval age are enough documented to reveal the ethnic structure of Kosovo and Metohia. We have compiled the shortened version of the demographic data which began changing after the Ottoman occupation.
Decani charter from 1330. contains the detailed census of households and villages within Metohia and north-west Albania, three out of 89 settlements are Albanian, the rest being non-Albanian population, with Serbs representing the absolute majority..
Out of 2.666 peasant households that had houses and agricultural facilities and 2.166 households who were keeping livestock 44 households (1.8%) were Albanian. All the rest were Serbian.
According to Turkish records from 1455, the territory under control of Brankovic dynasty (which covered about 80% of territory of Kosovo) had 480 villages. There were 13.693 adult males, 1285 households, 14.087 heads of families (480 widows and 13.607 adult males).
In ethnic terms: 12,985 Serbian households in 480 town and villages, 75 Aromanian (Vlach) households in 34 villages, 17 Bulgarian households in 10 villages, 5 Greek households in Lausa, Vucitrn, one Jewish households in Vucitrn, one Croatian household.
In the Census of 1487, Vucitrn County had 16,729 Christian househols (412 in Pristina and Vucitrn), 117 Muslim households (94 in Pristina, 83 in rural areas).
Ipek: 68% of Slavs, 121 Christian households, 33 Muslim. Suho Grlo, Metohia: 131 Christan households, 52% Slavs. Donja Klina: 50% of Slavs, Decani: 64% of Slavs. Rural areas: 6.124 Christian households (99%), 55 Muslim (1%).
The data from 19th century is very often contradictory, sometimes it stated the Serbian majority, sometimes Albanian majority. The census data of Ottoman Empire is mainly considered unreliable, given that it is based on religious affiliations rather than ethnic details.
The study of 1838, conducted by Josef Miller, a doctor from Austria, has shown that Metohia is still predominantly inhabited by Serbs. Miller gave details for three cities, Prizren, Pec and Djakovica, which only covers partially the territory of Metohia.е.
Out of 195.000 residents: 73,572 Orthodox Serbs 38 %, 5.120 Catholic Albanians 3 %, 2.308 other non-Muslims (Janjevo); 114.000 muslims (58 %), out of them 38.000 Serbs(19% %), 76.000 Албанаца (39 %).
Pec: 11.050 Serbs, 500 Albanians; Prizren: 16.800 Serbs, 6.150 Albanians; Djakovica: has Albanian majority inside the city, surrounded by Serbian villages
The map published by French geographer G.Lejan from 1861 shows that Albanians live on 57% of the territory of the province, while the similar map that was published in 1867 by British travelers G.M. McKenzie I.P. Irbey states a bit less. These maps are not to be used as a reference which ethnicity was the predominant one.
One study from 1871 conducted by Austrian coroner Petar Kukulj for the internal use of Hungarian army states the following: of 500.000 residents, 318.000 are Serbs (64%), 161.000 Albanians (32%), 10.000 Roma and Chercassian, 2000 Turks..
Milos S. Milojevic, who has traveled through the whole region between 1871-1877 left us an evidence showing that Serbs made the majority of the population and were the predominant inhabitants in all cities, while the Albanians were a minority and inhabited mainly rural areas. According to his data, Albanians made the majority only in the south of Drenica (Muslim Albanians) and Djakovica area (Catholic Albanians), while the cities mostly had Serbian population. He also recorded several Turkish, Gypsy (Roma) and Chercassian settlements.
THE ADVENT OF ALBANIANS
During the war between Ottoman Empire and Habsburg Monarchy 1683-1699, a great number of Serbs migrated towards the North, towards Serbia proper and Austria and Hungary. As a consequence, this space was filled up by mainly Muslim Albanians from higher grounds (Malesi), mostly in Metohia. This process continued during the 18th century.
The change of ethnic composition
The map of Alfred Sped published in 1909 shows that a similar number of Albanisn and Serbs live in the area. However, in 1921, of 439.010 residents, 280.440 (64,1%) are the Albanians
An estimated 400.000 Serbs were expelled from Kosovo vilayet from1876-1901, especially during Turko-Greek war in 1897. The maps by German historian Kippert, J.Han and Austrian consul K.Sachs show that Albanians live in most of todays province of Kosovo, but they don’t show which ethnic group constitutes a majority. According to them, the area around Kosovska Mitrovica and Kosovo Polje is populated mainly by Serbs, and most of the area of western and eastern part of Kosovo is inhabited by Muslim Albanians. According to this statistics that was published in 1899: 182.650 Albanians (47.88%), 166.700 Serbs (43,70%)
British journalist H. Brailsford estimated that two thirds of the population is Albanian, and one third Serbian. Most populated west cities are Djakovia and Pec that have between 20.000-25.000 Albanian households, and approximately 5000 Serbian households.
The map of Alfred Sted published in 1909 states that approximately the same number of Albanians and Serbs live in the area.
. German scientist Gustav Weigand gave the following statistical analysis, based on the state of affairs prior to WWI, in 1912: Pristina (municipality): Albanians 67%, Serbs 30%, Prizren, 63% Albanians, 36% Serbs, Vucitrn, 90% Albanians, 10% Serbs, Urosevac, 70% Albanians, 30% Serbs, Gnjilane, 75% Albanians, 23% Serbs, Kosovska Mitrovica, 60% Serbs, 40% Albanians, Metohia with Djakovica city is claimed almost exclusively Albanian.
The Ottoman Empire conducted one more study, shortly before it fall, in 1912: Christian Serbs 415.300, Muslim Serbs 236.420, Albanians 106.270, Turks (incl. Chercassians and Juruks) 39.050, Roma 12.380, Jews 1.750, Greeks 20
The ethnic structure suddenly changed during the 20th century.
In 1921, of 439.010 inhabitants, 280.440 (64,1%) are Albanians.
In 1938, Yugoslavia and Turkey signed the agreement on moving 200.000 Muslims (Turks and Albanians) to Turkey. Owing to logistic issues, Turkey withdrew from the treaty, there only 4.000 people have moved out.
On several occasions, Serbian authorities attempted to repopulate the province with Serbian Orthodox residents, in 1922 and 1938. About 10.000 families were settled mostly in northern Kosovo, in Kosovo Polje and along the Lab river.
The census data and other sources vary in depicting the ethnic map, therefore, of 552.064 residents, Albanians are estimated to make between 40% and 62%.
Due to the violence in WWII, tens of thousands of non-Albanians are moving to Serbia proper and Montenegro, and the Albanians from Albanian take their place.
Communist authorities lead by president Tito prohibit the return of expelled persons to Kosovo & Metohia, however the new safety measures slow the new forced movement.
Oppression and violence are on the rise again. Official data becomes unreliable, often concealed and forged. The immigration from Albania is getting stronger. The structure from 1971 is as follows: Total 1.243.693 residents, 916.168 Albanians (73,7%), 228.264 Serbs (18.4%), 31.155 Montenegrins (2.5%) 26.000 Muslim Serbs (2.1%), 14.593 Roma (1.2%), 12.244 Turks (1%), 8000 Croatians (0.7%) 920 Yugoslavs (0.1%)
In the census of 1981.overall 1.584,558, Albanians: 1.226,736 (77,42%); 209.498 Serbs (13,2 %); 27.028 Montenegrins (1,7 %); 2.676 Yugoslavs (0,2 %).
The 1991. census was boycotted by most of Albanians, and a smaller number of Roma and Muslims. According to this census, in Kosovo and Metohia there was 194.190 Serbs (10%), 20.365 Montenegrins (1%), 9.091 Albanians, 57,758 Muslims, 44.307 Roma, 10.445 Turks, 8.062 Croatians (Janjevci, Letnica), 3.457 Yugoslavs.
After the wars and ethnic cleansing, rough estimates say that in 2000, in Kosovo and Metohia there is 88% of Albanians (1.584.000-1.733.600), 7% of Serbs (126.000-140.000), 3% of Muslims (54-60.000), 2% of Roma (36-40.000), 1% of Turks (18.000-20.000).
DIFFERENT ESTIMATE OF TOTAL POPULATION
The province is still to conduct the official census. It is important to mention that the estimates of Statistical Bureau from Belgrade and the estimate from its Pristina counterpart differ significantly on the total population and population structure (Pristina estimates total population of 1.800.000 to 2.000.000, while Belgrade only 1.378.980). Seven years after the arrival of NATO forces and UN, there are at least 250.000 expelled non-Albanians that do not live in the province, while the migration from the province as well as modest return take place simultaneously.
Glas Javnosti, 2007.
