Gnjilane Information
Gnjilane or Gjilan (Albanian: Gjilani or Gjilan; Serbian: Гњилане, Gnjilane; Turkish: Gilan) is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo[a]. It is the administrative center of the District of Gnjilane. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with −32.5 °C (−26.5 °F) on 25 January 1963.[citation needed]
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Name and history
The origin of the town name is disputed. Albanian sources claim that the town was originally established in 1572 by the Gjinolli family, who arrived from Novo Brdo, one of the most important late-medieval cities in the central Balkans. However, there is no definite evidence to support that claim, and in fact no one can confirm as to who the first true inhabitants were, or when they first settled there.
In 1915, in and around the city, the Serbian army made a futile stand against the 1st Army of Bulgaria, during the World War I Battle of Kosovo. That battle resulted in the ultimate defeat of the Serbian military, and the occupation by the forces allied with the then German Empire. In World War II there was a significant amount of activity in and around Gnjilane by the Partisans fighting against Nazi Germany and her allies. Monuments to these actions can still be found today, one of which is located in the middle of the village of Koretiste. In 1999, Camp Monteith was established outside the city as a base of operations for KFOR during Operation Joint Guardian, on the site of a destroyed Serbian military base which is handed over to Kosovo Protection Corps in 2007 after U.S. Military downsized their troops. Gnjilane has also served as the regional headquarters of the UNMIK International Police task force from 1999.
Population
In April 2008, the Gnjilane municipality was estimated to have over 130,000 residents.[1]. The vast majority of the population is Albanian, followed by Serbs, and a small number of minorities.
Official Languages
In Gnjilane Municipality Albanian, Serbian and Turkish languages are official languages.[2]
| Ethnic composition | |||||||||||||
| Year/Population | Albanians | % | Serbs | % | Roma | % | Others | % | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 24,797 | 50.87 | 19,196 | 39.32 | 48,748 | ||||||||
| 1961 | 29,942 | 57.12 | 18,297 | 34.91 | 735 | 1.50 | 52,415 | ||||||
| 1971 | 43,754 | 64.45 | 20,237 | 29.81 | 1,824 | 2.69 | 67,893 | ||||||
| 1981 | 59,764 | 71.08 | 19,212 | 22.85 | 3,347 | 3.98 | 1,762 | 2.1 | 84,085 | ||||
| 1991 | 79,357 | 76.54 | 19,370 | 18.68 | 3,477 | 3.4 | 1,471 | 1.4 | 103,675 | ||||
| 1998 | 94,218 | 79.4 | 19,481 | 16.4 | 3,568 | 3 | 1,387 | 1.2 | 118,654 | ||||
| 2003 (August) | 116,000 | 89.4 | 12,300 | 9.5 | 350 | 0.2 | 1,005 | 0.8 | 129,690 | ||||
| Source: Yugoslav Population Censuses for data through 1991, OSCE estimates for data from 1998 and 2003 | |||||||||||||
Economy
There are 3,700 registered private businesses in the municipality employing 7,900 people. Before 1999, Gnjilane was an important industrial centre in Kosovo. Still in operation are the radiator factory and tobacco factory, which has been recently privatized. The new city business incubator, supported by the European Agency for Reconstruction, was inaugurated in Summer 2007.
Features
Gnjilane is now the administrative center of the District of Gnjilane of Kosovo. Since February 15, 2003, it is the headquarters of the Local Democracy Agency in Kosovo of the Council of Europe.
Sports
Gnjilane is home to the Basketball club Drita Gjilan, the football clubs KF Gjilani and KF Drita and Volleyball club KV Drita, male and female- the most successful club in Gnjilane's history.
Notes and references
Notes:
| a. | ^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Kosovo is recognised by 72 of the 192 UN member states. |
References:
- ^ "Gjilan/Gnjilane" (PDF). Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. 2008. http://www.osce.org/item/1184.html. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
- ^ OSCE Implementation of the Law on the Use of Languages by Kosovo Municipalities
External links
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Coordinates: 42°28′N 21°29′E / 42.47°N 21.48°E
Categories: Municipalities of Kosovo | Populated places in Kosovo
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