Kosovo

 

Kosovo is a disputed terrotory and partially recognised State that declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008 as the Republic of Kosovo

Serbia recognises the Republic's governance of the territory, it still continues to claim it as its own Autonomous Province of Kosova and Metohija 

Kosovo is landlocked bordered by -

• Republic of Macedonia and Albania to the South
• Montenegro to the West and 
• uncontested territory of Serbia to the north and east

Long-term severe ethnic tensions between Kosovo's Albanian and Serb populations left Kosovo ethnically divided, resulting in inter-ethnic violence, including the Kosovo War of 1998–99

The war ended with a Military Intervention of NATO, which forced the Federal Republic Republic of Yugoslavia to withdraw its troops from Kosovo, which became a UN Protectorate under UNSCR 1244 

On February 17,2008 Kosovo Parliament declared independence and has since gained Diplomatic REcognition as a Sovereign State by 108 United Nations(UN)Memebers 

Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo as a state,although with the Brussels Agreement of 2013  it has accepted the legitimacy of Kosovo institutions and its special status within Serbia

Within theEuropean Union(EU) Kosovo is recognised by 23 of the 28 members