The District of Peja (, ) is one of the seven

districts A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

of Kosovo. It has its seat in the city of

Peja Peja or Peć, ), is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the Peja's Lumbar ...

. The district has three municipalities and 118 other settlements. According to the 2024 census, the district had 146,301 inhabitants, and is the least populated of all the districts of Kosovo.

History

Peja region has been occupied from the

Illyria In classical and late antiquity, Illyria (; , ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; , ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians. The Ancient Gree ...

n era, and was part of ancient Dardania. It is mentioned in the Roman map of Ptholomeus from the 3rd century CE, and was given by various names such as Siparantum, Pech, Peka, and Pentza during various periods of time. Pechi, the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

name is first mentioned in the documents from 12th century CE. In the 14th century,

Stefan Dusan Stefan may refer to: * Stefan (given name) * Stefan (surname) * Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname * Štefan, a Slavic given name and surname * Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer * Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...

established the Peja Patriarchy, after separating it from

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

. After the Kosovo battle in 1389 CE between the

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...

and

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

s, the region was under the control of Balshaj family till 1421 and

Dukagjini family The House of Dukagjini is an Albanian noble family which ruled over an area of Northern Albania and Western Kosovo known as the Principality of Dukagjini in the 14th and 15th centuries. They may have been descendants of the earlier Progoni f ...

till 1462. The region came to be a part of

Sanjak of Scutari The Sanjak of Scutari or Sanjak of Shkodra (; ; or ''İşkodra Sancağı'') was one of the sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire. It was established after the Ottoman Empire acquired Shkodra after the siege of Shkodra in 1478–9. It was part of th ...

in the 16th century, during which time

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

was introduced to the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

population in the region. In October 1912, Peja region was captured by Montenegro from the Ottomans. It came under the occupation of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

in 1915, and later under the

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

in 1919. The

Italian Empire The Italian colonial empire (), also known as the Italian Empire (''Impero italiano'') between 1936 and 1941, was founded in Africa in the 19th century. It comprised the colonies, protectorates, concession (territory), concessions and depende ...

captured it from Yugoslavia during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in 1941, and put under the

German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...

in 1943. After the end of the war, it was returned to Yugoslavia in 1945, and it went to Serbia after the

dissolution of Yugoslavia After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved issues from the breakup caused a series of inter-ethnic Yugoslav ...

in 1992. In 1999, Kosovar armed forces captured the region, and later proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008. The Kosovar war of independence led to massive emigration and large scale damage to properties, with over 80% of the houses destroyed.

Demographics

According to the 2024 census, the district had 146,301 inhabitants, and is the least populated of all the districts of Kosovo. The population included 72,611 males and 73,645 females. About 37,272 people were classified as under the age of seventeen.

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

was the most spoken language with 140,018 (95.7%) speakers, followed by Bosnian (2.7%),

Serb The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history, and language. They primarily live in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia ...

(1.2%), and others. As per the 2024 data,

was the dominant religion with 134,041 adherents (92.8%).

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

formed the major minority with nearly 6.4% of the population adhering to it.

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

formed the majority of the population (92%) with other ethnicity such as Romanis,

Bosniaks The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...

, and

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...

forming a significant minority.

Administration

Peja is one of the seven

of Kosovo. It has its seat in the city of

. The district has three municipalities–

Istog Istog ( sq-definite, Istogu; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Исток, Istok) or Burim is a town and municipality located in the District of Peja of western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the city of Istog has 5,115 inhabitants, while the municipality has ...

, and

Klina Klina (Albanian language, Albanian: ''Klinë'' or ''Klina'') is a List of cities in Kosovo, town and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality located in the District of Peja of north-western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Klina h ...

and 118 other settlements. List of settlements: * Bogë * Babiq * Baran * Bellopaq * Bellopojë * Bllagajë * Breg i Zi * Brestovikë * Brezhanik * Broliq * Buçan * Çallapek * Dobërdol * Drelaj * Duboçak * Dubovë * Dugaivë * Gllaviçicë * Gllogjan *

Goraždevac Goraždevac ( sr-Cyrl, Гораждевац, ) is a village near the city of Peja in Kosovo. It has been inhabited since at least the thirteenth century, when it was mentioned in the chrysobull of Stefan Nemanja (or his son, Stefan the First-Crowne ...

* Graboc * Haxhaj * Jabllanicë * Jabllanicë e Madhe * Jabllanicë e Vogël * Katund i Ri * Kërstoc * Kliqinë * Koshutan * Kosuriq * Kotradiq * Kryshec * Kuçishtë * Leshan * Lëvoshë * Lipa * Loxha * Lubeniq * Lutogllavë * Llabjan * Llaz-Bellopaq * Llozhan * Llugaxhi * Malaj * Millovanc * Nabërgjan * Nakëll * Nepolë * Novosellë * Osojë * Ozdrim * Pavlan * Pepiq * Pishtan * Poçestë *

Qyshk Qyshk (in Albanian language, Albanian) or Ćuška ( sr-Cyrl, Ћушка) is a village near Peja, in western Kosovo. It is inhabited predominantly by ethnic Albanians. History In May 1999, during the Kosovo War, the Jackals (paramilitary), Jackal ...

Radac Radac (also known as Radavc, or Kryedrin) is a village located in Pejë, Kosovo. History This village was likely inhabited since prehistoric times. A man's femur was reportedly discovered in the Bukuroshja e Fjetur Cave. Due to its lack of wri ...

* Ramun * Rashiq * Raushiq * Rekë e Allagës * Rosulê * Ruhot * Sigë * Stankaj * Sverkë * Shkrel * Shtupeç i Madh * Shtupeç i Vogël * Treboviq * Trestenik * Turjakë * Vitomirica * Vragoc * Vranoc * Zagërmë * Zahaq * Zllapek

References

External links

Municipality of Peja
{{DEFAULTSORT:District Of Peja

History

Demographics

Administration

See also

References

Further reading

External links