Kosovo is situated in Southeast Europe in the central part of Balkan Peninsula. In the Southwest, it is bordered by Albania, in the Southwest by Montenegro, in the North by Serbia and in the East and Southwest by Macedonia. The territory extends within longitudes 41° 50’ 58’’ and 43° 15’ 42’’ and within latitudes 20° 01’ 30’’ and 21° 48’ 02’’

Kosovo covers a surface area of approximately 10,900 km² and is characterised by an average altitude of 800 m above sea level, but showing vertical changes of relief and morphology. These morphological changes are a consequence of the geological setting. The lowest point of Kosovo is located at the valley of Drini i Bardhë river, at the border to Albania and it reaches an elevation of 297 m. The highest point is located in the South of Kosovo – at Gjeravica – 2 565 m high

Kosovo landscape

From the geographical point of view, Kosovo is divided into two large regional flat units, after ÇAVOLLI: The north-eastern part is referred to as “Rrafshi i Kosovës”, the south-western part as “Rrafshi i Dukagjinit”. They are characterised by special climatic-geographical conditions. For instance, several subunits like Drenica, Novobërda and Gollaku, Fusha e Kosovës, Fusha e Moravës, Podujevë, and so on, are distinguished.

The border between Rrafshi i Dukagjinit and Rrafshi i Kosovës forms the surface water divide between the Adriatic Sea on the one side and the Black Sea and Aegean Sea on the other side.

Kosovo is surrounded by several high mountain ranges. The northern part is occupied by the Kopaonik mountains (above 2000 m), which are characterised by abrasive activity, both fluvial and glacial. In the southern and south-western part of Kosovo, at the border to Macedonia, the Mali i Sharrit mountains are located (above 2500 m). The western part of Kosovo (border to Albania) includes parts of the Alpet Shqiptare mountains and the Mali i Mokrës mountains (border to Montenegro). These areas are characterised by rocky material, high mountains and deep gorges.

Valley in the mountains

In the central part of Kosovo, western and south-western of Prishtina, the mountain ranges Bjeshket e Çiçavicës and Golesh, Carralevë and Milanovc are located, which are characterized by artistic forms, both fluvial and abrasive, rising to elevations of about 1000 m.

The part of Kosovo, which is characterized by flat areas, covers a surface of approximately 36 % of the country territory. These basins are characterized by elevations between 400 and 700 m above sea level.

Elevation model of Kosovo