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    The ridges of Bjeshkët e Nemuna seen from the air, at the point where Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro meet

    How to read the map

    Kosovo on the map, region by region

    On the map, Kosovo is a landlocked 10,905 km² patch of the central Balkans, with Albania to the south-west, North Macedonia to the south, Montenegro to the west and Serbia to the north and east. It's split into 38 municipalities grouped into seven statistical regions, and its highest mountains run along the western and southern edges.

    For planning, I'd cut the map in half. The west, from Peja to Prizren, is mountains, monasteries and Ottoman old towns; the east is Pristina and its surroundings. Pick one base in each half rather than moving every night.

    Sergio LeponeMy advice

    Before you go

    What I would keep in mind

    1. 01 My tip

      Seven regions that govern nothing

      The Pristina, Mitrovica, Peja, Prizren, Ferizaj, Gjilan and Gjakova regions exist for statistics. The Constitution makes the municipality the unit of local self-government.

      regions of Kosovo

    2. 02 Getting there

      Read the north differently

      Zvečan, Zubin Potok, Leposavić and North Mitrovica are the municipalities gov.uk flags for a risk of protests. On the map they're the strip across the top.

      is Kosovo safe

    3. 03 Most beautiful

      Mountains draw the border

      The Sharr range to the south-west and Bjeshkët e Nemuna to the west, home to 2,656-metre Gjeravica. Both are national parks and take up much of the edge of the territory.

      mountains in Kosovo

    Reading a map of Kosovo is easier with a few pointers. There’s no coast, the high mountains keep to the western and southern edges, and the lines inside mark municipalities rather than self-governing counties. Here’s how I read it when planning a trip. If you just want to know which part of Europe it’s in, see where is Kosovo.

    The outline and the four neighbours

    The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (ASK) puts the area at 10,905 km². Trace the OpenStreetMap border and you meet Albania on the south-western side, North Macedonia along the south, Montenegro to the west and Serbia wrapping round the north and east. The Serbian crossings carry a catch no map shows. According to gov.uk, anyone entering Kosovo another way can’t leave for Serbia through those crossings without an earlier Serbian entry stamp, which I explain in crossing from Serbia.

    Seven regions and 38 municipalities

    The internal lines are the 38 municipalities, which the Constitution defines as the units of local self-government. ASK groups them into seven regions for its tourism statistics, but doesn’t publish which municipality goes where, so I use the OpenStreetMap split. The Pristina region is the most populous, with 511,307 people counted in 2024, and Peja, with three municipalities, the least. What each region offers is in regions of Kosovo, and the full list with Albanian and Serbian names is in municipalities of Kosovo.

    To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Prizren on Expedia and filter by area before price.

    Where the mountains are

    On a relief map, the high ground wraps the west and south. To the west, by Montenegro and Albania, is Bjeshkët e Nemuna (Prokletije), a national park since 2012 covering 62,488 ha. To the south-west, by North Macedonia and Albania, are the Sharr Mountains, a national park since 1986. The top of it all is Gjeravica, given as 2,656 metres by the Spanish foreign ministry. Gov.uk names the mountains between Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro as one of the areas with old landmines, so mark it on any walking map.

    Rivers, lakes and towns

    The rivers with the longest course inside Kosovo, according to ASK, are the White Drin (112 km), the Sitnica (110) and the Ibar (85), which runs through Mitrovica. The largest lake is Gazivoda, 9.1 km², in the north. The big towns split between the east, with Pristina, Gjilan and Ferizaj, and the west, with Prizren, Peja and Gjakova. I compare them, with populations, in cities in Kosovo.

    If you are short on time, see the best tours in Prizren and pick one that fits your day.

    What I use the map for

    Two things. Choosing a base, because the west holds most of what I like best, and avoiding mountain roads after dark, which gov.uk rates as fair to poor with a risk of landslides. If you’re driving in from the UK or hiring a car, that second point matters more than any distance chart, and it’s the reason I plan shorter days than the map suggests.

    To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Prizren on Booking.com and filter by area before price.

    The Sharr mountains seen from Kosovo, with golden pasture, snowfields on the summits and white clouds overhead

    The Sharr mountains seen from Kosovo, with golden pasture, snowfields on the summits and white clouds overhead

    Pristina from the cathedral tower, looking down Bill Clinton Boulevard to tower blocks and green hills beyond

    Pristina from the cathedral tower, looking down Bill Clinton Boulevard to tower blocks and green hills beyond

    The bridge over the Ibar river in Mitrovica, with its white steel arch and houses on the far bank

    The bridge over the Ibar river in Mitrovica, with its white steel arch and houses on the far bank

    The seven regions on the map

    RegionMunicipalitiesCensus population 2024
    Pristina8 (Prishtinë, Drenas, Fushë Kosovë, Graçanicë, Lipjan, Novobërdë, Obiliq, Podujevë)511,307
    Prizren5 (Prizren, Dragash, Malishevë, Mamushë, Suharekë)271,386
    Ferizaj5 (Ferizaj, Hani i Elezit, Kaçanik, Shtërpcë, Shtime)180,583
    Mitrovica7 (Mitrovicë, Mitrovicë e Veriut, Leposaviq, Skënderaj, Vushtrri, Zubin Potok, Zveçan)173,642
    Gjakova4 (Gjakovë, Deçan, Junik, Rahovec)152,216
    Gjilan6 (Gjilan, Kamenicë, Kllokot, Partesh, Ranillug, Viti)150,176
    Peja3 (Pejë, Istog, Klinë)146,256

    Municipalities by region from OpenStreetMap (the statistics agency doesn't publish the split); population is my sum of ASK's municipal figures. Mitrovica, using ASK's estimate for the north, totals 190,591.

    Main rivers and lakes

    NameFigureSource
    White Drin (Drini i Bardhë)112 km inside KosovoASK
    Sitnica110 kmASK
    Ibar (Ibri)85 kmASK
    Lake Gazivoda9.1 km²ASK
    Lake Radoniq5.96 km²ASK

    Test yourself

    True or false?

    0/3 Pick before you peek.

    1. Kosovo has a coastline.

      See the answer

      False. It doesn't. Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia surround it, according to the OpenStreetMap boundary.

    2. Kosovo's seven regions each have their own government.

      See the answer

      False. They're statistical regions. Article 12 of the Constitution makes the municipality the unit of local self-government.

    3. The White Drin is the river with the longest stretch inside Kosovo.

      See the answer

      True. The statistics agency gives it 112 km inside Kosovo, ahead of the Sitnica at 110 and the Ibar at 85.

    Map

    Kosovo, from Prizren to Mitrovica

    The Bjeshkët e Nemuna mountains close off the west and the Sharr the south; in the middle lies the Pristina plain. Every number opens its guide.

    1Pristina region 2Mitrovica Region 3Gjakova 4Mitrovica 5Pristina 6Prizren 7Fushë Kosovë 8Vushtrri 9Podujeva 10Peja 11Prizren region 12Ferizaj region 13Ferizaj 14Peja region 15Gjakova region 16Gjilan region 17Gjilan

    Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

    1. 1Pristina regionOne of Kosovo's seven statistical regions
    2. 2Mitrovica RegionOne of Kosovo's seven statistical regions
    3. 3GjakovaTown in western Kosovo
    4. 4MitrovicaNorthern Kosovo's main town, on the River Ibar
    5. 5PristinaCapital of Kosovo under its Constitution
    6. 6PrizrenKosovo's second town
    7. 7Fushë KosovëPristina region, 63,949 people in 2024
    8. 8VushtrriTown in the Mitrovica region
    9. 9PodujevaPristina region, 70,975 people in 2024
    10. 10PejaTown in the Peja region
    11. 11Prizren regionOne of Kosovo's seven regions
    12. 12Ferizaj regionSouthern Kosovo, next to North Macedonia
    13. 13FerizajFerizaj (Uroševac), regional centre
    14. 14Peja regionOne of Kosovo's seven statistical regions
    15. 15Gjakova regionOne of Kosovo's seven statistical regions
    16. 16Gjilan regionEastern Kosovo, the Binačka Morava valley
    17. 17GjilanGjilan (Gnjilane), Gjilan region

    0 of 208 Kosovo guides

    Your next stamp

    1. Regions
    2. Municipalities
    3. Prizren region

    Frequently asked questions

    Where is Kosovo on the map of Europe?

    In the middle of the Balkan peninsula, with no coastline, between Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The where is Kosovo guide goes into more detail.

    Is Kosovo on a map of the Balkans?

    Yes, it sits at the centre of the Balkans, bordered by four other Balkan countries. If you're planning a wider trip, my Balkans itinerary shows how the borders affect the order of countries.

    Where is Pristina on the map?

    In the east of Kosovo, in the region named after it. It's the largest city, with 143,469 people at the 2024 census.

    How many regions does Kosovo have?

    Seven statistical regions, Pristina, Mitrovica, Peja, Prizren, Ferizaj, Gjilan and Gjakova, grouping the 38 municipalities. They have no government of their own.

    Which mountains are on the Kosovo map?

    The Sharr Mountains in the south-west and Bjeshkët e Nemuna (Prokletije) in the west, both national parks. The highest peak is Gjeravica, 2,656 metres according to the Spanish foreign ministry.

    Sergio Lepone

    By

    Tourism graduate with a master’s in Tourism Management and Planning from the University of Málaga, who has travelled across Europe. He writes every guide from official sources and his own judgement.

    Published on . Facts checked on .

    How I check every fact and where it comes from

    Sources

    Some links in this guide are affiliate links: if you book through them, the site earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure

    Photos: SUHEJLO (CC BY 4.0); Aljabakphoto (CC BY-SA 4.0); Bdx (CC0); GentiBehramaj (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.