Kosovo population data-points

These figures are preliminary, while reasonably primary sources are being uncovered. The whole topic seems confused and prone to misinformation and misperceptions.

1871: According to Austrian colonel Peter Kukulj in a study done for the internal use of the Austro-Hungarian army: In the mutesarifluk of Prizren there was some 500,000 inhabitants, out of that: 318.000 Serbs (64%), 161.000 Albanians (32%), 10.000 Roma (Gypsies) and Circassians, 2.000 Turks

1912-1913 Albanians: 60-65%; Serbs: 25-30% ; Total 400-500,000. [3] Figures possibly reversed, prior source unknown.

Balkan Wars, World War I.

1929 Serbs: 61% Others 39%. [1]

1941 "Essentially unchanged". [1]

World War II: displacement of Serbs;

Post World War II

1948: 498,242 Albanians or 65%

1953: 524,559 Albanians or 65%

1961: 646,604 Albanians or 67%. [1]

In 1968 imposition of Albanian rule in province, local provincial Statistical office given authority over census whereas the rest of the country's census was under the tutelage of the Federal Statistical Commission. Allegations of census rigging (for the 1971 and 1981) by Serbs and especially Turks, Muslims and Roma minorities who claimed that the Albanians forcefully declared them as Albanians. Serbs also claim that Albanians drastically overincreased their own numbers. Nothing could be substantiated though because the Kosovo Statistical offices were under exclusive Albanian control which was against the national norm at the time which dicated that census takers had to be of different nationalities (i.e. one Albanian and one Serb not both Albanian).

1971: 916,168 Albanians or 74%. [1]

Albanians take ever-increasing control of Autonomous province with the introduction of the 1974 Constitution.

1981: 1,226,736 Albanians 77%; Serbs 13%; Total 1,584,440. [2]

Intense immigration from Albania.

Newly strong Yugoslav Central Government reasserts control over Kosovo in 1989.

Official Yugoslav statistical results, most Albanians boycotted the census. 1991 359,346 Total population - 214,555 Orthodox Serbs (194,190 Serbians and 20,365 Montenegrins) - 9,091 Albanians (most boycotted) - 57,758 (Slavic) Muslims - 44,307 Roma - 10,445 Turks - 8,062 Croats (Janjevci) - 3,457 Yugoslavs

Official Yugoslav statistical corrections, with the help of previous censa results (1948-81)

1,956,196 Total population (corrected from 359,346) - 214,555 Orthodox Serbs (194,190 Serbians and 20,365 Montenegrins) - 1,596,072 or 81,6 % Albanians (corrected from 9,091) - 66,189 (Slavic) Muslims (corrected from 57,758) - 45,745 Roma (corrected from 44,307) - 10,445 Turks - 8,062 Croats (Janjevci) - 3,457 Yugoslavs

NATO occupies province, 360,000 non-Albanians are evicted and some 200,000 Albanians settle from Northern Albania

1999 approx. 88% Albanians (1,672,000), 6% Serbs (114,000), 3% Muslim Slavs (57,000), 2% Roma (38,000), 1% Turks (19,000). Total population circa 1.9 mn. [4]

References

[1] http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmfaff/28/28ap42.htm

[2] http://www.un.org/icty/indictment/english/mil-ai010629e.htm

[3] Kosovo

[4] http://www.unmikonline.org/eu/index_fs.pdf