Rahovec
Rahovec (Albanian definite form: Rahoveci) or Orahovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Ораховац), is a town and municipality located in the District of Gjakova in western Kosovo.
According to the 2011 census, the town of Rahovec has 15,892 inhabitants, while the municipality has 56,208 inhabitants.
Rahovec | |
|---|---|
Town and municipality | |
From the top, Panorama of Rahovec, Rahovec Clocktower, Xhamia e Sokolit | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
  Rahovec  Rahovec | |
| Coordinates: 42°23′58″N 20°39′17″E / 42.39944°N 20.65472°E | |
| Country | Kosovo |
| District | District of Gjakova |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Smajl Latifi (AAK) |
| Area | |
| • Municipal | 278 km2 (107 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 21st in Kosovo |
| Elevation | 477 m (1,565 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Municipal | 56,208 |
| • Density | 200/km2 (520/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 15,892 |
| • Ethnicity | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 21000 |
| Area code | +383 29 |
| Vehicle registration | 07 |
| Website | kk |
Etymology
The name of the town and municipality is of Serbian origin and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word orěhъ, meaning nux (English: nut). The name Rahovec comes from an Albanised pronunciation of Orahovac.
Geography and population
The municipality covers an area of approximately 276 km2 (107 sq mi) and contains 35 villages.
Economy
Rahovec is especially known for its vineyards and wines.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 27,335 | — |
| 1953 | 30,095 | +1.94% |
| 1961 | 35,461 | +2.07% |
| 1971 | 46,788 | +2.81% |
| 1981 | 61,178 | +2.72% |
| 1991 | 85,698 | +3.43% |
| 2011 | 56,208 | −2.09% |
| 2016 est. | 58,908 | +0.94% |
| Source: Division of Kosovo | ||
According to the last official census done in 2011, the municipality of Rahovec has 56,208 inhabitants.
In the municipality's total population, 98.14% are Albanians, amounting to 55,166 individuals, while the rest represent diverse minority groups in Kosovo, including Ashkali, Egyptians, Serbs, Bosniaks and various others.
Local Pidgin Language
The town was known for a language known locally as "Rahovecionshe" or "Raveqki", which is a mixture of Albanian, Serbian and Bulgarian. Its use has declined rapidly after the Kosovo War and nowadays it is nearly extinct. It is thought that this pidgin language developed as a way for Albanian grape farmers to sell their products to wine producers, who were predominately Slavic-speaking.
Notable people
- Shkëlzen Maliqi (born 1947), Kosovo Albanian former politician, born in Rahovec.
- Ajet Shehu (born 1990), English footballer, born in Rahovec .
- Ukshin Hoti (1943–1999), Kosovo Albanian activist, politician, and philosopher, born in Krusha e Madhe.
- Ali Sokoli (1921–1974), Yugoslav physician, born in Rahovec.
- Jovan Grković-Gapon (1879–1912), Serbian Chetnik, born in Rahovec.
- Lazar Kujundžić (1880–1905), Serbian Chetnik commander, born in Rahovec.
- Kida (born 1997), Kosovo Albanian female singer
- Xhevdet Bajraj (1960–2022), poet and screenwriter who resided in Mexico.
References
External links
- Rahoveci24.com (in Albanian)
- Rahoveci.NET (in Albanian)
- BBC article concerning March 2004 riots
- Statistical Office of Kosovo (SOK) (in Albanian)
- International Organization for Mifration (IOM)
- Survivors describe massacre in Orahovac
- Human Rights Publication-Massacre in Pastasel, Orahovac
- Photographic Evidence of Kosovo Genocide and Conflict
This article uses material from the Wikipedia English article Rahovec, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license ("CC BY-SA 3.0"); additional terms may apply (view authors). Content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
®Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wiki Foundation, Inc. Wiki English (DUHOCTRUNGQUOC.VN) is an independent company and has no affiliation with Wiki Foundation.