Rahovec ( sq-definite, Rahoveci) or Orahovac ( sr-Cyrl, Ораховац), is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

located in the

District of Gjakova The District of Gjakova (; ) is one of the seven districts of Kosovo, with seat in the city of Gjakova. Municipalities The district of Gjakova has a total of 3 municipalities and 170 other smaller settlements. Settlements Gjakova Mun ...

in western

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

. According to the 2024 census, the town of Rahovec has 13,642 inhabitants, while the municipality has 41,777 inhabitants.

Etymology

The name of the town and municipality is of

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 ...

origin and is derived from the

Proto-Slavic Proto-Slavic (abbreviated PSl., PS.; also called Common Slavic or Common Slavonic) is the unattested, reconstructed proto-language of all Slavic languages. It represents Slavic speech approximately from the 2nd millennium BC through the 6th ...

word ''orěhъ'', meaning nux (English:

nut Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed * Nut (food), a dry and edible fruit or seed, including but not limited to true nuts * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut, NUT or Nuts may also refer to: A ...

). The name ''Rahovec'' comes from an Albanised pronunciation of ''Orahovac''.

Geography and population

The municipality covers an area of approximately and contains 35 villages.

Economy

Rahovec is especially known for its vineyards and wines.

Demographics

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 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, ...

, amounting to 55,166 individuals, while the rest represent diverse

minority groups The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...

in Kosovo, including

Ashkali The Ashkali ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Ашкалије, Aškalije, separator=" / ", link=no), otherwise known as Hashkali ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Хашкалије, Haškalije, separator=" / ", link=no) and/or Balkan Egyptians ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Балкански ...

Egyptians Egyptians (, ; , ; ) are an ethnic group native to the Nile, Nile Valley in Egypt. Egyptian identity is closely tied to Geography of Egypt, geography. The population is concentrated in the Nile Valley, a small strip of cultivable land stretchi ...

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 ...

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 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 The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...

and nowadays it is nearly extinct. It is thought that this pidgin language developed as a way for

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 ...

grape farmers to sell their products to wine producers, who were predominately

Slavic Slavic, Slav or Slavonic may refer to: Peoples * Slavic peoples, an ethno-linguistic group living in Europe and Asia ** East Slavic peoples, eastern group of Slavic peoples ** South Slavic peoples, southern group of Slavic peoples ** West Slav ...

-speaking.

Notable people

Shkëlzen Maliqi Shkëlzen Maliqi (born 26 October 1947) is a Kosovar philosopher, art critic, political analyst and intellectual. During the early 1990s, Shkelzen was also directly involved in politics. He was one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party ...

(born 1947), Kosovo Albanian former politician, born in Rahovec. * Ajet Shehu (born 1990), English footballer, born in Rahovec . *

Ukshin Hoti Ukshin Hoti was a Kosovo Albanian philosopher and activist. Hoti was a professor of international law and later philosophy at the University of Pristina (1969–1999), University of Pristina and founder of UNIKOMB, a political party of Kosovo. Si ...

(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 Jovan Grković ( sr-cyr, Јован Грковић; 1879 – 9 October 1912), nicknamed Gapon (Гапон) was a former Serbian Orthodox monk who joined the Serb guerrilla (chetniks) in the Macedonian Struggle (1902–1912). Life Grković was bo ...

(1879–1912), Serbian

Chetnik The Chetniks,, ; formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland; and informally colloquially the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationalist m ...

, born in Rahovec. *

Lazar Kujundžić Lazar Kujundžić-Klempa ( sr-cyr, Лазар Кујунџић: 1880 – May 25, 1905) was a Serbian Chetnik Organization, Serbian Chetnik commander (vojvoda) who was active in Old Serbia and Macedonia. Biography He was born in Orahovac, Koso ...

(1880–1905), Serbian Chetnik commander, born in Rahovec. *

Kida Kida or KIDA may refer to: * Kida (surname), including a list of people with the name * Kida (singer) (Orhidea Latifi, born 1997), a Kosovo-Albanian singer * KIDA, a former television station in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S. * Kida Station, in Ama, Aic ...

(born 1997), Kosovo Albanian female singer *

Bylbyl Sokoli Bylbyl Sokoli (born 19 December 1957) is a Kosovar politician, football manager, former player and university professor. Managerial career Sokoli began his managerial career in the late 1990s with Ramiz Sadiku and later Flamurtari and 2 Korri ...

(born 1957), Kosovan football manager and politician

References

External links

Rahoveci24.com

Rahoveci.NET

BBC article concerning March 2004 riots

{{Authority control Cities in Kosovo Rahovec