GEOGRAPHY

Kosova, known as Kosovo to the Serbs, is a region in southwestern Serbia in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosova is bounded on the south by the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia, on the west by Albania, and on the northwest by Montenegro. Covering 4,126 square miles, Kosova is slightly larger than the Mediterranean island of Cyprus and makes up approximately one tenth of the area of the Yugoslav republic.

Pristina is the chief city and administrative centre; other main cities include Prizen and Pec. The region is one of mountains and valleys and includes the fertile basins of Kosova in the east and Dukaghjiina in the west, which are drained by the Southern Morava River. Other main rivers include the Drin, the Ibar and the Sitnica.

In general, the climate is continental, with cold, relatively dry winters and warm, humid summers. Summer temperature in the mountainous areas are notably cooler, averaging about 64° (18° C). Precipitation ranges from 22 to 75 inches per year, depending on elevation and exposure, with up to 120 days of annual snow cover in the mountains. In mountainous areas, trees cover 40% or more of the region, mostly oak and beech. Deer, bear and wild pigs abound in these areas.

POPULATION

Most sources estimated the 1998 population of Kosova at between 1.8 and 2 million people, however, according to a recent report by Citizen and Immigration Canada, the estimated population of Kosova in 1998 was approximately 1.5 million people, of which 1.3 million were ethnic Albanians. The report stated that in 1991 the total population was close to 2 million, but between 1991 and 1993 some 400,000 young Kosovar Albanians moved to western European countries to escape conscription into the Yugoslav army. Another 100,000 Albanians departed the country in 1998 due to Serb oppression.

Between 1945 and 1991, the percentage of ethnic Albanians in Kosova grew from 68% to more than 90%, with the remainder being mostly Serbs and Montenegrins. In 1991, approximately one third of the population were urban dwellers, compared to approximately half in the rest of Serbia. A life expectancy of 70 years is characteristic of all parts of the Yugoslav republic.

Between 1971 and 1981, the region's population expanded by an astounding 27 per cent, mainly due to the highest birthrates in Europe. In 1981, 52 per cent of Kosova's population was under 20 years of age, compared with 27 per cent in the rest of Serbia. In 1971, approximately three-quarters of all households had five or more members, and over a quarter had ten or more members. The average family size is 6.8 persons.

HISTORY

Serbs consider Kosova the cradle of their history and culture, with numerous Orthodox churches and monasteries located in the region. Serbs lost the decisive battle against the Ottoman Turkish empire in Kosova in 1389. Albanians say they are descendants of the ancient Illyrians, who were Kosova's first inhabitants.

Kosova was a province of Serbia in the communist-run Yugoslav Federation. The province won almost absolute autonomy in 1974 but, in 1989, Slobodan Milosevic, then Serbian President (now Yugoslavia's President) abolished their autonomy and introduced virtual martial law. In response, the region's political and educated elite declared independence, held free elections and elected a nominal parliament, and led a boycott of Serbian elections. However, this underground government was declared illegal by Serbian authorities, and twenty members were arrested in Macedonia in 1994. When the 1995 Dayton Agreement on Bosnia Hercegovina was signed without addressing the case of Kosova, Kosovar Albanians developed a more radical stance, and the KLA (Kosova Liberation Army) became more active and public in its operations.

While Kosovar Albanians continued to agitate for secession from Serbia, they remained badly split among internal political lines. The moderates have stated their willingness to negotiate an agreement that would accept autonomous self-rule, while the KLA and some other leading Kosovars insist on total independence.

RELIGION

Kosova's ethnic Albanians were once a mostly Roman Catholic people. After the Ottoman Turks conquered them in the 14^th century, the new religion brought in by the Turks found wide appeal among many Albanian families, so they embraced Islam in large numbers. By 1990 only about 10 per cent of Kosova's ethnic Albanians were Catholic.

While the vast majority of Kosova's Muslims practise mainstream Sunni Islam, virtually all villages in the region have some Shi'ite Muslim families. There are also several other small Islamic groups such as the Bektashi dervishes. Founded in the thirteenth century, the Bektashi sect was one of the official religions of Kosova under the tolerant policy of the Ottoman Turks. Its practice disregards much of traditional Islamic ritual and contains some Christian elements.

Although the Kosovar Muslims are not strongly religious or radical in their views, many of them do observe the more common Islamic traditions and prohibitions such as observing religious holidays and not eating pork.

LANGUAGE

Albanian speech is derived from the ancient Indo-European Thraco-Illyrian language, which is very different from Slavic, Serbo-Croatian or any other Balkan or European language. Albanian has two main dialects - Gheg and Tosk. Gheg is spoken by most people in northern Albania and Kosova, while Tosk is common among the southern Albanians. The two groups can understand each other with minor effect. The difference between the two has been compared to the difference between the English and the Scots. The Albanian alphabet is Latin-based and similar to English except that it includes an additional ten letters.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

For centuries, ethnic Albanian villagers in Kosova lived in extended families of 70 to 100 members ruled by a patriarch. Although the traditional extended family structure eroded steadily after Word War II, in most rural areas Kosovar Albanian society is still built on family and clan units. In the 1970's a modern educated elite began to emerge, but outside of the main cities it has not been able to displace the loyalties that most Kosovars hold towards their extended family units.

Kosovar Albanians are members of the Gheg sub-group. The basis of the Gheg social system is the clan or fis. Next to this is the sub-clan known as vellazeri, which is a group of families who are blood related. The clans no longer have the large blood feuds that were common in the last century, but they are intensely loyal to their own members and inter-clan killings are common. Within the vellazeri family unit there is often a variety of religious beliefs, but these have been outweighed by the strength of the loyalty to the clan itself.

The clan structures are male dominated and it is through the male bloodline that inheritance and loyalties are normally transmitted. Female members can sometimes play a role in the decision making process, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Law and order among Kosovar Albanians frequently depends as much on the unwritten rules (customary laws) of the clans as it does on any written or codified law. While the outsider may view this as a lawless society, in fact there is a clear sense of what is acceptable in their society. Principles of customary law are as follows:

-personal honour

-the equality of persons

-the freedom of each to act in accordance with his own honour, within the limits of the law, without being subject to another's command

-the word of honour, the besa, which creates a situation of inviolable trust (upon Besa, an Albanian takes both his honour and his life)

In recent times, old rites/traditions are gradually disappearing as western material influences reach even the most remote areas of Kosova. It is the older generation who keep these traditions alive.

Despite the animosity of most Albanians towards the Serbs, many Kosovar Albanians are equally uncomfortable being forced to deal with other clans as they are with the Serbs or other foreigners. This situation has the potential to cause disruptions among the Kosovar refugees, as they are distrustful of other Kosovar clans.

In rural areas, male children are more highly valued than females. The role of rural women is characterized by devotion to children and family. Although only about 20% of Kosovar women are employed in the formal work force, when both husband and wife work outside the home, child care is usually provided by grandparents or other relatives.

In the main cities of Kosova, the Albanian society is generally built on smaller family units composed of parents and children until the latter prefer to live separately. Female members are often well-educated and are equal members in the family unit, organizing and living a modern western lifestyle.

ECONOMY

Despite important deposits of lead, zinc, lignite coal, chromite and magnesite, the region has long been one of the poorest in Europe. The political upheavals of the past two decades have greatly affected education, health and social programs. Unemployment levels soared to 70% between 1990-1992, when an estimated 100,000 Kosovars were 'laid off' by the Serbian authorities.

Farming is the predominant way of life in Kosova and tends to be on a subsistence basis. Rural families produce a range of crops for their own consumption, including lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, apples, watermelons, plums, grapes and tobacco. Grains such as corn, wheat and barley are also important. Cattle and sheep are raised in the highlands. The number of tractors and other farm machines has risen, but fragmented land ownership has made large-scale mechanized farming impossible in most areas.

Industry and mining are economically important, including the production of cement and sulfuric acid, and the processing of tin and zinc from the mines in Trepca. Some light manufacturing plants are found in the largest cities. Timber is also an important product.

In the early 1970's, 20 per cent of Yugoslavia's work force was employed abroad. Not only did these 'guest workers' send needed money back home, but upon return to their homeland they generally brought with them valued vocational skills and higher levels of education. In Kosova, emigration was almost exclusively undertaken by men, rather than women.

EDUCATION

Educational standards in Kosova are extremely low compared to the rest of Europe and, like the economy have continued to decline for the past ten years. After losing their autonomy in 1989, all Albanian-language education was suspended (although elementary education was restored in late 1994), and the university in Pristina was closed. The parallel government formed by the Kosovar leadership in 1992 found means of continuing some Albanian language education outside of premises occupied by the Serbian military.

HOUSING

The buildings of Kosova display an intermingling of various ethno-cultural epochs, evident in public structures, churches, mosques and bridges in both urban and rural settings. The remnants of buildings from Roman times are to be found, but the best preserved monuments are from the Middle Ages and the time of the Turkish rule.

In many areas, square villages survive from the Ottoman period, when Turkish landowners dominated Serb and Albanian peasants. Houses were aligned around one or two open squares, and surrounding mud walls offered them protection. The landowner usually resided in a house with a watchtower in one corner. Some Kosovar villages are noteworthy for this style of housing.

Most village houses are of modest style. Few of the old wooden or woven houses remain and most often the houses are built of unbaked or baked brick. Kula are distinctive types of houses with thick stone walls. They are especially evident in the Dukagjin around Peja and Gjakova.

Cement and brick dwellings are the norm in most urban areas. Housing shortages have been a problem in some cities.

FOOD

The cuisine is influenced by Turkish, Austrian, Hungarian and Greek cultures. The most common foods include pasulj (beans), laker (cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice), skara (grilled meats), cevapa (small meatballs served with chopped onions), and spesatembushura (stuffed peppers). Roasted pork or lamb, served with potatoes is favored on special occasions. Typical cheeses include kajmak (made from the skim of boiled milk) and djath (a hard cheese often crumbled on Greek salad). Bread (usually white) is served with every meal. Coffee and juices are also consumed; tea is taken during illness.

Since the typical workday begins at 7 a.m., people wait until 10 a.m. for their breakfast (mengjes) which can be a substantial meal. The main meal of the day is ruak, eaten after work around 4 p.m. This is a heavy meal that includes soup and a meat dish, and is often followed by a nap. Dinner is usually a light snack.

Guests invited to dinner are often served meze (an antipasto of cheese and sausages) before the meal. When entertaining, it is important to offer more food than can be eaten, and guests are expected to eat all the food on their plates. Meals are times for conversation and social interaction.

CUSTOMS

Many ethnic Albanian customs are related to the act of childbirth. The pregnant woman is paid special attention. The institution of godfather is greatly respected and he is considered a spiritual relative.

Marriage is generally between members of the same religious community. When mixed marriages do take place the family usually practises both faiths. Marriage itself is an entire ritual from betrothal to the wedding. The bringing of the bride to the groom's home is attended by many rituals. Most wedding rituals have been retained to the present day, particularly in villages. Following the ceremony, celebration generally consists of much eating, drinking, and dancing.

In the cities only bits and pieces of old customs have remained. They are less a symbol of belief than part of a tradition that has continued by inertia.

Kosova has a wealth of diversified folk music, both instrumental and vocal. Melodies and dances of the Albanians of Kosova are dynamic and rhythmical. Their folk music enjoys great popularity in cultural circles and at community events.

Another style of Kosovar music is the long melodic lines and elaborate ornamentation of love songs that reflect the influence of Muslim vocal styles introduced by the Turks, who ruled from the 14^th to the 19^th centuries.

Folk costume is a popu lar custom that is predominantly a product of home industry. The richness of imaginati on in c reatin g motifs on costumes is manifested in details on waistcoats, top coats, trousers and hats embroidered by craftsmen and housewives. In the villages, people have kept alive their stylized costumes, each distinctive of its area and milieu.

Handicrafts is another ethnographic treasure of the Kosovars. The products of the Albanian craftsmen have been exported to many parts of the Balkans since the 17^th century. Many older works have been preserved in churches, chapels and mosques.

Cottage handicrafts are largely the product of women weavers and embroiderers, who weave and stitch many varied patterns that reflect the original spirit of their milieu. Particularly prized are gold, silver or silk-threaded cloth which is used to make various pieces of folk costume, dowry items, covers, wall decorations, bed linen, belts, and so no. Carpets of bright colours and elaborate designs are one of the ancient handicrafts of the weavers of Kosova.

Basic orientation normally provided under the RAP will be provided to refugees at the Canadian Forces Bases prior to their moving onward to meet their sponsors. It will not be possible to provide information specific to the community of settlement but the staff at the bases will provide basic orientation to Canada that will at minimum include but not be limited to:

-Basic geography of Canada, regional differences, major cities, distances

-Use of telephone and long distance calling

-When to use the emergency 911 number

-Schooling in Canada

-Employment in Canada

-Training in Canada

-Housing in Canada and responsibilities of landlords and tenants

-Postal system in Canada

-Personal Rights and Freedoms

-Children's rights

-Women's rights

-Rights of seniors

-Driving in Canada

-Basic laws for key areas, e.g. family violence, use of alcohol and drugs, etc.

-Norms and expectations

-Role of private sponsorship in Canada and in the community of settlement (JAS)

Videos on housing, education and employment in Canada will be made available in Albanian to the refugees at the bases.