Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija

The Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, commonly known as Kosovo and Metohija or Kosovo for short and abbreviated as KiM or Kosmet, refers to the region of Kosovo as defined in the Constitution of Serbia. The territory of the province is disputed between Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo, the latter of which has de facto control. The region had functioned as part of Serbia for most of the period between 1912 and 1999.

The territory of the province, as recognized by Serbian laws, lies in the southern part of Serbia and covers the regions of Kosovo and Metohija. The capital of the province is Pristina. The territory was previously an autonomous province of Serbia during Socialist Yugoslavia , and acquired its current status in 1990. The province was governed as part of Serbia until the Kosovo War , when it became a United Nations protectorate in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, but still internationally recognized as part of Serbia. The control was then transferred to the UN administration of UNMIK. On February 17, 2008, representatives of the people of Kosovo unilaterally declared Kosovo's independence, which is recognized by 98 UN members, but not by Serbia which still regards it as its province. On 22 July 2010 the International Court of Justice concluded that "the declaration of independence of Kosovo adopted on 17 February 2008 did not violate international law".

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