A District is the highest administrative division

Administrative division

An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...

 level of both the Kosovo (UNMIK) protectorate and the partially recognized

International reaction to the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence

Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia was enacted on Sunday, 17 February 2008 by the Assembly of Kosovo with a unanimous quorum. All 11 representatives of the Serb minority boycotted the proceedings...

 Republic of Kosovo

Republic of Kosovo

Kosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...

, over the territory of the Serbian

Republic of Serbia (federal)

The Republic of Serbia was a federal unit of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1990 to 1992, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1992 to 2003 and the state union of Serbia and Montenegro between 2003 and 2006...

 Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija having been an administrative unit in the latter. The districts of Kosovo are based on the Serbian Districts of Kosovo and Metohija.

UNMIK reform of 2000

The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo or UNMIK is the interim civilian administration in Kosovo, under the authority of the United Nations. The mission was established on 10 June 1999 by Security Council Resolution 1244...

) introduced the following changes to the districts and municipalities of Kosovo (UNMIK) in 2000:

• on the territory of the Kosovska Mitrovica District
  Kosovska Mitrovica District
  The Kosovska Mitrovica District was a district in Kosovo between 1990 and 1999. It was located in the northern part of Kosovo i Metohija. It had a population of 275,904. Seat of the District was in the city of Kosovska Mitrovica...
  
   it made new District of Kosovska Mitrovica
  District of Kosovska Mitrovica
  Kosovska Mitrovica District is one the five districts of Serbia in Autonomous province Kosovo and Metohija, with seat in the city of Kosovska Mitrovica.-Municipalities:It includes the municipalities of: * Kosovska Mitrovica* Leposavić* Srbica...
  
  .
• on the territory of the Peć District
  Pec District
  The Peć District was a district in Kosovo between 1990 and 1999. It was located in the west part of Kosovo i Metohija. 90% of its population of 414,187 is Albanian, but there also live another ethnic groups such as Serbs, Roma, etc. Seat of the District was in the city of Peć...
  
   it made new District of Peć and District of Đakovica and additionally:
  • it transferred the municipality of Orahovac
    Orahovac
    Orahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
    
     to the District of Đakovica.
• it split the Kosovo District
  Kosovo District
  Kosovo District was a district in the Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija between 1990 and 1999. It was located in the middle and had a population of 672,292. Its capital was Pristina...
  
   in two - the new District of Pristina and District of Uroševac
  District of Uroševac
  The Uroševac District or Ferizaj District is one the seven districts of Kosovo, with seat in Uroševac.-Municipalities:* Uroševac * Štimlje * Kačanik * Štrpce...
  
  .
• it renamed the Kosovo-Pomoravlje District
  Kosovo-Pomoravlje District
  The Kosovo-Pomoravlje District , was a district in Kosovo between 1990 and 1999. It was located in the west part of Kosovo i Metohija. It has a population of 217,726. Seat of the District was in the city of Gnjilane...
  
   as the District of Gnjilane.
  • it transferred the municipality of Novo Brdo
    Novo Brdo
    Novo Brdo is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of eastern Kosovo. The population of the municipality is estimated at 6,720 people .-History:...
    
     to the District of Pristina.
• it reformed the Prizren District
  Prizren District
  The Prizren District was a district in Kosovo between 1990 and 1999. It was located in the southern part of Kosovo i Metohija. It had a population of 376,085. Seat of the District was in the city of Prizren...
  
   into District of Prizren
  District of Prizren
  The Prizren District is one the seven districts of Kosovo, with seat in Prizren.-Municipalities:It include the municipalities of:* Prizren* Dragaš * Suva Reka...
  
   by the following:
  • it merged the municipalities of Gora
    Gora (region)
    Gora is a geographical region in southern Serbia and northeastern Albania, inhabited by Albanians and a Gorani minority. The name "Gora" is a Slavic word for "mountain" or "forest"....
    
     and Opolje
    Opolje
    Opolje or Opoja is northern region of the municipality of Dragaš in the southern most part of Kosovo with Gora being the southern one.Opolje comprises 19 villages with a population of 30.000 . Its population is almost exclusively of Albanian ethnicity, whereas the population of Gora is Gorani...
    
     into the new municipality of Dragaš
    Dragaš
    Dragaš is a town and municipality in the Prizren district of southern Kosovo. The population of the town is approximately 33,584, that of the whole municipality is estimated at 33,584...
    
    
  • it formed new municiaplity Mališevo
    Mališevo
    Mališevo is a town and municipality in the Prizren District of central Kosovo...
    
     by taking territories from the municipalities of Orahovac
    Orahovac
    Orahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
    
     (Prizren District/District of Đakovica), Suva Reka (District of Prizren), Klina
    Klina
    Klina or Klinë is a city and municipality in the Peć district of north-western Kosovo. It is located at the confluence of the river Klina into the White Drin.-Demographics:-External links:* *...
    
     (District of Peć) and Glogovac
    Glogovac
    Glogovac is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo.-History:Before the Kosovo War of 1999, the Kosovo Liberation Army had a strong level of influence and controlled large areas of the municipality.-More about Glogovac:...
    
     (Kosovo District/District of Priština).
  • it transferred the bigger part of Orahovac municipality that is outside of the new municipality of Mališevo to the District of Đakovica.

Serbia

Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

 protested about the new territorial division and does not see it as legitimate, but by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo administration implemented it regardless of Serbia's protests, because it has such authority established by virtue of the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 Security Council Resolution 1244. Similarly the local authorities of Kosovo objected the Serbia nominal sovereignty

Sovereignty

Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...

 over Kosovo (also confirmed by the UNSCR 1244) and in 2008 declared unilateraly indepence

2008 Kosovo declaration of independence

The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence was adopted on 17 February 2008 by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo acting in personal capacity and not binding to the Assembly itself...

, but it is not yet recognized by the UN

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 and thus the Kosovo (UNMIK) protectorate continues to function according to UNSCR 1244.

The UNMIK administration (established in 1999), replaced the Districts of Kosovo and Metohia with new districts of Kosovo (UNMIK). The new districts are:

District	Capital	Area in km²	Population in 2002 (rank)	Population per km²	Municipalities
District of Đakovica  (Đakovički okrug/Rajoni i Gjakovës)	Đakovica	1042	242,077	232	Đakovica Dečani Decani Decani is the side of a church choir occupied by the Dean. In English churches this is typically the choir stalls on the south side of the chancel, although there are some notable exceptions, such as Durham Cathedral and Southwell Minster... Orahovac Orahovac Orahovac is a town and municipality in western Kosovo, in the District of Đakovica.-Name:Its Serbian name stems from the Serbian word orah , meaning "walnut"....
District of Gnjilane  (Gnjilanski okrug/Rajoni i Gjilanit)	Gnjilane Gnjilane Gnjilane or Gjilan is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with on 25 January 1963.-Name and history:...				Gnjilane Gnjilane Gnjilane or Gjilan is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with on 25 January 1963.-Name and history:... Kosovska Kamenica Kosovska Kamenica Kosovska Kamenica or Kamenica is a town and municipality in the Gnjilane district of eastern Kosovo.-Geography and population:In 2011, Kosovska Kamenica municipality was estimated to have 35,600 citizens.... Vitina Vitina Vitina is a town and municipality in the Gnjilane district of south-eastern Kosovo.-Geography:Towns in the Vitina municipality include Pozhoran, Kabash, Binqa, Kllokot, Drobesh, Smirë, etc.-History:...
District of Kosovska Mitrovica District of Kosovska Mitrovica Kosovska Mitrovica District is one the five districts of Serbia in Autonomous province Kosovo and Metohija, with seat in the city of Kosovska Mitrovica.-Municipalities:It includes the municipalities of: * Kosovska Mitrovica* Leposavić* Srbica...   (Kosovskomitrovački okrug/Rajoni i Mitrovicës)	Kosovska Mitrovica Kosovska Mitrovica Kosovska Mitrovica , is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district....				Kosovska Mitrovica Kosovska Mitrovica Kosovska Mitrovica , is a city and municipality in northern Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district.... Leposavić Leposavic Leposavić is a town and [Municipalities of Kosovo|municipality]] in the district of Kosovska Mitrovica of northern Kosovo. It is a part of North Kosovo, a region with at least 98%ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo... Srbica Vučitrn Vucitrn Vučitrn or Vushtrri is a city and municipality in north-eastern Kosovo. It is the seat of the Kosovska Mitrovica District. The name of the city means "wolf's thorn", the name of the spiny restharrow plant in Serbian.... Zubin Potok Zubin Potok Zubin Potok is a town and municipality in the Kosovska Mitrovica district of northern Kosovo. It is a part of North Kosovo, a region with an ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo... Zvečan Zvecan Zvečan is a town and municipality in the Kosovska Mitrovica district of Kosovo. It is a part of North Kosovo, a region with an ethnic Serb majority that functions largely autonomously from the remainder of the ethnic-Albanian-majority Kosovo and Metohija. The municipality covers an area of , and...
District of Peć  (Pećki okrug/Rajoni i Pejës)	Peć Pec Peć or Pejë is a city and municipality in north-western Kosovo and Metohija - Serbia, and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. Governor of city is Ali Berisha....				Peć Pec Peć or Pejë is a city and municipality in north-western Kosovo and Metohija - Serbia, and the administrative centre of the homonymous district. Governor of city is Ali Berisha.... Istok Istok Istok or Istog is a town and municipality in the Peć district of north-western Kosovo. The town is the administrative capital of the municipality, which includes the town and the surrounding villages.-Name:... Klina Klina Klina or Klinë is a city and municipality in the Peć district of north-western Kosovo. It is located at the confluence of the river Klina into the White Drin.-Demographics:-External links:* *...
District of Pristina  (Prištinski okrug/Rajoni i Prishtinës)	Pristina Pristina Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....				Pristina Pristina Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district.... Glogovac Glogovac Glogovac is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo.-History:Before the Kosovo War of 1999, the Kosovo Liberation Army had a strong level of influence and controlled large areas of the municipality.-More about Glogovac:... Kosovo Polje Kosovo Polje Kosovo Polje or Fushë Kosova is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo, at 42.63° North, 21.12° East, or approximately eight kilometres south-west of the capital Pristina... Lipljan Novo Brdo Novo Brdo Novo Brdo is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of eastern Kosovo. The population of the municipality is estimated at 6,720 people .-History:... Obilić Obilic Obilić is a town and municipality in central Kosovo, belonging to the Pristina district. The municipality includes the town of Obilić and 19 villages, with a total population of approximately 21,548.... Podujevo Podujevo Podujevo or Podujeva is a town and municipality located in the district of Pristina of north-eastern Kosovo.Podujevo is situated in a strategic position due to a regional motorway and railroad passing through it which links surrounding regions. Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, is located some to...
District of Prizren District of Prizren The Prizren District is one the seven districts of Kosovo, with seat in Prizren.-Municipalities:It include the municipalities of:* Prizren* Dragaš * Suva Reka...   (Prizrenski okrug/Rajoni i Prizrenit)	Prizren Prizren Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...				Prizren Prizren Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians... Dragaš Dragaš Dragaš is a town and municipality in the Prizren district of southern Kosovo. The population of the town is approximately 33,584, that of the whole municipality is estimated at 33,584... Suva Reka Mališevo Mališevo Mališevo is a town and municipality in the Prizren District of central Kosovo...
District of Uroševac District of Uroševac The Uroševac District or Ferizaj District is one the seven districts of Kosovo, with seat in Uroševac.-Municipalities:* Uroševac * Štimlje * Kačanik * Štrpce...   (Uroševački okrug/Rajoni i Ferizajit)	Uroševac Uroševac Ferizaj or Uroševac is a city and municipality in southern Kosovo, located some south of the capital Pristina.Uroševac is the third most populous city in Kosovo, after Pristina and Prizren.It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district...				Uroševac Uroševac Ferizaj or Uroševac is a city and municipality in southern Kosovo, located some south of the capital Pristina.Uroševac is the third most populous city in Kosovo, after Pristina and Prizren.It is the administrative centre of the homonymous district... Štimlje Kačanik Kacanik Kačanik or Kaçanik is a town and municipality in southern Kosovo, in the Uroševac district. The municipality covers an area of , including the town of Kačanik and 31 villages. It has a population of approximately 33,454... Štrpce Štrpce Štrpce is a town and municipality in the District of Uroševac, Kosovo and Metohija.According to the 1991 census, the municipality of Štrpce had a population of around 12,800 people...