The Pčinja District (Serbian: Пчињски округ, romanized: Pčinjski okrug, pronounced [ptʃǐɲskiː ôkruːɡ]) is one of nine administrative districts of Southern and Eastern Serbia. It covers the southern part of Serbia, bordering the disputed territory of Kosovo, along with Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Its administrative center is the city of Vranje.
Pčinja District | |
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District of Serbia | |
Images from the Pčinja District | |
![]() Location of the Pčinja District within Serbia | |
Coordinates: 42°33′N 21°54′E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Southern and Eastern Serbia |
Administrative center | Vranje |
Government | |
• Commissioner | Srećko Pejković |
Area | |
• Total | 3,520 km2 (1,360 sq mi) |
Population (2011 census) | |
• Total | 159,081 |
• Density | 45.1/km2 (117/sq mi) |
ISO 3166 code | RS-24 |
Municipalities | 6 and 1 city |
Settlements | 363 |
– Cities and towns | 6 |
– Villages | 357 |
Website | www |
According to the 2011 census, the district has a population of 159,081. Due to an Albanian boycott, the actual population is likely greater than is stated in the official statistics. One estimate suggests between 20,000–50,000 more people than recorded live in the district.
The Vranjska Banja spa plays a part in this region, with its multi-medicinal thermal mineral waters.
It encompasses the municipalities of:
The ancient Paeonian tribe of the Agrianians ruled the region in antiquity.
Cultural-historic monuments date back from over five centuries ago. The earliest military fortification, Marko's Fortress, was established in the 13th century. Also famous are the ancient Turkish public baths from the 16th century and the Pasha's House from 1765, in which a grammar school was opened in 1882.
In 2001, uprisings by Albanians occurred in the Albanian-majority municipalities of Preševo and Bujanovac. In addition, reports emerged in 2006 that the municipality of Trgovište had threatened to secede itself to North Macedonia, which was noteworthy because it has a majority Serb population. Representatives cited economic hardship and a declining population as grievances against Serbia’s government.[1]
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
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1948 | 209,232 | — |
1953 | 220,910 | +1.09% |
1961 | 222,520 | +0.09% |
1971 | 230,373 | +0.35% |
1981 | 238,753 | +0.36% |
1991 | 243,529 | +0.20% |
2002 | 227,690 | −0.61% |
2011[a] | 159,081 | −3.91% |
Source: [2] |
a. | ^ In the municipalities of Bujanovac and Preševo (parts of Pčinja District) there was undercoverage of the census units owing to the boycott by most of the members of the Albanian ethnic community. |
Places adjacent to Pčinja District | ||||||||||||||||
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Districts of Serbia | |
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Vojvodina |
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Belgrade |
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Šumadija and Western Serbia | |
Southern and Eastern Serbia | |
Kosovo and Metohija1 | |
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Authority control ![]() |
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