Rahovec


Rahovec or Orahovac, is a town and municipality located in the District of Gjakova in Kosovo. According to the 2024 census, the town of Rahovec has 13,642 inhabitants, while the municipality has 41,799 inhabitants. It is also the center of the sports clubs KF Rahoveci, KB Rahoveci and KH Rahoveci.
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Etymology

The name of the town and municipality is of Serbian origin and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word orěhъ, meaning nux. The name Rahovec comes from an Albanised pronunciation of Orahovac.

Geography

Rahovec is located in western-central part of Kosovo and is part of the district of Gjakova. To the north, it shortly borders Klina, to the northeast Malisheva, to the southeast Suhareka and Mamusha, to the south Prizren, and to the west Gjakova. The distance from the capital city of Kosovo, Prishtina, is approximately. The municipality covers an area of approximately and it includes 35 villages.

Demographics

According to the last census of 2024 of Kosovo Agency of Statistics, the municipality of Rahovec has 41,799 while the town in itself has 13,642 inhabitants.
Of the 41,799 inhabitants, 40,491 are Albanians and other ethnicities mostly include Serbs and other ethnic groups.

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 and nowadays it is nearly extinct. It is thought that this pidgin language developed as a way for Albanian grape farmers to sell their products to wine producers, who were predominately Slavic-speaking.

Economy

Rahovec is especially known for its vineyards and wines.

Notable people