Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. It used to be an autonomous region of Yugoslavia, but after the breakup of this socialist republic and the war of 1998-1999, the Kosovo Albanian majority of the population strived for sovereignty. Kosovo’s independence is recognized by around 110 UN member states, among which the United States and most EU-countries. However, there is also a strong opposition against this independence, expressed by Serbia but also by Russia, China and Spain. The Kosovo Serb majority in the northern part of Kosovo refuses to be part of this new country. The Ibar River, running through the city of Mitrovica, marks the dividing line.