In 1998 an ethnic Albanian-led secessionist rebellion escalated into an international crisis (see ), which culminated in 1999 in an air bombardment of Yugoslavia—by then a rump of the former federal state, comprising only Serbia and —by the (NATO). Following the restoration of peace, Kosovo was administered by the UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo. Throughout this period—in the course of which Yugoslavia changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro (2003) and then separated into those independent states (2006)—Serbia continued to consider Kosovo part of its territory. Nevertheless, under UN supervision, Kosovo developed the structures of an independent country, and in February 2008 it formally declared independence from Serbia. An EU mission charged with overseeing police, judicial, and customs activities largely replaced the UN presence later that year. (Albanian: Prishtinë; Serbian: Priština) is the capital and largest city. Land map of KosovoPhysical features of Kosovo.(more)A , Kosovo is bordered by to the north and east, to the south, to the west, and to the northwest. Kosovo, about the same size as or , is the smallest country in the Balkans. Relief, drainage, and soils The borders of Kosovo are largely mountainous, characterized by sharp peaks and narrow valleys. The (Serbian: Šar) Mountains lie along the southern border with North Macedonia, while the are situated along the northeastern border with Serbia. The highest point is Mount Gjeravica (Ðeravica), at 8,714 feet (2,656 metres), on the western border with Albania. The interior terrain comprises high plains and rolling hills; about three-fourths of the country lies between about 1,600 and 5,000 feet (500 and 1,500 metres) above . Limestone caves are found in several parts of the country., Kosovo, [a] officially the Republic of Kosovo, [b] is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the north and east, and North Macedonia to the southeast., Kosovo, self-declared independent country in the Balkans region of Europe. Although the United States and most members of the European Union (EU) recognized Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, Serbia, Russia, and a significant number of other countries—including several EU members—did not..