Velika Rudoka

Velika Rudoka
Rudoka e Madhe
Velika Rudoka on a cloudy day
Highest point
Elevation2,660 m (8,727 ft)
Prominence230 m (750 ft)
Isolation7.42 km (4.61 mi) → Titov Vrv
ListingCountry high point
Coordinates41°55′7″N 20°46′36″E / 41.91861°N 20.77667°E / 41.91861; 20.77667
Geography
Velika Rudoka is located in Kosovo
Velika Rudoka
Velika Rudoka
Location within Kosovo
Velika Rudoka is located in North Macedonia
Velika Rudoka
Velika Rudoka
Location within North Macedonia
Velika Rudoka is located in Europe
Velika Rudoka
Velika Rudoka
Location within Europe
Countries
 Kosovo
North Macedonia
Parent rangeŠar Mountains

Velika Rudoka (Serbian Cyrillic: Велика Рудока; {{ Rudoka e Madhe}}; Macedonian: Рудока, romanized: Rudoka) is the highest peak of the Rudoka Mountain, situated in the Šar Mountains range, exactly on the border between Kosovo and North Macedonia. With the altitude of 2,660 metres (8,727 feet), it is the highest mountain of Kosovo, and also the highest mountain of Serbia according to the view held by the government of Serbia. In some older sources, the altitude was stated to be 2,658 metres, but newer measurements showed that the true altitude is 2 metres higher than this figure.

The Rudoka Mountain is situated between the rest of Šar Planina and Vrace, southwest of Tetovo. The mountain range lies in a southwest to northeasterly direction, neighbouring Borislavec. The eastern slopes are very steep. The western slopes lightly descend into Šar Planina. Few waters are present on the mountain and there are few valleys. Two lakes are on Rudoka: Crno jezero (Black lake) and Belo jezero (White lake). The Mazdrača, a stream which flows into the Vardar, has its source in Crno jezero.

It is a common misconception that the highest mountain in Kosovo is Gjeravica at 2,656 m (8,714 ft). This was stated even in the 2020 Statistical Yearbook of Serbia, and some Serbian schoolbooks. The 2021 edition of the Statistical Yearbook of Serbia corrected the info, naming Velika Rudoka the highest peak, as did the 2021 edition of the Geography schoolbook for Serbian elementary schools. The 2026 edition of the Statistical Yearbook of Kosovo still states that Gjeravica is the highest mountain. It has been known that Velika Rudoka is higher than Gjeravica since at least 1972, when the Topographical Map of Yugoslavia was published. According to Sava Stanković, PhD, the misconception started because of unclear boundaries between the Socialist Republic of Macedonia and the Socialist Republic of Serbia.

The regional Macedonian border was delineated only after the breakup of Yugoslavia by a treaty between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia (contemporary North Macedonia) signed in Skopje on 23 February 2001. However, the 2001 Insurgency in Macedonia led to further territorial disputes, due to militant activities in some border regions. This was finally resolved on 17 October 2009 with a demarcation treaty between Kosovo, and Macedonia, following the Macedonian recognition of Kosovo. Annex 1 of the demarcation treaty adjusted the line at three regions, and Velika Rudoka is not among them.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Статистички годишњак Републике Србије, 2021". Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. 20 October 2021. p. 15. Archived from the original on 14 March 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Bubalo Živković, Milka (2021). Географија за 8. разред основне школе. Belgrade: Завод за уџбенике. p. 28. ISBN 978-86-17-20527-8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vojinović, Miloš (24 June 2021). "Setiti se Šar planine: Najviši vrh Srbije nije onaj o kome se uči u školi". Radio Televizija Srbije. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 "Velika Rudoka". Peakbagger.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "Maja më e lartë në Kosovë është 2 metra mbi Gjeravicën". Koha Ditore. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  6. ↑ From the Border Treaty signed between FR Yugoslavia and R Macedonia in 2001, page 40: [...] the borderline extends in the general direction towards northeast, in the straight line, to the peak on the crest Rudoka, at about 80 m east of T.P. p.e. 2629, continues along the crest across p.e. 2630 to T.P. p.e. 2658, where it changes the general direction [...]
  7. ↑ From the Demarcation Agreement signed between R Kosovo and R Macedonia in 2009, page 2: [...] The Parties further agree that such demarcation is consistent with the terms of the 2001 Agreement [...]
  8. ↑ "Topografska karta Gostivar 730-2-1 Titov Vrv". Topografska Karta JNA 1:25000. Vojnogeografski institut. 1973. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "Great Rudoka, 2658m". Summit Post. 28 October 2018. Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "(Foto) Upoznajte Srbiju: Otkrivamo nedoumice, koji je najviši vrh naše zemlje?". NS Uživo. 27 July 2020. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  11. ↑ Narodna enciklopedija srpsko-hrvatska-slovenačka III knjiga. Bibliografski zavod D.D. Zagreb. 1928. p. 983.
  12. ↑ "Статистички годишњак Републике Србије, 2020". Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. 20 October 2020. p. 15. Archived from the original on 20 September 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  13. ↑ Vjetari Statistikor i Republikës së Kosovës, 2026 (PDF) (in Albanian). Agjencia e Statistikës së Kosovës (Kosovo Agency of Statistics). 2026. p. 10. ISBN 978-9951-30-124-4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 October 2026.
  14. ↑ "Закон о потврђовању уговора између Савезне Републике Југославије и Републике Македоније о протезању и опису државне границе". Paragraf Lex (in Serbian). Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - International Agreements. 11 May 2001. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Najviši vrh u Srbiji – Nije onaj na koji ste prvo pomislili". Srbija Pod Lupom. 24 August 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2026. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  16. ↑ "Marrëveshje për demarkacionin fizik të kufirit ndërmjet Republikës së Kosovës dhe Republikës së Maqedonisë". Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo (in Albanian). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
  17. ↑ "Macedonia, Kosovo Establish Diplomatic Relations - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency". Novinite. 18 October 2009. Archived from the original on 17 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
  18. ↑ "Ratification of "border demarcation" deal". B92.net. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2026.

Further reading