Kočani

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title: "Kočani" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["kočani", "towns-in-north-macedonia"] topic_path: "general/kocani" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kočani" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
official_nameKočani
native_namemk
mottoCity of rice and geothermal water
image_skyline{{multiple image
borderinfobox
perrow1/2/2/2/2
total_width250
image1Kochani X52.JPG
image2St. George church - Kochani (east).jpg
image3Monument to Freedom in Kocani 017.JPG
footerFrom the top, View of Kočani, St. George's Church, Freedom Monument
image_flagFlag of Kocani Municipality.svg
image_sealCoat of arms of Kočani Municipality.svg
pushpin_mapNorth Macedonia
pushpin_label_positionleft
pushpin_map_captionLocation within North Macedonia
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1[[File:Logo of Eastern Region, North Macedonia.svg
subdivision_type2Municipality
subdivision_name2[[File:Coat of arms of Kočani Municipality.svg
subdivision_type3Geoname
subdivision_name3789403
seat_typeCouncil
seatSDSM - 8, VMRO-DPMNE - 8, Levica - 1, LDP/DOM - 1, Independent - 1
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameVenko Krstevski
established_titleFounded
established_date1337
area_total_km218.6
elevation_max_m420
elevation_min_m350
population_as_of2021
population_total24,632
population_density_km2auto
timezoneCET
utc_offset+1
timezone_DSTCEST
utc_offset_DST+2
coordinates
postal_code2300
area_code(++389) 33
websitewww.kocani.gov.mk
blank_name_sec1Vehicle registration
blank_info_sec1KO
blank1_nameOfficial language
blank1_infoMacedonian
blank2_nameGeothermal water temperature
blank2_info78°C
blank3_nameSettlements
blank3_info28
blank4_nameClimate
blank4_infoCfa
::

| name = | official_name = Kočani | other_name = | native_name = mk | nickname = | settlement_type = | total_type = | motto = City of rice and geothermal water | image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | perrow = 1/2/2/2/2 | total_width = 250 | image1 = Kochani X52.JPG | image2 = St. George church - Kochani (east).jpg | image3 = Monument to Freedom in Kocani 017.JPG | footer = From the top, View of Kočani, St. George's Church, Freedom Monument | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_flag = Flag of Kocani Municipality.svg | flag_size = | image_seal = Coat of arms of Kočani Municipality.svg | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = North Macedonia | pushpin_label_position = left | pushpin_map_caption = Location within North Macedonia | pushpin_mapsize = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = [[File:Logo of Eastern Region, North Macedonia.svg|15px]] Eastern | subdivision_type2 = Municipality | subdivision_name2 = [[File:Coat of arms of Kočani Municipality.svg|15px]] Kočani | subdivision_type3 = Geoname | subdivision_name3 = 789403 | seat_type = Council | seat = SDSM - 8, VMRO-DPMNE - 8, Levica - 1, LDP/DOM - 1, Independent - 1 | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Venko Krstevski | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1337 | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 18.6 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation_max_m = 420 | elevation_max_ft = | elevation_min_m = 350 | elevation_min_ft = | population_as_of = 2021 | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = 24,632 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | coor_type = | coordinates = | postal_code_type = | postal_code = 2300 | area_code = (++389) 33 | website = www.kocani.gov.mk | blank_name_sec1 = Vehicle registration | blank_info_sec1 = KO | blank1_name = Official language | blank1_info = Macedonian | blank2_name = Geothermal water temperature | blank2_info = 78°C | blank3_name = Settlements | blank3_info = 28 | blank4_name = Climate | blank4_info = Cfa | footnotes =

Kočani ( ) is a town in the eastern part of North Macedonia, situated around 100 km east from Skopje. It has a population of 24,632 as of 2021 and is the seat of the Kočani Municipality.

Geography

The town spreads across the Northern side of the Kočani valley, along the banks of the Kočani river, where it leaves the mountain slopes and flows through the valley. North of the town there is the Osogovo mountain (2252 m) and 8 km to the south the valley is closed by the mountain Plačkovica (1754 m). The town is 350 - above sea level.

Kočani spreads over an area of 18.6 km2.

Climate

The climate is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa), influenced by altered Mediterranean climate which penetrates along the river Bregalnica. The average temperature is 12.9 C with 538 mm rainfall.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Kocani_noke.JPG" caption="Kočani at night"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/BASA-2072K-1-499-11-Kočani,_1942.JPG" caption="Kočani in 1942" alt="Kočani in 1942"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Kočani_na_razglednica_od_1930ti.jpg" caption="Postcard of Kočani, from 1930s"] ::

Due to its favourable geographic location, together with excellent natural climate characteristics, Kočani was inhabited as early as the ancient times first by the Paionians, Meds and Thracians. Later on, in the 6th century the Slavs inhabited parts of the region. More precisely, in the 7th century members of the Slavic tribe Smolyani colonized the Kočani valley and built a fortification. The founders of the Slavic education, brothers Kiril and Metodij (Cyril and Methodius), stayed in the valley from the year 845 to 855 and in the Bregalnica area (Morodvis) started to preach Christianity in Slavic language.

Although the settlement existed long before that, Kočani was first mentioned in a charter from 1337 in which Despot Jovan Oliver donated the church of St. Dimitrija to Kočani.

Archaeological finds in the town itself have revealed remains of a settlement here in the Roman and Byzantine periods. Early in the 15th century it fell under Ottoman rule. The travel chronicler Evliya Çelebi, who visited it in 1662, recorded that it had 600 households, a mosque, a mezjid, an inn and 15 handicraft stores. During the 18th and in the early 19th century, the town growth rate stagnated. It was only around 1878 that the population began to rise, at which time it had about 450–500 households. The town has two feudal residences in the shape of towers believed to date from the 16th–17th century.

At least 63 people were killed and 152 were injured after a fire broke out in the Pulse nightclub during a concert on 16 March 2025.

Demographics

Population

Kočani has a population of 24,632 inhabitants which makes it the third regional center in the Eastern part of the country:

  • 1948 – 6,657 inhabitants
  • 1994 – 26,364 inhabitants
  • 2002 – 28,330 inhabitants
  • 2021 – 24,632 inhabitants

Ethnic structure

According to the 1903 Austrian consular reports on ethnic composition of the kazas of the Sanjak of Skopje in 1903, the kaza of Kočani was populated by a total of 39,406 inhabitants, of whom 16,524 (41.93%) were Bulgarian Exarchists, 11,600 (29.44%) Ottoman Muslim, 7,800 (19.79%) Albanians, 1,680 (4.26%) Aromanians, 1,090 (2.77%) Patriarchists and 712 (1.8%) Romanis.

According to the 2002 census, the ethnic composition of the city is as follows:

As of 2021, the city of Kočani has 24,632 inhabitants and the ethnic composition was the following:

Religious denomination

City Council

Following the 2021 local elections, the City Council is constituted as follows:

::data[format=table]

Party / ListSeats
[[File:Kocani 2021.svgMy Parliament]]
SDSM8
VMRO-DPMNE8
The Left1
LDP-DOM1
Independent politicians1
Total
::

Monuments

Numerous cultural and historical monuments, from ancient times to the Middle Ages, can be found in the vicinity of Kočani. One of them is an archeological site of Dolno Gradishte from the late antic period, and two medieval towers at the city center.

Monastery complexes in the nearby villages Morodvis and Panteley are world-famous both for their architecture and unique frescoes.

Features

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Kochani-St-George-Church.JPG" caption="St. George Orthodox church in Kočani"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Spomenik_na_Slobodata_Kocani_Macedonia.jpg" caption="Freedom Monument in Kočani"] ::

| filename = Štip – Kočani dialect speech - Kočani region.ogg | title = The Ploughman's Tale | description = Excerpt of speech by a woman from Kočani Valley in the local Štip – Kočani dialect The town green, especially along the river bed and banks of the Kočani river, is the pride of the local people. The town is very clean and neat, for which it has proudly held the prestigious title of the cleanest town in North Macedonia.

Today Kočani is a modern town with planned infrastructure, avenues, many modern buildings and blocks of flats, a hospital, a shopping centre, a park and a newly built industrial zone. All this is carefully planned and structured, according to modern standards of living and esthetics. New suburbs are mainly built to the east where the town almost reaches the first houses of Orizari and to the West spreading over the industrial zone.

Education

The City of Kočani is served by four primary schools:

  • Nikola Karev Primary School
  • Saints Cyril and Methodius Primary School
  • Rade Kratovče Primary School
  • Malina Popivanova Primary School

There are also two secondary schools:

There is also a primary school specializing in music:

  • Risto Jurukov Primary School for Music

The city also maintains a municipal library "Iskra" ("spark").

Sports

Local football club FK Osogovo has played several seasons in the Macedonian First Football League.

Town partnerships

Kočani maintains partnership links with the following places:

Notable people

References

References

  1. Dimoski, Angel. (14 April 2025). "Venko Krstevski elected acting mayor of Kochani". Media Information Agency.
  2. ""Kočani" (history)".
  3. "Total resident population, households and dwellings in the Republic of North Macedonia, by settlement, Census 2021". State Statistical Office of the Republic of North Macedonia.
  4. (2025-03-16). "Death toll from North Macedonia nightclub fire rises to 59".
  5. "Arrest warrants issued for four people after nightclub fire in North Macedonia kills 59".
  6. (1 January 2026). "A look at some of the worst fires in bars, nightclubs and music venues". Associated Press.
  7. "Kočani (Municipality, North Macedonia) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location".
  8. (2018). "A Study in the Theory and Practice of Destabilization: Violence and Strategies of Survival in Ottoman Macedonia (1903–1913)". The Isis Press.
  9. "Archived".
  10. "Совет на Општина Кочани (City Council)".
  11. "Куманово е втор град во државата по зелени површини".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

kočanitowns-in-north-macedonia