Although Kosovo is young and declared its independence only in 2008, the ancestors of today's Kosovans have been living in Kosovo’s region for millennia. One of the first people to live in Kosovo were Illyrians. Albanian Kosovans claim to be the direct descendants of the Illyrians, but Kosovan Serbs dispute this claim.
Kosovo is a relatively recent nation, having declared independence only in 2008, yet its current residents' ancestors have been living in the region for thousands of years. The first people to inhabit Kosovo were the Illyrians, and Albanian Kosovans claim to be their direct descendants, although Kosovan Serbs disagree.