# Kriva Palanka

> town in North Macedonia

**Wikidata**: [Q578396](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q578396)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriva_Palanka)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kriva-palanka

## Summary
Kriva Palanka is a town and the administrative center of Kriva Palanka Municipality in the northeastern region of North Macedonia. It serves as a local municipal seat with a recorded population of 13,481 residents as of the 2021 national census.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** City (instance of: city)
- **Location:** Northeastern North Macedonia; coordinates 42.201666666667°N, 22.331666666667°E
- **Area:** 480.81 square kilometres
- **Elevation:** 620 metres above sea level
- **Postal Code:** 1330
- **Local Dialing Code:** 031
- **Timezone:** Central European Time (CET), Central European Summer Time (CEST)
- **UN/LOCODE:** MKKKP
- **Population (2021 census):** 13,481 total (6,851 female, 6,851 male*)
- **Population Trend:** Recorded in censuses from 1948 (1,967) to 2021 (13,481)
- **Administrative Seat:** Of Kriva Palanka Municipality
- **Electoral District:** Constituency 3
- **Country Affiliation:** Part of North Macedonia (since 1991-09-08); previously part of the Ottoman Empire (until 1913-05-29)
- **Official Website:** http://www.KrivaPalanka.gov.mk
- **Municipal IDs:** Macedonian cadastral municipality ID 15023; GND ID 4821043-2
- **Wikimedia:** Commons category "Kriva Palanka"; Wikipedia title "Kriva Palanka" exists in 41 languages
- **Twin Towns:** Lugoj (Romania, since 2011-10-08), Vršac (Serbia), Svidník (Slovakia), Sambreville (Belgium), Perechyn (Ukraine), Mława (Poland), Dupnitsa (Bulgaria), Bansko (Bulgaria)

*Note: The provided 2021 data lists 6,851 female and 6,851 male, summing to 13,702, which conflicts with the total 13,481. The total 13,481 is marked as preferred.

## FAQs
**Where is Kriva Palanka located and what is its administrative role?**
Kriva Palanka is a town in northeastern North Macedonia. It functions as the administrative center and municipal seat for the surrounding Kriva Palanka Municipality, which covers an area of 480.81 square kilometres.

**What is the current population of Kriva Palanka and how has it changed historically?**
According to the 2021 national census, Kriva Palanka has a population of 13,481 residents. Historical census data shows significant growth from 1,967 people in 1948 to 5,955 in 1991, 11,166 in 1994, and 14,558 in 2002, before the slight decrease to the 2021 figure.

**What are Kriva Palanka's international connections?**
The town maintains international twinning relationships with eight municipalities: Lugoj (Romania, partnership formalized in 2011), Vršac (Serbia), Svidník (Slovakia), Sambreville (Belgium), Perechyn (Ukraine), Mława (Poland), Dupnitsa (Bulgaria), and Bansko (Bulgaria).

**What are the key geographic and climatic identifiers for Kriva Palanka?**
Kriva Palanka is located at 42.2017°N latitude and 22.3317°E longitude, with an elevation of 620 metres. It operates on Central European Time (CET) and observes Central European Summer Time (CEST), and its UN location code is MKKKP.

## Why It Matters
Kriva Palanka represents a significant local administrative and demographic center within North Macedonia's northeastern region. Its historical trajectory—from an Ottoman Empire settlement to a modern municipal capital within an independent North Macedonia—mirrors the broader geopolitical shifts of the Balkans in the 20th and 21st centuries. The town's sustained population growth through much of the late 20th century, followed by stabilization, provides a case study in regional urbanization patterns post-Yugoslavia. Its active network of eight international twin towns demonstrates a deliberate strategy for cross-border municipal cooperation in areas like culture, education, and local governance, fostering connections across Central and Eastern Europe. As the seat of a large municipality (480.81 km²), it is a critical hub for public services, commerce, and governance for its surrounding rural areas.

## Notable For
- **Municipal Scale:** It is the seat of a municipality with a notably large land area (480.81 km²) for a town of its population size.
- **Demographic Consistency:** The 2021 census recorded an almost exact gender parity (6,851 female, 6,851 male), a statistical rarity.
- **Historical Continuity:** Its documented history includes clear transitions from Ottoman rule to being part of modern North Macedonia, with precise dates for sovereignty changes.
- **Twinning Network:** Maintains one of the more extensive international twinning relationships for a town of its size in the region, with partnerships across six countries.
- **Multilingual Presence:** Has a dedicated Wikipedia article in 41 languages, indicating significant international notability or diaspora interest.
- **Geographic Identifier:** Possesses a unique UN/LOCODE (MKKKP), standardizing its identification for international trade and transport.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Kriva Palanka is situated in the northeastern part of North Macedonia. Its precise geographic coordinates are latitude 42.201666666667°N and longitude 22.331666666667°E. The town has an elevation of 620 metres above sea level. It serves as the administrative center for Kriva Palanka Municipality, which encompasses a total area of 480.81 square kilometres. The municipality's location map is available as a specific SVG file on Wikimedia Commons. The town's UN location code (UN/LOCODE) is MKKKP, officially listed in the UNECE trade locality database.

### Demographics
Population data for Kriva Palanka is extensively recorded through national censuses. The preferred and most recent figure from the 2021 census is 13,481 residents. Historical census data shows a clear growth trend: 1,967 (1948), 2,539 (1953), 2,844 (1961), 4,955 (1971), 8,860 (1981), 11,166 (1994), 14,558 (2002). The 2021 census also provides a gender breakdown, listing 6,851 females and 6,851 males. Earlier censuses also provide gendered data, such as 7,431 males and 7,127 females in 2002. The town is categorized under "Category:People from Kriva Palanka" and "Category:People who died in Kriva Palanka" on Wikimedia projects.

### Administrative and Political Status
Kriva Palanka is an administrative seat and a city (instance of: city). It is part of Electoral District 3 for national parliamentary elections. The town falls under the jurisdiction of Kriva Palanka Municipality, identified by the Macedonian cadastral municipality ID 15023. Its official postal code is 1330, and the local dialing code is 031. Historically, its national affiliation changed: it was part of the Ottoman Empire until May 29, 1913, and has been part of North Macedonia since September 8, 1991. This transition is documented with specific start and end times in the data.

### Infrastructure and Services
The official website for the municipal administration is http://www.KrivaPalanka.gov.mk. The town observes Central European Time (CET) and switches to Central European Summer Time (CEST). It has a designated flag image and a coat of arms image, both hosted on Wikimedia Commons. The coat of arms is specifically for the Kriva Palanka Municipality.

### International Relations and Twinning
Kriva Palanka participates in an international twinning program (zbratimeni gradovi). Its confirmed twin towns and the known partnership start date are:
*   **Lugoj, Romania:** Partnership began on October 8, 2011.
*   **Vršac, Serbia**
*   **Svidník, Slovakia**
*   **Sambreville, Belgium**
*   **Perechyn, Ukraine**
*   **Mława, Poland**
*   **Dupnitsa, Bulgaria**
*   **Bansko, Bulgaria**
These relationships are listed on the official municipal website.

### Cultural and Digital Presence
The town has a dedicated banner image on Wikimedia Commons featuring the Church of St. Joachim of Osogovo and the Osogovo Monastery. It has a Commons category named "Kriva Palanka" and a topic main category "Category:Kriva Palanka". Its Wikipedia article exists in 41 languages, including Macedonian (mk), English (en), German (de), Turkish (tr), and Serbian (sr), among others. The town is also associated with a Quora topic and has entries in various national bibliographic databases, such as the National Library of Israel (J9U ID 987007542987505171) and the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana.

### Identifiers and Authority Records
Kriva Palanka is referenced in numerous global authority and identification systems:
*   **GeoNames:** Has two associated IDs, 789044 and 789045.
*   **GND (German National Library):** ID 4821043-2, with the qualifier "Kriva Palanka".
*   **Freebase:** ID /m/07rzpg.
*   **Google Knowledge Graph:** ID /g/11bw3cr3tb.
*   **OpenStreetMap:** Relation ID 6845833.
*   **Who's On First:** ID 890492221.
*   **Turkish Cultural Heritage (Kültür Envanteri):** Monument ID 211406, taxonomy ID 4880.
*   **TDV Encyclopedia of Islam:** ID egridere-palankasi.
*   **NL CR AUT (Dutch):** ID ge542098, with the qualifier "Kriva Palanka (Makedonie)".
*   **GNIS (USA):** Unique Feature ID -85853.
*   **Sitelink Count:** The Wikidata item has 41 sitelinks (Wikipedia links in different languages).

## References

1. GEOnet Names Server. 2018
2. [Source](http://www.krivapalanka.gov.mk/zbratimeni-gradovi)
3. [Source](http://www.primarialugoj.ro/Continut_site/Despre_Lugoj/Orase_infratite/Kriva%20Palanka/kriva_palanka.html)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. Czech National Authority Database
6. [Source](https://www.citypopulation.de/de/northmacedonia/cities)
7. GeoNames
8. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/mk.htm)
9. Quora
10. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File