Luník IX
Luník IX | |
|---|---|
Borough | |
Luník IX in December 2020 | |
|
Flag Coat of arms | |
Location within Košice | |
Luník IX Location in Košice Region Luník IX Location in Slovakia | |
| Coordinates: 48°41′45″N 21°13′25″E / 48.69583°N 21.22361°E | |
| Country | Slovakia |
| Region | Košice |
| District | Košice II |
| Housing estate | 1979 |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 244 m (801 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 7,185 |
| Population by ethnicity (2011) | |
| • Roma | 56.6% |
| • Slovak | 32.6% |
| • Hungarian | 1.2% |
| • Other | 0.2% |
| • Unreported | 9.4% |
| Population by religion (2011) | |
| • Roman Catholic | 63.4% |
| • Assemblies of God | 10.6% |
| • Old Catholic | 1.8% |
| • Greek Catholic | 1.4% |
| • Lutheran | 1.3% |
| • Other | 3.1% |
| • Non-religious | 2.2% |
| • Unreported | 16.2% |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 040 11 |
| Area code | +421-55 |
| Vehicle registration plate (until 2022) | KE |
Luník IX is a borough (city ward) in the city of Košice, Slovakia, in the Košice II district. It is located in the western-central part of the city, surrounded by the boroughs of Pereš, Myslava, Barca, Juh and Západ.
Luník IX is arguably Slovakia's most well-known slum and one of the largest Roma slums in Europe.[6]
Characteristics
| City | Population |
|---|---|
| Jarovnice | |
| Luník IX | |
| Rakúsy |
Luník IX houses one of the largest communities of Romani people in Slovakia. Although originally built for 2,500 inhabitants, it is estimated that the population is now three times larger. Living standards are low, with services such as gas, water, and electricity cut off, as the majority of inhabitants are not paying rent or utilities fees and the utilities infrastructure has been ransacked to sell for scrap.[8]
Health standards are low, and diseases such as hepatitis, head lice, diarrhea, scabies and meningitis are common.[8] Unemployment in the borough reaches almost 100 percent.[8] It has one elementary school and a kindergarten.[9]
Luník IX is serviced by a bus line, which stops only on selected bus stops. Boarding the bus is only allowed through the front door. Due to frequent attacks of aggressive residents, bus drivers deployed on the line receive hazard pay.[10]
History
The Romani village close to the borough was demolished in 1979 and the Romani people were moved into Luník IX; in addition, there was a landfill nearby. As early as in the 1980s the Romani comprised half of the population, which was around 2,000.[9] Over time, the non-Romani population gradually moved away, with the Romani taking flats after their departure, and the borough turned into a Romani ghetto.[11]
In 1995, the city council of Košice created a plan for the living conditions of dodgers, the maladjusted, and people from illegally occupied flats around Košice.[9] They were to be moved into Luník IX, with "non-problematic" families being gradually moved out if they requested it. The realization of this plan is on-going.[9]
According to data from 2019, the vast majority of the municipality's population consists of the local Roma community, when they constituted an estimated 100% of the local population.[12]
In September 2021, Pope Francis visited the settlement and delivered an address to the inhabitants during his first papal trip to Slovakia.[13][14]
Statistics
- Area: 1.07 square kilometres (0.41 sq mi)
- Population: 6,411 (December 2017)
- Density of population: 6,000/km² (December 2017)
- District: Košice II
- Mayor: Marcel Šaňa (as of 2018 elections)
Geography
The municipality lies at an altitude of 244 metres (801 ft)[3] and covers an area of 1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi) (2024).[15]
Population
| Year | 1994 | 2004 | 2014 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | 0 | 5150 | 6235 | 7185 |
| Difference | – | +21.06% | +15.23% |
| Year | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Count | 7146 | 7185 |
| Difference | +0.54% |
It has a population of 7185 people (31 December 2024).[17]
Ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Number | Fraction |
|---|---|---|
| Romani | 3419 | 48.58% |
| Not found out | 2885 | 40.99% |
| Slovak | 1559 | 22.15% |
| Total | 7037 |
In year 2021 was 7037 people by ethnicity 3419 as Romani, 2885 as Not found out, 1559 as Slovak, 5 as Czech, 3 as Other, 2 as Rusyn, 1 as Ukrainian, 1 as Hungarian and 1 as English.
Note on population The difference between the population numbers above and in the census (here and below) is that the population numbers above are mostly made up of permanent residents, etc.; and the census should indicate the place where people actually mainly live.
For example, a student is a citizen of a village because he has permanent residence there (he lived there as a child and has parents), but most of the time he studies at a university in the city.
Religion
| Religion | Number | Fraction |
|---|---|---|
| Not found out | 4120 | 58.55% |
| Roman Catholic Church | 1667 | 23.69% |
| None | 1002 | 14.24% |
| Total | 7037 |
In year 2021 was 7037 people by religion 4120 from Not found out, 1667 from Roman Catholic Church, 1002 from None, 70 from Evangelical Church, 59 from Christian Congregations in Slovakia, 55 from Greek Catholic Church, 19 from Apostolic Church, 15 from Jehovah's Witnesses, 12 from Other and not ascertained christian church, 9 from Calvinist Church, 3 from Eastern Orthodox Church, 3 from United Methodist Church, 1 from Old Catholic Church, 1 from New Apostolic Church and 1 from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Gallery
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Housing estate in the Luník IX borough seen from the surrounding area
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One of the houses during papal visit (2021)
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Situation in October 2000
References
- ^ "Hustota obyvateľstva - obce [om7014rr_obc=AREAS_SK, v_om7014rr_ukaz=Rozloha (Štvorcový meter)]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Počet obyvateľov podľa pohlavia - obce (ročne) [om7101rr_obce=AREAS_SK]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Základná charakteristika". www.statistics.sk (in Slovak). Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ SODB - Košice-Luník IX, 2011
- ^ SODB - Košice-Luník IX, 2011
- ^ "Inside one of the biggest Roma slums hope arises". Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity International. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
- ^ "Slovakia 2021 census: Population by ethnicity". www.scitanie.sk. February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ a b c "Residents of Roma ghetto to be moved". The Slovak Spectator.
- ^ a b c d "Cassovia.sk ::". www.cassovia.sk. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ a.s., Petit Press. "Lunik IX chce častejšiu mestskú dopravu". Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ a.s., Petit Press. "Doctor struggles to understand Roma ghetto after 25 years". Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ Ábel Ravasz, Ľuboš Kovács and Filip Markovič, Atlas rómskych komunít 2019. Bratislava: Veda, 2020, ISBN 978-80-224-1874-4, database appendix available at:https://www.institutmatejabela.sk/ark2019
- ^ Muller, Robert (8 September 2021). "Seeking change, Slovak Roma settlement puts faith in Pope visit". Reuters. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ Muller, Robert (14 September 2021). "Pope calls out prejudice as he meets Roma in Slovakia". Reuters. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "Hustota obyvateľstva - obce [om7014rr_obc=AREAS_SK, v_om7014rr_ukaz=Rozloha (Štvorcový meter)]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Počet obyvateľov podľa pohlavia - obce (ročne) [om7101rr_obce=AREAS_SK]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Počet obyvateľov podľa pohlavia - obce (ročne) [om7101rr_obce=AREAS_SK]". Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Population - Basic results". www.scitanie.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "Population - Basic results". www.scitanie.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "Population - Basic results". www.scitanie.sk. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved 3 November 2025.