The region is called Kosovo Pomoravlje.

Before the NATO intervention in the Kosovo War, 20.000 Serbs lived in Gjilan.

The seat of the district was in the city of Gjilan.

Along with the rest of Kosovo , it was transferred to UN administration, a situation accepted by the Serbian government.

In 2000 the UN administration renamed the district the District of Gjilan as part of a series of reforms, which were rejected by Serbia.