Republic of Albania (Counties, Wiki-Review)

Valbonë Valley National Park, 2016

Republic of Albania (Counties, Wiki-Review, Data 2023)

Flag of Albania

Counties (Albanian: qarqe or qarqet), also sometimes known as prefectures (prefektura or prefekturat), are the first-level administrative subdivisions of Albania, replacing the earlier districts. Since 2000, there have been 12 counties. Since 2015, they have been divided into 61 municipalities, 373 communes, and 2,972 villages. Since its Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania has reorganized its domestic administrative divisions 21 times. The current status of the counties is based on the 1998 constitution and was implemented on 31 July 2000.

The former districts were abolished entirely and replaced with urban municipalities (bashki or bashkitë) and rural municipalities (komuna or komunat), which further oversaw villages (fshatra or fshatrat) in the countryside. This was revised in 2014, so that the 2015 local elections divided the counties into municipalities (bashki or bashkitë) at the regional level and administrative units (njësi administrative or njësitë administrative) for local government.

Vlorë

Vlorë County (Qarku i Vlorës) is one of the 12 counties of Albania with the city of Vlorë being the county capital. The county spans 2,706 km2 and has a total population of 146,681 people as of 2023. It borders the counties of Fier and Gjirokastër, as well as the Adriatic and Ionian Sea. Greece borders Vlorë to the south. The county has a coastline of 244 km.



Area: 2,706 km2
Municipalities: Delvinë, Finiq, Himarë, Konispol, Sarandë, Selenicë, Vlorë
Population (2023): 146,681
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 54.2
County seat: Vlorë
Geo-coordinates: 40°30′N 19°37′E

Korçë

County of Korçë (Qarku i Korçës) is a county in the Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the largest by area and the fifth most populous of the twelve counties, with more than 173,000 people within an area of 3,711 km2. The county is divided into 6 municipalities, Korçë, Devoll, Kolonjë, Maliq, Pogradec and Pustec, with all of whom incorporate 37 administrative units.


Area: 3,711 km2
Municipalities: Devoll, Kolonjë, Korçë, Maliq, Pogradec, Pustec
Population (2023): 173,091
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 46.6
County seat: Korçë
Geo-coordinates: 40°40′N 20°48′E

Berat

County of Berat (Qarku i Beratit) is a county in the Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the ninth largest by area and the ninth most populous of the twelve counties, with around 140,956 people within an area of 1,798 km2. The county borders the counties of Elbasan to the north, Korçë to the east, Gjirokastër to the south and Fier to the west. It is divided into five municipalities, Berat, Dimal, Kuçovë, Poliçan and Skrapar, with all of whom incorporate 25 administrative units.

Area: 1,798 km2
Municipalities: Berat, Kuçovë, Poliçan, Skrapar, Ura Vajgurore
Population (2023): 140,956
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 78.4
County seat: Berat
Geo-coordinates: 40°44′N 19°59′E

A panoramic view over the Lake Shkodër and the Albanian Alps in the distance, 2016

Elbasan

Elbasan County (Qarku i Elbasanit) is one of the 12 counties of Albania. Elbasan County has 232,580 inhabitants (as of 2023), in an area of 3199 km2. Since the 2015 local government reform, the county consists of the following 7 municipalities: Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin and Prrenjas.


Area: 3,199 km2
Municipalities: Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin, Prrenjas
Population (2023): 232,580
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 72.7
County seat: Elbasan
Geo-coordinates: 41°6′N 20°8′E

Gjirokastër

Gjirokastër County (Qarku i Gjirokastrës) is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The total population in 2023 was 60,013, in an area of 2884 km2. Its capital is the city Gjirokastër. Since the 2015 local government reform, the county consists of the following 7 municipalities: Dropull, Gjirokastër, Këlcyrë, Libohovë, Memaliaj, Përmet and Tepelenë.                             

Area: 2,884 km2
Municipalities: Dropull, Gjirokastër, Këlcyrë, Libohovë, Memaliaj, Përmet, Tepelenë
Population (2023): 60,013
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 20.8
County seat: Gjirokastër
Geo-coordinates: 40°12′N 20°15′E

Dibër

Dibër County (Qarku i Dibrës) is one of the 12 counties of the Republic of Albania, spanning a surface area of 2,586 km2 with the capital in Peshkopi. The county borders on the counties of Durrës, Elbasan, Kukës, Lezhë, Tirana and the country of North Macedonia. It is divided into the four municipalities of Bulqizë, Dibër, Klos and Mat. The municipalities are further subdivided into 290 towns and villages in total.

Area: 2,586 km2
Municipalities: Bulqizë, Dibër, Klos, Mat
Population (2023): 107,178
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 41.4
County seat: Peshkopi
Geo-coordinates: 41°42′N 20°22′E

Albanian Riviera, from Llogara Pass, 2015

Lezhë

Lezhë County (Qarku i Lezhës) is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The population as of 2021 was 120,678, in an area of 1,620 km2. Its capital is the city Lezhë. Since the 2015 local government reform, the county consists of the following 3 municipalities: Kurbin, Lezhë and Mirditë. The municipalities consist of about 175 towns and villages in total.



Area: 1,620 km2
Municipalities: Kurbin, Lezhë, Mirditë
Population (2023): 99,384
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 61.3
County seat: Lezhë
Geo-coordinates: 41°49′N 19°41′E

Durrës

County of Durrës (Qarku i Durrësit) is a county in the Northern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the smallest by area and the second most populous of the twelve counties, with 292,029 people within an area of 766 km2. The county borders on the Adriatic Sea to the west, the counties of Lezhë to the north, Dibër to the east and Tirana to the south. It is divided into three municipalities, Durrës, Krujë and Shijak, with all of whom incorporate sixteen administrative units.

Area: 766 km2
Municipalities: Durrës, Krujë, Shijak
Population (2023): 226,863
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 296.2
County seat: Durrës
Geo-coordinates: 41°23′N 19°30′E

Kukës

Kukës County (Qarku i Kukësit) is a landlocked county in northeastern Albania, with the capital in Kukës. The county spans 2,374 square kilometres and had a total population of 61,998 people as of 2021. The county borders on the counties of Dibër, Lezhë and Shkodër and the countries of Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia. It is divided into 3 municipalities: Has, Kukës and Tropojë. The municipalities are further subdivided into 290 towns and villages in total.

Area: 2,374 km2
Municipalities: Has, Kukës, Tropojë
Population (2023): 61,998
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 26.1
County seat: Kukës
Geo-coordinates: 42°7′N 20°25′E

Radohima mountain massif inside the Albanian Alps, 2012

Shkodër

Shkodër County (Qarku i Shkodrës) is a county in northwestern Albania, with the capital in Shkodër. The county spans 3,562 km2 and had a total population of 154,479 people as of the 2023 census. The county borders on the counties of Lezhë, Kukës and the country of Montenegro. Shkodër County consists of five municipalities: Fushë-Arrëz, Malësi e Madhe, Pukë, Shkodër and Vau i Dejës.

Area: 3,562 km2
Municipalities: Fushë-Arrëz, Malësi e Madhe, Pukë, Shkodër, Vau i Dejës
Population (2023): 154,479
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 43.4
County seat: Shkodër
Geo-coordinates: 42°6′N 19°37′E

Fier

County of Fier (Qarku i Fierit) is a county in the Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the eighth largest by area and the third most populous of the twelve counties, with about 240,000 people within an area of 1,890 km2. The county is divided into six municipalities, Fier, Divjakë, Lushnjë, Mallakastër, Patos and Roskovec, all of whom incorporate 42 administrative units.

Area: 1,890 km2
Municipalities: Divjakë, Fier, Lushnjë, Mallakastër, Patos, Roskovec
Population (2023): 240,377
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 127.2
County seat: Fier
Geo-coordinates: 44°46′N 19°37′E

Tiranë

County of Tirana (Qarku i Tiranës) is a county in the Central Region of Albania. It is the 10th largest by area and the most populous of the 12 counties according to the 2023 Census, with about 760,000 inhabitants within an area of 1,652 km2. The county is divided into 5 municipalities, Tirana, Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë and Vorë, with all of whom incorporate 29 administrative units.

Area: 1,890 km2
Municipalities: Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë, Tirana, Vorë
Population (2023): 1,652
Density (1 km2 – 2023): 459.1
County seat: Tiranë
Geo-coordinates: 41°6′N 20°8′E

Lake Bovilla, Albania

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